Columbus and the Valley March/April 2023

40 YEARS of FEEDING THE VALLEY

WHISPERING HILLS Offers Green Burials

From the Editor’s Desk

As my 70-year-old fingers fall into place over the a-s-d-f-j-k-l-; keys for the last time as a publisher, my mind is still trying to convince the rest of me that I’m still that 42-year-old who got to not only marry his best friend, but laugh with her, eat with her and rear children with her through thick and thin while publishing three magazines and a weekly newspaper.

It seems like just yesterday that Jill and I walked into the office building on Broad Street in Phenix City to replace the five family members whose publishing business we had just purchased. I remember the first Tuesday night we put out the entire newspaper on our own. How the power went off in our offices and how our legs were covered with fleas which emanated from a small colony of feral cats that we found living under our building.

The past 23 years of publishing this magazine found either Jill or me sitting at a planning table for many of the now-famous Columbus, Georgia public/private partnerships which over the past 30 years have so radically changed the landscape of this region. These projects continue to delight local citizens and to cause great dismay among the leaders of other up-and-coming Georgia cities who can’t seem to “find the handle” that Columbus has managed to grab as things here just seem to magically get done.

The stories we’ve been able to write about the wonderful places, businesses and interesting people of our region have filled our lives with great conversations, fun travels and lifelong friendships. We’re just two on the long list of passionate people with whom we’ve shared the task of cheering for this town to become the greatest second-tier city in America.

As we prepare to hand off the reins of our publishing business to new owners, Jodi and Gerald Saunders, we are excited to see how the sparks of their energy and intelligence will ignite new publishing projects and ideas for interesting ways to deliver compelling content to current and future readers in our region.

We’ll still be cheering for the future successes that will make this place a hot choice for people to live, work and play, but we’ll be cheering from parts of the USA and the world that our work has prevented us from seeing during the past 30 years. And we’re excited to spend as many days as possible reveling in the wonders of watching our current and future grandchildren grow up into kind, hardworking people. Our hope is to talk them into putting their roots down in this very ground that gave them their starts in life.

We hope you’ll be as welcoming to Jodi and Gerald as you have been to Jill and me as they work every day to deliver great stories for you to read. We also hope you’ll continue to spend your money shopping with the local merchants who advertise within the pages of their future issues.

Thank you, Columbus, Phenix City and Fort Benning. It’s been a wonderful ride.

EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS

Mike Venable and Jill Tigner mike@columbusandthevalley.com

jill@columbusandthevalley.com

OWNERS

Jodi and Gerald Saunders

jodi@columbusandthevalley.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Kathleen Mitchell

kathleen@columbusandthevalley.com

Margie Richardson

margie@columbusandthevalley.com

Julie Jernigan, Sales Assistant salesassistant@columbusandthevalley.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Sixty Two Graphic Studio

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Brett Buckner

Janet Burden

Cyndy Cerbin

Pat Daniel

Julie Jernigan

Marquette McKnight

Mike Owen

Scott Phillips

Jennifer Shrader

PHOTOGRAPHY

Allen White

Ritchie White Photography

P.O. Box 229 214A 10th Street

Columbus, GA 31902 706-324-6214 • fax 706-324-6216

Mike Venable Editor

COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE is published bimonthly for $18 per year by Chicken Dinner News, Inc., dba COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE, P. O. Box 229, Columbus, GA 31902. The cover and contents are fully protected and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE. We are not responsible for loss of unsolicited inquiries, manuscripts, photographs, or other materials. They will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. Editorial contributions and letters should be addressed to COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE, Post Office Box 229, Columbus, GA 31902. Copyright © 2023 by Chicken Dinner News, Inc. trading as COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE. Postmaster: Please send address corrections to: Post Office Box 229, Columbus, GA 31902.

MEMBER

Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, East Alabama Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau of West Georgia and East Alabama and Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Happy Tails

3 INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS FROM ANIMAL SHELTERS TO LOVING HOMES

Sam

toYou

BY JANET BURDEN PHOTOS BY RITCHIE WHITE

It’s springtime, and, as poets say, your thoughts may be lightly turning to love—puppy and kitten love, that is—making April a good time to explore the area’s pet adoption facilities. National Pet Day, observed April 11, and Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, April 30, both serve as reminders to celebrate and support area shelters while you search for just the right addition to your household.

Imagine a time when animal adoption facilities in the Chattahoochee Valley achieve their vision of reducing euthanasia rates by placing all their wards into the homes of loving pet parents. Progress is being made: According to the ASPCA, the number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters is on the decline. This downturn can be explained, in part, by increases in the percentage of animals adopted and in the number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners—all thanks to coordinated efforts of shelters.

The tides of change don’t stop there. Some local shelters report an uptick in available animals surrendered after having been introduced into homes during the pandemic, either through purchase or adoption. Although shelter staff remained diligent when it came to

Velma

screening prospective adoptive families, former work-from-home pet guardians are now returning to the worksite and find themselves no longer able to properly care for their wards.

The upside of this is that you have a large pool of trained and housebroken pets to choose from. Often, though, you’ll leave with an entirely different sort of new addition to your family—one who gazed at you with trusting eyes, tugged at your heart and made you fall in love. Remember the movie about two plucky dogs and a scrappy cat who trekked across Canada to find their people? The following animals may never receive the same Disney star treatment, but their journey from shelter to forever home is just as incredible as they too eventually found their people.

LIAM’S JOURNEY: From Street to Security

We begin with Liam the dog, adopted directly from Columbus Animal Control by Izzy and Will Randall. He recently enjoyed his 10th anniversary with the Randalls, who can’t imagine their life without “this sweet, lovey boy with the doofy grin.” Adopted the day he was slated to be euthanized, Liam is the perfect companion for his special-needs, three-legged dog brother, Trip.

His pre-adoption history is unknown, but Liam was a storybook street dog. “We're not sure about much of Liam's life before us,” Izzy said. “He was around a year old when we rescued him from Columbus Animal Control, where he'd been picked up as a stray. From his general condition when we got him—30 pounds

underweight, heartworm positive, unaltered and generally wary of everything—we assume he likely never had a family and was born a stray.”

Now, Liam’s day centers around play, eating and belly rubs. Other than regular doses of antianxiety medication that help him cope with the stress of loud holidays and interacting with unfamiliar dogs, he’s transitioned from being unloved to an integral addition to the Randall household.

“I've never had better dogs than my two current rescues,” Izzy said. “There are so many sweet, precious animals in shelters or on the street right now that will love you forever for giving them a place to call home, a warm bed and an occasional bite of your dinner. Not to mention that we didn't pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for Liam, and any money spent on adoption goes to the shelter so they can continue their fantastic work rather than to a breeder.

“The risks are few, and the rewards are staggering. Adopting a dog is the best gift you can give yourself.”

INTERESTED IN RESCUING OR FOSTERING?

Animal shelters & services in the Chattahoochee Valley include: Animal Ark Rescue

706-289-8495 • animalarkrescue.com

Columbus Animal Care and Control Center

706-225-4512

columbusga.gov/PublicWorks/Animal_Control/ East Alabama Humane Society Inc. 334-298-6446 • eahs4pets.com

Humane Society of Harris County 706-582-3007 • hsharrisco.org

Lee County Humane Society

334-821-3222 • leecountyhumane.org

Paws Humane Society 706-565-0035 • pawshumane.org

Russell County-Phenix City Animal Shelter 334-291-4847 • rcpcasa.com

PORTER’S JOURNEY: From Temporary to Treasured

Next, we meet Porter, described as a “sweet, smart dog” prone to shadowing adopted parent Susan Tomkiewicz. She and her husband, Bill, brought Porter home almost seven years ago. Because he was microchipped, it was evident that Porter was a product of former adoptions that never cumulated in a forever home.

Porter’s background includes time spent at a succession of shelters, luckily landing at Paws Humane Society which had a vacancy for him. Susan and Bill, who had adopted animals before but never through a shelter, were drawn to a shelter adoption because by doing so “we’ve saved an animal and given it a second—or third—chance at a good life.” Susan points out that adopting through a shelter not

WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP ANIMALS OUT OF SHELTERS

Sometimes, families find themselves in situations where caring for a companion animal is no longer possible. Explore alternatives to surrendering your pet by contacting Paws Humane Society at nps@pawshumane.org or 706-987-0009 for advice about resources that keep these animals cared for and out of the shelter system.

Porter

only saves the life of the adopted animal, but also the one that can then fill the shelter opening left by that adoption.

Porter exhibited signs of abuse and needed extra doses of TLC. “We adore Porter, but he was a lot of work to rehabilitate,” Susan said. “We’re fairly certain that many would have returned him to the shelter, but I knew this dog had a beautiful soul. He just needed some patient people willing to put in the work.”

After successful heartworm treatment, Susan tackled Porter’s behavioral challenges; how he responded to different environments, human interaction and stress. So determined to help Porter that, at the advice of Porter’s veterinarian, they took him to “a behavioral specialist once a month for about 10 months. That’s how dedicated we were to rehabilitating Porter. It’s been a long, long road.”

Susan points out that not all potential pet adopters should attempt homing a dog with such pronounced challenges as Porter’s, but for them, few experiences have been as satisfying. By helping him cope with his demons, Susan has developed a deep connection with him. “We are so bonded; he’s my shadow,” Susan said. “I met him before my husband did, and I think Porter instinctively knew that I would be his main caregiver. My husband jokes that he’s my dog, which he totally is.”

She provides these tips for adoption success: “Do your research. Ask all the questions and dig into the animal’s past, if possible. If you don’t know what to ask, talk to others who have adopted to educate yourself. Adoption should be for life, not at your

convenience. That might sound harsh, but these poor animals have already been through so much. If you’re not willing to work through good times and bad—as with marriage vows!—you shouldn’t have a pet.”

CLAWDETTE NOEL’S JOURNEY: From Hardscrabble to Holiday Joy

Debbie Daniel first met Clawdette, as Paws named her, while volunteering at Paws Humane Society during the preholiday season. She knew that this sweet cat with the beautiful markings had been abandoned at an apartment complex and that Clawdette had had to fend for herself. Food was scarce and refuge nonexistent. She became a target for mean-spirited area children before she was eventually trapped, treated and spayed.

“Clawdette was previously adopted out but was returned to the shelter just before Thanksgiving last year,” Debbie said. “Because of the former family’s experience and feedback, she was then classified as being most suitable for a single pet, childless household.”

The resilient cat, who turned two in March, was Debbie’s Christmas present to herself. She added “Noel” to Clawdette’s name to mark the occasion.

Clawdette Noel has adjusted well to Debbie’s stable environment and has helped fill a void left after the passing of both Debbie’s

mother and the death of her 15-year-old dog, Zoe, earlier in 2022. “I think she rescued me as much as I rescued her.”

Always up for the exercise all pets need, “Clawdette Noel really enjoys chasing lasers and flashlights. She spends some of her time in her tunnels waiting to pounce and swat at my feet and legs as I come by. She is very loving and affectionate—on her terms, of course!” When Clawdette Noel deems the time is right, she crawls onto Debbie’s lap, “makes biscuits” and goes to sleep, purring.

“I firmly believe in rescuing,” Debbie said. “We have too many animals that are being abandoned and even put to death through no fault of their own. If you'll spend time with them, be it cats, dogs or whatever, they “pick you," and you'll know it's a right fit.”

What to Expect from Your Shelter Visit

To make the adoption experience as positive as possible, agencies work with prospective clients before, during and after the process to ensure a good match. If it’s determined to be the wrong fit and a return is unavoidable, it’s not considered a failure. They use feedback gained during the return process to further assess the animal’s needs. As shown by Clawdette Noel’s preference for a quiet, laidback environment with no children and no other pets, adoption is not one-size-

Area animal shelters have websites and social media outreach, so check their hours before planning your visit. Once there, you’ll be amazed at your options of available pets, all needing loving homes, food and security.

In addition to dogs and cats, keep in mind that most shelters also have smaller animals available that may be more suitable for

Clawdette Noel

apartment dwellers or for anyone whose schedule doesn’t allow for the regular exercise and care dogs and cats require. Sabine Stull, director of Animal Ark Rescue, points out that an assortment of wounded animals have walked, flown and slithered their way through the Manchester Expressway facility for treatment, rehabilitation and adoption. “We have had all kinds of critters needing homes such as turtles, bunnies, hamsters and birds,” Stull said, making it and other area facilities a great place to begin any adoption journey.

Expect to spend some time with the animal candidates and facility staff to ensure a good match. “We start with just a conversation,” said Courtney Pierce, director of Adoptions and Admissions at Paws Humane Society on Milgen Road in Columbus. “We like to get to know our customers and what their ideal pet would be. From there we make suggestions based on what we know about the personalities of the pets and of the potential adopters.”

To make a good match, factor in your regular routine and activity levels. “We always recommend managing expectations and really thinking about lifestyle,” Pierce continued.

Sabine Stull, director of Animal Ark Rescue, gets to know the personality of a newly received cat.

“For example, if you are an active person who is looking for a hiking or running buddy, you’re probably not going to be happy with a ‘couch potato’ dog.”

Stull agrees. “Adding a pet to the family is a 10- to 15-year commitment and takes great deliberation. That’s why we have conversations with potential adopters.”

After the adoption

Remember that successful adoptions take time and patience. Many adopters need assistance with their new charges, so area shelters include post-adoption counseling. They remain ready to answer questions and provide tips throughout the process. “Paws Humane Society clients receive a digital packet with everything they need to know, and we follow up at three days, three weeks and three months to ensure things are going well,” Pierce said.

Similarly, Animal Ark Rescue staff and volunteers include information about training classes, proper diet and general care and feeding of new pets during the adoption process, even providing assistance by a behaviorist after the adoption, if needed. Costs associated with pet ownership should be considered. While neutering, parasite treatment and vaccines are typically performed before animals are adopted out, they need continued care and wellness checks. Ask about estimated veterinarian costs and any potential troublesome traits that some breeds develop as they age.

National Pet Day and Adopt a Shelter Pet Day are ideal times to consider adopting a furry, scaly or feathered companion. Check out the area’s many animal adoption resources—and don’t be surprised if you fall in love!

Adoption not in the cards, but you still want to help?

If the commitment to adopt is not for you, there are still countless volunteer opportunities. Some animal care volunteers tend to the needs of animals in the shelter and become a vital part of making their experience the most comfortable during their stay. Care often revolves around cleaning and feeding, but as you settle into the position and tasks become routine, you will be able to dedicate more time to hands-on animal enrichment and oneon-one time, such as dog walking and cat cuddling.

Consider fostering. Doing so not only relieves shelters of crowded conditions, it helps animals become socialized and better able to adapt to a variety of environments. Shelters value the impressions you gain through interacting with the fosters. They use the information to profile the animal’s strengths and weaknesses such as its ability to co-exist with other pets or children, or whether it would be a better candidate for adoption by less active adults.

And, of course, shelters are always eager to accept your donations of food, supplies and cash. C

‘I can't think of a more perfect place'

LAGRANGE PROPERTY HOME TO GREEN CEMETERY, LAND PRESERVE

BY JENNIFER SHRADER

Caitlin Freeman and her brother Kyle had grown up in an artistic, creative family that marched to their own drum. They’d always done things differently, so much so in fact, that she knew when her brother died, he didn't want a “regular” funeral. They'd even had the conversation.

In May of 2021, the unthinkable happened. Caitlin’s baby brother Kyle passed away.

Not long after that, her mother read an article about Whispering Hills Natural Green Cemetery and Memorial Nature Preserve.

“We all agreed, he would probably love that,” Freeman said of her family’s decision to bury Kyle’s ashes on the property.

Amy Perry has a similar story. Her mother and father had bought regular burial plots years ago, but they’d always raised their family to be nature lovers and appreciate the wonder of science, she said. Her father had always been interested in the concept of a green burial, but had never known the service to be available where he lived.

In the last year of her father’s life as his health declined, Perry's

husband did some research and found Whispering Hills.

“It really put Mom at peace to know that her best friend and the love of her life for 54 years was going to be put back to nature without causing any harm to the environment,” Perry said.

The concept of a green burial isn’t new, but it isn’t yet a common practice. Whispering Hills only opened on Earth Day in April 2021, part of a growing trend and the third natural green cemetery in Georgia.

The nature preserve and cemetery sit on 140 acres owned by Ralph Howard Jr. and his sister Jean, who first began looking at the idea of a nature preserve simply as a way to keep LaGrange’s growth at bay. The pressure to develop the land, off the evergrowing Mooty Bridge Road, which also serves as Georgia 219, was growing.

Ralph Howard, also now the co-owner and manager of the cemetery and preserve, said he read an article about green cemeteries in 2018, about the same time he and Jean were discussing whether to have the timber harvested on the property.

“Neither of us were enthusiastic about the way the property would look if we did that,” he said.

Howard and his sister look at that land and see more than just trees turning into dollar signs as a timber harvester comes through. It’s where they grew up. It’s where they played in the forest, meadows and streams, long before there were things like “screen time” and probably even out of earshot of their momma calling them in for dinner. Howard’s best friend Jackie Hubbard helped explore those same areas. He now lives adjacent to the site

Can be found at:

Barnes & Noble

Columbus Museum

Dinglewood Pharmacy

Durham’s Pharmacy

Galleria

Judy Bug Books

Marriott

Midtown Medical

Center Gift Shop

Pierce Crossing

Convenience Store

Piggly Wiggly

River Road Pharmacy

Whitewater Express

Kyle Czarnonycz’s tribute stone

and handles security and preserving the land his childhood feet surely logged many miles on. His wife Shirley is the site’s tour director and is usually the first voice or face people hear when they call or visit.

The idea of a certified green cemetery and a nature preserve—two things the government and development wouldn't be able to touch—intrigued Howard.

And no one can say he didn’t do his research. Howard started with Jeff Higgins, general manager of Higgins Funeral Home in LaGrange, and got his first encouragement. He visited

“IT REALLY PUT MOM AT PEACE TO KNOW THAT HER BEST FRIEND AND THE LOVE OF HER LIFE FOR 54 YEARS WAS GOING TO BE PUT BACK TO NATURE WITHOUT CAUSING ANY HARM TO THE ENVIRONMENT.”

-Amy Perry

Amy Perry (R), her husband Jack and daughter Shiloh visit the grave of her father Harold Loyd Whitman.

the other two green cemeteries in Georgia, Milton Fields in Milton and Honey Creek Woodlands near Conyers, which is owned and operated by the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. From there, he went to see the first exclusively green cemetery in the United States, Ramsey Creek Preserve in Westminster, South Carolina

Then he had to convince other family members to get on board.

“It’s safe to say not everyone in the Howard family was as excited about going into the natural green cemetery and preserve business as I was at first,” he said. “But I am happy to report that the vision of a natural green cemetery and nature preserve has become a beautiful reality, and our family is pleased with the use of the land.”

After the family was convinced, he got the zoning, state licensing and certification from the Green Burial Council to be certified as an exclusively green, perpetual care cemetery on 20 acres of the property with room to expand.

Howard had no experience with funeral homes or burials but did have business experience as a founder of Kleen-Tex Industries.

Howard said Higgins told him the biggest problem would be marketing, since few people know what a green burial is and, upon hearing it, might think it’s illegal.

Whispering Hills does not operate as a funeral home, but does work with funeral homes in Georgia and Alabama to arrange the transfer of the deceased. What makes the burial “green,” or environmentally friendly, is the absence of embalming. Whispering Hills can bury a loved one in a wooden box or a simple shroud. The cemetery also offers rights to bury and scatter cremated remains or ashes in a special resting place chosen by the family. There are no headstones or grave markers other than simple stones found on the property, which can be engraved with tributes. Grave adornments aren’t allowed, other

Burial spots are marked with stones found on the property at Whispering Hills.

Valley

than fresh flowers. Metal vaults and concrete vaults also cannot be used. Prices vary depending on the level of service, but are generally lower cost than a traditional burial service.

Howard says he plans to be buried on the property himself. The land has been in the family since 1946.

“I have already chosen a great spot, where my friends once had a three-level tree house in the forest, near the entrance to the natural green cemetery,” he said. “It’s currently marked with a stone with the Howard family name. I can’t think of a more beautiful place to be laid to rest, and I know my parents would’ve made the same choice had this been a green cemetery years ago. I’m just grateful we have had a hand in making it a natural green cemetery for generations to come.”

Perry and Freeman said their families have made plans to be buried at the cemetery and have nothing but good things to say about the location, the Howards and the staff.

“My dad died (in January), and we put him right next to my brother,” Freeman said. “It’s a special place for us. It's breathtaking. It’s a different kind of experience.”

Perry said that before making a final decision on Whispering Hills, she and her mother requested a tour. While they were there, one of the horses on the property came up to her mother and nuzzled her. Perry’s mom had grown up around horses; it felt like their family was meant to be there.

“I feel like this is a wonderful option for people,” she said. “ The first time I saw it I cried. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect place.”

Ralph Howard and his sister Jean Howard have selected a favorite location at Whispering Hills for their eventual final resting place.

NOT ALL MAMMOGRAMS ARE THE SAME: Dense Breasts & 3D Mammograms Explained

Dense breasts are quite common—around 40-50% of women over 40 years of age have them. Several factors, such as age, pregnancy, lactation or hormone replacement therapy, contribute to having dense breast tissue. But despite its commonality, most people won’t know they have dense breasts until they get their mammogram. Women cannot feel dense tissue through a self-exam, nor can a physician during a clinical breast exam. Instead, a radiologist—a physician who specializes in medical imaging—viewing mammogram results will recognize and classify the tissue density.

Breasts are comprised of fatty tissue, fibrous connective tissue and glandular tissue. When breasts have high amounts of the latter two, they are considered especially “dense.” A radiologist will classify breast density in four categories:

A. Fatty, comprised almost entirely of the fatty breast tissue.

B. Scattered, with some areas of dense glandular and fibrous connective tissue.

C. Heterogeneously Dense, with a significant amount of dense glandular and fibrous connective tissue areas.

D. Extremely Dense, comprised almost entirely of glandular and fibrous connective tissue.

The denser the breast, the more difficult it becomes to feel lumps and the less sensitive a traditional mammogram will be. Mammograms show the composition of the breast with whiter glandular tissue appearing on a darker background of fatty tissue. Tumors, calcification, lumps, disease and dense tissue will all appear on the mammogram in various shades of grey and white—the more concentrated the abnormality, the whiter the area will be. This means if you have highly dense breasts, your glandular and fibrous connective tissue will show up as such a large, white area that it potentially obscures other areas of concern.

After identifying dense breast tissue in a patient, a radiologist will likely recommend additional screening— especially for those with Heterogeneously or Extremely Dense breasts. Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, commonly called 3D Mammography, was developed out of a need to further examine dense breast tissue for potential abnormalities. An x-ray arm will sweep over the breast in a small arc, taking low-dose x-ray images that a computer will compile into 2D and 3D images of your breast tissue. The radiologist can also view each individual x-ray image, examining multiple layers of tissue to separate any abnormalities from the overlying dense tissue. This means the 3D mammogram is both sensitive and specific enough to identify areas of concern, their location in the breast and their unique shape or area of distortion.

Does dense breast tissue increase my risk for breast cancer?

Those with dense breast tissue are not at increased risk to develop breast cancer from the density itself, however many of the same factors such as hormones and familial traits that lead to increased density do lead to a higher risk of breast cancer. Dense breasts can definitely affect detecting potentially concerning abnormalities, which makes 3D mammography and other additional screening options all the more important. Today, fewer people are dying from breast cancer than just 10 years ago thanks not only to improved cancer-fighting drugs, surgery and technology, but also to identifying breast cancer much earlier through improved screening options like the 3D mammogram—frequently before the cancer has spread.

According to the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging, those at average risk of breast cancer should begin their annual mammograms at age 40. Anyone with a combination of dense breasts, a family history of cancer, a BRCA-positive gene mutation or other risk factors should also consult their physician for a formal risk assessment starting at age 25. However, regardless of your age if you experience abnormal health signs or other unusual symptoms that cause you any concern, visit an expert physician as soon as possible.

A. Fatty

C. Heterogeneously Dense

B. Scattered

D. Extremely Dense

Breast Cancer Screenings at City of Hope Atlanta

At City of Hope Atlanta, the Cancer Screening and Diagnostic Program is a core element to the mission of integrative cancer care and offers 3D mammograms for those who qualify. As a specialty cancer hospital, City of Hope Atlanta treats cancer every day, all day, and their Breast Cancer Center experts are fully equipped and sensitive to finding abnormalities on a screening exam and quick to report results back to patients. From there, their team of medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiation oncologists are prepared to discuss potential diagnoses and next steps. Featured here is a snapshot of the full multidisciplinary team that works together to deliver quality care with a patient-centered approach, from screening to treatment and beyond.

Surgical Oncologist

• Degree: Morehouse School of Medicine

• Residency: General Surgery, Grady Hospital Department of General Surgery

• Fellowship: Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine; Surgery, Medical College of Georgia

• Board Certifications: Diplomate, American Board of Surgery

• Serves as Chief of Surgery and Leader of the Women’s Cancer Center for City of Hope Atlanta

Radiation Oncologists

Lily Shakibnia, MD, MSc, DABR, FRCPC

• Degree: McGill University; The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

• Residency: Radiation Oncology, McGill University

• Board Certifications: Diplomate, American Board of Radiology

• Serves as Chief of Radiation Oncology for City of Hope Atlanta

Diagnostic Radiologists

Elesyia Outlaw-Evans, MD

• Degree: Saint Louis University School of Medicine

• Residency: Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine’s Siteman Cancer Center

• Board Certifications: Radiation Oncology

Jason Beland, MD

• Degree: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

• Residency: University of North Carolina Hospitals

• Fellowship: Diagnostic Neuroradiology, Emory University Hospital

• Board Certifications: Diagnostic Radiology; Neuroradiology

Medical Oncologists

Henry Krebs, MD

• Degree: Texas A&M University College of Medicine

• Residency: The University of Texas Health Science Center

• Fellowship: Angiography and Interventional Radiology, Emory University Hospital

• Board Certifications: Diagnostic Radiology; Vascular and Interventional Radiology

Nitika Sharma, MD

• Degree: Kasturba Medical College

• Residency: AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center

• Fellowship: Hematology Oncology, East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine

• Board Certifications: Hematology and Oncology

Ahmad Hammad, MD

• Degree: Jordan University School of Medicine

• Residency: East Tennessee State University

• Fellowship: Medical Oncology, East Tennessee State University

• Board Certifications: Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine

Expert cancer care is only one call away. If you’re interested in learning more about the comprehensive and compassionate care at City of Hope Atlanta or have other questions about the hospital, call 833-282-2285 or visit cancercenter.com. ADV

Anita Johnson, MD, FACS

CRUSH

BY PAT DANIEL

My Wine Smells Weird Is it Supposed To?

Lately, we have had specific questions about wine’s lifespan, especially regarding older wines. This month, we examine the things which might cause a wine to be “This is not what I was expecting, but is it a problem?”

It’s important to know that wine is magical, but it’s also alive and therefore susceptible to injury and defects. That’s why the first step in evaluating a wine is to check its physical health by sight and smell. The cork may have crumbled because of age. Don’t panic, cork crumbs can be removed or endured, like coffee grounds in a coffee cup. After extracting, examine the cork. We expect the wine to soak into the cork a certain amount to help seal the bottle, so if it’s completely dry or soaked almost all the way into the top of the cork, these can indicate storage problems, yet the wine may still be ok.

Sometimes the wine might have what looks like coffee grounds in the bottom of the bottle or your glass. Be excited when you see these. It can mean the wine was unfiltered because some winemakers feel filtering inhibits flavor development. In addition, with age, the tannins and pigments precipitate out in a process known as “throwing sediment.” It’s harmless, just like coffee grounds, and again, it’s a good thing. Just pour slowly, leaving the sediment in the bottle, or pour through a wine funnel with a screen and serve from a decanter. More on that later.

Once in the glass, the wine begins to really tell you about itself, and any issues begin to show themselves. Some changes are supposed to happen. Colors change over time. White wines gain color with age and become darker, and red wines lose color and go from purple/red to brick red-brown. The aromas also change over time. Most wines present their primary fruit characters when young. White wines eventually begin to

take on more nutty aromas along with their darker color; red wines show more leather and vinyl aromas, and both types change their fruit character from fresh to dried fruit. The body of the wine changes, as sediment precipitates out, and red wines can go from thickly viscous to very tea-like. These changes are naturally supposed to occur. Now let's look at where things can go askew.

Some wines were doomed from the start because something happened to them at the winery. Brettanomyces, or “Brett,” is another type of yeast which can get into a wine during production. In small amounts, this yeast can add complexity, as in wines from the Rhone Valley in France, but too much can make a wine smell like old books. Sometimes, extra microbes or bacteria get into the wine during production, or if the cork fails and lets them into the wine. These wines smell herby and medicinal or just plain bad. Though it’s now becoming less common, the most famous fault is called cork taint. An organic compound, abbreviated as TCA, can get into the wine and make it smell like cardboard or wet dog. Sometimes, this goes away by letting the bottle stand, or decanting the wine, but not always.

Things can happen to a wine while it waits for you to open it. If you’ve kept your wine in the most convenient location to put it—on top of your refrigerator— sadly, you’ve done everything opposite of good storage. Wines do not like the changing heat and humidity of the kitchen. If you don’t have a fancy wine fridge to store it at an ideal 55 degrees and 75 percent humidity, just keep them in a cool, dark closet, away from light, where the temperature and humidity change much less dramatically than in the kitchen.

So here we are, it’s time to open the bottle. If there are signs something happened to it, here is what you might try to do about it. Remember how we examined the cork? If it’s completely dry and stiff, it may have failed and possibly allowed bacteria in, but wine’s main enemy is air, which can cause it to oxidize, the most common fault in older wines. It’s just like a sliced apple left on the counter; it turns brown. Both whites and reds can taste like vinegar, caramelized apples or

just plain old and tired. If the wine has soaked the entire cork, the bottle may have gotten hot at some point, and now it smells like a wine reduction sauce with nuts and brown sugar in it. These wines can’t be saved, only endured or discarded.

Sometimes a wine can have what we call “bottle stink.” It’s a weedy, sulphury kind of rotten egg smell caused when the wine has consumed all the oxygen in the headspace, but don’t panic yet. Let the wine sit for about 15 minutes; this can blow off. It’s not entirely unlike needing to stretch out after a long car ride. If the smell doesn’t go away after 10-15 minutes, gently decant it, and that may do the trick. If it doesn’t go away, there may be a bigger problem which occurred at the winery. The fermentation went awry and produced that smell of rotten eggs, and that cannot be fixed.

To wrap up, we can keep certain tools on hand in case we have to perform “Wine First Aid.” We know that the cork may have issues. A broken or crumbly cork can be pushed down into the bottle, and the cork pieces can be filtered out. A wine funnel can help pour a wine into a decanter, and if it has a screen, you can strain out any cork pieces. Pouring through cheesecloth can accomplish the same result, but doesn’t look as fancy as a nice funnel. You probably already have a decanter to help a wine open and breathe, but now you know how to use it in case of sediment, broken cork or bottle stink.

If you have a bottle that you have opened, and it is clearly not drinkable, return the bottle (wine still inside it, and with the original cork) to the store where you purchased it. Any reputable store owner will replace it for you, if it was purchased recently.

It’s important to remember that wine is an organic substance, just as cork is. Very rarely, but occasionally, it goes bad in the bottle before you open it. This is more likely to happen if the bottle is an older vintage. The finest red wines can age beautifully for decades if stored properly, but the older the wine, the greater the possibility that, at some point, it was stored improperly. In addition, all wines have a shelf life. If you have a very special, expensive bottle of wine, don’t wait too long before enjoying it. C

BY SCOTT PHILLIPS

Named for his character in the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the Sundance Film Festival was founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Nestled in the snowy hills of Park City, Utah, the festival has gone from being a scrappy little upstart to one of the most revered cinematic launching pads in the world. If the Oscars are the checkered flag for the awards races, then Sundance is the official starter’s pistol for the new film year.

Here are some of the standout films I saw at the 2023 edition of Sundance that should be on your radar:

The Accidental Getaway Driver: Long Ma is an elderly taxi driver in the Vietnamese neighborhoods of Los Angeles. He meets a late-night fare who promises to pay double his customary rate. When he realizes he’s picking up three escaped

convicts, Long wonders if he’ll walk away from the cab ride with his life. The Accidental Getaway Driver isn’t interested in the crimes themselves. It isn’t a procedural; it’s a character drama. The film focuses on the relationship that develops between the taxi driver and Tay, the eldest escapee. A man with no son finds himself bonding with a man with no father. The film is less about the fate of the escaping prisoners than it is an examination of two lost men trying to find their souls.

Eileen: A female prison psychologist and a secretary at the facility strike up a friendship in 1964, bonding over their desire to have control over their lives and their destinies. When the psychologist turns her attention to a case involving a young man who brutally murdered his father, the film takes a turn into dark thriller territory. The premise alone is intriguing. When you have Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) and Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace) playing the leads, it puts Eileen in the Must See category.

Polite Society: Ria is a high schooler who plans to be a stuntwoman. She films herself performing DIY action scenes in her backyard. Lena is Ria’s older sister who just dropped out of art school. If she isn’t acting as Ria’s unofficial camerawoman, Lena finds herself aimlessly lying around the house all day. She can’t seem to find her sense of purpose. When Lena meets a rich, handsome stranger intent on making Lena his bride, Ria becomes suspicious. Why would a wealthy doctor appear out of nowhere to woo her sister? And why does Lena’s potential mother-in-law seem as trustworthy as a Bond villain? Something sinister is afoot (or Ria has an overactive imagination). Polite Society has a lot to say about growing up and growing older. Is Ria truly concerned about her sister’s well-being? Or is she just disappointed that Lena is giving up on her dream of being an artist? And what does that say about Ria’s own dreams of being a stuntwoman? Ria finds herself confronting the possibility that she and her sister may just be normal people. Is there anything wrong with that?

Talk to Me: This Australian horror film played in the Midnight section of the festival. A group of teens come into possession of the embalmed hand of a spiritual medium. If you grasp the hand, and say “talk to me,” the spirits of the dead who are present will make themselves known to you. This creepy little film makes the most of its simple premise. Horror enthusiasts should keep an eye out for its release later this year. C

Scott Phillips is a Columbus resident and member of the Atlanta Film Critics Circle. His reviews and other work can be found at mscottphillips.com

History ON THE MOVE

BY CYNDY CERBIN

IIf walls could talk, the houses in this story would tell tales of Coca-Cola, cotton ginning and epic journeys. Most have been standing since Columbus’s earliest days, holding secrets of our city’s rich history between their studs and floorboards. Lawyers, pharmacists, founders and merchants raised families in these homes as they imagined the city we love today. But as generations passed, many of those earliest homes were left to ruin or plowed under in the name of progress. Fortunately, through the efforts of historians and philanthropists, many have been saved. One only has to drive through Columbus’s downtown Historic District to see what can be done when we spend the time and money to preserve our past. Dozens of homes have been restored to their

original glory, making Broadway as rich with character as any square in Savannah or New Orleans’ Garden District.

And now, the non-profit organization Historic Columbus is taking another big step to enhance the district, preserve history and tell our city’s story. Starting this spring, five historic homes—most from the mid-19th century—are moving to 7th Street, between Front Avenue and Broadway. It’s where Heritage Park is now, and although the park’s face will change, its history will also be preserved.

Justin Krieg, Historic Columbus’s director of planning and programs, said Heritage Park was designed in the 1990s to connect our Coca-Cola past— Dr. Pemberton’s role in inventing the soft drink, with its future—the CocaCola Space Science Center then in development. It highlighted Columbus’s industrial past, including agriculture, the textile industry, brickmaking, foundries and grist mills. A large water feature ran through it, past a bronze sculpture of Dr. Pemberton sipping a Coke.

“It did a very good job of representing the river and its importance in the early

Rendering of homes that will be relocated to the Historic District

development of our community,” Krieg said. “But major water features require a lot of maintenance and repair. Ultimately, it became too costly to maintain to an operable level. The fountain has been dry for six or seven years now.”

The City of Columbus, which owned Heritage Park, simply couldn’t manage the $250,000 repair bill, not to mention future upkeep. So, Historic Columbus staff and board members began brainstorming. The end result was an agreement that turns over the deed to Heritage Park to Historic Columbus in exchange for a commitment to spend $1 million on the City-owned promenade across Front Avenue. Along with the re-imagination of the Heritage Park property, it’s a $2.5 million project, funded by large donations and Historic Columbus’s investment in the City Mills restoration project.

Historic Columbus Executive Director Elizabeth Walden and her board were concerned about how Heritage Park’s original donors would feel about the plan. “Surprisingly there wasn’t a lot of heartache or ill will toward dismantling something that was created in the

Aerial view of Heritage Park

relatively recent past, something we had a major fundraising effort for. They saw the park wasn’t functioning as it was intended, and they saw the benefit to the community of putting five new lots in this neighborhood and doing it thoughtfully with historic homes.”

Three of the houses are coming from the old Historic Westville living history site in Lumpkin. The Promenade House will move across the street, and the fifth house is an old Victorian from Juniper, Georgia.

Now, with deed in hand, Historic Columbus will move and stabilize the houses. Then a private developer will complete renovations and sell the homes to a new generation of owners, caretakers and history-makers.

Next, they had to decide what to do with all the elements from Heritage Park. “We didn’t want to just throw it all in a box and shelve it,” Krieg said. “So, we decided to move most of that content across the street to the Chattahoochee Promenade.”

Krieg says this part of the plan creates an opportunity to tell Columbus’s history beyond the industrial period of the 1800s. “The timeline now will start with Native Americans and their occupation and ultimate removal. We’ll have the existing artifacts and history surrounding industry and some of the early patriarchs of the community, but now we also have the opportunity to talk about African American contributions and other facets of early Columbus history.”

Rendering Westville’s Moye House in its new location

“It will be a full history trail and the only one of its kind that fully tells our community’s story outside, in the public realm,” Walden said. “And it will open up views of the river, making it a natural water feature.”

Each of the moved houses will display a plaque telling their history. An interesting fact about the Juniper house, which is being donated by the Lummus family: it sat next door to the chapel now located in Linwood Cemetery, which was donated by the Buck family. Another interesting fact is that most of the houses are on their second move. The Promenade House was originally located on the intersection of Front and 7th Street, just across from its future home. It was moved to the Columbus Promenade in 1976 to become a small museum celebrating the bicentennial. Promenade House later was home to Keep Columbus Beautiful and was more recently rented for use as an art studio.

After the moves, roofs will be replaced, plumbing added or modernized, and foundations secured. Two of the houses will become raised cottages, which allows for a full basement underneath. “It doesn’t change the historic charm of the exterior but it essentially doubles the square footage, making it more livable for today’s families.” Krieg explained.

Moving buildings is always an ordeal. But moving them to a site that contains elements you want to protect is especially challenging. Currently, a log cabin and domed brick kiln sit in the footprint the Promenade House will claim. “So, we have to lift those two items off the site and then slide the Promenade House into that spot. All three of those things have to happen at pretty much the same time,” Krieg said.

That first phase is scheduled for this March or April. The second phase—moving the houses from Lumpkin—will come this summer. All three of those houses will be moved at the same time so as not to tie up traffic any longer than necessary. By fall, the stabilization work will be complete and the Bradley Company can come in to restore the houses and put them up for sale.

The community has been largely supportive of the plans. A common request from neighbors was that the houses not be used for short-term rentals. Historic Columbus listened and will make sure deeds restrict that type of use. Krieg acknowledged hearing from doubters, too. “It’s always difficult when change happens. That park has been there 20-plus years and this is going to mean a change in the landscape, for sure. Although it’s disappointing to lose a public space, people understand that the green space just across the street in the Promenade is going to be enhanced with a lot of the same features coming out of Heritage Park.”

Walden said the City will benefit with new tax revenue, and the community as a whole benefits from a focus on preservation. “It hits all aspects of our mission. It is revitalization of a historic neighborhood. It hits the education component of our mission through the industrial history element that will be moved to the Promenade along with the creation of a new history trail. It is the perfect way to show the benefits of historic preservation and why that neighborhood is important to our community.

“It’s really going to be a vibrant place to gather and to learn more about the community, its history and development. I think it’s going to end up being a shining example of how to tell the history of a place.” C

It will be a full history trail and the only one of its kind that fully tells our community’s story outside, in the public realm.�

Promenade concept drawing

STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY INVESTING IN ITS FUTURE

STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY INVESTING IN ITS FUTURE

As the Community Foundation nears its 25th birthday, we are honored by the community’s support of our work and affirmation of our founders’ basic beliefs in our business model:

1. Donors appreciate a local “center for thoughtful philanthropy” with staff expertise that connects them with efforts they care about in their own community. This year we received more than 800 gifts totaling $41 million and made 1,795 grants totaling more than $23 million. More than 15 private foundations have now “re-established themselves” as Donor Advised Funds to take advantage of our operational expertise, bringing our total number of active Funds to 334.

2. Investing long-term and endowed charitable assets as a pool indeed creates an economy of scale that multiplies philanthropic assets over time. Since we began, we have received contributions of $432 million and have made grants of $238 million, and our investments have increased our community’s net philanthropic value by more than $73 million.

3. An organization with a “big picture” that helps community members work together effectively for good can build bridges and leverage the work of community nonprofits to result in better, broader decision-making and impact. Our leadership and partnership with other community sectors to drive efforts like Columbus 2025, The Basics’ early learning tools (cv.thebasics.org), Home for Good, area nonprofit leadership training, and conversations about strengthening local news availability exemplify the breadth of involvement donors foster by giving through, not to, CFCV.

4. Our Founder’s Society Endowment allows CFCV to operate sustainably, effectively, and exceptionally, while holding fees low. This year, we were certified once again by the Community Foundations National Standards Board as having operations that meet or exceed National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. We have been certified continually since 2006, when we were among the first 150 community foundations to achieve the then-new designation.

The potential for these four beliefs was born with our founding board members, substantiated in our most recent strategic plan, and exemplified in the two overlapping infinity symbols in our logo. We are firmly committed to:

• Our donors and their philanthropic goals.

• Support of nonprofits and their community-strengthening efforts.

• The needs of our community at large.

• Organizational excellence and sustainability.

To those of you who already rely on the strength of CFCV, thank you. If this idea is new to you, enjoy the stories on these pages to learn more about our work, and let us know if we can help you become part of it!

Dr. David M. White 2022 Chair, Board of Trustees

Betsy W. Covington President and CEO

MISSION: Why we exist

We enable and promote philanthropy that inspires, facilitates and fosters a vibrant and engaged Chattahoochee Valley.

VISION: How we accomplish our mission

We are the premier center for thoughtful philanthropy for people who want to make their Chattahoochee Valley communities better, both during and after their lifetimes.

We:

• Help a multitude of donors easily and effectively deploy a wide range of assets to impact their charitable interests.

• Responsibly invest assets to preserve and increase grantmaking capital.

• Know our communities and share that knowledge to empower engagement, leadership and improvement.

• Lead and collaborate to shape effective responses to community needs and opportunities.

VALUES: Core beliefs that guide our decision-making and actions

Service • We were created to lead through service; we serve our donors, our area’s nonprofits, and our community at large.

Stewardship • We are entrusted with people’s hopes, dreams and financial resources in perpetuity; we manage them in ways that uphold that trust and exceed expectations while remaining cost effective. Integrity • We conduct our business dealings with honor; we can be relied on to act responsibly.

Inclusiveness • We are an institution of communal good; we seek to work collaboratively and to mobilize the resources of the community to meet the community’s needs.

Independence • We represent the best interest of the community as a whole; we are not obligated to individuals, organizations or others.

Knowledge • We learn continually and are a repository of community understanding, knowledge and expertise; we use that information to engage others and mobilize philanthropy to make a difference.

CFCV ASSETS

GIFTS TO CFCV GRANTS FROM CFCV

HONORING A FAMILY LEGACY THROUGH GIVING

LLosing his father in the Vietnam War didn’t mean Ben Richardson grew up without role models. In addition to his mom, Richardson had two grandparents—his maternal grandfather, John Davis, Sr., and his fraternal grandmother, Rosetta Richardson-Bryant—who taught him a lot about how to treat other people.

“My grandmother was a teacher, and she shared what she had, giving canned vegetables and food out to the community, tutoring kids after school and everything,” he remembers. “My grandfather, I used to go around town with him, and I was amazed by how much respect he commanded. There was one young lady who said, ‘I owe your grandfather so much—I was in an abusive relationship, but your grandfather would make sure I was all right.’ He talked to the gentleman, I guess you could say, in a stern way, and said that wasn’t going to happen on his watch. He instilled in me that if you’ve got a chance to help somebody, you can’t be afraid if it’s the right thing to do.”

Richardson is living out those lessons today—both as a Superior Court judge on the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, and as a trustee of the Community

Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, where he established the John Rosetta Fund, named in honor of his grandparents, in 2021.

“I see people come into court with situations similar to what I saw when I was growing up,” he explains. “If a young mother needs help to pay a bill, or an individual temporarily needs money for food, I just wanted to have an avenue to provide that kind of help.”

And with the Community Foundation’s help, he was able to start small and grow the fund over time with minimal difficulty. “Don’t let the myth of the large endowment or the red tape deter you,” Richardson advises aspiring donors. “One thing I give the Community Foundation credit for, it was pretty much automated. I took Betsy [Covington] my idea, told them the name I wanted to establish, and they pretty much did everything to put it in place for me.”

Of course, his grandparents get plenty of credit, too. “I can’t thank them enough for planting those seeds in me,” Richardson says. “I’m just thankful to be able to take those seeds, water them, and watch them flourish!”

PARTNERING TO MAKE GENEROSITY EASY

TThough she’s originally from East Tennessee, Columbus has been home to Betty King for more than 70 years. “I feel like a native,” she says. “I’ve seen a lot of tremendous things happen here.”

So when a friend brought King to a presentation given by a stockbroker on trusts and foundations and the like, she was certain she’d found the perfect way to give back to the community that meant so much to her and her family. “I thought, this is what I need, because I had inherited some money, and I thought I needed to up my giving. It just sounded like the perfect answer to what I was looking for.”

King established the Betty Lindsay King Charitable Fund at the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley in 2016. So far, she’s made more than 40 grants to numerous local causes including the library, Columbus State University and First Presbyterian Church. And she hasn’t forgotten about her roots—she also gives to her alma mater, the University of Tennessee, and the East Tennessee Historical Society, where she was once a trustee.

“I’m a big fan of keeping it here if we can,” she says. “I can’t heal the whole nation or the world

all by myself, but I can put money back into the community and do what I can to help the people here that need help.”

Though still sharp as a whip at 96, King is dealing with macular degeneration and “doesn’t get out too much these days,” which has made the convenience of working with the Community Foundation a major blessing. “I told Betsy Covington just the other day how much it means to have somebody to write my checks for me,” she says with a laugh. “It does simplify my giving because I give pretty much the same thing yearly, and I like the hometown things and educational things. They keep good records, and if I need to make any changes for the year, it’s just as simple as one phone call.”

Between her charitable giving and the businesses she’s been involved with over the years, including King’s Fabrics, Betty King has become something of a local institution in her own way. “I can’t complain, really, about my life,” she says, her smile evident in her voice. “It’s been interesting, and even though at times I have felt like I could use a little more money, everything has really been a plus.”

INVESTING IN BROADER AREA HEALTHCARE ACCESS

TTen minutes matter when it comes to healthcare, says Jean Sumner, MD, dean of the Mercer University School of Medicine.

“If you have chest pains and go to the doctor’s office that same day, and the doctor says, ‘Let’s get an EKG,’ that may have prevented a heart attack,” she explains. “If you have a little fever and a cough, and you’re able to see the doctor right away, maybe you don’t get pneumonia. Or if you have COVID, maybe you catch it early.”

But what about people in rural areas, where the nearest hospital might be hours away? Even in Harris County, right in Columbus’ back yard, the 30-minute drive from Hamilton to a Columbus hospital can mean lower-income residents and people with mobility issues see a doctor only rarely—or not at all.

Fortunately, rural communities in Georgia have an ally in Mercer’s medical school, which was founded with a primary focus on training health professionals for underserved regions. And Harris County has allies in Ramona and Joey Loudermilk, whose generosity helped establish Mercer Medicine Harris County, a comprehensive primary care clinic that

opened in Hamilton last April.

“Harris is a relatively wealthy county, but that doesn’t mean that everybody’s wealthy here. There are a lot of folks who are struggling,” says Joey, a juvenile court judge on the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. “For a lot of us, going back and forth to Columbus for appointments is not that big a deal, but there’s a segment of the population here for whom it’s a real problem to get that healthcare that they need. So to have it right here in the middle of the county, where it can serve people all the way from West Point to Shiloh, Pine Mountain, Waverly Hall, and all points in between, gives people an opportunity to travel just a few miles to get quality care.”

At the time the clinic was being considered, Mercer had built four rural primary care clinics across Middle and West Georgia. At a Rotary Club of Columbus meeting, Joey first heard of Mercer’s plans to build a fifth clinic in Harris County, repurposing the old library on North College Street in Hamilton. When he shared the idea with Ramona, a retired nurse, “We got very excited about it, and we felt that we wanted to be a part of it as far as raising funds.”

Working with Morgan Marlowe, chair of the Harris County Regional Healthcare Fund, the Loudermilks created a plan that would match community donations at certain intervals. Their matching contributions came from their endowed Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, the Joey M. and Ramona L. Loudermilk Fund.

“It really didn’t seem like it took very long for those funds to be raised,” Joey recalls. “Morgan would let me know the money they’d raised had gotten to a certain point, and then it was a very simple matter to go back to the Community Foundation—in fact, I think I did most of it online.

“It was so easy to do this. Sometimes just figuring out a way to make the donation is the hard part, but if you make it easy for people, that’ll encourage them to give.”

Staffed by a full-time physician and nurse practitioner, the clinic offers primary care, X-rays, EKGs, a laboratory, point-of-care testing, flu shots, and physicals, as well as telehealth services, to the insured and uninsured alike. Joey hinted that the facility may add a pediatrician down the road.

“Obviously, as a juvenile court judge, I have a heart for kids and making sure we take care of them,” he says. “We love Harris County—we’ve been here for 23 years. It’s a very solid community with a lot of good people here.”

Taken as a whole, these services stand to have an impact on quality of life in Harris County that goes far beyond personal health, says Dean Sumner.

“Without healthcare, there’s little economic development, and without healthcare, children don’t get the education they need,” she explains. “But when you raise a community’s health status, you improve the ability to support your family and keep a job. Children attend school and do better when they’re healthy. We pick up diseases earlier. We feel what we’re doing is really important for many different reasons, and it would not be possible without good people like the Loudermilks who step up and say, ‘We’ll help you.’

“We have to have help from the community, but we want to build trust, and we tell them we’re not going away. We’re committed to helping their county grow. It’s an honor to help Georgia get healthier.”

STRENGTHENING LIBRARIES FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

AAiming to be “the best public library system in America” sounds like a lofty ambition indeed, but when you consider all that the Muscogee County Library Foundation has made possible for Columbus-area libraries, it starts to look downright attainable.

The MCLF was founded in 2003 to help support the creation of the new main library that is now part of the municipal complex on Macon Road. “Some really great members of our community very thoughtfully said, ‘We’re going to have this great building, and we’ll be able to keep the lights on and fill it with books and have a full staff, but to be world-class, we are going to need a foundation,’” says Laura Ann Mann, MCLF’s executive director for the past eight years. “They started the MCLF and placed our endowment at the Community Foundation to take advantage of their economy of scale and back-office support. We’re thrilled: the endowment doesn’t just sit there—it grows.”

As much as the term “public-private partnership” is used these days, foundations that benefit library systems are extremely rare outside of the country’s biggest cities. The money raised by the MCLF, though, has supercharged the library’s finances. And having the MCLF’s funds—and Funds; there are seven of them—“live” at CFCV allows MCLF to

focus on raising money and selecting which library programs to foster. CFCV handles receipts, investing, reporting and grant payouts.

Not only does the partnership relieve Mann and the MCLF’s board of the responsibility of managing investments, audits and dealing with the IRS, it also provides an extra measure of support far beyond what a city the size of Columbus would typically be able to offer. According to Mann, most library systems around the country only receive between one and three percent of their budget from foundation support; the MCLF Funds, though, provide some eight percent of the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries’ budget.

“Private funds are the only way our library can be truly exceptional, grow with the times and remain relevant,” she says. “Through our Funds at CFCV, we fund books, but we also fund e-books and lots of other things in the collection—everything from telescopes and microscopes to ukuleles that people can take home and enjoy. The Chattahoochee Valley Libraries circulated more than a million items last year! When you consider there are 300,000 people in the Columbus area, I just think that’s amazing.”

Not only are Columbus’ library collections second to none, the seven Funds at CFCV that benefit

Loretto County Chappell Book Endowment Fund

David and Barbara Rothschild Fund for the Muscogee County Libraries

2013

Muscogee County Library Ruth Brooks Yancey Endowment Fund 2015

MCLF Operating Fund

MCLF Special Projects Fund

2015

2017

To support the Muscogee County Public Library System (non-endowed)

To support the purchase of books and other circulating materials for the public libraries in Muscogee County (endowed)

To support the services and programs of the public libraries in Muscogee County, including efforts to enhance learning through technology (endowed)

To support the efforts of the public libraries in Muscogee County promoting early childhood literacy through onsite and outreach programming, especially that which reaches at-risk children. Funds may additionally be used for the design and maintenance of the Ruth Brooks Yancey Children’s Garden (endowed)

To administer the annual operating and grantmaking budget of the Muscogee County Library Foundation (non-endowed)

To support future projects and transformational ideas that benefit the public libraries in Muscogee County (non-endowed)

the MCLF’s work have enabled the library system to embark on major projects that address glaring needs. Currently, the biggest such project is the renovation and expansion of the South Columbus Public Library on South Lumpkin Road, which will more than double the library’s size—making it almost as big as the North Branch, says Alan Harkness, director of Chattahoochee Valley Libraries.

“It’s located between an elementary school and a middle school, and every day when school gets out, a lot of the kids who don’t have any other options come to the library. And that’s what we want,” Harkness says. “We’re making that building the size that it needs to be so that the adults don’t have to leave when kids get out of school. If you have an adult who’s trying to access e-government or apply for a job online—and so much of that is online now— we don’t want them to have to go. This will allow us to provide the kind of services that are greatly needed in that part of town.”

Even though inflation drove the project’s cost up by nearly 50% last year, the support of the MCLF ensured that it wouldn’t have to be scaled back, Harkness continues. “I just couldn’t sacrifice the size of the facility for the things we need to do, and the Foundation backs me up on that.”

The MCLF has also funded programs such as the Early Childhood Outreach department, which brings the library to kids who can’t get to the library themselves. And it underwrites special events such as the Maurice Sendak exhibit in 2019; the traveling “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit later this year; and BrainFuse, which provides free online tutoring by actual teachers.

“We also have our annual Columbus Children’s Book Festival, where we’re able to bring world-class children’s authors and illustrators to town, like Laura Numeroff, Frank Morrison, Arthur’s Marc Brown, Big Bird’s Carroll Spinney and R.L. Stine,” Harkness adds. “And the day before we have our festival, they’re going out to the schools, so maybe some of those kids who can’t come in the next day still get to see authors and illustrators of books they know about and have them right there in the same room. It’s just incredible.”

A library is more than a bunch of bookshelves— ideally, it’s a repository of knowledge, a gathering place, an educational institution and a museum all in one. Thanks to the support of the Muscogee County Library Foundation and its partnership with the Community Foundation, Columbus’ libraries can fulfill all of those responsibilities in a fashion that’s truly world-class.

DONORS

DOING GOOD WHILE DOING WELL

The Community Foundation provides a simple, powerful and highly personal approach to giving. It exists to help people easily and effectively support the issues they care about — immediately or through their wills.

TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Individuals, families or organizations give through the Community Foundation to help achieve their charitable goals and leave a legacy in a way that is meaningful to them.

The Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) public charity and is certified by the Council on Foundations as meeting all national standards for community foundations.

GIVE ALL TYPES OF ASSETS

Donors give cash, appreciated stocks, real estate or other assets and receive maximum charitable and tax benefits. The CFCV can also accept unusual types of assets; sometimes donors are wealthy in unexpected ways.

FOR SPECIFIC FUNDS

Donors can give to an existing Fund or establish a Fund in their name or in the name of their family, a specific organization or someone they wish to honor. Funds can be endowed to exist forever or non-endowed to facilitate short-term giving. For descriptions and illustrations of the various types of Funds, please see “An Array of Funds to Meet Community Needs,” in this report.

CAREFULLY INVESTED

Endowed and long-term Funds are pooled for investment purposes, maximizing diversification opportunities and returns while lowering fees.

TO ALLOW GRANTS FOR GOOD… FOREVER

The CFCV can make grants on behalf of its donors to any charitable organization, including churches, educational and governmental institutions, United Ways and — in some cases — in support of individuals or charitable efforts that may not have a 501(c)(3).

For more information about establishing a new Fund or contributing to an existing Fund, contact your financial advisor or the CFCV staff.

AN ARRAY OF FUNDS TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS

ADMINISTRATIVE AND UNRESTRICTED GRANT FUNDS

Endowed Funds that either benefit the Community Foundation or help us identify opportunities and target dollars where they will be most effective.

The Fred and Catalina Aranas Family Fund - A named sub-Fund of the Community Endowment Fund, contributed to help meet the needs of the Chattahoochee Valley

The Chattahoochee Valley Fair Fund - To support the CFCV and its charitable efforts in the Chattahoochee Valley

The Susan and Butch Cochran Family Fund - Established July 2011 in memory of Susan Marland Cochran. Upon the death of Dr. Thomas “Butch” Cochran, Jr., in July 2017, became a named sub-Fund of the Community Endowment Fund, to help meet the needs of the Chattahoochee Valley.

The Community Endowment Fund - An unrestricted endowment that gives the Community Foundation Board the ability to address long-term community needs and opportunities

The Moselle W. and H. Quigg Fletcher, Jr., Endowment Fund - A named sub-Fund of the Community Endowment Fund, contributed to help meet the needs of the Chattahoochee Valley

The Founder’s Society Endowment - To benefit the operations of the CFCV

The Nonprofit Training Partnership Fund - A partnership with other local funding entities to foster a program of high-level nonprofit training

AREA FUNDS

Benefit a particular neighborhood, city or county. Donors may select advisory committees to help make grant recommendations.

Endowed

The Troup Community Endowment Fund † - Part of the Troup Component Funds, this Fund exists to help meet the charitable needs of Troup County, now and in the future

Pass-Through (Non-endowed)

The Troup Community Immediate Needs Fund † - To make grants to qualified non-profit organizations in Troup County for projects serving the community’s charitable needs

DESIGNATED FUNDS

Guarantee ongoing support for specific charitable organizations. Endowed Designated Funds provide permanent funding to help sustain an organization or to supplement specific projects.

Endowed

The William Mizell Alexander and Julia Smith Alexander Fund

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra Endowment Fund – To benefit the charitable purposes of and for the enrichment of the CSO

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra Rental Fund – To help pay the costs associated with the CSO’s use of the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts

The Kadie EnCowment Fund* – To provide funds to support the maintenance of Columbus’ iconic Kadie the Cow (“Kadie”) for the enjoyment and benefit of the public of Columbus, Georgia, including its citizens and

visitors. Kadie is a 20-foot fiberglass Holstein dairy cow replica that was originally erected in 1967 in front of the Kinnett Dairies facility at 2925 Manchester Expressway as a mascot for that business.

The Loretto Chappell Book Endowment Fund – To provide support for the purchase of books and other circulating materials for the public libraries in Muscogee County

The Muscogee County Library Endowment Fund – To support the services and programs of the public libraries and programs of the public libraries in Muscogee County

The Muscogee County Library Ruth Brooks Yancey Endowment Fund – To support the efforts of the public libraries in Muscogee County to promote early childhood literacy through onsite and outreach programming, including and especially that which reaches at-risk children. Funds may additionally be used for the design and maintenance of the Ruth Brooks Yancey Children’s Garden.

The RiverCenter Arts Education Fund – To fund, enhance and develop RiverCenter’s outreach and educational programs, particularly those to communities of color, economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and public schools with a high percentage of Free or Reduced Lunch recipients.

The RiverCenter Facilities Endowment Fund – To operate and furnish the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts

The Martha Turner Valley Rescue Fund – To benefit the Vally Rescue Mission

The Calvin Wylie Wells Fund – To support the purchase of books and materials that will directly benefit the children enrolled at the Huckabay School in Huckabay, Texas

Pass-Through (Non-endowed)

The Aiming High Academy of Columbus, Georgia, Fund –

To provide individualized educational and therapeutic services to children, age six months through 21 years, with intellectual, physical or developmental disabilities, to enable them to become more self-reliant, independent, contributing members of the community

The ArtBeat Fund – To support the organization and execution of the annual ArtBeat event, celebrating the arts in Columbus

The Brookstone School Servant Leadership Fund

The Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Juvenile Drug Court Foundation Fund – To provide funding for the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Juvenile Drug Court

The Coalition for Sound Growth Fund – To improve quality of life in Columbus and the surrounding region through education and action that encourages the implementation of development practices fostering the community’s long-term economic growth, enhanced sense of place, and environmental health

The Columbus Scholars Administrative Fund – To support the charitable activities of Columbus Scholars, Inc.

The Dragonfly Trails Fund - To help support the design and construction of a linked network of greenway trails throughout Columbus

The Dragonfly Trails B Fund - To help support the salary of the executive director of Dragonfly Trails, Inc.

The Dragonfly MidTown Connector Fund*

The Drug Free… You & Me Fund – To help support this annual conference for 6th-graders, which has for more than 20 years helped give them the tools they need to resist the use of drugs and alcohol

The Fox Elementary Fund – To help support an effort to create a park and playground for the Bibb Community at Fox Elementary School

The Friends of the Parks Fund – To support projects in the parks of Columbus, Georgia

The Muscogee County Library Foundation Fund – To support the Muscogee County Public Library System

The MCLF Operating Fund – To administer the annual operating and grantmaking budget of the Muscogee County Library Foundation

The Parks Memorial Public Library Fund – To provide support for the operation and programs of the Parks Memorial Public Library in Stewart County, Georgia

The Rothschild Family for Rothschild Leadership Academy Fund – To continue the good work of David Rothschild II in supporting the Rothschild Middle School principal’s efforts to maximize learning at the school

The West Georgia Honor Flight Fund – To fly veterans of World War II, free of charge, to Washington, D.C., to visit the WWII Memorial

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS

Allow donors to recommend charitable grants at any time, with no mandatory annual payout rate. Easy and flexible, these Funds have no legal costs and no annual tax returns. Donors receive maximum tax benefits for their giving to the Funds due to the CFCV’s status as a public charity and can access learning opportunities, online tools and expert staff.

Endowed and Long-Term Invested

The Ron and Nancy Adam Fund

The Aflac Fund

The Kathelen V. and Daniel P. Amos Fund

The Paul and Courtney Amos Fund

The Kathelen V. Amos Donor Advised Fund

The Shannon L. Amos Legacy Fund

The Paul S. and Jean R. Amos Family Foundation Fund

The Anonymous Fund #7†

The Anonymous Fund #10

The Anonymous Fund #12

The Anonymous Fund #19

The Anonymous Fund #20

The Anonymous Fund #21

The Anonymous Fund #22

The Anonymous Fund #25

The Anonymous Fund #30

The Anonymous Fund #35

The Anonymous Fund #36

The Royce and Tamara Ard Family Fund

The David Mincey Averett Fund

The B24 Fund

The Meredith F. Baum Fund†

The Beason Fund†

The Tom and Doris Black Family Fund

The Wilson W. and Geraldine D. Blackmon Fund

The James Kennerly Boatwright III Family Fund†

The Bowick Family Fund

The Suzanne F. and Edward C. Burdeshaw Fund

The Otis and Eleanor Burnham Charitable Fund

The Robert Wesley Carr and Frances Porter Crim Fund

The Jenny and Bob Copeland Fund†

The Bess Dedwylder Memorial Fund* - To honor the memory of Elizabeth “Bess” Rivers Dedwylder, September 1, 1993-October 31, 2021, and to support charitable organizations and efforts in the Columbus, Georgia, community that improve the lives of young people and/or families

The Josh and Claire Dunlap Family Fund

The Dan and Nancy Durand Fund†

The Thad and Allison Estes Fund

The Ruth Lamar Fletcher Fund

New Funds established during the year are designated with an asterisk (*). Funds marked with a”†” are part of the Troup County Component Funds.

The Jake and Anna Flournoy Family Fund

The Frank and Sally Foley Fund

The Frank D. Foley, Jr., and Sally W. Foley Fund

The Lenora J. and Gardiner W. Garrard Fund

The Wilbur H. Glenn Family Fund

The Patrick and Susan Graham Family Fund

The Grier Family Fund

The Judy I. Harding Fund

The Marion and Angela Hart Fund

The Hecht Family Fund

The Kenneth M. Henson, Jr. Family Fund

The Kenneth M. and Sue B. Henson Fund

The Malynn Hogan Fund

The Kathleen M. & Christopher D. Hohlstein Fund

The Hollis/Link Fund

The Sarah H. and Jack C. Hughston Foundation Fund*

The Jackson-Burgin Foundation Fund

The Mikey Jacobs Fund

The Trinity and Jaxson Jones Memorial Fund

The Jared and Alynda Jones Fund†

The Patricia Hurst Jordan and C. Dexter Jordan, Jr. Fund

The Betty Lindsay King Charitable Fund

The Kinnett Family Fund

The Knight Foundation Fund

The Knight, Dismuke, Caldwell Charitable Fund

The David and Jane Cohn Kulbersh Charitable Fund

The Clay & Shannon Land Fund

The Kayron McMinn Laska Charitable Fund

The Loomis Fund

The Joey M. and Ramona L. Loudermilk Fund

The Mac Graham Fund

The Judy Madere and Carrie Jones Memorial Fund

The Elle Joyce Marks Memorial Fund

The A.J. and Helen C. McClung Foundation Fund

The Brian S. and Lynn B. McCluskey Fund

The George and Gigi McCluskey Fund

The Lee and Suzanne McCluskey Fund

The McMath-Turner Family Fund

The Hannah Lee McMonagle Charitable Fund

The Johnson Wade McMonagle Charitable Fund

The Tate Patrick McMonagle Charitable Fund

The William Andrew McMonagle Charitable Fund

The Shawn Mewhorter Fund*

The Mike Irvin/Integrated Financial Group Fund

The Michael G. and Valeta R. Mills Fund

The “Of These” Principles Fund

The Jean Kinnett Oliver Fund

The Page-Sheek Fund

The Parker Family Foundation Fund

The Dan and Teri Parker Fund

The Rebekah Anne Parker and Daniel W. Parker Fund*

The Partridge Pond Fund

The Brandon and Brooke Peak Family Fund

The PFC Charles Clayton “CC” Persing Memorial Fund

The Phoenix Fund

The James Key and Brinkley Burks Pound Fund

The Ragland Family Fund†

The Lee Richter Family Fund†

The Rotary Club of Columbus Endowment Fund - To facilitate the charitable activities of the Rotary Club of Columbus, Georgia

The Rotary Club of LaGrange Endowment Fund†

The Dora G. and Jac H. Rothschild Fund

The Agnes Green and John & Alice Sands Fund

The Maxine R. and Jack S. Schiffman Fund

The Frank and Meg Schley Family Fund

The Shain Schley Fund

The Claud A. Sears Family Fund

The Angela and John Sims Fund

The Grover T. and Louise H. Smith Charitable Fund

The J.W. Smith and Laura S. Smith Fund

The Marian M. and J. Connor Smith Fund†

The SOMA Foundation Fund

The Ken Spano Charitable Foundation Fund

The Spinks Family Fund

The Rose Hurt Steiner Fund

The Donald and Irene Stewart Family Fund

The Mat and Mary Lou Swift Fund

The Claire Kinnett and John Austin Tate Fund

The Tharpe Family Fund†

The Wade H. and Teresa Pike Tomlinson Fund

The Phil and Anita Tomlinson Fund

The Tyler and Eleanore Townsend Fund

The Ussery Family Fund

The Katherine and Wright Waddell Fund

The Martha Mitchell Wade Charitable Fund

The Ruth McKnight Wade Charitable Fund

The Wells Fargo Bank Donor Advised Fund

The WestPoint Fund†

The Cecil and Terry Whitaker Family Fund

The Emily and Tom Williams Fund

The Troy and Gloria Woods Fund

The Wooten Family Fund

Pass-Through (Non-endowed)

The Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign Fund

The Anonymous Fund #1

The Anonymous Fund #2

The Anonymous Fund #5†

The Anonymous Fund #6

The Anonymous Fund #8

The Anonymous Fund #11

The Anonymous Fund #13

The Anonymous Fund #15

The Anonymous Fund #23

The Anonymous Fund #32

The Anonymous Fund #33

The Anonymous Fund #34

The Anonymous Fund #37

The Anonymous Fund #38

The Anonymous Fund #39

The Anonymous Fund #43

The B24 II Fund

The Katherine Scarbrough Barr Fund

The Tom & Doris Black Family Fund

The David and Michelle Blanchard Fund

The Mr. and Mrs. James H. Blanchard Fund

The Helge Boes Memorial Fund

The W.C. Bradley Company Fund

The Briscoe Family Fund

The McKnight and Alice Brown Fund

The David M. & Donna T. Brown Fund

The J.S. Brown Fund

The Laura and Tyler Bankhead Fund

The Wm. J. Burgin Family Fund

The Stephen T. & Kent H. Butler Fund

The Andrew and Landy Cartledge Fund

The Adrian Chester Uplift Fund

The W. Wade and Elizabeth S. Cliatt Fund

The Doable Columbus Fund

The Kate and Allen Doyle Fund†

The Dreyden Fund

The Reverend J.H. Flakes, Jr. Memorial Fund

The Thomas and Loretta Flowers Charitable Fund

The Fort Trustee Funds

The Claudia and Gunby Garrard Fund

The Quinn and David Gibbs Fund

The John F. Greenman and Mary Alice Budge Fund

The Alexander C. Hale Fund

The Kerry and Donna Hand Fund

The EHH Gift Fund†

The Have a Dream Fund

The Jo Anne and Robert G. Hecht Fund

The Elizabeth B. Hendricks Fund

The James G. and Kathryn A. Hillenbrand Fund*

The History Alive Fund*

The Helen Jordan Hobbs Fund

The Irby Foundation Fund

The Elizabeth Neal Irby Fund

The Ashley and Martin Jones Fund

The Elijah Kelley Foundation Fund†

The Kennon Family Fund

The Katie and Justin Krieg Fund

The Alexander Letterese Fund

The Loomis Fund

The Virginia and Sam Lukens Fund

The Sallie T. and John C. Martin Fund

The Elizabeth D. Martin Fund

The John C. Martin III Fund

The Millie Martin Fund

The C. Richard and Iva Lou Merritt Fund

The John and Jan Merritt Fund

The Pierce and Becky Miller Fund

The Miracle Ride Fund - To support the Miracle Riders’ efforts to benefit the lives of children, particularly children in the Chattahoochee Valley. This fund was previously known as The Scott’s Ride Fund.

The Turner and Michele Moshell Fund

The W. Michael & Elizabeth C. Ogie Fund

The Wilds M. Ogie Fund

The Jill Chancey Philips Memorial Fund

The William D. Ploeger Youth Golf Fund

The Elizabeth B. and Alan C. Ramsay, Jr. Fund

The Reed Rae Fund

The Lane M. and Chandler Riley Fund

The John Rosetta Fund

The Rotary Club of Columbus, Georgia, Inc. Fund -

To support the Rotary Club’s charitable work in the community and throughout the world

The Jewett and Alan Rothschild Fund

The Run Across Georgia Fund

The Kyle Scarbrough Fund

The See It Through Fund

The Francis Cappel Sharpe Fund

The C.R. Sheffield Family Fund

The Celia and Murray Solomon Family Fund

The Southern Harris Farm Fund

The Jay and Cindy Sparks Family Fund

The Tracy E.D. Spencer Fund

The Together 2016 Fund

The Townsend Wealth Management Fund - Created to honor the firm’s 20th anniversary in August 2021

The Brad and Sally Turner Fund

The Cathey and Abbott Turner Family Fund

The John and Amandah Turner Fund

The Brooke Delaney Turner Fund

The Jack and Ashley Turner Fund

The Abbott and Kayla Turner Fund

The William B. III and Katherine Turner Fund

The Barbara J. Turner Fund

The Gardiner Turner Fund

The Ussery Family Fund

The Varrot Fund

The Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Allen Waddell, Jr., Fund

The Lulie and Harrison Wallace Fund

The Matthew and Sarah West Fund

The Clare B. Williams Fund

The Elizabeth Worth Williams Fund

The Susan and Keith Wood Charitable Fund

The Bright Kinnett and Robert Usher Wright Family Fund

The “Wright” Heart for Giving Fund

FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS

Allow donors to address specific areas of interest or community needs without specifying particular recipient organizations.

Endowed and Long-Term Invested

The A.C. Chancellor Memorial Fund – To support charitable organizations and efforts in the Columbus, Georgia, community that either were impactful to A.C. or that nurture the lives of young people

The Consumer Financial Education Endowment Fund –To support charitable organizations’ work to educate and/or advocate for consumers who are susceptible to being victimized in consumer transactions

The Louise Spencer Dupre Cancer Research Fund – To support charitable grantmaking related to the eradication of cancer

The Friends of Uptown Fund - To support maintenance of and improvements to public space and public infrastructure within Uptown Columbus, Georgia

The Chuck Hart Foundation Fund - To provide support for vulnerable populations and for maintenance and improvements to the Chattahoochee RiverWalk

The Home for Good Permanent Supportive Housing Plan Implementation Fund – To support one aspect of Columbus’ 10-year Plan to Eliminate Homelessness

The Pediatric Research Education Foundation Fund –

To further physician and staff education opportunities related to pediatric care in the Chattahoochee Valley

The Right from the Start Marriage and Family Endowment Fund – To provide a permanent source of support for efforts in the Columbus, GA, community that help build and support healthy marriages and families

The Whitewater Maintenance Endowment Fund - To support the systematic upkeep, maintenance and repair of the Chattahoochee River Whitewater Course in Columbus, Georgia, to sustain it as a safe, highly attractive and healthy recreational and environmental venue

Pass-Through (Non-endowed)

AADO (African American Development Officers)

Fund – To provide support for programming that helps this organization foster professional development and facilitate interaction among its members

The Columbus Area Full-Count Census Fund - To support non-partisan efforts to encourage the broadest possible participation in the Census in the Columbus, Georgia, area

The Columbus GA 2025 Fund – To support the operation and programs of Columbus 2025, a multi-year crosssector effort to reduce poverty, increase prosperity and improve the quality of life in the Greater Columbus, Georgia, region

The Columbus Safe Streets Fund* – To support purely charitable activities in partnership with the Columbus Consolidated Government to assess and support the community’s public safety, particularly pertaining to law enforcement

The Coronavirus Response Fund - To provide flexible resources to organizations in the Columbus area working with our most vulnerable citizens, who are disproportionately impacted by Covid and its economic consequences

The Russell County Coronavirus Response Fund*

The Country’s Midnight Express Foundation Fund

The Local News & Information Fund - To support efforts to assess and strengthen local journalism

The Moving Forward Together Fund – To support issues related to ensuring equal opportunity for the citizens of Columbus

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: The Lee-Talbot Relief Fund – To provide relief and support to those in Lee County, Alabama, and Talbot County, Georgia, impacted by the EF4 tornado that struck the area on March 3, 2019

The Resilient Georgia Fund - To partner with United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley in improving the lives of children and their families across our area through the creation of the Chattahoochee Valley Child Equity Collaborative and in developing a trauma-informed collaborative across a multi-county area

S.N.A.A.P. Fund – To support the Southeastern Network of African Americans in Philanthropy’s efforts to increase the opportunity to promote, educate and support African American philanthropic organizations

The Sara Spano Clothing Bank Fund* – To support the Sara Spano PTA Clothing Bank, founded by Sara Spano in the 1960s to “to enhance the self-esteem and promote a positive self-image of disadvantaged children in the Muscogee County School System by providing them with a school wardrobe consisting of new and gently worn items”

The Standing Boy Trails Fund – To support the design and construction of 25 miles of multi-use trail and a simple gravel parking area at Standing Boy State Park in Columbus, Georgia

Youth Infrastructure Coalition Fund - To support the engagement of youth in solving the problems of today, and paving a better future through infrastructure projects

ORGANIZATION FUNDS

Established by a nonprofit organization to provide benefit for that organization. The nonprofit takes advantage of the CFCV’s professional endowment management, freeing their staff and board to concentrate on the organization’s own programs and mission.

Endowed and Long-Term Invested

The Abbey Fellowship, Inc., Fund

Columbus Alliance for Regional Investment, Inc., Fund

The Columbus Habitat for Humanity Endowment FundTo support the Columbus area Habitat for Humanity

The Columbus Habitat for Humanity Construction Fund

The Columbus High School Alumni Association Endowment Fund

The House of Mercy Endowment Fund - To support House of Mercy

The Junior League of Columbus Endowment Fund

The LaGrange Academy Marian McGregor Smith Endowment Fund† - To foster exellence in expression and use of the written word by students and faculty at LaGrange Academy

The LaGrange Academy Endowment Fund† - To provide operational and program support for LaGrange Academy

The LaGrange Art Museum Endowment Fund† - To provide operational and program support for LaGrange Art Museum

The David and Barbara Rothschild Fund for the Muscogee County Libraries - To support the services and programs of the public libraries in Muscogee County

The MCLF Special Projects Fund - To support future projects and transformational ideas that benefit the public libraries in Muscogee County

The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Connally-Kaplan Endowment Fund† - To provide operational and program support for LaGrange Symphony Orchestra

The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Dorothy Allen Turner Endowment Fund†

The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, Inc., Ethel Dallis Hill Memorial Fund†

The Mother Mary School Endowment Fund

The Stewart Community Home Big Dream Fund - To support the operations of the Stewart Community Home The Troup County Libraries Endowment Fund†

The Westville Endowment Fund - To support the operations of Historic Westville

The Lynn Whiddon Endowment for the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus Fund - To support the operations of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

Help donors invest in the community’s future by providing scholarship support for qualified students or specific institutions.

Endowed and Long-Term Invested

The W.L. Amos, Sr., Scholarship Fund - To honor the memory of and show love and respect for W.L. Amos., Sr., through scholarships to the families of employees of Aflac U.S.

The Megan Rose Carroll Scholarship Fund - To provide a scholarship to a graduating Harris County female for higher education needs

The Pat Chitwood Women in Journalism Fund* - To help support the post-secondary education of women who intend a profession related to the field of journalism. Beginning in the spring of 2024, the Fund will provide one-time scholarship awards to students as they graduate from high school and/or begin their post-secondary education. The award honors Patricia Leah Bassett Chitwood (July 28, 1956-September 26, 2021), who served for over 30 years at the Columbus LedgerEnquirer. She held a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Auburn University. At the Ledger, Pat became the first female business editor, the features editor, a leader in the Beyond 2000 civic journalism project, the chair of the Newspapers in Education program, the circulation director and a member of the editorial board. Pat used her keen intellect and love for words to help people better understand the world and shape the future.

The Aaron Cohn Citizenship Award for Aaron Cohn Middle School Fund – To annually honor an Aaron Cohn Middle School eighth grade student who demonstrates the qualities that Judge Aaron Cohn most admired: civic awareness, scholastic achievements, and community service

The Columbus Scholars Fund – To support Columbus Scholars’ long-term poverty reduction program for impoverished students, with a goal of providing hope through education and support for character development

The Jeanette Williamson Craig and Eugene L. Craig Scholarship Fund – To help Muscogee County students attend college (one selected per year)

The Gary Downs Scholarship Fund

The Randy Jordan Scholarship for Jordan High School Fund

The Randy Jordan Spirit of Columbus High School Athletic Award Fund

The James Henry Smith and Gladys Manning Smith Scholarship Fund – To provide support for Muscogee County students going to college (one selected per year)

The Judge Albert W. Thompson, Sr., Scholarship Fund –

To provide up to two scholarships to college students with a connection to Georgia who are entering or currently enrolled in law school and are committed to practicing nonprofit law or another type of public service law

The Lynn Faulkner Viets Scholarship Fund* –

To be awarded to a Muscogee County School District student who is entering higher education that shows strong academic achievement, financial need and strong character

The M. Troy Woods Scholarship Fund - To provide support for one student who demonstrates high academic achievement and leadership potential, and who intends to earn an undergraduate degree in cybersecurity through Columbus State University’s Turner College of Business

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Donations of all sizes were received throughout 2022 from hundreds of individuals, families and organizations. Their gifts will be used to benefit the community now and in the future. Every effort has been made to ensure that this report is accurate. However, if we have made any errors, please accept our apology and call our office at (706) 320-0027 so that we may correct our records.

The following have given $250 or more to one or more Funds at CFCV.

Mr. Newton B. Aaron

Mr. Jeffrey G. Adams

Aflac

AFLAC Childhood Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Rick Alexander

Mrs. W. Mizell Alexander

Mr. and Mrs. Joel Ames

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel P. Amos

The Daniel P. Amos Family Foundation, Inc.

The Kathelen V. and Daniel P. Amos Fund, CFCV

The Paul S. and Jean R. Amos Family Foundation, Inc.

Ms. Wanda J. Amos

The Anonymous Fund #6, CFCV

The Anonymous Fund #22, CFCV

Dr. Catalina T. Aranas

Mr. Dwayne Ashley

Mr. and Mrs. Whitfield Athey Auten Enterprises, LLC

The Laura and Tyler Bankhead Fund, CFCV

Ms. Caitlin Behncke

Beloco Foundation, Inc.

Benevity Community Impact Fund/ A Fund of the American Online Giving Foundation

Ms. Paula Berezin

Ms. Marjorie B. Bickerstaff

Mrs. Thomas B. Black

Mr. Wilson W. Blackmon

The Wilson W. and Geraldine D. Blackmon Foundation, Inc.

Blackwell’s Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. David Blanchard

Mr. James H. Blanchard

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Boers

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Bowick

The W.C. Bradley Company Fund, CFCV

The Bradley-Turner Foundation

Mr. Charles K. Briscoe

Ms. Kathleen L. Broda

Mr. Alphonce J. Brown

Mr. and Mrs. David Brown

Dr. and Mrs. James Buntin

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Burdeshaw

Mr. and Mrs. Wade Burford

Ms. Nancy Burgin

Mr. William J. Burgin

Mr. and Mrs. Otis Burnham

Stephen T. Butler Family Fund

The Stephen T. and Kent H. Butler Fund, CFCV

By Alp LLC

Ms. Katharine Cannella

Delois Carr

The Andrew and Landy Cartledge Fund, CFCV

Mr. and Mrs. J. Edgar Chancellor

The Loretto Chappell Book Endowment Fund, CFCV

Mr. Robert W. Chitwood

Mr. and Ms. Ryan Chitwood

Snigdha Choudhury

The CHS Coffee Shop and Bakery

The CLIBOCA Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Cohn

Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity

Columbus Consolidated Government

The Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance via VisitColumbusGA

Columbus High School Alumni Association, Inc.

Elizabeth T. Corn

The Emily Cornell Donor Advised Fund, Charityvest Inc.,

The Coronavirus Response Fund, CFCV

Ms. Elizabeth W. Covington

Ms. Charmaine Crabb

Dr. James E. W. Crosse

Anne L. Curtis

CVS Health

Daniel Appliance

Mr. Ronald D. Daniel

Mr. Rosier Davis Dedwylder II

Ms. Bitsy Dedwylder

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Doyle

The Dragonfly Trails Fund, CFCV

Mr. and Mrs. Thad Estes

Ms. Lori A. Etringer

Mr. G. Mallon Faircloth

Mr. and Mrs. John D. Flory

The Jake and Anna Flournoy Family Fund, CFCV

The Robert and Carol Flowers Foundation

The Mildred Miller Fort Foundation

The Fort Trustee Fund, CFCV

The Doctors Cynthia C. and R. Spencer Garrard

Mr. and Ms. John Garrison

Georgia Power Company

Mr. and Mrs. Pearce Gilbert

The Wilbur H. Glenn Family Fund, CFCV

The Jane and Jack Goldfrank Family Foundation

Mr. Randy Gorod

Ms. Angelique Grant

Greater Giving

Ms. Gail B. Greenblatt

Mr. John Greenman and Dr. Mary Alice Budge

Mr. and Mrs. W. James Gunby

Dr. Henry J. Hall

Ms. Joan Hall

Susette P. Hall

Mrs. Richard Hallock

Mr. and Mrs. Thelon Hamby

The Kerry and Donna Hand Fund, CFCV Hardaway Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Harkness

The Harmann Family-Pam and Edwin Page Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Harris

Ms. Judye S. Harris

David Hart

Mr. and Mrs. Marion Hart

Hecht, Burdeshaw Architects, Inc.

The Kenneth M. Henson, Jr. Family Fund, CFCV

Mr. and Mrs. James Hillenbrand

Malynn Hogan

Hollingsworth Family Foundation

The Hollis / Link Fund, CFCV

The Sarah H. and Jack C. Hughston Foundation, Inc.

The Hunter Family Fund, Fidelity Charitable

The Norman and Emmy Lou Illges Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. John Irby

Mr. James H. Jarrell

Mary Louise P. Jarrell

Mr. and Mrs. C. Lamar Johnson

Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Johnson

Henry & Tabitha Johnson

The Thornton Jordan Family Foundation

Mrs. Jack B. Key

Jack and Libbie Key

The Betty Lindsay King Charitable Fund, CFCV

Elizabeth L. King

The Edward Kinner Schwab IRA

The Thomas M. Kirbo and Irene B. Kirbo

Charitable Foundation

Ms. Dionne Kirby

The Elizabeth Fry and Dupont Kirven Foundation, Inc.

The Knight Foundation Fund, CFCV

The Knight, Dismuke, Caldwell Charitable Fund, CFCV

Ms. Tricia Konan

Mr. and Mrs. R. Justin Krieg

The David and Jane Cohn Kulbersh Charitable Fund, CFCV

Ms. Kayron M. Laska

Chris Layfield

Ms. Elizabeth LeClair

The Lee-Boulton Family Fund, Fidelity Charitable

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lewis

The Lipham Foundation, Inc.

Lockwood Partners Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Corydon Loomis, Jr., and Mrs. Frazer Loomis

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lyon

Ms. Reshunda Mahone

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Martin II

Ms. Cynthia Newberry Martin

Mr. Richard K. Martin

Mr. Nicholas D. Mayfield

Mr. Atiba S. Mbiwan

The McClure Family Foundation, GenSpring Family Office

The Brian S. and Lynn B. McCluskey Fund, CFCV

Dr. and Mrs. Leland McCluskey

Ms. Barbara F. McKnight

The Jenson Melton Trust

Ms. Shawn Mewhorter

Ms. Louise K. Miller

The Miracle Riders

Genie Mize

Mr. and Mrs. David C. Chancy

Ms. Kathleen Mullins

Muscogee County Council of PTA

Muscogee County Friends of Libraries, Inc.

The Muscogee County Library Endowment Fund, CFCV

The Muscogee County Library Foundation Fund, CFCV

Cassie and Aaron Myers Family Fund, Charityvest, Inc.

National Underwriters Agency, Inc.

Navco Foundation , Inc.

Ms. Helen H. Neal

Mr. Robert Norwood

Mr. and Mrs. W. Michael Ogie

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Parker

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Pease

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Pease

Ms. Mary Petonic

The Pezold Family Foundation

Ms. Ashley Pezold

Mr. Frank A. Philips

The Pittulloch Foundation

Mr. L. Lamar Powers

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Ramsay

The Elizabeth B. and Alan C. Ramsay, Jr. Fund, CFCV

Joan Redmond

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Ressmeyer

Ms. Marianne Richter

The Lane M. and Chandler Riley Fund, CFCV

The Richard and Helen Robbins Family Foundation, Inc.

Rosehill Seafood, Inc.

David Rothschild Co., Inc.

The David and Barbara Rothschild Fund for the Muscogee County Libraries, CFCV Rotary Club of Americus

Russell County Commission

Ms. Margaret Salter

Caroline Schladensky

The Shain Schley Fund, CFCV

Kendra Scott, LLC

Kimberly Scott

Mr. and Mrs. William Scrantom

Keatley Scroggins

Mr. Michael See

Ms. Sharon Self

Jack & Brenda Sherrer

Mr. Randy Sherrer

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smajd

Ms. Birgit Smith Burton

Lauren Smith

The SOMA Foundation

The SOMA Foundation Fund, Fidelity Investments

Southern States Bank

Mr. and Mrs. Jay Sparks

Mr. Tracy E. D. Spencer

Mr. John Stacy

Dr. and Mrs. John Stephenson

Mrs. Barbara C. Swift

Carter Epping Swift

The George and Ann Swift Family Foundation, Inc.

The Jeanne Robert Swift Fund at Morgan Stanley Gift Synovus

The Blackbaud Giving Fund by its agent, YourCause

Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas

Ms. Melissa Thomas

Dr. and Mrs. Chip Tillman

Mr. and Mrs. B. Kenneth Townsend

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Townsend

The Tyler and Eleanore Townsend Fund, CFCV

Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Townsend

TSYS / Global Payments

The W.B. and Sue T. Turner Clat Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Ussery

Ms. Lynn Viets

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Wade, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. John Walden, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Wallace

Dr. and Mrs. Wade Wallace

Mr. Robert A. Ward

W.C. Bradley Company

Mrs. Janice M. Watson

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC

Dr. and Mrs. Cecil Whitaker

Mr. and Mrs. Malon Wickham

Pat & Jack Wilensky Family Foundation, Inc. Elizabeth Wilkerson

The Emily and Tom Williams Fund, CFCV

Ms. Alicia Williams

Ms. Carme Williams

Ms. Cathleen Williams

Ms. Brevard House Windsor’s Stifel IRA

Ms. Charlitta Winston

Mr. Luther Wolff IV

Avery Wolff

The Woodroof-Funderburke Fund, The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta

J.W. and Ethel I. Woodruff Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. M. Troy Woods

The Troy and Gloria Woods Fund, CFCV

Mr. William C. Woolfolk

Mr. Joel O. Wooten

The Yancey Family Foundation

Ms. Rebecca K. Yarbrough

YFJ Consulting, LLC

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Young

GRANTS FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION’S FUNDS

The following charitable efforts received grants of $500 or more during the year.

UNRESTRICTED AND AREA FUNDS

The Community Endowment Fund (The CFCV’s Discretionary Fund)

Candid – To fund the Funding Information Network at the Columbus Public Library, providing all area nonprofits with administrative, board-building and fundraising information

The Community Endowment Fund (The CFCV’s Discretionary Fund) and its three named sub-funds: the Moselle W. and H. Quigg Fletcher, Jr., Endowment Fund, the Susan and Butch Cochran Family Fund, and the Fred and Catalina Aranas Family Fund – To underwrite the first three years of the operating budget of The Basics

Chattahoochee Valley, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley

The Troup Community Endowment – To the Troup-Harris Regional Library to support capital improvements to LaGrange Memorial Library

DESIGNATED, FIELD OF INTEREST & ORGANIZATION FUNDS*

*Note: In several of these cases the CFCV is acting as the fiscal agent for a specific charitable effort, therefore grants from the particular Fund can be made to a for-profit entity that has provided goods or services on behalf of the Fund’s charitable effort. The list below details the direct grantee and/or the effort on behalf of which grants were made.

The AADO (African American Development Officers) Fund, CFCV

AFP Foundation for Philanthropy

African American Development Officers Network, Inc.

Association for Healthcare Philanthropy Foundation

Atlanta Women’s Foundation, Inc.

Beth Salem Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc.

Chattahoochee Valley Episcopal Ministry, Inc.

Chattahoochee Valley Libraries

The Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Juvenile Drug Court Foundation Fund, CFCV

Columbus Alliance For Regional Investment, Inc.

Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity

The Columbus GA 2025 Fund, CFCV

Columbus High School Alumni Association, Inc.

Columbus Hospice, Inc.

The Columbus Safe Streets Fund, CFCV Columbus Scholars, Inc.

Columbus Symphony Orchestra

The Coronavirus Response Fund, CFCV Council for Advancement and Support of Education

The Dragonfly MidTown Connector Fund, CFCV Dragonfly Trails, Inc.

The Dragonfly Trails Fund, CFCV

Feeding the Valley, Inc.

Fellowship of Christians United for Service (FOCUS)

Georgia Planning Association

Historic Westville, Inc.

House of Mercy

Huckabay Independent School District LaGrange Academy, Inc.

LaGrange Art Museum, Inc.

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, Inc.

The Local News & Information Fund, CFCV

The MCLF Operating Fund, CFCV

The MCLF Special Projects Fund, CFCV

The Muscogee County Library Ruth Brooks

Yancey Endowment Fund, CFCV

The Parks Memorial Public Library Fund, CFCV

Pluta Cancer Center Foundation, Inc.

Pta Georgia Congress

Right from the Start RiverCenter, Inc.

Rothschild Leadership Academy

Russell County Commission

The Russell County Coronavirus Response Fund, CFCV

SafeHouse Ministries

Saint James O.U.T.R.E.A.C.H., Inc.

The Salvation Army Columbus Corps

St. Anne Catholic Church Standing Boy, Inc.

StartUP Columbus, Inc.

Take The City, Inc.

Truth Spring Incorporated

United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc.

Valley Rescue Mission, Inc.

Village Table

The WISE Fund

Young Life of Columbus, GA

The Youth Infrastructure Coalition Fund, CFCV

Youth Orchestra Association Of Greater Columbus, Inc.

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS

343 Ministries

88.5 The Truth, Inc.

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Foundation, Inc.

AFLAC Childhood Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation

Alabama-Northwest Florida Golf Foundation

Alderson Broaddus University, Inc.

All Angel’s Church

Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders

Association, Inc.

American Cancer Society, Inc. - Columbus

Chapter

The American Chestnut Foundation

American National Red Cross

American Red Cross - Greater Atlanta

Georgia Region

American Red Cross of Central Midwest

Georgia

American Red Cross of Southwest Georgia

American Red Cross, Metropolitan Atlanta

Chapter

Andrew College

Animal Services and Operations Support

Appalachian State University Foundation, Inc.

Arthritis Foundation, Inc.

Asbury Theological Seminary

Athens Area Community Foundation

Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency, Inc.

Atlanta Children’s Shelter

Atlanta Community Food Bank, Inc.

Atlanta Historical Society, Inc.

Atlanta Music Project, Inc.

Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, Inc.

Atlanta Speech School, Inc.

Atlanta Union Mission Corporation

Atlanta Youth Academies Foundation, Inc.

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library

Foundation, Inc.

Auburn University

Auburn University Foundation

Augusta University Foundation

Avon Old Farms School, Inc.

B.R.I.D.G.E. of Columbus, Inc.

Banner Health Foundation

Baptist Health South Florida Foundation, Inc.

The Katherine Scarbrough Barr Fund, CFCV

The Bascom Corporation

Baylor University

Beaumont Health Foundation

Begin Again Farms, Inc.

Berry College

BlueSky Global Ministries, Inc.

Board of the University of Alabama

Bok Tower Gardens, Inc.

Bolles School

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Inc.

Boy Scouts of America, Chattahoochee

Council

Boys and Girls Clubs of Hartford

Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Inc.

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee

Valley, Inc.

Boyz 2 Men Development, Inc.

Brevard Music Center Incorporated

Brookstone School, Inc.

Bryson City United Methodist Church

Buckhead Heritage Society, Inc.

Bulldog Club

Calvary Christian School

Camp Cole Foundation, Inc.

Camp Sunshine, Inc.

Camp Swamp Fox

Campus Crusade for Christ, Inc.

Cape Ann Museum, Inc.

Casa David, Inc.

CASA Glynn, Inc.

Cataula Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

Catawba Valley Community College

Foundation, Inc.

Catholic Charities Of The Archdiocese Of Atlanta, Inc.

Centered for Life, Inc.

CEPA Foundation, Inc.

Chambers County Council for Neglected & Dependent Children and Youth Services

The A.C. Chancellor Memorial Fund, CFCV

Charity Global, Inc. dba Charity Water

Chastain Park Conservancy

Chatham Hall

Chattahoochee Early Learning Academy, Inc.

Chattahoochee Fuller Center Project

Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Inc.

Chattahoochee Riverwarden

Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Inc.

The Chattahoochee Valley State Community College Foundation

ChildFund International

Children’s Harbor, Inc.

Children’s Healthcare Of Atlanta, Inc.

Children’s Hospital Foundation

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter, Inc.

Children’s Medical Center Foundation

Children’s Mercy Hospital

CHOC Foundation

Choral Society Of West Georgia, Inc.

CHRIS 180, Inc.

Christ Community Church

Christ Episcopal Church

Christ the King Episcopal Church

Church of the Highlands, Inc.

Church on the Rock

Citadel Foundation

Citizens Church Charlotte

City Church

Clement Arts

Knoxville

The Aaron Cohn Citizenship Award for Aaron Cohn Middle School Fund, CFCV College Foundation of the University of Virginia

College Golf Fellowship

Columbia Theological Seminary

The Columbus 2025 Fund, CFCV

Columbus Alliance For Regional Investment, Inc.

Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity

The Columbus Botanical Gardens, Inc.

Columbus Economic Development Corporation

Columbus Hospice, Inc.

The Columbus Museum, Inc.

Columbus Regional Medical Foundation, Inc.

Columbus Regional Tennis Association, Inc. (CORTA)

The Columbus Safe Streets Fund, CFCV

The Columbus Scholars Administrative Support Fund, CFCV

Columbus State University Foundation, Inc.

Columbus Symphony Orchestra

Columbus Technical College Foundation, Inc.

Communities in Schools of Georgia, Inc

Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation

The Community Endowment Fund, CFCV

Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, Inc.

Community Foundation of Carroll County, Inc.

Community Foundation of Central Georgia, Inc.

Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Inc.

Community Hospital of Central California

Foundation

Community Resource Center of Chattooga, Inc.

Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Inc.

Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society

dba WorldVenture

Converse College

Convoy of Hope

The Coronavirus Response Fund, CFCV

The Country’s Midnight Express Foundation

Fund, CFCV

Covenant House Georgia, Inc.

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Covington County Children’s Policy Council

Coweta Falls Steeplechase, Inc.

Cristo Rey Kansas City

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Heart of America

Chapter

Darlington School, Inc.

Daughters Against Alzheimers, Inc.

Davidson College

Daybreak Inc.

Dayton Children’s Hospital

The Bess Dedwylder Memorial Fund, CFCV

Devon C. Rubenstein Foundation, Inc.

Do Good Fund, Inc.

Doctors Without Borders USA, Inc.

Dragonfly Trails, Inc.

Ducks Unlimited, Inc.

Duke University

Eaglebrook School

East Tennessee Historical Society, Inc.

Easter Seals West Georgia, Inc.

Ebenezer Baptist Church

Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Inc.

Emory University Office of Gift Accounting

Enterprise Baptist Church

Entertainment Industry Foundation

The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer

Epworth by the Sea, Inc.

Equality Now, Inc.

Ethel Walker School, Inc.

Ezekiel Center, Inc.

FABArts, Inc.

Families First, Inc.

The Family Center of Columbus, Inc.

Farmington Village Green and Library Association

Faulkner University

Feeding the Valley, Inc.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes, UGA

Campus Ministry

Fellowship of Christian Athletes, West Central Georgia

Ferst Readers, Inc.

First Baptist Church of Columbus, GA

First Presbyterian Church, Columbus, GA

First Presbyterian Church, LaGrange, GA

The First Tee Of Greater Washington

First United Methodist Church, Cordele, GA

First United Methodist Church, LaGrange, GA

First United Methodist Church, Montgomery, AL

Fix Georgia Pets, Inc.

Focus on Truth, Inc.

Fore Kids Columbus

The Fort Church

The Fort Trustee Funds

Foundation for Rhodes Homes, Inc.

Foundation of Wesley Woods, Inc.

Fractured Atlas, Inc.

Fred Haskins Commission, Inc.

Friends of The Thread Trail, Inc.

Furman University

The Gateways Foundation, Inc.

Gatewood Schools, Inc.

Geneva Baptist Church

George West Mental Health Foundation dba

Skyland Trail

Georgia Center For Opportunity, Inc.

Georgia Conservancy, Inc.

Georgia for Georgia, Inc.

Georgia Historical Society

Georgia Humanities Council, Inc.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Organics, Inc.

Georgia Public Broadcasting

Gifts to the CFCV by Fund Type

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State Golf Association

Georgia State University Foundation, Inc.

Georgia Tech Athletic Association

Georgia Trust For Historic Preservation, Inc.

Georgia Wildlife Federation

Georgia-Alabama Land Trust, Inc.

Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Inc.

Girls, Inc. of Columbus and Phenix-Russell

The Giving Kitchen Initiative, Inc.

Global Effect Ministry, Inc.

Global Teen Challenge, Inc.

Glynn Visual Arts Inc

Golf Fights Cancer, Inc.

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Inc.

Grace House of Brunswick, Inc.

Grace Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Inc.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation

Greene County Habitat for Humanity

GSGA Foundation, Inc.

Haggai International Institute for Advanced Leadership Training, Inc.

Hand in Hand of Glynn, Inc.

Hands On Atlanta, Inc.

Harmony House Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc.

The President and Fellows of Harvard College

The Have a Dream Fund, CFCV

Headwaters Foundation for Justice

Health Advocates for Older People, Inc.

Heart Math Tutoring, Inc.

Heart of West Georgia, Inc.

Highlands Chamber Music Festival, Inc.

Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Inc.

Hillside Montessori of LaGrange

Historic Colony House

Historic Columbus Foundation, Inc.

The Historic Linwood Foundation, Inc.

Historic Westville, Inc.

Holy Family Catholic Church

Hoover Presidential Foundation

Hope 1312 Collective, Inc.

Hope Harbour, Inc.

Hope Heals

The Hounds Foundation

House of Heroes, Chattahoochee Valley Chapter

House of Heroes, Inc.

House of Mercy

House Of T I M E Incorporated

The Howard School, Inc.

The Hughston Foundation, Inc.

Humane Society of Harris County, Inc.

Humane Society of Polk County, Inc.

Humane Society of South Coastal Georgia, Inc.

Hundred Club of Durango

I am for the Urals, Inc.

ICU Baby, Inc.

Ida Cason Callaway Foundation

Illuminate Justice, Inc.

Interdenominational Theological Center, Inc.

International Friendship Ministries, Inc.

Isidore Newman School

It’s the Journey, Inc.

Jacksonville State University

Jewish Welfare Federation of Columbus, Georgia, Inc.

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

Foundation, Inc.

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation, Inc.

Johns Hopkins University

The Joshua Fund

Kalispell Regional Healthcare Foundation

Kentler International Drawing Space, Inc.

KID SmART

The Kids Foundation of Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Nevada Community Foundation

Knox Martin Foundation for Brain Cancer

Research, Inc.

The Lafayette Society for Performing Arts, Inc.

LaGrange Art Museum, Inc.

The LaGrange Art Museum Endowment

Fund, CFCV

LaGrange College

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, Inc.

Lake Highland Preparatory School, Inc.

Lake Martin Humane Society, Inc.

Lee County Historical Society

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Lower

Plains

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Inc. - GA/

SC Region

Liberty Theatre Cultural Center, Inc.

Lifeline Animal Project, Inc.

Little League Baseball Inc. 3100805 Peach LL

Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital

Foundation

The Loudoun Agricultural & Chemical Institute Foundation, Inc.

Love Like Lexi Project

Lovett School

Lower Chattahoochee Direct Service Corp.

Maine Timber Research & Maine Tree Foundation

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia, Inc.

Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation, Inc.

Mayo Clinic

Meals On Wheels Atlanta, Inc

Medical College of Georgia Foundation, Inc.

Memorial Medical Center Foundation

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

The Corporation of Mercer University

Mercy Care Foundation, Inc.

MercyMed of Columbus

The Methodist Home for Children and Youth

Miami Children’s Health System, Inc.

Micah’s Promise, Inc.

Midtown Fellowship

MidTown, Inc.

The Mill District, Inc.

The Miracle Ride Fund, CFCV

Misericordia Home

Morning Light Foundation, Inc.

Morningside Baptist Church Of Columbus, Inc.

Morningstar Children and Family Services, Inc.

Mountain Lake Community Service, Inc.

Mountain Mission School

The Muscogee County Library Foundation

Fund, CFCV

Muscogee County School District

Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation, Inc.

Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc.

Naomi’s Village, Inc.

National Christian Charitable Foundation, Inc.

National Infantry Museum Foundation, Inc.

National Monuments Foundation, Inc.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter

National Outdoor Leadership School

The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Georgia

National Trust For Historic Preservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy

Nature Now

NeighborWorks Columbus

The Nemours Foundation - Nemours

Children’s Hospital

New Birth Outreach Church

New England Deaconess Association

New Georgia Project, Inc.

New Providence Baptist Church of Columbus

Georgia

North Carolina Community Foundation, Inc.

North Star Fund, Inc.

Northside United Methodist Church

Northwell Health Foundation

Norwich University

Oconee Regional Humane Society, Inc.

Old Gray Cemetery Historic & Memorial Assn

Open Door Community House, Inc.

Open Hand Atlanta, Inc.

Orlando Health Foundation, Inc.

Our Lady of Fatima

Outreach Foundation of the Presbyterian Church, Inc.

Pace Academy, Inc.

Pastoral Institute, Inc.

Pavillion International

Paws Humane, Inc.

Peace of Heart Community, Inc.

Peachtree Presbyterian Church

Peachtree Road United Methodist Church

Phenix City Mayor’s & Council Ball

Piedmont Healthcare Foundation, Inc.

Pine Eden Christian Retreat

Pioneers

Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.

Point University, Inc.

Port Columbus Civil War Naval Center, Inc.

Precept Ministries of Reach Out, Inc.

Presbyterian College

Prisma Health Midlands Foundation

Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the D of C

Providence Healthcare Foundation Eastern

Washington

Pta Georgia Congress

Queens University of Charlotte

Radius Books, Inc.

Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego

Reach India International, Inc.

Rector & Visitors of The University of Virginia

Reflections Ministries, Inc.

Regents of the University of California

Restoration House Ministries of Alabama

Restoration Word Ministries, Inc.

Richard J. Caron Foundation

Richland Main Street, Inc.

Right from the Start

RiverCenter, Inc.

Road Safe America, Inc.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of West Georgia, Inc.

Roof Above, Inc.

Roswell Park Alliance Foundation

Rotary Club of Americus

Russell County School District

Safe Harbor Children’s Center, Inc.

SafeHouse Ministries

SafeHouse Outreach, Inc.

Saint Brigid Catholic Church Johns Creek, Inc.

Saint Simons Christian School, Inc.

The Salvation Army Columbus Corps

Salvation Army Metro Atlanta

Salvation Army of the Midlands

Samaritan’s Purse

Samford University

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation

Santa’s Castle

The Kyle Scarbrough Fund, CFCV

The Scholarship Academy

Schwab Charitable Fund

Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation

Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis

Shepherd Center Foundation, Inc.

Sloss Furnaces Foundation, Inc.

Smile Train, Inc.

Soccer in the Streets, Inc.

Southern Union State Community College

Special Olympics Connecticut, Inc.

Spectrum Health Foundation

The Spring of Tampa Bay, Inc.

Springer Opera House Arts Association, Inc.

St Joseph Child Development Center

St. Anne Catholic Church

St. Anne Pacelli Catholic School

St. David’s

St. Joseph Healthcare System, Inc.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc.

St. Jude’s Recovery Center, Inc.

St. Luke United Methodist Church

St. Luke’s Health Foundation

St. Mark United Methodist Church

St. Norbert Parish & School

St. Patrick R C Church

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church

St. Paul United Methodist Church

St. Paul’s School

St. Peter’s Catholic Church

St. Simons Land Trust

St. Simons Presbyterian Church

St. Simons United Methodist Church

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Standing Boy, Inc.

StartUP Columbus, Inc.

Steer Smart, Inc.

Stewart Community Home, Inc.

Storybook Farm, Inc.

The Study Hall, Inc.

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

Take The City, Inc.

Tall Timbers Foundation, Inc.

Tax Foundation

Team Rubicon

Teen Advisors, Inc.

Teen Challenge Of Florida, Inc.

Temple Israel, Inc.

Texas Children’s Hospital

The River of Columbus

The Rock Academy, Inc.

The Rotary Club of Columbus, Georgia, Inc.

Fund, CFCV

The Wynn House, Inc.

Travelers Aid Of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc.

Trees Columbus, Inc.

Trinity Episcopal Church

Trinity Presbyterian Church

Trinity School, Inc.

Troup Cares, Inc.

Troup County CLCP, Inc.

Troup County Historical Society, Inc.

Troup Family Connection Authority

Troup High Touchdown Club, Inc.

Trust for Public Land

Trustbuilding, Inc.

Truth Spring Incorporated

Turkeys for Tomorrow

Turn Around Columbus

Tuskegee University

Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services, Inc.

The UCLA Foundation

UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals

Foundation

UGrow, Inc.

Union Preservation Society, Inc.

United States Fund for UNICEF

United States Golf Association

United Theological Seminary

United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc.

United Way of West Georgia, Inc.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of Alabama in Huntsville

University of Florida Foundation, Inc.

University of Georgia

University of Georgia Foundation

University of Mississippi Foundation

University of Nebraska Foundation

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of Richmond

University of South Alabama

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc.

University of Texas Foundation, Inc.

University of Virginia Alumni Association

The University of West Alabama

Uptown Columbus, Inc.

Valley Rescue Mission, Inc.

Veritas Shapes Ministries

Village Foster Care and Adoptive Ministry

Vision Atlanta, Inc. - Camp Grace

Wake for Warriors, Inc.

Wake Forest University

Washington and Lee University

The Wellhouse

Wesley Glen Ministries, Inc.

Wesleyan College

West Georgia Hospice

West Point Association of Graduates

The Whitewater Maintenance Endowment

Fund, CFCV

Williams College

Winding Trails, Inc.

Wofford College

Women’s Initiative for Learning and Discovery Corp. (WILD)

Woodberry Forest School

Woodlands Garden of Decatur, Inc.

The M. Troy Woods Scholarship Fund, CFCV

Work to Ride, Inc.

World Central Kitchen, Inc.

World Outreach Ministries, Inc.

World Vision, Inc.

Wounded Warrior Project, Inc.

Wounded Warriors Family Support, Inc.

YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc.

Young Life - Forsyth County

Young Life - Macon GA160

Young Life - Midlands

Young Life - Midlands College

Young Life - SW Atlanta

Young Life Birmingham Central

Young Life Charlotte

Young Life Chattanooga

Young Life Fayette County

Young Life of Columbus, GA

Young Life of Harris County

Young Life South Walton

Young Life Southeast Division 1780

Young Life Southeast Region AF33

Young Mens Christian Association Columbus

Youth Orchestra Association of Greater Columbus, Inc.

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

Albany State University

Anderson University

Auburn University

Berry College

Bethel College

Clark Atlanta University, Inc.

Columbus Scholars, Inc.

Columbus State University

Fort Valley State University

Georgia College and State University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State University

Huntingdon College

Kennesaw State University

LaGrange College

Pennsylvania Western University

Point University, Inc.

Sacred Heart University

Stony Brook University

The Aaron Cohn Citizenship Award for Aaron Cohn Middle School Fund, CFCV

The Corporation of Mercer University

Tuskegee University

University of Georgia

University of Kansas

University of Kansas Medical Center

Research Institute

University of New Haven

University of Pittsburgh

University of South Carolina

University of South Dakota

University of West Georgia

Valdosta State University

Vanderbilt University

Wesleyan College

Wofford College

Assets by Fund Type

Donor Advised Funds 79% Designated, Organization & Field of Interest Funds 18% Scholarship Funds 2%

Unrestricted & Area Funds 1%

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS LIABILITIES

NET ASSETS

SUMMARY OF NET ASSETS

A TRADITION OF LEADERSHIP

Staff

Board of Trustees 2022

Dr. David M. White Chair

Retired, Troy University Midland, GA

Frederick J. Crawford Vice Chair Aflac Columbus, GA

Melissa E. Gauntt Secretary

CTV Beam Phenix City, AL

W. Fray McCormick Treasurer Chair, Investment Committee

Page, Scrantom, Sprouse, Tucker & Ford, PC Columbus, GA

Victoria W. Barrett Chair, Distributions Columbus Water Works Richland, GA

William J. Burgin Immediate Past Chair Chair, Board Development

Jackson Burgin, Inc. Columbus, GA

The Rev. Adrian J. Chester Greater Beallwood Baptist Church Columbus, GA

George G. Flowers Community Leader Columbus, GA

Geniece Granville* Davis Broadcasting

Columbus, GA

Rodney Mahone* The Chronicle of Philanthropy Columbus, GA

Robert Nobles* Synovus Trust Columbus, GA

The Hon. Benjamin S. Richardson

Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Columbus, GA

GwenDolyn H. Ruff Columbus Water Works Columbus, GA

L. Dupuy Sears Community Leader LaGrange, GA

W.H. (Trip) Tomlinson Pope McGlamry Columbus, GA

John T. Turner Community Leader Columbus, GA

Wright B. Waddell Morgan Stanley Columbus, GA

J. Len Williams Columbus Affordable Housing Services Columbus, GA

General Counsel

Alan F. Rothschild, Jr. Page, Scrantom, Sprouse, Tucker & Ford, PC Columbus, GA

*New in 2022

Betsy W. Covington President and CEO

Leah A. Poole, CPA Chief Financial Officer

JJ Musgrove Vice President, Donor Services

Kelli M. Parker Vice President, Grants & Programs

Erica M. Walker Grants & Community Partnerships Officer

1340 13th Street

The Village on 13th

Columbus, Georgia 31901-2345

706-320-0027

cfcv.com

Federal Identification Number: 58-2381589

Smilemakers

Oral health is a window to your overall health, and problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body. That's why it's important to have regular dental checkups. From a self-esteem perspective, a beautiful smile builds confidence and helps you to be the best that you can be.

The dental professionals on the following pages offer a myriad of services to ensure you have a healthy, confident smile. Read on to discover how they can help you.

West Georgia Oral & Facial Surgery On the Cutting Edge of Technology

WWith more than 40 years of combined specialty surgical experience, Dr. Lee Allen and Dr. Mark Zwickey have made West Georgia Oral and Facial Surgery the maxillofacial surgery and rejuvenation one-stop-shop. “Maxillofacial is a big word,” said Dr. Allen, “which means our dental training includes advanced oral and facial techniques that make us unique providers.”

To provide the best possible treatments for their patients means being constantly updated and informed about the technological changes within the industry and being willing to implement those changes within their practice.

“When it comes to technology and the dentistry profession, it is important for our practice to keep up with the latest trends and advances,” Dr. Zwickey said. “Advances in technology help to assist in proper patient care as well as more precise treatment methods, which in return can create a successful outcome and better recovery.”

West Georgia Oral and Facial Surgery is a licensed facility that can provide different types of anesthesia in its offices for every patient whether they want local or IV sedation.

“We cater to that, and can make their procedure seamless,” Dr. Allen said.

“As far as procedures themselves, we specialize in implants and have the 3-D treatment technology to perform single or multiple tooth replacement care for routine, or urgent cases in our office. We also specialize in cosmetic techniques like Botox and fillers,” Dr. Allen said.

Another aspect that sets them apart is a team approach. “We concentrate on surgery,” he said, “but work with a patient’s general dentist to do comprehensive planning using CONE Beam imagery software. Advances in bone grafting, plus implant placement innovations are exciting, too, and help improve the success rate long term.

“One of the things we pride ourselves on is that our staff excels at providing compassionate care and making a visit for an anxious patient as easy as possible,” Dr. Allen said. “We have highly trained long-term employees, who understand anxiety and emphasize that we are here to provide state-of-theart surgery in a compassionate environment.”

Dr. Allen completed training at Louisiana State Medical Center and moved to Columbus four years ago after practicing for 20 years in West Virginia. “Dr. Zwickey has been here 15 years,” he said, “and patients appreciate that we live locally with our families.”

He concluded, “We find that a lot of people put off dental surgery due to apprehension, and in those cases, seeing their amazement when they wake up from sedation and their surgery is already done is very rewarding.”

The emergence of COVID-19 has been a disruptive force to life and business around the world. That includes patients of West Georgia Oral and Facial Surgery, but Dr. Allen and Dr. Zwickey and their staff are prepared to meet the challenge.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress in our patients and staff, but our office has been committed to patient care and safety,” Dr. Zwickey said. “We have increased our usage of PPE to our staff and patients, as well as practicing extra disinfectant measures around our lobby, front office and patient rooms where consultations and procedures take place.”

West Georgia Oral and Facial Surgery

Extra precautions don’t end there.

“We have also implemented air purification filters throughout the office,” Dr. Allen said. “We want to ensure that our patients feel at ease and safe from the time they enter our office and throughout their entire treatment process.”

Dentistry is a profession that is as challenging as it is rewarding. But for both Dr. Allen and Dr. Zwickey, it’s the patients who make the effort worthwhile.

“Dentistry can be a challenging profession,” Dr. Allen said. “Each patient has their own concerns and challenges that they bring to our practice. There is also the constant change in techniques and procedures that are constantly keeping us on our toes. We are constantly learning to make sure we are offering the utmost care to our patients.”

“Despite the challenges that come along with the dentistry industry, it is extremely rewarding to see how our care can change a person’s life and confidence,” added Dr. Zwickey. “Whether we help a patient with pain, help to restore their smile, or provide cosmetic procedures they desire, seeing a happy and satisfied patient makes every day worth any challenge that comes our way.”

For more information about the services that West Georgia Oral and Facial Surgery offers, call 706.596.1757 or visit WestGaOralSurgery.com. ADV.

Dr. Allen Dr. Zwickey

Gentle Dentistry of Columbus Making Going to the Dentist a Joy

GGrowing up here, the daughter of Dr. Eddie Paris, your local endodontist, Dr. Devon Paris remembers how afraid patients often were coming into his office, dreading the root canal that awaited them.

Fortunately, the fear was gone after the procedure.

“When they left, everyone seemed to have a look of relief or even happiness on their faces,” Dr. Paris said. “As I decided I wanted to grow up to be a dentist, I was determined that I wanted them to have a smile on their face when they came in not only when they left.”

A Columbus native, Dr. Paris attended Samford University in Birmingham where she received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology and helped captain the Women’s Samford Soccer team to multiple OVC Championships, including defeating Vanderbilt to get to the second round of the NCAA Championship Tournament. After Samford, she returned to her birthplace, Augusta, Georgia, to attend the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry where she would graduate with her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 2014.

When opening her own practice, Dr. Paris found exactly what she was looking for in 2018 when she bought the existing Gentle Dentistry. Keeping the name just made sense.

“A majority of people, when they think dentist, think needle, rough handling, etc., but this Gentle Dentistry title was just the name I wanted to have as my practice name,” she said. “My goal is to change all my patients views on dentistry from an anxiety-ridden, serious, painful space to a stressrelieving, laughter-filled, empathetic office.”

Dr. Paris could not achieve this goal without her friend and like-minded associate, Dr. Brett Page. They originally met and became friends while first attending Brookstone High School and then ten years later at dental school. A native of Cataula, Dr. Page earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Emory University before also receiving his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry. He joined Gentle Dentistry in 2020.

They, along with a trained team of hygienists and front desk staff, all work toward a common goal – “to make coming to the dentist a joy,” Dr. Paris said.

GENTLE DENTISTRY OF COLUMBUS PROVIDES:

• Crowns and Bridges: These preserve and restore the structure of your teeth to improve a tooth’s appearance and help prevent cracking.

• Cleanings and Exams: Hygienists evaluate your dental health, provide the appropriate cleaning and educate patients on proper technique and gum disease, then the dentists come in to check teeth for cavities.

• Restoring Implants: Placing crowns or bridges on top of implants in order to create an esthetic and functioning smile after teeth were extracted.

• Hybrids: Removing all teeth on an arch when those teeth are not fixable and replacing those teeth with a brand new set—color of tooth, shape of tooth, size of tooth to your liking. These are fixed to implants under your gums and do not have to be removed at night. This type of appliance is the closest thing we have currently to natural teeth.

• Fillings: Tooth colored fillings restore the tooth to a healthy state once a cavity is removed and leave it looking like nothing ever happened.

• Sealants: One of the most valuable preventative tools in dentistry. It keeps teeth healthy without removing any natural tooth structure. Sealants are just painted into the deep grooves on the chewing surfaces of teeth, so when you eat, nothing gets trapped down in there to create a cavity.

• Extractions: Tooth removal due to cavities, trauma or crowding.

• Teeth Whitening: The cosmetic procedure that lightens the color of teeth. This can be done on the outside of natural teeth and on the inside of teeth with root canals.

Options for teeth whitening:

> Take home trays: These custom whitening trays fit into your teeth's specific nooks and crannies to better whiten those stubborn areas.

> Opalescence GO! Kits: These kits are a step above what can be bought on the shelf. They will help whiten quicker.

> Internal bleaching: If you have a dark colored tooth that has had a root canal, you could be a candidate for this. Whitening gel is placed inside your tooth, and you are given a single tooth-whitening tray to whiten the outside of the tooth as well. By lightening from the inside and outside of the tooth at the same time, it will bring that tooth back to the shade of your surrounding teeth.

Dr. Paris and her team are especially proud of their cosmetic dentistry services. “We were awarded the 2022 Columbus People’s Choice Award Runner’s Up for Cosmetic Dentistry,” she said. “This was the greatest honor of all because it was chosen by the public.”

Dr. Paris views her and the team’s overarching approach to patient care in terms that a sports ravenous area can fully appreciate.

“My bedside manner is like having a great teammate by your side,” she said. “Whether it is visiting with a patient in hygiene just joking around like during practice, or helping a patient to a common goal of oral health like when trying to score that final goal.

“The hope is to always be here for the people who need me.” ADV.

Dr. Paris Dr. Page

Pediatric Dentistry of Columbus Built with Children in Mind

DDr. Christie McCarley knew she wanted to specialize in pediatrics while studying dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia.

It was there that Dr. McCarley had the opportunity to work at a children's clinic in Dalton, Georgia.

“I loved the experience, and everything about working with kids,” she said. “Kids are just fun.”

Dr. McCarley graduated in 2009, completing a two-year pediatric dentistry residency at the Medical College of Georgia, where she focused on providing comprehensive dental care for children, including oral sedation, general anesthesia in the hospital setting, and management of special needs patients.

Dr. McCarley has turned her youthful inspiration into a thriving practice.

At Pediatric Dentistry of Columbus, she and her certified staff provide the best possible dental care for infants, children, teens and kids with special healthcare needs.

It is an important distinction.

Pediatric dentistry differs from general dentistry in that pediatric dentists specialize in working with infants through adolescence by training for an additional two to three years post-graduation, including working with children with special needs.

“There is typically a hospital component to the residency and after graduation there is a special board certification examination required to perform hospital care to children with more extensive treatment needs,” Dr. McCarley explained. “Additionally, pediatric dentists receive extensive training in techniques and procedures to help children have their treatment completed safely and efficiently.”

From its new office at 3017 Williams Road in Columbus, the staff of Pediatric Dentistry provides its patients with state-of-the-art equipment promised to make sure children have access to everything they may need.

The office was built with children in mind,

offering a fun and comfortable environment that ensures an enjoyable and productive experience. That includes TVs above each dental chair, games in the waiting area and prizes at the end of each visit.

Working with children requires a certain amount of energy and enthusiasm each day to ensure their dental visits are happy.

“My approach is not one size fits all,” Dr. McCarley said. “Every child is different, and every parent is different. We try to figure out what works best for each child's unique treatment needs and tailor it to that child.”

Parents are always encouraged to sit with their child and hold their hand, if that is what makes the visit successful.

“Sometimes, the children wish to go to the dental chair by themselves and parents can sit in the secondary waiting room right across from the dental chair,” she said. “We always use the Tell Show Do Method, which helps to desensitize the children to the tools that will be used at their dental visits.”

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY OF COLUMBUS PROVIDES:

• Preventive oral hygiene instruction: We teach proper brushing, flossing, dietary habits and administer fluoride treatments and pit and fissure sealants.

• Restorative dentistry: We offer fillings, crowns, root canal therapy, extractions, silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and space maintenance.

• Sedation dentistry: This is most commonly used during extensive procedures, for patients with dental phobia or for patients who find it difficult to sit still.

• Frenectomies: Children may be born with a combination of conditions called a tongue-tie or lip-tie, which can cause restrictions in movement, resulting in difficulty with breastfeeding. In some cases, other health problems such as dental decay, speech and airway difficulties, and digestive issues may arise. These concerns can generally be improved by a simple release done with a soft tissue laser. Treating a tongue- or lip-tie is a simple procedure that can be done in the office without anesthesia using a laser can focus its energy at a very small target point.

Pediatric Dentistry of Columbus

“At Pediatric Dentistry of Columbus our mission is to create a caring and compassionate culture to ensure each child has an amazing dental experience,” Dr. McCarley said, “all while impacting parents and children positively to create a lasting passion for oral health and wellness. ADV.

Dr. McCarley

Columbus Family Dentistry

Dr. Scott Johnson Makes You Feel at Home

FFrom an early age, Dr. Scott Johnson knew he wanted to work in the medical field. He also loved playing baseball, but when a college career on the diamond didn’t materialize, he gravitated to dentistry.

“I liked dentistry because it was very artistic, but also in the medical field,” Johnson said. “I wanted to help others.”

Dr. Johnson has now joined Dr. Scott McLaurin as senior partner at Columbus Family Dentistry.

Yet, there’s more to Columbus Family Dentistry than its welcoming atmosphere. It is a state-of-the-art dental practice, equipped with the latest in dental technology. That means cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures, oral cancer screening, Invisalign orthodontics, even implant placement.

Dr. Johnson

He was born and raised in the suburbs of New Orleans and attended LSU for his undergraduate degree, graduating from the LSU School of Dentistry in 1999. He served as a dentist for the United States Navy from 1999 until 2003 and then spent 17 years working in Newnan before moving to Columbus, his wife Dr. Altee Johnson’s hometown, in 2018. They share five children together, ages 8, 11, 13, 16 and 23.

“I am closer to home,” Dr. Johnson said of what drew him to Columbus Family Dentistry, “and I wanted to be able to spend more time with my children and see them in their extracurricular activities.”

Whether it’s a first-time visitor or they’ve been coming for years, every patient who walks through the door at Columbus Family Dentistry is treated with patience, kindness and respect. Those are the principles that inspired Dr. Dwight McLaurin to open Columbus Family Dentistry in 1968.

Dr. Johnson’s bedside manner—for lack of a better term—fits in perfectly with Columbus Family Dentistry’s existing staff of skilled doctors and hygienists. “[I’m very] easy going,” he said. “Very little gets me excited.”

RESTORATIVE SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDE:

• All-porcelain crowns • Tooth extractions

• Fixed bridges • Full & partial dentures

• Root canal therapy • Dental implants

• Tooth-colored fillings

COSMETIC SERVICES OFFERED:

• Gum contouring • Invisalign braces

• Porcelain Veneers • Whitening

• Cosmetic dental bonding ADV.

Columbus Family Dentistry

Mark Lawrence • Pediatric Dentistry A

Smile

for

DDr. Mark Lawrence knew who he wanted his patients to be before he completed dental school.

“For me it was all about the kids,” he said. “I just love working with kids.”

Lawrence has been a pediatric dentist since 1999. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Dentistry, where he completed both his dental degree, and his two-year residency in pediatric dentistry.

Since opening his own practice, Lawrence has fostered a comforting relationship with his young patients.

Generations

“I think it helps to see other kids going through the same things. They know they’re not alone.”

Maintaining a child's dental health provides health benefits well into adulthood because those so-called baby teeth serve important functions. They serve as guides for the eruption of permanent teeth by holding the spaces where the new teeth will arrive.

“It’s very meaningful to me to meet someone who might be scared or nervous about going to the dentist and help them relax and know that it’s all going to be OK,” he said. “We want them to leave happy and willing to come back.”

Given that many adults are nervous about going to the dentist, teaching children that there’s nothing to fear has long-lasting benefits.

“Having kids grow up and go on to a general dentist is our main goal,” Lawrence said. “We raise kids into adults that aren’t afraid of the dentist.”

Fostering that sense of comfort begins when patients walk into the waiting room. Rather than uncomfortable chairs and TVs tuned to the news, Lawrence’s waiting room features aquariums and vintage video games.

“Keeping them busy keeps them more relaxed,” Lawrence said.

To maintain that level of comfort, Lawrence’s office incorporates open bays for treatments and cleanings. Rather than being in private rooms, young patients can see one another.

The tops of the permanent teeth push against the roots of the baby teeth, causing them to reabsorb or melt away so that adult teeth can take their proper place.

To keep children coming back, Dr. Lawrence takes a personal approach.

“My basic philosophy is that I treat every child like they’re my own,” he said. “I won’t do anything with your child that I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing on my own.” ADV.

Dr. Mark Lawrence, Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Lawrence

COLUMBUS’ SILENT PARTNERS ARE Making Noise

BY BRETT BUCKNER

WWhen the name defines the mission, failure is not an option.

For 40 years, Feeding the Valley Food Bank has done just that— providing literally millions of pounds of food to be distributed to thousands upon thousands of families, senior citizens and children across the 18 counties it serves in Georgia and Alabama.

In a land of plenty, no one should go hungry.

“We’re the silent partner for the community,” said Carleen Frokjer, who is in charge of fund development and community outreach for Feeding the Valley. “Nobody knows about us, until they need us.”

That need is only increasing. Consider: 85 percent of food banks experienced an increase in demand for assistance, including Feeding the Valley. The situation has become even more dire as grocery prices have risen 24 percent since January of 2020.

“We’re like Costco for churches and non-profits,” Frokjer explained. “People think that their church food pantry is the actual food bank …

Feeding the Valley Food Bank has been serving the needy for 40 years, and its reach is only expanding.

Community volunteers help in the kitchen.

that’s why we think of ourselves as the silent partners, but now we’re making some noise.

“We’ve come a long way in the community’s eyes, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Feeding the Valley Food Bank is one of eight regional food banks in Georgia. It is a member of Feeding Georgia and Feeding America, a national network of food banks that is the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization.

To meet the needs of its vast coverage area, Feeding the Valley collaborates with more than 350 partner agencies that shop in its Midland warehouse, paying an average of 19 cents a pound for food, then distributes it to those in need.

Filling in the gaps is among the food bank’s main functions.

“We’re always trying to connect the dots, linking ourselves to those other favorite non-profits like the Salvation Army, Valley Rescue Mission, Open Door, those are all our partners,” Frokjer said. “We serve 17 of the 25 United Way agencies. We’re their food source. We love those non-profits, but we want some love, too, because we serve them.”

“Without Feeding the Valley, they’d never be able to do what they do in food assistance.”

Much like the food bank itself, some of their partner agencies are frustrated by public misconceptions.

“A lot of people think of the YMCA as just a gym,” said Scott Balkcum, senior executive branch director for the John P. Thayer YMCA, “but in reality, the YMCA is feeding kids five out of seven days a week.”

LIFE ON THE GO Is Better With

All those meals come through Feeding the Valley.

“So, without them, we’re not feeding the kids in our programs,” Balkcum said. “It’s that simple.”

What makes Feeding the Valley so vital is the relationship it maintains with those partner agencies.

“I have the luxury of tunnel vision,” Balkcum said. “All I think about is the YMCA and what we need. Feeding the Valley thinks about the Y and every other partner agency they serve—to be on a first-name basis with them. They call us. They text us. Email us. They’ll show up just to make sure that we’re getting what we need from them and that goes above and beyond what I’d expect from a partner.”

‘REALLY, IT’S A FRIENDSHIP.’

In rural counties, where there may not be access to a resource for emergency food assistance, Feeding the Valley distributes food through its Mobile Pantry. And it’s within those rural places where

“We’re like Costco for churches and non-profits,”

CARLEEN FROKJER

those in need are most frequently overlooked or simply forgotten.

It’s in those areas where Feeding the Valley provides an acute lifeline, explained Kathy Carlisle, executive director for FOCUS, a partner agency located in Hamilton.

“We’re one of the largest non-profits in Harris County,” she said, “but it’s probably 100 times more important to us than say, it is for Muscogee County, because Harris County is very spread out.

“We don’t have large churches on every corner that can help support the needs of those who are struggling.”

It would be impossible to help the people who need it without Feeding the Valley because the poverty in Harris County is unique.

“I call it hidden poverty because 60 percent of the people from our food pantry are over the age of 60,” Carlisle said. “They’re elderly. They’re widows. They live down long dirt roads. Our people are very isolated … we don’t have grocery stores on every corner.

“Just to get to a grocery store is a 30-or 45-minute drive, and they don’t have the money.”

All totaled, Feeding the Valley—last year alone—distributed 15.7 million pounds of food, which helped feed 82,630 people.

COVID CHANGED EVERYTHING, MOSTLY

“There’s a simple truth about all food banks—no matter the size or the community,” Feeding the Valley CEO and President Frank Sheppard said.

“What we say about food banking is that unless you need it, or volunteer there, you probably don’t know it exists.”

That perception changed during COVID when, according to national averages, 40 percent of people coming to food banks

Truth Springs Academy students assemble buddy packs.

Growing Strong

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Feeding the Valley Food Bank is prepared to meet the ceaseless demand.

In late 2020, Feeding the Valley was one of 384 non-profit organizations in the U.S. and one of two Georgia food banks to receive a one-time, unrestricted grant that allowed for purchasing a warehouse in Albany, Georgia in 2021.

The 35,018 sq. ft warehouse allows for a fivelevel racking system with a storage capacity of more than three million pounds of food. There is also refrigeration and freezer space for more than 300 pallets to store fresh produce and meat.

“The community really rallied around us, which has what’s always allowed us to grow,” said Feeding the Valley CEO and President Frank Sheppard.

“We were staring down the pandemic almost as soon as we opened the doors,” Sheppard said. “But because of those strong relationships, which also included the city governments in all those areas, we were poised to make a difference, which was good because we were facing unprecedented times.”

In addition to the warehouse in Albany

Feeding the Valley is also expanding its Midland facility utilizing the same grant.

FACTS ABOUT THE MIDLAND EXPANSION:

• Additional 2.75 acres (purchased in 2020)

• Additional 24,000 sq. ft. which is a 75 percent increase

• 100 percent increase in dry storage, which equates to 1,000 additional pallet spaces, allowing for storage of an additional two million pounds of food

• Cold storage increase of 50 percent, allowing for the distribution of more than 500,000 additional pounds of lean meats and fresh produce.

• New air-conditioned volunteer center will be 50 percent larger with state-of-the-art equipment.

“Everyone’s excited because it’ll house our first ever air-conditioned volunteer center,” Sheppard said, “so our summer volunteers are looking forward to that.”

To learn more about Feeding the Valley Food Bank its programs and partner agencies, visit feedingthevalley.org.

were doing so for the first time.

“[Food banks] really came to life in the country,” Frokjer said. “When we saw all those food lines, people actually learned what food insecurity means. And now there’s more awareness about what food banks really do.

“It was a silver lining because we were boots-on-the-ground. We were on the front lines, and every day, people heard about food banks on the news.”

Locally, Feeding the Valley was ready to meet an overwhelming need.

For example, Metro Columbus YMCAs closed their gyms on March 20, 2020 only to re-open the following Monday as essential child care providers. The children of area healthcare workers stayed at various YMCA locations for upwards of 11 hours a day. Restaurants were shut down. Food at the grocery stores—assuming they were open—was scarce.

“So, while the hospital and really the whole community were in panic mode, we were keeping these children,” Balkcum said. “The only constant, the only thing we could count on was knowing that Feeding the

Valley was providing meals for our kids.”

In Harris County, food lines wrapped around the FOCUS building and because shelter-in-place orders forced people to stay home, FOCUS volunteers were bagging food and handing it out from trucks on the side of the road. They were receiving an average of 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of food a week.

“During COVID, the food pantry just exploded,” Carlisle said. “We were feeding six to nine families pre-COVID, and now it’s 65 to 85 a week.”

The pandemic even changed the way FOCUS fed its clients.

“We really had our hearts change,” Carlisle said. “We saw people who’d never had to worry about food suddenly having to come to us, then having someone tell you what to eat, like, ‘Here’s your bag of groceries. Hope you like it.’”

Instead, FOCUS initiated the Choice Pantry where volunteers set up a small grocery store where visitors can choose what they want, including frozen meats, butter, cheese and produce. FOCUS has also received donated food from local farmers.

“But the bulk of what we get is from Feeding the Valley,” Carlisle said. “And that’ll never change.” C

“We were feeding six to nine families pre-COVID, and now it’s 65 to 85 a week”

KATHY CARLISLE

Publix team member volunteers to prepare meals at the Feeding the Valley kitchen.

Behind

THE TAP

Dear Columbus Water Works Customers and Stakeholders,

Behind every tap is a story. It’s a story of dedication, service and community. From environmental programs to operational and financial stability, the employees at Columbus Water Works (CWW) care about our community and work around the clock to ensure you have clean, reliable drinking water when you need it. Our purpose is to protect our neighbors by providing essential water- the fuel of life.

For more than 120 years, CWW has worked to protect the environment and develop an understanding of our source water and the elements that impact its quality. Through extensive sampling of our waterways, in-depth studies on the health of aquatic life in our area, and operational improvements we have made a positive impact on our environment.

Perhaps the most notable improvement of our source water quality comes as a direct result of our Combined Sewer Treatment System. This system allows us to capture and treat storm water and wastewater in the Uptown area before it is released back into the Chattahoochee River. These changes lead to the EPA removing our section of the River from their list of contaminated rivers and supporting our Whitewater Rafting attractions.

In addition to the story of positive environmental changes, CWW has never had a drinking water violation and has an outstanding record meeting and/or exceeding State and Federal drinking water quality standards. Our dedication to exceptional water quality is also demonstrated through our 25 years of top recognition with the Partnership for Safe Water. These accomplishments are only achieved through our employees’ hard work and dedication to Columbus, Ft. Benning and the region.

Our community’s sustainability is connected to the reliability of water services that support fire protection and attract manufacturing facilities bringing jobs to our residents. CWW supports this stability through our comprehensive planning systems and proactive infrastructure maintenance. This focus allows us to quietly go about the business of caring for our neighbors instead of responding to news worthy failures.

This year’s report shows the continued dedication to our community’s drinking water, sustainability, and reliability. Your tap water shares a story with our community and it is just the beginning. Our work today is shaping our future. If you want to learn more about CWW, please visit cwwga.org for more information.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Rodney Close Chairman of the Board

Steve Davis President

Rodney Close

Steve Davis

(Front L-R): Rodney Close, Chair; Becky Rumer, Vice Chair (Back L-R): Honorable Mayor Skip Henderson; Wes Kelley; Clint Cox

(Front L-R): Billy Cobb, Jr., Executive Vice-President; Steve Davis, President; (Back L-R): Vic Burchfield, SVP, Information, Security, Environmental and Meter Services; Carl Robertson, SVP, Financial Services; Gwen Ruff, SVP, Administration and Community Outreach; John Peebles, SVP, Water Resource Operations

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS & WATER QUALITY EFFORTS

Columbus Water Works (CWW) respects the balance of maintaining a healthy environment and being able to provide clean, safe and affordable drinking water to our customers. We also value the importance of a healthy watershed and its connection to our quality of life, health and community sustainability. This balance is why we operate several programs designed to understand the overall health of our watershed, look for ways to protect it and ensure that we do not negatively impact it.

Lab Facility

CWW operates a State Certified Laboratory facility that conducts over 120,000 water analyses a year. These tests range from routine drinking water quality, to river and stream water quality monitoring, to wastewater treatment ensuring that the wastewater is treated and properly cleaned before being released back into the environment. Thanks to the certified lab analysts and the state-of-the-art facility, we are able to take advantage of advanced analytical capabilities such as:

• Testing for metals such as lead, copper and mercury

• Bacteriological analysis such as Total Coliform and E. coli

• Wet chemistry such as nitrate, alkalinity and hardness

In addition to conducting our own tests, CWW also offers laboratory services to other utilities in our region to assist them with mandatory water and wastewater testing.

Source Water & Watershed Programs

Watershed protection is vital to help safeguard the quality of the rivers, lakes, creeks and streams that make up the source of our community’s water supply.

CWW’s Watershed Protection and Source Water Protection group routinely sample and inspect these local bodies of water for multiple chemicals and biological contaminants. We also routinely test 14 sites along the Chattahoochee River. These tests allow us to understand the health of our environment, ensure that fish and other water species are thriving and also to identify and ensure proper treatment of our drinking water.

WastewaterSCAN Monitoring System

CWW joined other utilities across the nation to expand wastewater monitoring for viruses such as COVID and influenza. The program, known as WastewaterSCAN or Sewer Coronavirus Alert Network, is designed to provide a comprehensive view of COVID-19, flu, RSV and other diseases in a community. CWW samples our wastewater primary sludge three times a week and sends the samples to a lab which tests them for DNA sequences of the above-mentioned viruses. This national initiative will help to create early detection and monitoring systems to support critical decision-making for future and ongoing infectious disease outbreaks.

CWW regularly tests the quality of your drinking water throughout the county to ensure consistent high quality drinking water at every tap.

OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

Proper maintenance of our infrastructure is vital to providing affordable, reliable water and wastewater services to our customers today, tomorrow, and into the future. At Columbus Water Works (CWW) we utilize a comprehensive and strategic approach that focuses on the next 25 years. Projects are selected, prioritized and funded in 5-year increments providing necessary flexibility and financial stability. There are 3 main areas of this approach: Capital Improvement Program, Master Plan, and Asset Management. Together these programs allow us to maximize the useful life of our systems and complete the necessary upgrades and replacements with limited impact to our water rates.

Meter Accuracy Testing Program

CWW has over 68,000 water meters in our distribution system. To keep these meters working properly, we have a Small Meter Testing Program where we test 5/8” to 2” water meters to ensure they are meeting the industry accuracy standard established by the American Water Works Association. Annually, CWW conducts accuracy testing on approximately 3,000 water meters that have been identified as damaged, inaccurate, pulled for tampering, inactive and scheduled for change out. Through extensive meter testing over the years, CWW finds that the volume of flow. not age, is most critical to meter life. As a result, many meters remain in service longer, while retaining accuracy.

Columbus Water Works is the only utility in our region to own and operate a Meter Testing bench.

Digester Covers

Treatment Plant Improvement Projects

CWW is currently nearing completion on several improvement projects and structural repairs to both our Water Treatment Plant and our Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Our Wastewater Treatment Plant has undergone several major projects to replace aging sections of the facility. Pictured on the left are two digester covers that have been replaced. The digesters are a core component of wastewater treatment where the natural processes of decomposition are sped up. Also included in this project were replacing the influent pumps and associated piping, four aeration blowers, and two boilers.

In addition to equipment upgrades, the concrete structures were also in need of repair. CWW has been working with a contractor to fill cracks, reinforce weakening areas and make additional repairs to prolong the useful life of several concrete structures at two of our treatment facilities. Pictured on the right are the before and after views of the basins.

Focus on Preventative Maintenance

CWW places high importance on proper maintenance of our equipment, which extends its useful life. Our preventative maintenance is performed in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and includes pulling pumps on a periodic basis for cleaning and inspection, seal replacement, etc. While performing scheduled maintenance, our teams also inspect the equipment and make additional repairs or recommendations for repairs before an issue occurs. In 2022, CWW avoided over $150,000 in emergency repair costs due to our dedicated preventative maintenance program. Our planned approach is vital to providing the most reliable water and wastewater services we can throughout the community.

Cold Weather Response

Columbus Water Works dedicated team of employees work around the clock to ensure that our customers always have clean water. In late December of 2022, Columbus and its surrounding area experienced extreme cold conditions with below freezing temperatures lasting roughly four days. Despite our best efforts to prepare, our community battled freezing water lines, broken water lines and damage to their property. The dedicated staff at CWW responded to more than 1,780 emergency customer calls on Christmas weekend and, in many cases, provided emergency temporary shut-offs. In addition to customer responses, this team also worked to repair broken lines in the distribution system.

Payment Kiosk

In October 2022, we proudly announced the launch of our brand new self-service payment kiosk now located outside our main office. This new kiosk, known as JACK (Justified Automated Cashiering Kiosk), is available 24/7/365, providing customers with a contactless option to pay their water utility bills. Customers now have access to more payment options than ever before with features such as bilingual assistance (English/Spanish), multiple payment methods accepted and convenient account lookups.

Low-Income Credit Programs

CWW is committed to helping our customers who may be experiencing financial hardships by providing resources to help. Since 2007, CWW has offered a low-income credit to eligible customers. In addition, we now partner with Enrichment Services on a Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) which may provide up to $500 for customers’ water bills.

Prestigious Awards Received by CWW in 2022

Georgia Association of Water Professionals

LABORATORY QA/QC

WASTEWATER & LABORATORY QA/QC WATER

AWARDS

GAWP awarded the 2022 Laboratory

QA/QC Wastewater & Laboratory

QA/QC Water awards to the Environmental Services Laboratory in recognition of their outstanding performance.

Georgia Association of Water Professionals PLANT OF THE YEAR AWARD

For drinking water, CWW operates two surface water treatment plants, one in Columbus and one in Fort Benning, and nine groundwater wells in Fort Benning. In 2022, two of the Fort Benning wells won Plant of the Year Awards in their respective categories.

Government Finance Officers Association

CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING

Thanks to CWW’s transparency in preparing our annual comprehensive financial reports, the finance department was awarded the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF REVENUES, EXPENSES AND CHANGES IN NET POSITION

Financial Summary

The Columbus Water Works’ financial condition remained strong at year end with reliable plants and systems to meet demands. A solid liquidity position, conservative budgeting and programmed annual rate increases continue. Projected rate increases over the next five years are projected to be below the national average. Columbus Water Works maintains one of the lowest rates among Southeast cities.

Total combined Columbus and Fort Benning operating revenues were $80.43 million, an increase from Fiscal Year 2021 of $4.5 million.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF NET POSITION

Operating expenses before depreciation and amortization decreased by $2.58 million compared to Fiscal Year 2021. For the years ended June 25, 2022 and 2021, Columbus Water Works recognized Other Postemployment Benefits expense of $3,036,682 and $2,999,825 respectively. Operating revenue for the year was a gain of $5.2 million as compared to loss of $1.8 million for Fiscal Year 2021. This amount includes activities related to Fort Benning contractual operations.

Total Assets at year-end were $655 million. Reserves were maintained within established goals of 90 to 120 days for operational and coverage of capital improvements/depreciation for capital reserves.

The 2022 Report to the Community is a condensed version of what may be found in our Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), which is located on our website at www.cwwga.org.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Serving our community is not just a tagline, it’s an integral part of who we are as a company. We are often moving behind the scenes to help support our neighbors and to continue to live up to our core value of being a trusted community partner. We are proud to support programs that help to protect and improve the quality of life for those in our community. One way that we help foster that culture of giving is through our annual campaign to raise funds for United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley. In 2022, CWW raised a record sum of $116,619 to help our neighbors in need.

This year, CWW also partnered with Dragonfly Trails Network and the City of Columbus to create and unveil brand new trail maps and informational signage at Woodruff Park and along a 14-mile stretch of the RiverWalk. The two new informational signs explain the complex underground system working beneath your feet that helps keep our river clean.

Spring Swing Annual Event Benefits

CSU’s Dance Minor Program

BY BRETT BUCKNER

Oof young people aspiring to a life of dance.

On April 29, the Rankin Livery and Courtyard will host CSU’s annual Spring Swing, which is one of the main fundraisers for the university’s Dance Minor program.

“This is a casual event with marvelous music, fabulous food, great entertainment and tasty beverages,” Patty Taylor, chairperson for the CSU Dance Advisory Board said. “You can dance the night away or just browse the Rankin Livery & Courtyard. Either way, it’s a fun-filled event for a terrific cause.

And, back by popular demand, the Spring Swing will feature music from the TAMS and the 14 K Gold Band.

“They were such a hit last year,” Taylor said, “that we had many requests to rehire them for 2023.”

This year four teams are competing for the CSU Cougar Championship Dance Cup. Teams are made up of amateur community volunteers who are donating

2022 Spring Swing winners

By popular demand, the Tams will entertain guests again this year.

CSU Spring Swing

Saturday, April 29

Rankin Livery and Courtyard

6:30 to 11 p.m.

Tickets: $25 per person online or $30 at the gate

Tickets include one meal and valet parking.

Ages 18 and up

their time to raise money for the program.

Beginning in February, votes for each team can be cast through the Spring Swing website— columbusstate.edu/springswing2023—where $1 equals one vote. More than $10,000 in dance scholarships will be awarded to 15 dance minor students—five $1,000 scholarships and 10 $500 scholarships were awarded in 2022.

“Spring Swing is an integral part of supporting CSU dance students through scholarships awarded each spring,” said Amy Mutarell, assistant professor of dance and director of CSU’s Dance Minor Program. “The support from Spring Swing is such a blessing, and I’m grateful to have such generous supporters of the dance program and of our wonderful students.”

By the fall of 2015, the CSU Dance Minor Advisory Board was formed. The board created two fundraisers—The Broadway Ball, a black-tie event, and the Spring Swing.

The dance minor program was officially announced in February of 2016 in conjunction with the inaugural Spring Swing. The program consists of 15 credit hours of dance technique, dance history, dance composition, anatomy of dance and dance performance courses.

“The core mission of the dance program is to combine dual dedication to art and learning,” Mutarell said. “Obtaining additional faculty specializing in diverse dance forms is a must. There are so many beautiful and unique dance forms, perspectives and voices. Representation and inclusiveness are core values for me as the director of this program. My personal hope is that CSU dance inspires the next generation of dancers, dance students, patrons and audience members.”

But the work has only just begun.

“Our vision is to create a dance major in the near future,” Taylor said, “with a unique approach concentrating not just on ballet and modern/contemporary styles of dance, but an all-around program that encompasses all styles of dance and eventually a standalone department of dance at CSU.”

Early last year the theatre department faculty voted unanimously to change its name to the Department of Theatre and Dance.

“This change indicates the resounding recognition that CSU places upon their newest minor program,” Taylor said, “and the success that we have had in the last six years since its inception.”

For more information, visit columbusstate.edu/springswing2023 or call Jennifer Joyner at 706 507-8956. C

2022 dance minor scholarship winners

Take a Step Back in Time at the EUFAULA PILGRIMAGE

BY JULIE JERNIGAN • PHOTOS BY ALLEN WHITE

The Eufaula Pilgrimage welcomes guests back to the 56th annual Tour of Homes. Susan Newman, the new executive director of the Heritage Association, is excited for the community to experience the incredible history Eufaula has to offer.

“There’s a little bit of everything for everyone,” she said. “There are homes, antiques, music and art. It’s the ultimate package for a weekend of fun.”

The homes are a mixture of Greek revival, Victorian and Italianate architecture and are decorated in a variety of styles. This year’s tour features 10 homes during the day and five at night for candlelight tours.

“One of the houses on the tour, the Martin-Turner home, has always been under construction for as long as I can remember,” she said. “But the owner decided to open up the first floor, even though it’s still under construction, to see how these houses are really made. He’s putting this house back together using original building materials such as wood nails, and to see the craftsmanship is pretty amazing.

The three-day event features a variety of local entertainment and many of the homes will have guides dressed in period clothing offering tours through the

“Our community and volunteers are just true givers, and the Heritage Association wouldn’t be what it is today without them,” she said.

Daytime tours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The candlelight tours are from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. A complete Home Tour Package— which is good for all three days and includes the art/antique show, is $80.

IN ADDITION TO THE TOUR OF HOMES, THIS YEAR’S PILGRIMAGE ALSO INCLUDES:

• Pilgrimage Art Walk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 1 in downtown Eufaula

• Antique Show is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Sunday, 12-4 p.m. at the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $5.

• Vintage Fashion Show presented by Eufaula Hardware (116 East Broad Street) will take place only on Thursday, March 30. Tickets are $25 and will be limited. Wine and cheese will be served.

• The Living Wax Museum at Carnegie Library will be open and complimentary for home tour guests.

• Afternoon tea at the Shorter Mansion will be served from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $25 by reservation only.

• Brunch at the Shorter Mansion will be served from 9 to 11 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $25 by reservation only.

• Tablescapes will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at Margaret Hall of the St. James Episcopal Church. Tickets are $7

• Tablescape reception will be 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the St. James Episcopal Church. Tickets are $25 by reservation only.

Tickets for all activities and events are available for purchase by calling the Shorter Mansion at 334.687.3793 or visiting EufaulaPilgrimage.com. All times are CDT.

DAYTIME TOUR

Shorter Mansion

Completed in 1906, The Shorter Mansion was built by Eli Sims Shorter II and Wileyna Lamar Macon. Wileyna was the heiress to SSS Tonic fortune and Eli was a cotton broker. It is an excellent example of Neoclassical Revival Architecture. The home was purchased by the Eufaula Heritage Association in 1965 at auction for $33,000 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fendall Hall

Edward B. and Ann Fendall Beall Young built this impressive Italianate country villa style home in 1860. It has served as a home for five generations. Fendall Hall is now a historic site of the Alabama Historic Commission. It has three rooms of the finest Victorian-era murals as any house in America. The black and white Italian marble floors are original and still in the home.

Hawkins-Chandler

The Hawkins-Chandler home was built in the 1870s. The country home is a stately but ornate balance of Italianate style and farmhouse with function. The home was purchased in 2020 by the Chandlers and began an extensive renovation. The owners, who were from the south, felt like they were transported back to their grandparents’ generation, when time was marked by seasons and when families lived in harmony. This is the first time this home has been on the Pilgrimage.

Thornton-Rudderman

The first mayor of Eufaula built this exquisite home in 1845 with all pegs and no nails. The timber used to construct the home was from Mary Shorter’s land on the river. It was a gift from Dr. William H. Thorton to Mary Butler Shorter. The interior of the home is virtually unchanged. The cathedral doors in the parlor were imported from England. The present owner was raised in this home and has lived there since 1943.

Old Pecan Factory

The Old Pecan Factory, built on the remnants of an antebellum structure, opened in 1897, and much of the original machinery remains. Processing nuts for 70-plus years, Superior Pecans

Thornton-Rudderman

Shorter Mansion

decided to move in the heart of downtown Eufaula on Broad Street. This move allowed Superior Pecans to serve as a gift shop, nut seller and a gourmet coffee/ice cream shop. The Old Pecan Factory remains and is used as a venue for meetings, wedding and parties.

The Eufaula House on Barbour

Built in 1864, The Eufaula house serves as a bed and breakfast for visitors to the community. The home has five bedrooms with three of those bedrooms used as suites. It is the newest bed

and breakfast in Eufaula where classic southern charm meets contemporary comfort and lodging. The house gained a new owner this year.

The Big House

This 5,600 square foot home sits on almost two acres. Nicknamed, “The Big House,” it dates to the 1850s and is a Greek Revival with Doric columns across the front that support a classic entablature—a popular architectural preference during that time. Since the construction began in 1857, prior to the American

Old Pecan Factory

The Eufaula House on Barbour

Civil War, it is officially classified as antebellum. Progress was interrupted briefly by the war, but was completed in 1863.

Shorter-Moore

The Shorter-Moore home is an English Tudor Revival on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1925 by Eli Sims Shorter, the son of the Shorter Mansion’s builder, Eli Shorter. The house is asymmetrical in form with a steep pitched roof with cross gables and tall, narrow windows. Other features include tiny casement windows flanking the front entry and the arched,

paneled front door. Eli’s widow, Orline O’Daniel Shorter, lived here until her death in 1946.

Bray-Bennett

Nathan Bray, descendant of a Revolutionary war hero, built this Greek-Revival style home in 1854. It was known as the “best constructed dwelling in town.” Original 13” x 22” windowpanes, heavy hand-hewn sills and the original brick cookhouse make this home a treasure.

Martin-Turner

John O. Martin, one of Eufaula’s earliest settlers, built this home in 1879. It was built along French lines and planned by the same architect who designed the Laney-Marshall home. After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Martin, the house was inherited by their daughter, Mrs. E.C. Bullock. It was later owned by Annie M. Ballowe and Robert Harris. The home has needed renovation for a good while and is now being completely remodeled by Lee Turner.

CANDLELIGHT TOUR

Petry-Honan

Built in 1868 by Dozier Thornton and purchased by William Petry, the two-story wood construction Gothic Revival structure still has the original kitchen attached to the house by a breezeway.

Fendall Hall

This Italianate home was built in 1860 and served as a home for five generations. The house is now a historic site of the Alabama Historic Commission. It has three rooms of the finest Victorianera murals as any house in America. It is open for both day and candlelight touring. Candlelight touring features a Pilgrimage dinner skit.

Shorter-Moore Petry-Honan

Rhodes-Winkleblack

Chauncey and Elizabeth Rhodes built this home in 1853. Mrs. Elizabeth Rhodes kept a handwritten diary while living in the house. This diary has been published and is for sale at the Shorter Mansion. After a fire in 1919 the porch was replaced with a craftsman style stoop porch.

LeGrande-Carter/Bouchard

LeGrande-Carter/Bouchard Home was built in 1885. This incredible corner lot home was originally built by A.L. LeGrande

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as a one-story home and is a working class Victorian home. His daughter turned it into three one-bedroom rentals. She also added a small, detached cottage. The home was returned to a singlefamily dwelling with all of its historic charm. The home still has the heart pine floors, plaster walls and the original pocket doors.

Bray/Garrison/Hudson

Built between 1885 and 1890, the home is of folk Victorian style. It is a rectangular one-story with plain weatherboard siding. The home boasts the original plaster ceilings and walls, heart pine floors and a wide welcoming front porch with the original swing. C

Rhodes-Winkleblack

Valley Scenes

Columbus and the Valley will publish as many photos as quality and space permit. Black and white or color photos may be used. Please identify all subjects with a brief description of the event and the date. Mail them to: CVM, P.O. Box 229, Columbus, GA 31902. Email them to: ContactUs@ColumbusAndTheValley.com, Columbus and the Valley assumes no responsibility for care and return of photographs submitted.

Much Ado About Something...

It Wasn't Foggy in This London Town

Historic Columbus has taken us to Monte Carlo, Singapore, Paris and this year, to London. It was a scintillating night at the Columbus Country Club as it was transformed into 1800s London by the legendary Bob Vardaman and his crew. The decor was over-the-top, and we loved seeing Ben Redding as King of the Royal Court. Fabulous food and drink, and great casino games enticed folks like Pace and Eileen Halter, Wes and Selwyn Kelley, John and Lucy Sheftall, Melanie Slaton and Ben Holden, Mike and Leah Braxton, Trip and Teresa Tomlinson, Cassie and Aaron Meyers, Kathleen Mullins, Karen Kelley, Cindy Ticknor, Fred Maglione, Kevin and Samantha Blair, Emily and Jim Blalock, Whitney and Jason Pease, Jason and Kim Connally, Julianne David, Ruth and Walter Calhoun, Charlie & Amber Mordic, Margot Schley and Doug Wolford, Billy and Olivia Blanchard, Mint and Robert Flowers and Mase Lampton to really get into the swing of things. If you were lucky enough to “win” at the casino tables, your winnings could be used to enter the drawing for a painting by Bruno Zupan. Everyone was excited when longtime preservation activist  Jack Jenkins’ ticket was drawn.

This was Historic Columbus’ most successful “trip” yet with the proceeds benefiting the educational efforts of the HCF. I wonder where we’re going next year?

BY MARQUETTE MCRAE MCKNIGHT

Worth the Wait

Waiting for the Millhouse Kitchen + Bar to open has been absolutely worth it. Located adjacent to the (newish) City Mills Hotel, with a stunning view of the Chattahoochee, the restaurant has proven to be scrumptious with an interesting menu and exceptional customer service. A couple of hundred folks got to do some early taste-testing, and we were glad to be among them including  Ken and Chris Henson, Kathelen and Dan Amos, John and Ashley Pezold, Katie and Justin Krieg, Jennifer and Richard Joyner, Chuck and Cathy Williams and Stephanie and Bill Privette.

More recently we celebrated a momentous occasion—the sale of Columbus and the Valley—with besties,  Jill Tigner and Mike Venable, and they had a packed house on a cold, rainy Thursday night including Raymond Campbell, Clason Kyle, Judy Gunter, Andy and Mary Roddenbery, Brad and Vicky Bush, Bitsy Dedwylder, Celia Jenkins and Genie Mize. And how delightfully charming of Cassie Myers, who has had a huge hand in the project to send celebratory champagne to our table. That’s what I mean when I say exceptional customer service!

Another Wait that was Worth It

The COVID-delayed residency of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) at Columbus State University’s Joyce and Henry

Historic Columbus’ A Night in London fundraiser featured a casino theme.

Columbus and the Valley

Schwob School of Music was simply glorious. Not only was there a formal concert by the ASO under the leadership of their new conductor, Nathalie Stutzmann, but there were 50+ events with the choir, orchestra and band, masterclasses, chamber music recitals and a morning for arts administrators. That’s superb community involvement and outreach by CSU and the ASO.

Of course,  Henry and Joyce Schwob former long-time residents of Columbus who were and continue to be tremendously supportive of so many things in our community—were there for the weekend’s festivities which included an unveiling of a portrait of the couple by local artist Garry Pound. Other folks who were part of the events included  Sallie and John Martin, Jack and JoRhee Pezold, Jonathan and Lisa Liss, Bobsie Swift, Tom and Sherry Wade, Frank and Meg Schley and Frank Brown. And thanks to the Schwob School’s outreach, there were more than 60 members of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus in the audience. Those young folks—as well as all the CSU students and faculty and the crowd at the final concert—were all mesmerized by conductor Nathalie Stutzmann, a grand addition to our state’s musical assets.

Never Get a Mime Talking...

Muscogee County School District students were treated to a unique writing program in February with day-long residencies from FABArts’ Toma the Mime. Toma, aka Tom Johnson, lives in Michigan and studied with the most famous mime of all, Marcel Marceau (and yes, that’s Marceau’s quote on the headline). In Columbus, Toma presented Young Authors Day, which starts with an assembly exposing the children to mime and wordless storytelling. Toma then challenges the students to return to their classes and write a simple story in small groups. He reads them, comments on them and, in the afternoon session, he presents their stories in mime, making them truly Young Authors! It’s an engaging way to get children to work collaboratively, learn a new way to communicate and practice their writing skills.

Teachers, principals and sometimes parents, are amazed at the huge impression it makes with the students … and that

Lisa Deniece Allen, Kathleen Mullins, Lucy Bowers and Elliott Waddell at A Night in London

Fontaine and Jack Jenkins and Bruno and Jane Zupan at A Night in London. Jack won the drawing for Zupan’s painting.

(L-R) Kenzie Marcellini, Kim Connally, Amber Mordic and Laura Lee at A Night in London

Valley

included MCSD School Board Chair  Pat Hugley Green who got to see it in person at Rigdon Road Elementary.  Janet Sellers, principal at Dimon Magnet Academy said, “The children had a blast. One of our third graders went on stage and acted with him, and you’d think he’d been miming for a long time. It was a wonderfully engaging experience for our students.”

LGA Leads the Way

Leadership Georgia’s alumni group remains active and involved throughout our state and especially in the Columbus region. LG Alumni  Stuart and David Rayfield graciously hosted an afternoon celebration to welcome Columbus’ newest class members of Leadership Georgia,  Crystal Farley, Lamar Barnett, Steve Adams  and Sally Baker.  LG is a yearlong leadership class that covers the entire state. It was certainly an incredible experience for husband  Rick McKnight and me—it’s where we  really got to know fellow Columbusites,  Isaiah and Carolyn Hugley and Nancy and Robert Burgin who were in our class, as well as an incredible network across the state that keeps growing. We know it will be the same great experience for these four young leaders!

Making a Difference

Major kudos to  Pat Frey, a United Way Vice President who oversees Home for Good. Home for Good is the organization in Columbus that functions as the bridge amongst service providers and clients, assuring the efficient and effective use of collaboration to move individuals and families from homelessness to permanent, stable housing. The Rotary Club of Columbus presented Pat with the Dan Reed Award, given to a person in the Columbus community who exemplifies Rotary’s motto of “service above self.” Committee Chair Dr. David Lewis said he

Toma the Mime got these students from North Columbus Elementary in to the art of mime and wordless storytelling.

could think of no one who deserved the award more than Pat.  Members of the Rotary Club, board members of Home for Good and colleagues of Pat’s praised her immeasurably.  Ron King said, “She’s changed hundreds of lives in our community; changed their lives for good.”  Betsy Covington said Pat’s work was beyond taking care of those people experiencing homelessness. “She doesn’t only take care of them, she looks beyond that to solving the problem of homelessness itself and housing them. Len Williams remarked on Pat’s long history of working with housing: “She has the right skills tempered with compassion for people that makes her so deserving of this award.  Rick McKnight noted Pat’s ability to change the way organizations work together for the good of our community. “Her skill in getting multiple organizations to work collaboratively is amazing and has made Columbus a national model of success.” CEO of United Way Ben Moser, who knows what it takes to get organizations to work together, agreed. “Pat has done so much good, for so many in our community and she’s that rare, unique individual who is comfortable in many settings—from working with the person who’s homeless to presenting to a group of CEOs—she’s completely at ease in any situation. And, she’s extremely effective.” Beth Schwartz, chair of the Home for Good board summed it up with eloquence. “Pat is that rare person who has such strong hopes, ideals and dreams and yet, still has feet on the ground about how to achieve that dream. She has a passion for humanity and getting things accomplished for the good of our community. She inspires us all.” Congratulations Pat and thank you for your service to our community.

Meet the new owners: After publishing Columbus and the Valley for 23 years, Jill Tigner and Mike Venable are retiring and have sold the magazine to Jodi and Gerald Saunders.

Representatives from the Columbus Regional Tennis Association (CORTA) were on hand in Atlanta for the annual USTA Georgia Awards Dinner where they brought home the following awards: Sara Dismuke (Local League Coordinator of the Year); Dave Neuhart (Tennis Director of the Year); Sungwoo, Eun Young, Andy and Anna Jung (Family of the Year); and Breast Cancer Awareness Scramble (Special Tennis Event of the Year).

We Know You Like a Book

The Muscogee County Library Foundation brought novelist Marie Benedict to town for its annual Founders Society Gala in January. Carmen and James Dudley, Sherry and Tom Wade, Ruth Yancey, Kayron and John Laska, Margie Bickerstaff with daughterin-law Fitz Bickerstaff, VJ and Oz Roberts, Gail Greenblatt, Chris and Ken Henson, Eleanore and Tyler Townsend, Cindy and Spencer Garrard, Bettye and Cecil Cheves and Suzanne and Ed Burdeshaw enjoyed visiting with the author before the dinner and her remarks. All attendees left with a copy of Benedict’s new release, The Mitford Affair.

One thing that was different this year was that the author’s introduction arrived via video from Deborah Roberts and Al Roker. The couple announced that they have optioned Benedict’s book The Personal Librarian for a film to begin production in the near future. And a side note, Roberts first job after college was as a reporter for WTVM, and she mentioned her fond memories of living and working in the Fountain City. It’s indeed a small world.

You can read more about the Muscogee County Library Foundation and the important work it does in the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley’s report to the community in this issue.

Marquette McRae McKnight is the owner of Media, Marketing. and More! Inc, a full service public relations firm. She may be reached at 706-660-9702 or via e-mail at marquette@mediamarketingandmore.com.

Sarah and Zach Fletcher, Sanford and Mary Angela McMurphy, Lauren and Nicolas Smith at the Muscogee County Library Foundation Gala

Suzanne Burdeshaw, Nancy Burgin and Elsa Hirsch await their signed copy of The Mitford Affair from author Marie Benedict (R).

B. Merrell's

A relaxed, family-friendly restaurant featuring rotisserie chicken, wings & a wide selection of beer.

Tu-Su 11AM-10PM, Closed Monday 7600 Veterans Parkway 706.653.9464

Big Mama Vietnam Kitchen

Big Mama’s is proud to serve you fresh, homemade food made with local ingredients that you are sure to love. Our specialty involves healthy cuisine with plenty of fresh vegetables and a variety of flavorful spices.

Tu-F 11AM-3PM, 5PM-9PM, Sa-Su 11AM-9PM 5300 Sidney Simons Blvd., Unit 14 BigMamaVietnamKitchen.com

Burt's Butcher Shoppe & Eatery

Columbus butcher shop committed to helping you enhance your cooking experience by specializing in custom cut meats. Come by the restaurant to enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner.

Shoppe, Tu-Sa 9AM-6PM

Eatery, Tu-Sa 11AM-7PM 2932 Warm Springs Road 706.653.0677

Country’s Barbecue

Real Barbecue Slow Cooked Over Hickory and Oak. Casual dress, takeout, catering, kids’ menu.

Su-Sa 11AM-10PM Mercury Dr., 706.563.7604 Broadway/14th St., 706.596.8910 Veterans Pkwy., 706.660.1415

Don Chucho’s

Dine on enchiladas, burritos, fajitas and Spanish rice everyday at Don Chucho’s. We specialize in serving authentic Mexican cuisine. Come taste the best margaritas in town.

Lunch Tu-F 11AM-1:45PM, Dinner Tu-Sa 4:30PM-8PM, Su 11AM-2PM, Closed Monday. 5770 Milgen Rd. • 706.561.3040

Fountain City Coffee at Banks

FCC's second location located in Bank's Food Hall. Serving up made from scratch baked goods and delicious sandwiches daily in the heart of Columbus.

M-Th 8AM-6PM, F-Su 8AM-8PM 1002 Bay Ave. • 762.524.7774

Mellow Mushroom

The combination of a great menu, hand-tossed dough, fresh ingredients and friendly service makes the Mellow Mushroom a must when you have a taste for pizza. Bring your group for a family-friendly dinner or join your friends in our comfortable neighborhood bar.

M-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-9PM. 6100 Veterans Pkwy. 706.322.4602

Ruth Ann’s Restaurant

A Columbus tradition for families, friends and great food. Ruth Ann’s offers authentic Southern style lunches, and breakfast is served all day. W-Su 6:30AM-2PM • 940 Veterans Pkwy. 706.221.2154. Place your next take-out order at ruthannsrestaurant.com.

Speakeasy

A local favorite serving great, homemade food and drinks in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

Su-Th 11AM-8 PM, F-Sa 11AM-9 PM 3123 Mercury Drive • 706.561.0411

Uptown Vietnam Cuisine

Uptown Vietnam Cuisine offers authentic, traditional Vietnamese dishes that are both delicious and healthy, featuring fresh ingredients and a variety of flavorful spices. Dine-in, carry-out and party trays are available, as well as a 10 percent military discount.

M-F 10:30AM-3PM & 5-9PM, Sa 11AM-9PM • Closed Sunday. 1250 Broadway • 706.576.9922

Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar

Traditional Japanese cuisine with hibachi grill tops and fresh sushi. Come and try our flavorful and fresh ingredients.

Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM 1808 Manchester Expy • 706.642.0888

Dine in or order online at wasabijapanesecolumbus.kwickmenu.com

To have your restaurant featured here, contact Margie Richardson at 706.575.7825 or Kathleen Mitchell at 706.239.7200

MARCH

March 3

Girls Inc.’s Golf Fore Girls tournament will be held at Bull Creek Golf Course with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. All proceeds go toward helping community daughters. To register, visit Girlsinc-columbus.org/events.

March 18

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents “Remembering…” It will feature music that finds its inspiration in our desire to remember: a departed loved one, a bittersweet history and a gallery of dear friends. Awardwinning violinist Stella Chen joins the CSO to perform Corigliano’s music composed for the film The Red Violin. Enigmatic pieces by Edward Elgar and American female composer Margaret Brouwer complete the concert. For tickets, visit CSOGA.org/tickets.

March 19

The National Civil War Museum at Port Columbus hosts its 2023 RiverBlast! Festival. This educational, fun and free event takes place on the grounds of Port Columbus annually with live entertainment, family

What's Happening?

activities, cannon firings and civil war re-enactors. Patrons can expect kid-friendly games, black powder weapons demonstrations, cutlass drills, face painting and much more. For more info, visit PortColumbus.org.

March 24

The Columbus Museum hosts a glass-making workshop for beginners involving spring flowers. Have you always wanted to learn about glass-making? Then this is the class for you. After learning about glass safety and watching a short demonstration, participants will get to try their hand at making their own glass flower. All materials are included and absolutely no experience is necessary. Advanced registration is required, and tickets are $65 for members and nonmembers. For more info, visit ColumbusMuseum.com.

APRIL

April 1

Come on down to Uptown for Columbus’ Strut the Hooch

parade. It’s an annual tradition of silliness and joy when people of every description come together to celebrate our differences, talents and creativity. The parade begins at the Springer Opera House at 10 a.m. To register or for more info, visit Facebook.com/ strutthehooch/.

April 13-15

Columbus artist George Jenkins will have a show and sale at the King Gallery, 3211 Howard Ave, Columbus. All proceeds go to Easterseals West Georgia that George has been attending for 18 years. Plans include building a behavioral autism program for children from birth to 5 years. For more info, visit Corakingart.com or email Corakingart@gmail.com.

April 14

The Columbus Ballet presents an evening of contemporary dance featuring The Wanda Project, the Columbus State University Dance Minor program and CSU's Youth Dance Conservatory. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults

available for purchase at the door. For more info, visit ColumbusBallet.org.

April 29

CSU’s Dance Minor Program’s annual Spring Swing benefit offering a night of dinner and dancing to marvelous music at The Rankin Livery and Courtyard. To vote and purchase tickets, visit ColumbusState.edu/ springswing2023.

MAY

May 12-13

To kick off the 2023 RushSouth Whitewater Park season, Uptown Columbus is hosting RiverFest weekend. The entire community is invited to participate in weekend-long events that include live music, art vendors and 50 plus food and drink vendors. Festivities will be held in Woodruff Park and along the Dillingham Street Bridge in Uptown Columbus. To see weekend schedule, visit AlwaysUptown.com/riverfest.

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by Mike Owen

Thanks for All the Music, Rick

usic has always been a big part of my life. My earliest musical recollection is of being a member of the Cherub Choir at First Baptist Church of Atlanta. I was about four or five … and probably a soprano.

Later I learned to play the bass guitar and played in teenage rock bands in high school. Then in college. Then I dropped out of college and took to the road. (Why my parents didn’t put out a contract on me is still a mystery.)

I was for a while on what was called the Chitlin Circuit—a collection of southern honky tonks and beer joints stretching from one end of the Confederacy to the other, and mostly in places not yet fully Reconstructed.

Looking back, it was a horrible way to live, but it didn’t seem so bad at the time. We were young, away from home, performing most every night and were convinced that we were having a good old time.

And I guess we were, as far as we knew. But we were basically living out of flop hotels or trailers behind a club’s loading dock. And all the while we were suffering a gradual but relentless attrition of brain, lung and fat cells from subsisting on a diet of Jack Daniels and Marlboros and an occasional Big Mac. With a Diet Coke.

I’ve weighed 160 pounds twice in my adult life. The first was back then on the Chitlin Circuit. The second was just three years ago, after cancer surgery and six weeks of radiation treatments.

The Chitlin Circuit was more fun (no offense intended, Dr. Ciuba). But I really don’t want to revisit either one, or 160 pounds, again.

I was at that time technically a professional musician, in that performing our music paid for the flops, booze, butts and Big Macs.

But for all the fun I had back then, I wish I had taken music more seriously in my youth, from an education perspective. For example, I wish I had learned to play the piano when I had the chance. My parents sent me to a piano teacher, a long-suffering man named Mr. Moseley. God bless him, he tried his best with me, but I just didn’t want what he was selling at the time. Oh well, as regrets go, I’m sure I’ve done stupider things.

What got me to ruminating over the role of music in my life was a recent Sunday at my church, St. Thomas Episcopal. It was a day that reminded me how much music is a part of my spiritual life.

We were having a special service and reception at St. Thomas

to honor the 20th year of enjoying our organist and choirmaster Rick McKnight’s service to the congregation.

If you don’t know Rick, you should. He is a larger-than-life bon vivant who passionately loves life, its people and its music, but not necessarily in that order. (And he suffers from no delusions of mediocrity.)

He has led St. Thomas’ music program for almost 20 years, and has taken the choir to new heights. They have on several occasions now been invited to European churches and cathedrals to serve a week or so as “choir in residence.”

The choir loft that Sunday was standing room only, with about 60 past and present choir members on hand, several from out of town.

In addition to the excellent music, our rector, the Rev. Grace Burton-Edwards, preached a sermon on the importance of music in worship in general and how much Rick has added to that over a couple of decades.

Then there was a hilarious presentation from the Rev. Cindy Garrard, which had a decidedly Wesleyan inspiration. But we forgive Cindy for that. She’s a recovering Methodist.

After the service, we listened to Rick’s customary postlude, in which he plays while the congregation files out. But we all stayed that day and enjoyed his performance of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

Then we adjourned to the Parish Hall (that’s the same as the Fellowship Hall, for those who speak Baptist) for Mimosas, finger foods and toasts and tributes to the guest of honor.

It was a grand day and a great reminder of what Rick means to music at St. Thomas, but also what music means to Rick.

Music is something a lot of us do. For Rick and all the others like him, it’s who they are. It’s in their DNA.

I’m reminded of the first time I saw a performance by Andrew Zohn, CSU’s virtuoso guitar professor. Afterward, I got to speak to him.

“Andrew, tonight you made me realize that there is a real difference between a guitar player and a guitar owner.” Rick’s a player. C

Mike Owen was born and raised in Atlanta and came to Columbus in 1986 to work for the Ledger-Enquirer, which he did for 31 years, until his retirement. He intends to grow old, die and be buried here, hopefully no time soon.