June/July 2011 Effingham Magazine

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CONTENTS June/July 2011

features

10 Cover Story

Allen Lanier and Rebecca Rose talk about the Mossy Oak Music Festival and its beginnings.

16 Civil Air Patrol

32 There’s Hope

Kim Osborne starts an organization to help families cope with cancer.

Richard Bush introduces a great program that is available to people ages 12 to 21.

22 Dancing The Night Away

Jackie and Gene Tyre teach three kinds of dance to Effingham residents.

Photo This Page - A beautiful sunset at Mossy Oak Music Park during their Annual Memorial Day Weekend Bluegrass Festival.

-Photo by MARK RODOCKER

departments

07 Publisher’s Thoughts 09 Editor’s Letter 39 Effingham Weddings 62 Last Word

EFFINGHAM Effingham Home A Special Advertising Section

47 EFFINGHAM HOMES 06 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

PUBLISHER’S Thoughts

On the Cover

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All In The Family: Evan Rose, Russell Rose, Rebecca Rose and Allen Lanier at the entrance of Mossy Oak Music Park outside of Guyton.

Cover Photo by Todd Wood

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Become a fan today.

New additions, more changes coming!

It is such a great time of year! The summer has begun! People are getting out more and enjoying this beautiful sunshine……. going on family outings, going to the river, heading to the beach and taking mini vacations, and long ones as well.

This rejuvenation gets your juices flowing again! It sparks new and fresh ideas….gets those creative juices flowing again!

The creative juices have certainly started flowing in our office! In these last several weeks, we have come up with so many great ideas for future issues of Effingham Magazine. We are so excited about all the new things we will be bringing our readers.

As we started thinking of celebrating our five year anniversary, we really started bouncing some great ideas off the wall. Some you will see now….. some you will see in our next issue…..then when our Anniversary Edition hits the stands, you will see even more of these ideas come into play.

As we journey past this mark into our sixth year, we will continue to bring you these new ideas…..along with many others in store.

Over the last year, we have received some great complements on the wedding features we do in the magazine. Our readers love this feature…..so, we have decided to take it to the next level. Starting with this issue, you will see a section in each of our publications, Julie Hales, Publisher Effingham Weddings. Take a quick peak at page 39-45! This will be an ongoing section that will always be included.

If you have questions about how to get your wedding featured, please feel free to give us a call at 826-2760. This is also a terrific new avenue for our advertisers to highlight their special products and services that are geared toward that special day!

Also in this issue, you will see our Annual Home section. Take a look at this great section as some of our local businesses tell you all about themselves and what they offer this community. Just another great reason to shop local!

We have a few surprises in store for our August September issue! I think you will be very happy with the results! We can’t wait for you to see all the new ideas we will be bringing your way.

Then, October/November issue….celebrating five years…..I promise you will see something from Effingham Magazine you have never seen before!!!!!

Effingham Magazine | June/July 2011 07

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Rodocker

Mark has always had a love for art but was never much of an artist. After picking up a camera for the first time three years ago, he realized it was his destiny and a camera has not been far away from him ever since. As a self taught photographer he continues to sharpen his photography and post-processing skills through trial and error and hours of practice. He was never taught the dos and don’t of photography and he feels because of that he has been more creative with his work. He hopes to one day travel to less fortunate countries and use his photography to raise awareness of real needs in the world around us.

Clark Byron is an award-winning singer/song writer.

He, wife Elaine and daughter Sarah are newcomers to Savannah. A native New Yorker, Clark spent the last 26 years in Kansas City in various executive capacities and also did plenty of freelance writing. The Byrons moved to Savannah in November 2010 in fulfillment of a longtime dream. He is now a fulltime freelance feature and business writer whose services are much in demand. Clark is an urban history enthusiast and has a passion for all things nostalgic. He holds a doctorate in Ministry and is an avid student of Philosophy. Clark is an accomplished cook and enjoys regional and fine cuisine.

Clark Byron

Barbara Russell

Denise Gonsales

Katie Turner

Barbara Russell is a freelance writer and photographer, and in the past she was a high school English teacher and a flight attendant. Always an avid horse person and riding instructor, she enjoys writing for equine publications and she is writing a young adult novel about horses. For several years she wrote feature stories and a history column for Effingham CloseUp, and she has been published in a variety of magazines.

Currently she enjoys writing for Independence Day Publishing. Interviewing local people and having the opportunity to retell their unique stories is her passion.

Denise began her professional photography career five years ago after freelancing for several photographers.

She was drawn to wedding photography and soon Denise Gonsales Photography was born. She stresses the importance of communication between her company and their clients. What really makes her feel good is being able to look her clients in the eyes knowing that she gave her heart and soul to them, with each and every event.

Denise takes only a limited number of weddings per year so that she is able to maintain that personal touch, thus giving each couple the attention that they deserve on their special day.

Katie is a freelance writer and Effingham County native who enjoys meeting new and interesting people. She earned her English degree at Georgia Southern University, and caught the travel bug while studying abroad in Costa Rica, where she received a minor in Spanish. After college, she worked briefly in Yellowstone National Park, where she enjoyed hiking and photographing the scenery and the wildlife. She is always up for visiting new places, but she loves the south and is proud to call Effingham her home.

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See our Effingham Weddings Section begining on Page 39.

-Photo By DENISE GONSALES

EDITOR’S Letter

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Julie Hales owner/publisher sales manager julie@idpmagazines.com Todd Wood managing editor todd@idpmagazines.com Lea Allen administrative assistant/circulation lea@idpmagazines.com Lane Gallegos graphic design lane@idpmagazines.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe to Effingham Magazine by submitting a check and subscription information form found in every issue. You may also subscribe by calling (912)826-2760.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Write to us and tell us what you think. Effingham Magazine welcomes all letters to the editor. Please send all letters via email to Todd Wood at todd@idpmagazines.com Letters to the editor must have a phone number and name of contact. Phone numbers will not be published.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Effingham Magazine welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea, or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Todd Wood at todd@idpmagazines.com All articles and photos will be reviewed by the editor, and if the articles and accompanying photos meet the criteria of Independence Day Publishing, Inc., the person submitting the material will be contacted. Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Effingham County will be considered.

CALENDAR SECTION We’re looking for your information about clubs, organizations, events and meetings. For events in August/September 2011, copy must be submitted by July 27, 2011. Please email all copy to todd@idpmagazines.com.

Approaching Five & More Opportunities

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s we wrap up yet another issue, it not only means we are halfway through the year, but also, we are quickly approaching our Five Year Anniversary!

When Julie started this magazine, I am sure she had no clue that in months to come after the Premier Issue, we would be in the midst of a recession. Fortunately, she was determined to forge ahead and do even more. Not only is there an Effingham Magazine, but we also publish a Pooler and Beaufort magazine as well. It keeps things pretty busy around here, and in this day, busy is a good thing.

The response to these magazines has been beyond our expectations. If you have yet to participate with us or be a part of the magazine, the months to come will be a great opportunity to join us for the fun we have in order.

We will be having the big Five Year Anniversary Bash in October, and I can assure you that this will be a fun event not to be missed!

Recently, Julie and I have been working on some new things we hope to unveil soon. We’re not changing anything...still going to be featuring the beautiful people, places and things of Effingham County. We’ve just been working with some great business owners in the community, and we believe we have come up with some great opportunities for businesses in Effingham.

The vibe out there is that things are picking up, and though there is still a lot of hard work ahead, it is great to finally hear business owners talking about things improving. Folks, make no mistake...this community was built on a foundation of togetherness and support. So, let’s do our part in supporting the local business owners. If you are not familiar with what types of services are here, take a quick look through our ads and commit to visiting at least one of these businesses every week. Not only will you be impressed with their services, I believe you will meet some new and very interesting people.

Our area is becoming a melting pot of sorts. New people are moving to our area every day. Join us in welcoming them and any new business that opens its doors. And, don’t forget to join us for our Five Year Anniversary Party! There will be more details in our August/September issue.

-Todd Wood, Editor

Effingham Magazine is published bimonthly by Independence Day Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Effingham Magazine 108 International Drive Rincon, GA 31326 (912) 826-2760

Effingham Magazine | June/Ju;y 2011 09

A Family Affair

Photos by MARK RODOCKER

By BARBARA W. RUSSELL

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heMossy Oak Music Park held its first bluegrass festival in 2002, but its real beginnings started long before that – long before Talmadge T. Lanier and his family ever dreamed of building a music park on the fields of their family farm.

10 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

There’s a special place in the music park, a pleasant area where shade is provided by large live oaks and tall pines. It’s the place where this family’s passion for bluegrass and gospel music first started. This shady place once housed an outdoor kitchen where meals were cooked away from the family home. The family ate outdoors, along with the farmhands, and meals

were served on long tables under the trees. It was there, after the evening meal, that the pickin’ and singing began, led by Talmadge, who sat in a swing under those trees.

“We’d usually work until dark,” said Talmadge’s grandson, Doug, “then we’d come in to eat. We all ate out there together, as a family, at big long tables that were about 20 feet long.

cover MOSSY OAK story They were told it couldn’t be done – that a bluegrass music festival couldn’t be successful if alcohol wasn’t allowed, but “they” were proven wrong. When Rebecca and Russell Rose of The Lonesome Whistle Band and Rebecca’s brother and father, Doug and Allen Lanier, started dreaming of creating a music park in Guyton, they wanted a place that would be built on good family values. That’s what they dreamed and that’s exactly what they built.

Then after that, usually from about 9:00 to 11:00, we’d sit out there and sing and play….”

“He’d say, ‘Boy, go get your banjo,’” said Doug, remembering his grandfather’s words. “So I’d run and get the banjo and guitar, and we’d all sit out there and sing and play until time to go to bed.”

Today, that special place is an

integral part of the music park. The outdoor kitchen has been enclosed and it’s now called Granny’s Skillet, and it still serves-up home cookin’. Guests can enjoy eating at picnic tables that are scattered under the trees, or play a game of checkers on a board that’s mounted on an up-turned wooden barrel. There’s a small concrete bench that sits between two tall Live Oak trees,

and if you look real close, you’ll see that they’re permanently joined by a steel rod that once held that swing where grandfather Talmadge sat to play and sing bluegrass and gospel music with his family and farmhands.

Much to their grandfather’s delight, Doug and his sister, Rebecca, displayed a talent for singing and playing music at an early age. “He taught us to sing

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“She was raising her children right, not just giving them an education. She provided them with a strong Christian belief system. On Sundays, they’d usually be on the road traveling and away from their home church, so they’d play at a church somehwere along their route.” and play, and we’d perform at bluegrass festivals, churches and just about anywhere else he could take us to show us off. He basically raised us up on stage,” said Doug. “I was about seven years old before I ever realized that other families didn’t do the same.”

There was no such thing as stage fright for them, and their grandfather encouraged them to use their music professionally.

A number of years later, Doug did just that after hearing Russell Rose sing at a little coffee shop in Savannah. “I knew the first time I heard him sing that I wanted to sing with him,” said Doug. “He had a distinct bluegrass voice.”

Together they formed the Lonesome Whistle Band, became best friends, and played bluegrass throughout the region. When Doug later left the band to travel with The Gillis Brothers, a national touring band, his sister, Rebecca, took his place with The Lonesome Whistle Band. Now both were professionally immersed in the music world. They used their talents for the enjoyment of others, just as their grandfather had done for his family and farmhands after a long day’s work. Brother and sister seemed to be taking different musical paths, but the family farm was still their home base, and big dreams were in their future.

Rebecca and Russell later married, and their son, Evan, eventually became the star of The Lonesome Whistle Band.

“He’s gifted,” said his grandfather. “He started playing bluegrass concerts when he was seven. He played the mandolin because it’s the smallest instrument, and being so young he had to stand on a Coca-Cola crate to reach the microphone! People still remember and talk about that.” They also remembered his onstage interactions with his parents: “Daddy and I are going to sing this one together,” he’d say, and “What do you want us to do next, Mama?” which would be followed by a “Yes, Ma’am.”

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“People thought ‘Yes, Ma’am’ was part of the act,” said Allen, “but it was just the way he was brought up.”

The Rose family talent is also recognized beyond the bluegrass festivals. Evan won a 2009 New Songwriter Award, and this year Rebecca was inducted into the prestigious national Daughters of Bluegrass organization.

Although the Rose family was on the road much of the year, their seven children received a good Christian upbringing.

“She was raising her children right, not just giving them an education. She provided them with a strong Christian belief system,” said Doug. “On Sundays, they’d usually be on the road traveling and away from their home church, so they’d play at a church, somewhere along their route” said her dad. “That’s how they tithed their time.”

As The Lonesome Whistle Band moved from regional to national popularity, their dream of opening their own music park was born. “She is the one that makes all this happen,” said Rebecca’s father, Allen, emphatically describing what a hardworking and talented woman Rebecca is. “She raised seven children, home schooled most of them, and took the younger ones on tour with her. And, they all graduated with honors!”

“We (The Lonesome Whistle Band) were a small local band until she got involved,” said Doug. “Now they’re a nationally known band, playing bluegrass festivals all over the United States and Canada.” How did she make that happen? “By singing and playing good music,” he emphasized, “and….she won’t take no for an answer!”

Her dad gives an example: “One promoter called me and asked, ‘Is Rebecca Rose your daughter?’” “I said ‘Yeah – why?”

“Oh, I was just wondering. You’ve really got your hands full haven’t ya?” “No, not really. Why?” “Well, let me tell ya….she told me, ‘We’re coming to play,’

Allen Lanier with the banjo at the special spot where Mossy Oak Music Park got its start.

and I said, ‘I don’t have room on the program for you,’ and she said, ‘Well, we’ll be there on Thursday.’ I said, ‘I don’t have any room for you – the schedule’s full!’ and she said, ‘Well, we’ll be there about noon to play.’ I hung up and said, ‘She’s intimidating me and I’m the one running the festival!

Then they came and played and ‘blew everybody away’…and with little Evan up there….Ohhhhhh! They were the hit of the show.”

“I’ll tell ya,” said her dad, “she played a lot of festivals for free. She’d tell a promoter, ‘We’re going to play at your supper break, and he’d say ‘We don’t play at our supper break.’ She’d say, ‘I’m here with my band and we’re gonna play the supper break….and they did. Then people would stop eating and go down to the stage to hear them. Once the promoter saw the crowd’s response he offered to pay her. Before long, bluegrass fans were telling promoters everywhere, ‘We want The Lonesome Whistle Band at your next festival.”’

That’s how the Lonesome Whistle Band went from local to regional, to national recognition, performing not only around the United States and Canada but on cruise ships, as well.

They usually played about 250 dates a year.

They enjoyed the success, but they had another dream in the works. They knew how much people enjoyed bluegrass festivals at music parks, and Rebecca would say, “Someday we’ll have our own park.”

Researching how to create a music park soon became part of their touring itinerary. Rebecca worked a number of festivals without pay in order to learn how they operated, At every park they played they’d take pictures of the things they

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gateway Community Church Effingham

Sundays @

Same Bible Ebenezer Different Church Elementary School 10:00am

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did and did not like. They questioned owners and promoters about what it would take to create a first class music park, and, “They were all very supportive,” Rebecca said, “they offered ideas about wiring, and plumbing, and parking, and some things we hadn’t even considered.”

“They brought all that home, and I knew they were sincere,” said Allen, and he encouraged them and lent his support. Though they knew they couldn’t foresee all the challenges they would face in building their park, the family agreed to three principles on which they would never compromise: They’d have nothing at the Park you’d Pickers and strummers enjoying an afetrnoon between their RVs. be ashamed for your mother responsibility,” said Allen, “and we try hard to stay out of each or children to see; the focus other’s way. Rebecca is responsible for reservations, parking, would always be on making good music, not on making money; and booking and scheduling the bands. Doug handles all stage and, they would never have an event without time set aside for preparations, lighting, and sound. I do the general maintenance gospel music and worship. After 30 successful festivals, their and park preparation. My grandkids have all worked here. They decisions are still guided by those three principles. work in the Snack Shack, Ticket Office, Granny‘s Skillet, or The family farm’s fields that once grew hay, corn and wherever they’re needed.” soybeans are now used for parking campers and RV‘s, and one There’s more going on than just music at this music park. part of the farm now hosts a large open stage area and venue for The family works hard to give back to the community, and to other related activities. a number of charitable causes over the years. Aluminum cans In May, the Rose and Lanier families and staff hosted have been collected for local Boy Scouts, cell phones collected their 30th Bluegrass Music Festival at Mossy Oak Music Park, for the Effingham Victim Witness now recognized as one of the most Our grandfather played for plea- Program, and money raised for cancer successful music parks in the South.

At a recent festival more than 3,000 sure and family fun. That’s a pretty research and the American Red Cross, among other things. Also, working with bluegrass fans attended. People come wholesome family activity. Our park Guyton’s Mayor and City Council, they from all over the United States and Canada, park their RV’s, then sit back is a tribute to my grandfather’s great help coordinate the huge city-wide sale that attracts several thousand and relax as they enjoy five days of love of music and regard for family yard visitors, and purposely coincides traditional bluegrass and gospel music values. with the April and October festivals. in a family-friendly atmosphere.

Over the years, the city has provided Each festival begins as several transportation for visitors to the hundred visitors gather for a huge community yard sale and for shopping at downtown business. covered dish supper under the trees and ends with a special When the festival has ended and all the guests have left, worship and music service Sunday morning. Guests have come some of Talmadge and Sue Lanier’s family may go to that special to expect and enjoy a family-oriented, drug and alcohol-free place under those same old oak trees to relax after a long day’s event, with down-home music that will keep their feet tappin’. work at their music park. And I bet…if they listen real close…

Their family festivals and efforts are so remarkable they they may hear a familiar voice whisper on the breeze, “Boy, go recently received the Governor’s Special Commendation Award. get your banjo…”

“Our grandfather played for pleasure and family fun. That’s a pretty wholesome family activity,” said Doug. “Our park is a tribute to my grandfather’s great love of music and regard for You can learn more about Effingham’s Mossy Oak Music Park family values.” on their website: www.mossyoakmusicpark.com The workings of the Park is definitely a family affair. Three For camping reservations and additional information call 912generations of Talmadge and Sue Lanier’s descendants have 772-5142 or 912-772-3467 all worked the festivals. “Everyone has particular areas of

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CIVIL AIR PATROL Effingham

Effingham Civil Air Patrol Squadron Commander, Captain Richard Bush and Cadet Captain David Twibell.

16 June/July 2011 |Effingham Magazine

EFFINGHAM Programs

Seventeen year-old David Twibell is an exceptional young man, and he has found an excellent context in which to demonstrate that. Twibell is a member of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), which is the official Auxiliary of the United States Air Force.

the

Story by CLARK BYRON

Cadet Captain Twibell, as members of the Effingham Cadet Squadron of CAP know him, is the ranking Cadet Officer among the 10 cadets currently serving at Effingham. He has been the Cadet Commander since January.

Twibell is a very bright, well-mannered and dedicated young man; home schooled, and has always wanted to be in the military. “I looked for a program like CAP,” said Twibell.

“I found it and fell in love with it.” That was in September 2007.

The Civil Air Patrol was founded in 1941, following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Now based at Maxwell AFB in Alabama, the program has about 100 full-time civilian employees providing support to some 57,000 cadet and senior members in all 50 states and several U.S. Territories. Since its inception, CAP’s motto has been Semper Vigilans “Ever Vigilant.”

Sky’s the Limit Photos by TODD WOOD

CAP’s http://www.gawg.cap.gov/cadets. htm award-winning youth program promotes self-initiative, discipline, leadership, and personal development. CAP performs nearly all aircraft http://www.gawg.cap.gov/sar. htm search and rescue missions for the Air Force, and has saved thousands of lives.

CAP is composed of adult members called Senior Members and youth members called Cadets. Cadets range in age from 12 to 21 years, and are offered an opportunity to receive valuable disaster preparedness, emergency services, and flight training. All members are entitled to wear U.S. Air Force style uniforms with CAP insignia.

Twibell said that advancement in CAP is

Effingham Magazine | June/July 2011 17

“It was interesting to see other cadets above me (in rank) leading me, and actually doing things to keep cadets promoting through the ranks. I always looked up to those cadets and wanted to earn rank and move up. It really inspired me .” something that truly has to be earned. “It was interesting to see other cadets above me [in rank] leading me, and actually doing things to keep cadets promoting through the ranks,” said Twibell.

“I always looked up to those cadets and wanted to earn rank and move up. It really inspired me.”

That inspiration translated into a reputation of excellence for Twibell and earned him the highest position a cadet can hold in the squadron. Now, Twibell follows in the footsteps of the cadets who inspired him, training younger cadets in the vital skills and disciplines needed to succeed in CAP, and in life. ffingham’s Squadron Commander is Captain Richard Bush. Bush is a 20-year veteran of the Effingham County Sherriff’s Department and serves as Chief Deputy. “Teaching our young people is what it’s all about,” said Bush. “They are our future.”

Bush said that CAP trains its cadets to do most of the teaching in the squadron. “It’s really about the Cadets,” said Bush.

Twibell is proof-positive of this. His uniform bears the insignias of his many accomplishments. His rank of Cadet Captain, Model Rocketry patch, flight solo badge (which he earned in just eight and a half hours of flight training), are some of the colors that adorn his camouflage BDUs. Advancement is earned through consistent attendance at

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weekly meetings, completion of various kinds of physical and skills trainings, and by successful performance on tests related to the training received. ervice in CAP can also give a youngster a leg-up if he or she should decide to join the Air Force. A CAP Cadet fulfilling certain requirements can obtain the rank of E3 upon graduation from Air Force basic training; one pay grade higher than without it.

Each state is known as a “Wing” and each Wing is divided into Groups. Within the Groups are the Squadrons. Squadrons are local chapters and there are essentially three types: Senior Squadrons, Composite Squadrons and Cadet Squadrons.

Senior Squadrons are comprised solely of adult members of CAP. These usually include pilots and other specialists who work closely with authorities on various emergency services and law enforcement tasks.

Composite Squadrons include both senior members and cadets. Senior members are there to perform higher-level services that are specific to trained adult members, as well as provide leadership and training to the cadets. Most senior members are parents of cadets, but certainly don’t have to be. Many are military veterans, but this is also not a requirement. “It’s a great opportunity to have a part in shaping young people’s lives,” said

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FAMILY CLOTHING GIVEAWAY The OLD EFFINGHAM COUNTY Middle School GYM Highway 119 South, Springfield, GA SATURDAY, July 23rd • 10:00 A.M. UNTIL 2:00 P.M.

We would greatly appreciate donations of all size clothing, ranging from newborn to XXXL, especially SCHOOL UNIFORMS. Last year we gave away all of the uniforms the first hour. Children’s/teen’s clothing, jackets, shoes and belts are also needed.

We need volunteers too! We are asking for everyone to tell family, friends and neighbors about the event. There will be many days set aside to sort and pack clothes by size. We can definitely use help on July 22 and 23rd, setting up and working at the giveaway. We are hoping to borrow some clothing/garment racks as well. If you can help with any of these things or if any groups from your church would like to help us, please contact us. If you have clothing to donate we’ll be glad to pick it up! We are excited about the opportunity to share God’s love and we know that a community rallying together can make a difference!

COME AND SELECT FREE GOOD QUALITY CLOTHING, SCHOOL UNIFORMS ETC…FOR YOUR FAMILY. If you have clothing to donate: CALL 772-3987 or 754-6040

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Effingham is part of Group 6 of the Georgia Wing. It is one of five squadrons in the group and the only Cadet Squadron. In a Cadet Squadron like Effingham, the Senior Members’ primary function is cadet development. Membership costs are low and range from $35 per year for Cadets to $75 for senior members.

Currently, Effingham has 10 cadets and four senior members.

Senior members are the local command staff, including a Squadron Commander, Deputy Commander, Aerospace Education Officer, Safety Officer, and a Finance Officer.

“Teaching our young people is what it’s all about.

They are our future.”

T

Richard Bush

wibell’s father, Mark Twibell, is an engineer at Gulfstream Aerospace, and serves as the squadron’s Aerospace Education Officer at the rank of Second Lieutenant. Lt. Twibell has taken the squadron on tours of Gulfstream, Signature Flight Support and the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. There is also a regimen of Model Rocketry Training.

In some cases, there is also a Chaplain. CAP is the only U.S. military auxiliary with a formal Chaplain Corps. Requirements for service in the Chaplain Corps are the same as Air Force Chaplaincy, with the exception of the physical fitness requirements. CAP Chaplains provide Moral Leadership Training, and counseling to cadets and senior members as requested. CAP Chaplain’s are hard to come by, and when you can find one, he or she is usually serving more than one squadron.

The Air Force provides a Cessna 172 airplane to a squadron with an airport nearby, since there is no airport close enough to the Effingham Squadron, cadet training there is focused mostly on ground team training, which involves search and rescue techniques, radio communications, emergency preparedness and first aid.

However, this does not mean there’s no air time. The composite squadron in Savannah has a CAP plane, and squadrons from other parts of Group 6 fly into Statesboro and Savannah for Orientation flights and other all-day in-air trainings. “We try to get our first-time flyers up first,” said Bush, “then those who have flown can go to their second, third, fourth flight; and each time they get to do something a little different.” A record of a cadet’s flight experience is kept and counts toward advancement and achievement awards.

E

ffingham Squadron works closely with other CAP squadrons in training maneuvers and emergency preparedness. Such cooperation is common in CAP. On Monday, May 30, a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza out on a sightseeing tour was reported missing near Ellijay, in the northwest corner of Georgia. Members of the Georgia Wing of CAP in Gilmer County worked closely with State Police to locate the downed aircraft. While this incident occurred far from Effingham’s territory, the squadron is prepared to assist authorities and other CAP squadrons in search and rescue operations.

A highlight of the CAP year is the encampment: a once a year event that includes a variety of valuable handson training and qualifies cadets to participate in other activities. Programs such as the Region Cadet Leadership School, Flight Marshalling Training, and the National Fight Academy, give cadets the opportunity to develop leadership skills, learn to direct aircraft on the tarmacs, and even get a private pilot’s license.

Cadet Captain David Twibell is an impressive David Twibell young leader. A good family, solid education and CAP have prepared him for a bright and promising future. The same can be said for thousands of young men and women throughout the country. Youth Leadership training is a CAP specialty, and dedicated senior members are always needed to provide the guidance and instruction necessary for tomorrow’s leaders.

The Effingham Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol meets Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 507 of Effingham Christian School, 226 Goshen Road in Rincon. If you would like more information on the Civil Air Patrol - USAF Auxiliary, contact Captain Richard Bush at 912-429-8050.

Effingham Magazine | June/July 2011 21

The Art Of Dance

Jackie and Gene Tyre enjoying ballroom style dancing.

Dancing The Night Away Story by BARBARA W. Russell

Ballroom dancing – it’s not something that most of us can identify with, and it will probably surprise many to know that ballroom dancing is being taught right here in Effingham County. Those who are surprised will probably be even more surprised to know who teaches it.

The dance instructors are Gene Tyre and his wife, Jackie.

It’s not really a surprise to know that Jackie, who works at the B and S Feed Store in Springfield, where she’s the office manager and bookkeeper, is a dance instructor. That’s not an uncommon job for a woman, and many women do love to dance, but Gene is a surprise – he’s a farrier, a trade that might be better known as a blacksmith. His work is hot, sweaty and tiring, and it can be dangerous. If you watch a farrier trim a horse’s feet and put on a horse’s shoes, you’d have trouble picturing him dancing gracefully around a dance floor, but that’s what Gene does.

“Have fun in life – find what makes you happy and just do it!” says Gene.

And just what is it that makes him happy?

“Just dancing with Jackie!” he says. His answer is immediate and adamant. Jackie smiles, and he repeats, “Just dancing with Jackie!”

22 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

Photos by TODD WOOD

Gene and Jackie have been married for 39 years, and they’ve been dancing together since they were teenagers when they lived in the very small Georgia town of Odum, which is near Jesup.

“When I moved into the neighborhoodm, he came over and introduced himself,” said Jackie. “I was 13 and he was 15, and shortly after that we started dancing together. There were only 404 people in the town, so there wasn’t a whole lot to do there, but my parents square danced and so did we, and we went to teen dances.”

“And back then there were dances at the high school – modern dances,” adds Gene, “and we would go there and dance.”

“We almost grew up together,” said Jackie. “I married the girl next door,” said Gene.

Gene enjoyed dancing before he met Jackie. He had lived in Hollywood, Florida where dances were popular places for teens, and he danced everything from square dance to disco. “It was fun,” he said, “good clean fun, and there was no liquor, but then drugs got involved and….”

Continued on Page 28

Effingham Magazine |

June/July 2011 23

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June/July 2011 25

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The goal of the Springfield Merchants Association encompasses growth in Springfield, including, but not limited to, making the city an attractive location for all varieties of new businesses.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Springfield Merchants Association, please contact Jamey Stancell at 912-247-7785 or any member listed below.

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Springfield Merchants Association Members Get2It Ever After Bridal TeeZers Team Sports Old Time Bookstore and Antiques Kelly’s Tavern Blocker’s Snack Barrel One Of A Kind Motiques Antiques Poppy’s Barbeque Riggs Funeral Home Effingham Magazine Joann’s Florist State Farm Insurance - Ronnie Brooks Rahn’s Bonding Hey Beautiful Gnann’s Fix-It Shop Effingham Service Center Gil & Son Towing And Recovery 1st Storage And Uhaul Trinkets And Treasures

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June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

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The revitalization of downtown Springfield is still foremost in the minds of a very hard working, prominent newly founded organization in Springfield, Georgia……the Springfield Merchants Association.

Since their inception in October of last year, they have grown to over 20 members. Each of the members of this organization share a common goal….to promote new business in Springfield!

If it has been awhile since you have driven through downtown Springfield, you might want to take a little ride. This organization has been very busy. You are sure to see some differences.

Springfield Merchants Association experienced tremendous success at the recent Olde Effingham Days, where they sponsored the Car and Motorcycle Show.

“It was a great experience for us, and a way for us to get ourselves in front of the community,” says Jamey Stancell, President of the Springfield Merchants Association.

The SMA has some new endeavors under way.

They have adopted the old clock that previously hung over the old Webb Jewelers building in Springfield.

The clock is currently being restored and will be rehung in the city for all residents and visitors to enjoy!

The City of Springfield purchased a new sign that will be placed at the intersection of Highway 119 and Highway 21. The Springfield Merchants Association will help to manage the sign and promote business downtown. The sign will be used for advertising purposes for area business, as well as personal messages.

For inquiries or advertising rates, please call Jamey at (912)247-7785.

“We are here to help our merchants and to bring future business owners to our city,” states Jamey. “Our members all benefit from the growth, we are all in this together. Right now, there are some terrific commercial rental spaces here. This is a great time to open or relocate a business in Springfield.”

If you are interested in being a member of the Springfield Merchants Association or to learn more about how you can play a part in the revitalization of Springfield, please call (912)754-0094 or visit www. springfieldgamerchants.com.

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Left - Gene Tyre enjoying a little improv while line dancing.

Opposite Page - Jackie Tyre leading the group during a line dancing session.

Those were the “good old days….the innocent times began to disappear, or at least they were harder to find.

Gene and Jackie got married, Gene joined the Air Force, and as a young married couple, they continued dancing for pleasure.

They followed the current dance trends. “Our first dancing lessons were Disco,” said Jackie. “Disco was popular then so we danced in discos and bars. Back then they had big dance floors and little bars. Now they have little dance floors and big bars.

People have moved away from the physical activity of dancing.

Now they drink and watch rather than get out there and dance.”

And – they’re missing out on a lot of fun.

When Gene was based in Hinesville, they joined up with some other service people who were part of a square dance club. “One of the individuals was a round dance instructor,” said Gene, “We learned how to do the round dance, which is a choreographed version of ballroom. In round dancing you’re dancing ballroom figures, but you have a cuer telling everybody what to do.”

“When our instructor was shipped out, we filled in as the temporary instructors,” said Jackie, and that set the stage for

them to use their dancing skills professionally. They enjoyed teaching others, and they wanted to learn new dances and new steps. “We kept going to places to learn,” she said, “and the more we learned the more we wanted to share.”

Dancing the dance and instructing the dance – both were a joy to this couple. That was 30 years ago. Since stepping in to be temporary instructors, they have become professional dance instructors. They continue to learn and to share their dance knowledge, and they teach others the joys of dancing.

Their life together literally revolves around dancing, and although they both have day jobs, the dancing part of their lives literally begins when they get home from work.

At least one night a week they teach dance lessons, and the dances may vary from ballroom dancing, to line dancing to the Tango. On the nights they aren’t teaching, they choreograph dances together to demonstrate at dance seminars. They have a dance floor in their home, and it’s put to good use. They say it’s not unusual for them to be dancing until 1:00 in the morning.

On the weekends they may travel to seminars to learn, and to teach, and of course, they bring their dance knowledge back to share with others.

“We travel,” said Jackie. “We do seminars. We’re going to Gatlinburg in the fall and we’ll teach there, and then we’ll be going to Macon to teach and cue at a large seminar that includes square dancing, round dancing, line dancing and all types of folk dancing.

“I spent hours and hours of studying to learn to cue,” said Jackie. “I’d cue to myself into a tape recorder and listen to myself, because as a cuer you have to have your timing correct.”

They have both spent hours and hours studying the many facets of dancing, and they’ve used that knowledge to teach continuing education courses and seminars at Armstrong, Georgia Southern and the University of Georgia. They also teach, or have taught, dancing at the Effingham Recreation Center, private schools, the 4-H Club, Ebenezer Alive, Sun City, summer dance camps, and literally anywhere they are asked to teach. They’ve even danced at a senior citizen center. Currently, they’re also working with Effingham’s Victim/Witness Program’s Dancing with the Stars fundraiser which will be held in October.

But their desire to teach goes beyond the dance floor. “I

“I spent hours and hours studying to learn to cue. I’d cue to myself into a tape recorder and listen to myself, because as a cuer you have to have your timing correct.”

28 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

would like to have the ability to reeducate children in just social graces,” said Jackie. “I’d like to teach etiquette….which has to do with consideration of your fellow man.”

Etiquette has also been called good manners, or being polite, but where did the days of politeness go? “Where did it go? Why did it go away?” said Gene, “I was asleep the day when all that left. We’re teaching a little bit of that at Ebenezer now, but we only see the kids for an hour and we never see them again. We hope that one little thing that we say or do sticks with them.

“I wish we could have a dance just for kids every week, and I’d love to open up a dance club – that’s what we need!” said Gene. “Public buildings used to be offered (for dances and dance groups). We used to go to school lunch rooms or the National Guard Armory for a nominal fee.”

It sounds like a dance club would be “good, clean fun,” but Jackie and Gene have looked into what it would take to do it, and unfortunately, the costs would be formidable.

It’s a shame that some good clean fun would cost so much.

It’s also a shame that kids today aren’t familiar with some of the dances of the past that were so much fun – like square dances.

“Today people don’t know what square dancing is,” said Jackie, “but back then, in the 60’s and 70’s, everyone knew what square dancing was, and it was fun – it was wonderful. Then in the 70’s and 80’s, the kids were not brought up in it. So now when you talk to someone who is 30 or less, I would say that 70 to 80 percent of them don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

Jackie and Gene’s daughter, Tamara, knows what square dancing is. In fact, she probably knows all the dances they know, and she loves to dance and is very good at it. She graduated from the University of Georgia, majored in Theater, and was on the UGA Ballroom Performance Group for 3 ½ years. She still lives in Effingham, and her passion is being a member of The Effingham Theater, and she teaches Summer Theater.

Not only is dancing fun, it’s a healthy activity. “Dancing is fantastic exercise,” said Jackie. “It actually energizes. You’re using your brain – creating connections in your brain. You’re using your muscles in a low impact aerobic way, because you’re just walking. You’re socializing also with the people you are dancing with, whether in the square or the function you’re doing, your line dance class or whatever. In a square dance, there are seven other people you have to be constantly aware of – you’re got to work together with these people. If you’re with couples, you’ve got to work together. If you’re in a line dance group it’s the same thing, or you’ll get out of order.”

“Dr. Oz (a highly recognized heart surgeon and host of his Emmy-Award winning daytime television show that discusses health issues), says that dancing will lengthen your life, and he advocates dancing as a type of exercise,” said Gene. “It stimulates your brain synapses as well as your muscle and nerve endings because you’re trying to learn and remember routines.

A dancer has to use their mind to understand music, and patterns, and reactions. It releases chemicals that are pleasant to you and it helps with relaxation. “If you’d get out there and do it for an hour every day, it would be great for you – I might live forever!”

The Tyres seem to be tireless. They have fun in life. They’ve found what makes them happy and they do it. After working their day jobs they drive home, looking forward to being energized by putting on their dancing shoes, stepping onto their dance floor, and “dancing the night away”.

Jackie teaches line dancing in Guyton every Monday morning from 10:00 to 11:00 and the classes are free. Gene and Jackie teach dancing at the Effingham Recreation Center every Tuesday night, and the cost is $5 per person for the evening.

7:00 to 8:00 Line Dancing 8:00 to 9:00 Round Dancing For more information call 772-3514

Effingham Magazine |

June/July 2011 29

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Effingham Magazine |

June/July 2011 31

Art & Overcoming This Page - Morgan Webb painting creative designs on Kathleen and Tina’s heads.

Opposite Page - Matt Chance, Christian Chance, Tina Chance, Kathleen Chance and Kim Osborne.

O

n January 5 of 2005, Kim Osborne’s life changed forever. Her 13 year old son John Michael was diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukemia (AML).

She quit her job, and the fight for his life began.

It was a rocky road to say the least. Anyone who has had a family member diagnosed with cancer knows that. No one more than Kim. “ We almost lost him several times,” she says.

After a very complicated bone marrow transplant from his younger sister Anna, John Michael is alive and doing well. That was six years ago, and today he is a freshman at Georgia Southern University. However, the journey to his recovery was a long, challenging period for everyone. Then in 2006, Kim decided she was going to put together a non-profit organization that would help families, like hers, who were living through the same thing.

That’s when Hope for Savannah was born. The organization was started by Kim with the intention of connecting families and patients with emotional, spiritual and social resources after receiving a life altering medical diagnosis.

Kim started rounding up volunteers, and before you knew it, they were making handmade blankets for families. They also created a website where families could visit and keep coming back as they needed more information.

“A lot of times people ask these families what they can do for them,” says Kim. “But, what they really should do is just do whatever they can without asking.”

That was another of her reasons for starting Hope for

32 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

Savannah. “It’s an educational site for everyone. there are resources and information there that will help people through the whole process,” says Kim. “Right now we have seven families from Effingham County that are affiliated with Hope For Savannah.”

One such family are the Chance’s. In 2009, Kathleen Chance was diagnosed with cancer. It was rough on her. It was around Halloween and she was upset that she would not get to trick or treat with all of her friends. However, the Chance family showed their resilience and got together with Kim, not only for help but to volunteer themselves. Kathleen got better, but only a few months ago the cancer came back.

This time it was in her stomach.

Again, the Chance family showed their true colors.

They are worried, of course. However, this family chose to embrace life and smile more often than not. In fact, dinner time at their home is a lot more chipper and exciting than most homes. In fact, when Kathleen lost her hair due to the chemotherapy and radiation treatments, her mom, Kathleen, decided she was going to shave her head and be bald as well.

The two are a breath of fresh air. One would never know any different.

Recently Kim teamed up with local artist Morgan Webb, and the two spent an evening of fun, laughter and art, which is probably the first of its kind. A great night was had by all.

“Cancer is a chapter. It is not the whole story of someone,” says Kim. “The Chance family has refused to let it define them.”

Effingham Magazine | June/July 2011

33

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The best foods in Effingham Qu ick

bites

When Arnulfo Camarena came to Savannah in 1988, he was used to wide open spaces. He had worked in large fields in California, and he was quite the soccer player in Texas.

A friend from Savannah invited him to come to the area and check it out.

Soon thereafter, he began working in the kitchen of a popular mexican restaurant, and the new experience took a little getting used to for Arnulfo.

However, after 11 years of working in the kitchen, he had grown to love the food service business and in 1993 he opened El Potro mexican restaurant in Pooler, and has ever To Advertise since provided fresh, in the authentic mexican dining food and drinks for his guide, or customers. to find out “We are here and we how to care,” says Arnulfo. “We get your only the freshest restaurant, use ingredients and we pub or pride ourselves on our bar listed please call services.”

Service and food Julie at (912)657- quality are bar none the two main reason El 4120 Potro attracts visitors from all over the region.

It is also why Arnulfo opened a second location in Rincon two years ago.

“El Potro is the biggest mexican restaurant chain in Florida and Georgia, so that speaks to what we are trying to accomplsih,” says Arnulfo. “We want people to come relax and enjoy themselves.”

Along with great fajitas, Arnulfo also says that their margaritas are a favorite among the patrons.

El Potro is open seven days a week. The have a lunch buffet Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., or you can order straight from the menu.

Go visit Arnulfo and his friendly staff at El Potro in Rincon, located at 173 Commercial Drive, (912) 826-0103 .

Paid For Advertisement Effingham Magazine |

June/July 2011 37

Places to Eat & Drink in Effingham

Qu ick

bites

El Potro Mexican Restaurant 173 Commercial Drive Rincon, GA 31326 (912)826-0103 Seasons of Japan 455 Pooler Parkway

Pooler, GA 31322 www.seasonsofjapan.com Sweet Water Grill McCall Plaza Rincon, GA 31326 (912)826-0808

The Loft Cafe’ 109 Waterford Court Rincon, GA 31326 (912)295-5733 Kelly’s Tavern 840 S. Laurel St. Springfield, GA 31329 (912)754-3641

Serving the Best Mexican Food Since 1985 Buy 1 Dinner, Get the 2nD half Price haPPy hOur - 2 fOr 1 2PM-7PM 173 commercial Dr., rincOn

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38

June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

To Advertise in the dining guide, or to find out how to get your restaurant, pub or bar listed please call Julie at (912)657-4120 Also,don’t forget to ask about about our featured restaurant stories!

Photo by DENISE GONSALES

WEDDINGS

EFFINGHAM

Purchase your fine gifts for weddings, anniversaries, birthday’s and other special occasions at Milano. We offer custom made jewelry and accessories, and a gift for every occasion.

Custom Jewelry Design •Jewelry Repair •Engraving Designer Inspired Jewelry •Wedding Essentials Wedding Invitations •The Honeymoon Closet •Tuxedo Rental Event Design & Coordinating

826-0053

129 Waterford Court, Rincon, GA 31326

Glaze

Beauty Boutique & Day Spa

Our wedding day spa packages are designed with services that nourish the skin, reawaken the senses, ease tension, rejuvenate the body and rest the mind. At Glaze Beauty Boutique and Day Spa, experienced therapists combine careful training with a personal touch, locating areas of tension, stress and strain.

We offer the perfect mix of cutting-edge trends and classic style. Whether you’re getting ready for a black tie affair, board meeting, first date or just a night on the town, our colorists and stylists will keep you looking fashion forward and chic. With a large selection of the latest brands Glaze Beauty Boutique and Day Spa is a great place to build your perfect look. Come in and see our selection of women’s apparel, handbags, jewelry and fashion accessories.

EFFINGHAM WEDDINGS

Sara & Ron

Dasher

P h o t o g r a p hy b y D e n i s e G o n s a l e s

Bride: Sarah Jenkins Groom: Ron Dahser Ceremony Venue: The Belle House, Statesboro Ga. Date: April 9, 2011

D 42 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

EFFINGHAM WEDDINGS

D

Effingham Magazine |

June/July 2011 43

EFFINGHAM WEDDINGS The only one required to propose a Wedding Toast is the Best Man, but watch out for some competition...many weddings are now including a toast from the Maid of Honor as well!

The 10 Commandments Of Toasting 1. Plan to speak from 1 to 4 minutes. No one wants to be bored with an extraordinarily long toast covering the entirety of your friendship. With wedding toasts, even a short toast will do if delivered with feeling and sincerity.

2. Make sure all other glasses are full before beginning. You may want to announce to the guests, or have the MC announce to the guests, to fill their glasses because toasting will commence shortly.

Then give guests 3 - 5 minutes to fill their glasses.

3. Stand to give a toast (sit to receive one) and hold your glass with your right hand as you toast. After the toast, it is tradition to then clink the glasses together before sipping.

4. Start with something personal. How the bride and groom met is always a favorite.

You can also use humor or quotes to get

started.

5. Always use humor in good taste. While poking fun at the bride and groom can add the touch of humor you’re looking for, poking too much fun will only gain you a disapproving audience.

6. Speak in your normal voice, and avoid unnatural hand gestures or fake accents.

Wedding audiences want to hear what you have to say, not watch a drama unfold. Just remember you were chosen to be you, not someone else.

7. Practice your toast. Unless you are an accomplished public speaker, just ‘winging it’ for the wedding toast is always a bad idea.

8. Look around the room at the audience and to the bride and groom as you toast.

Eye contact is an important characteristic of a good speaker.

9. Speak clearly and don’t rush. Take your time and take a deep breath, because if you speak too fast, no one is going to understand you.

10. And finally, finish your toast with a wish, blessing, congratulations, or cheers.

Weddings

Receptions

Rehearsal Dinners Banquets

Private Parties

Hidden Oaks Come and enjoy this mystical waterfront scenery located in South Georgia.

Nestled in a beautiful country setting, Hidden Oaks provides the elegance you deserve to make your day extraordinary. Country weddings isolated from bustling cities and highways makes Hidden Oaks the perfect get-away for your wedding and reception.

44 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

All Your Outdoor Functions Can Be Held At This Beautiful, Private, Quiet Setting Overlooking A 10 Acre Pond For Reservations, Please Call 912-754-9348 or 912-429-9348 www.hiddenoaksvenue.com hiddenoaks819@yahoo.com 819 Union Spring Rd. Clyo, Georgia

EFFINGHAM WEDDINGS resource for finding a ring at your budget can be found on one of my favorite websites, www.precious platinum.com/calculator.

Q: How do I know which wedding dress style will look best with my body type?

A: When it comes to finding the perfect wedding dress, fit is just as important as design. Luckily, gowns come in many styles with the goal of flattering every figure. A few tips I always offer bridesto-be: Column-style gowns will give a petite figure length, while Empire waist gowns can give a taller bride proportion. An open neckline with a delicate sleeve is great for those with a larger bust, while A-line gowns can accentuate a tiny waist and hide those hips! A great resource for shopping by body type can be found on DavidsBridal.com.

Bridal Editor answers important questions

Your wedding day is one of the most memorable in your lifetime. Whether you choose to have an extravagant affair or an intimate beachside gathering, all brides stress about getting their gown, jewelry and wedding rings just right.

To shed some light on today’s trends in everything from bridal gowns to finding the perfect ring, Alison Rowe, Fashion & Jewelry Editor for The Bride and Bloom, answers some of the most common questions:

Q: What are the most popular wedding band trends this year?

A: As a bridal editor, I’ve found channel set and eternity bands continue to be her favorite for wedding bands, while men tend to choose bands that have more textural elements. Check out Novell Design Studios’ textural men’s wedding bands. I love when couples create metal harmony by matching the metals of their rings. Personalization-such as engraving a sentimental quote or date onto the band—is gaining in popularity as well. When you engrave a platinum band, you know it will never wear away, unlike other precious metals. Remember, your rings are the outward symbol of your love and commitment—finding the right band can be one of the most important decisions you make as a couple!

Q: What’s the difference between platinum and white gold?

A: At first glance they may appear similar, but if you take a closer look you’ll see there are quite a few notable differences. Platinum is the purest precious metal, meaning it’s naturally white, so it doesn’t change color or fade. White gold is actually yellow gold plated to appear white, and will require maintenance to restore its white luster. Though platinum is often perceived as the most expensive metal, I’ve seen quite a few designers introduce new lines of accessibly priced platinum bridal jewelry, which offers the high quality without the high price tag. Designers like Frederick Goldman and Simon G. offer platinum starting at $1,000. A great

• ENGAGEMENt ANd WEddiNG BANdS • BRidAl REGiStRy • tuxEdo RENtAlS • AttENdANtS GiftS • iN HouSE ENGRAviNG

BLANDFORD HOUSE

Curiosity Shoppe Jewelers

Customized To Individual Taste

210 N. Columbia Ave. (Hwy 21) Rincon, Ga 31326 Monday-Saturday 9-6 (912)826-5885

Dedicated To Making Your Event Extraordinary Garden Lunches, Weddings, Receptions Accommodating Small Groups or Large Events 436 Blandford Road • Rincon

667-6477 / 826-6477

Effingham Magazine | June/July 2011 45

Is Distributed To Over 200 Locations.

Here’s where you can find your FREE copy!

EL Portro Von Sauna Salon Sweet Peas New Life Florist Merle Norman 24-7 Fitness Alda Medical Center Bronze Tanning Baibry’s Spine and Sport Studio 21 Express Lube Dewitt Insurance Adams Pevey Realty Coldwell Banker Intercoastal Realty Rincon Chiropratic Burns Insurance Heidt Burns Real Estate Sunnoco Memorial Health First Effingham Bank Heritage Bank Dr. Lynn’s Family Practice Effingham Family Medicine Days Inn Classy Nails BB & T Texaco on Fort Howard Road Gate Station BP Station Stanfield Seafood Market Dakotas Grille & Spirits El Real Curosity Shoppe Rainbow Nails Dr. Hamby’s Susie’s Barber Shop Simplicity Barber Shop Effingham Smiles Wiley’s Home center New Concept Health Care YMCA Webbs Animal Clinic Quest Remax Savannah River Mortgage Effingham Animal Hospital Quality Service Center Geo Vista Cuts & Styles Grace Unlimited Paul’s Automotive Rincon Library

St. Joseph’s Medical Group Carter’s Pharmacy Tractor Supply Enmark Body Works Aaron’s Rental South Coast Pediatrics Atlantic Southern Bank Hair Unique Frank & Linda’s Jersey Joe’s Pizza 21 South Mini Storage Lovett’s Hardware Lovett’s Trading Post The Salon Sweet Water Grill Schnitzel Shack B & M Pool & Spa Glaze Beauty Salon & Milano’s The Loft Cafe La Dee Da Effingham Eye Care Donut Connection Ladies & Shears Sunkist Tanning Goshen Corner Chevron Effingham Hospital Imaging Center Effingham Family Medicine Chevron Station Ebenezer Papa’s Pizza Cuttin Up Family Hair Care Luxury Nails & Spa Chevron on Hwy 21 Springfield Tire Gnann’s Fix It Kelly’s Tavern Heritage Bank Styles Hair Studio Coastal Performing Arts Studio Chevron in Springfield Dan’s Shop & Go Butches Bait Bullets Bull City Limits Pretty Pups City of Springfield Snooks Hey Beautiful Hair Salon Quick RX JoAnn’s Florist Snack Barrell Effingham Senior Citizens Ijon H Webb Webb’s Farm Services

Simply Southern Restaurant B & S Feed & Seed Chamber of Commerce Eff. Hospital Main Lobby Eff. Hospital Nursing Home Lobby Eff. Hospital Emergency Room Lobby Eff. Hospital Testing Lobby Springfield Library Effingham County Recreation Dept.

Effingham County Health Department Ambema in Clyo Trading Post in Clyo Tommy’s in Kildaire EL Cheapo in Shawnee Medicap Pharmacy Hunter’s BBQ Mack’s Country Store Mack’s Service Station Guyton City Hall Guyton Post Office Ken’s IGA Olive Branch Restaurant Sweet T’s on HWY 17 & Bluejay Octane on hwy 80 Wild Wood Cafe Sandra’s Seafood Discount Grocery Sweet T’s Chevron Hwy 80/Old River RD Meldrim Post Office Faulkville Animal Hospital Any Blooming Thing BP Station in Faulkville Chevron in Faulkville Hwy 80/Zeigler RD One Stop on Hwy 30 Styles on 30 Salon Monte’s Pizza Hwy 30 Sweet T’s on Hwy 30 Tanglez Hair Studio Citizens Bank of Port Wentworth UPS Store Port Wentworth Monte’s Pizza Hwy 21 & Hwy 30 Impression Dry Cleaners Family Medicine Dr. Christopher W. Delisle Animal Hospital at Rice Hope Coastal Performing Arts Studio in Pooler Frames N Games Fitness Witness in Pooler A Class Act in Pooler Allure Laser Center Spirit in Pooler Coldwell Banker Suntrust in Pooler GA Welcome Center

EFFINGHAM Effingham Homes A Special Advertising Section

Effingham Homes GNANN’S FIX IT SHOP

Striving to bring you the best in ser vice and products

G

nann’s Fix It Shop is a staple of the business community in Effingham. Gnann’s has specialized in everything from fixing small appliances, and today, close to 50 years later, they specialize in sales and service of lawn equipment such as lawn mowers, chainsaws and more.

The Gnann name has always been synonymous with customer service. They put their name behind the equipment they sell and the service they provide. Owned and operated by Clarence and Charlie Gnann, the two have been working in the shop since their father, Bowers, first opened the doors in 1964.

With a wide variety of parts in stock, Gnann’s can accommodate nearly all your needs when it comes to fixing that old mower or power machinery. Their knowledgeable sales staff and mechanics are there to help with any questions along the way. If they don’t have something in stock, they can usually order it and have it in a few days or less.

If you prefer to repair your equipment yourself, Gnann’s can also help with that. Their parts department is stocked with a wide variety of various parts for all types of lawn equipment, and if they don’t have it in stock, chances are they can get it within a

48 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

short amount of time.

Their goal is to provide first rate products and support to our customers. We provide top quality products and “second to none” customer support for ATV’s from ARCTIC CAT and E-TON, Utility vehicles from SNAPPER and ARCTIC CAT, Commercial mowers from EXMARK,residential mowers and power equipment from SNAPPER and BILLY GOAT,hand held products from STIHL and go karts from KEN-BAR. If friendly, reliable, and honest service is what you are looking for, Gnann’s Fix-It Shop is the way to go. Whether you need new equipment, need old equipment repaired, or are just seeking the expertise of qualified and responsible mechanics, Gnann’s Fix-It can help satisfy all of your lawn and garden and ATV needs.

Gnann’s Fix-It Shop 1015 South Laurel Street Springfield, Ga. 31329 912-754-3745

$

14995

$

15995

$

17995

Gnann’s Fix-it shop (912) 754-3745 • gnannsfixitshop.com

“LOCAL BUSINESSES REINVEST IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY 60% MORE THAN CHAINS.”

www.independentwestand.org www.facebook.com/IndependentWeStand twitter.com/IndWeStand

This is the time to take charge of our own future and support locally-owned businesses. Join your friends and neighbors by logging on to www.independentwestand.org, take the pledge and find independently owned businesses near you.

*Civic Economics - 2007 San Francisco Report on Retail Diversity

Effingham Homes HEIDT BURNS REALT Estate

A Diverse, Full Service Agency Wilson Burns and Chris Heidt.

H

eidt Burns Real Estate Consultants, Inc. in Rincon opened for business in April of 2009. Chris Heidt and Wilson Burns are the owners. Heidt Burns provides services in sales, purchase and rental leasing and management.

The inventory is both residential and commercial.

Co-owner Wilson Burns handles commercial and industrial property sales and acquisition. His partner, Chris Heidt, along with two other associates, Tim Coleman and James Dasher, handle commercial and industrial property transactions and commercial property management.

“The time is right now to buy,” said Burns. “The market is starting to see some pretty good movement.”

According to Burns, mortgage rates are cheap. “It was hard for a while to get people to pull the trigger and put a contract on a house,” explained Burns. “They may have been looking for a year and then a year later, they’re looking at the same house and it’s no longer available.” Burns said that trend is changing. People are seeing houses they like and they’re motivated to move on them.

Real estate prices continue to lag. Burns says he sees indications that sales are slowly coming back.

During the housing boom of just a few years ago, the company had some 700 houses on the market and was selling about 90 a month. When the market slowed down, inventory jumped to around 1,500 but sales dropped precipitously to about two or three a month.

According to Burns, in the last 12 months or so, sales have

50 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

buoyed to around 40 to 45 units per month, with about 500 properties still available. Burns said it hasn’t yet resulted in property values rising but prices will start to ease upward.

The area of business that seems to be thriving the most is the residential rental leasing and management side. DiAnna Jenkins is the Residential Property Manager at Heidt Burns. Jenkins came on board in December and has grown that book of business from zero rentals to about 30, which Jenkins manages.

“The number keeps going up,” said Jenkins. “There are more customers needing rental properties than there are properties available.” Jenkins said she has more tenants than properties, and scrambles for new properties to rent because there is always a handful of tenants wanting a single property.

“Right now, it only takes a week or two to lease a good property once it goes into the inventory,” Jenkins said. With new jobs coming into the area, people are transferring from other parts of the country. Unable to sell their homes, they often put them up for rent and need to rent when they get here.

Heidt Burns handles properties in Effingham, Bryan and Chatham Counties. “We run a diverse, fullservice agency, with agents that specialize in buyers and sellers in commercial and residential markets,” said Burns. “We use the latest and greatest technologies in representing buyers and sellers. We want to be a full service, one-stop-shop. We have a diversity of agents we can pair up with anybody’s needs.”

GREEN GABLES SHOPPE

Effingham Homes

C

andice “Candy” Warren just opened her dream business, the Green Gables Shoppe, in the old Citizens Bank Building at 201 Lynn Bonds Avenue in Guyton.

Green Gables is a gift shop and antiques store carrying a wide variety of items for any occasion. Warren has stocked the shop with popular merchandise such as Byrd Cookies, fine imported teas, stationary, note cards, glass items, pitchers, silver tea services, purses, jewelry, organic soaps and lotions, vintage aprons and linens and antique furniture.

Green Gables opened it’s doors June 1. “I’ve always wanted to open an antique store and gift shop,” said Warren. She had sold freight services for Holland Freight Co. for 13 years and did similar work for other freight haulers before that. “I’ve been in sales a long time and decided I could retire early and stay at home,” she said, “but there’s only so much you can do at home, so I decided it was time to do something else.” After being retired for about five years, Warren decided to open a business. “There are just not any gifts shops in Guyton,” said Warren, “I thought it would be fun.”

Warren grew up in Smyrna, Ga. and moved to Savannah in 1978. Nearly six years ago, she moved from Wilmington Island to Guyton. “It’s a very nice town,” she said. “It’s very quaint and everybody’s nice. It’s home.”

The shop enjoys a great setting for its enchanting wares.

It occupies the main section of the old Citizens Bank Building, erected in 1907. “It still has the huge safe and the big gold alarms,” said Warren.

Warren tastefully displays her teapots, mixes for

cocktails, kitchenware and other gifts items. “I thought it would be nice not to have to go to Rincon or Pooler or Savannah to buy a nice gift,” she said.

And then there’s the amazing antiques section where one will find choice antique furniture, including chests of drawers, dressers, tea services, occasional tables, chairs, rockers, old pictures, antique gilded frames and more. Warren said that over the past five months, she has shopped auctions and estate sales seeking the most desirable pieces and best values. Other items came from an antiques store her parents used to own. Store hours are Wednesday through Friday, 10-5 and Saturday, 10-4.

Call Candy Warren at 912- 433-0053.

Guyton’s Little Shop On The Corner...

Green

Antiques & Gifts • furniture • Jewelry • specialty teas • Handbags • Decorative Kitchen items • Candles • Byrd Cookies • Organic soaps and salts • Canvas Beach Bags • stationary • Pet Carriers • Picture frames

Gable’s shoppe

201 Lynn Bonds Ave • Guyton

(912) 433-0053

Wed-fri 10-5 • saturday 10-4 Effingham Magazine | June/July 2011 51

Serving Our Community For Over 36 Years

Renovate your homeowners policy.

Clay Clark, Agent 8102 Old Highway 21 Port Wentworth, GA 31407 Bus: 912-966-2688 clay.clark.rksd@statefarm.com

Great insurance. Low rates.

Remodeling your home can increase its value. Protect it by taking a new look at your homeowners insurance.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

CALL ME TODAY. ®

Spas, Inground pools & Holland Grills • Quality Service And Reliability • Free Water Analysis & Recommendations • Liner Replacement Specialists • Inground Vinyl Pools • Leisure Fiberglass • Doughboy Above Ground Pools • Marquis Spas

B & M Pool Spa & Patio 2 Locations 6020 Hwy 21 S. •Rincon, GA 31326 912-826-1997 10 N. Leroy St. • Metter, GA 30439 912-685-5411

0901136

State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL

www.BandMpOOlS.COM

Great ProPerties!! Call me today...

This is a terrific buy! This 3 bedroom, one bath home has tons of charm! Hardwood floors throughout, separate dining, fireplace in the greatroom... very cozy! Also... a separate one bedroom, one bath apartment, completely detached. Live in one and rent the other!

Reduced to $124,900. Call me today for your personal showing!

Looking For A Great House with Pool, Poolhouse and Plenty of Room For Animals? Even has a polebarn. This property has it all. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, living room, den, spacious eat-in kitchen, triple carport, and wrokshop. Only minutes from I-95 in Effingham County!

Great schools. Just reduced to $205,000.

52 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

What A Great Buy! This singlewide mobile home has 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths. New flooring, paint and a brand new stove.

Refrigerator, microwave and washer/dryer remain. Property includes 2 garages and a 2 car carport. Great screened in front porch with huge deck on back. Great for entertaining! Plenty of room for cars and storage/shop area. All this sits on .8 acres with mature oaks and a beautiful yard, all completely fenced in! Priced To Sell At $74,300!

Beautiful Townhome in Great Rincon Location.

3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 1366 square foot, living/dining combo, breakfast bar. Huge master suite with walk in closet. One Car garage. Live maintenance free! Call Today For A Showing. Only $109,000!

Julie Hales REALTOR 912.657.4120 Cell 912.826.2800 Office

www.heidtburns.com

OGLETHORPE MORTGAGE CO.

O

glethorpe Mortgage Company, Inc. in Rincon is an independent mortgage brokerage. Two of the company’s owners, Page Rountree and Chris Beecher, are career finance people. After graduating with a finance degree, Rountree began her career as a bank auditor with the FDIC, and later became a bank vice president. Beecher’s accounting degree led to a career as a Certified Public Accountant. The third owner, Larry Jenkins, holds a degree in marketing and is a 25-year veteran of the marketing and advertizing business. Jenkins owned and operated outdoor advertising companies in Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. These professionals bring more than 75 years’ combined experience to the mortgage lending marketplace.

In addition, the company boasts five other first rate mortgage professionals: Christina Murphy, Leigh Mead, Juanita Ballard, Charlie Bragg, and Tia Quattlebaum. “We pride ourselves on the qualifications and experience of our people,” said Beecher.

Beecher said that too many mortgage brokers focus on what they can get their clients qualified for and not what the client can actually afford. “Our passion is finance,” he said. “We truly care about our clients. We want to make sure they can make their payment a month from now, a year from now, and 30 years from now, and that we’re not getting them trapped into a house that they cannot afford.”

Oglethorpe understands that every borrower is different.

“One of our strengths is the wide variety of products we offer,” said Beecher. “If we can’t get the right product from one lender we have twenty others we can go to.” Oglethorpe brokers products from many quality sources, from the largest lenders in

Effingham Homes

the U.S. to smaller, more specialized companies.

Qualified borrowers can get up to 100 percent financing, and up to 96.5 percent on FHA loans. Beecher said that banks are now loosening some credit requirements. Most require a minimum credit score of 640, and Oglethorpe has access to available financing with a score of 600.

The menu of products is extensive including 15-and 30-Year Fixed-Rate, Fixed-Rate with Temporary Buy-down, Fixed-Rate Balloons, Interest-Only, and Adjustable-Rate Mortgages.

The company stresses premium customer service, which means being available to customers when customers need them.

Unlike large institutional lenders who impose their business hours on customers, Oglethorpe lets the customer set the time and place. “We don’t work banker’s hours,” said Beecher. “We meet our clients on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon or whenever they need us.” Oglethorpe remains with the customer through every step of the mortgage process, from the application to the closing table. “Service is how we set ourselves apart,” he said.

According to some realtors, lending is extremely tight and sometimes impedes sales, but Beecher disagrees. “The money’s there,” he said, “and we have a product and lender for just about every need.”

People, service and products are the features that set Oglethorpe apart from the competition, said Beecher. Oglethorpe Mortgage Company, Inc. serves customers in Rincon, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, and Atlanta.

Over 75 years combined banking and financial experience

Bring This Ad In For A Free Appraisal With A Closed Loan • 10/15/20/30 year fixed • No closing cost option • Commercial • 100% Financing Available • Conventional and FHA ARM’s

NMLS#170367

www.OglethorpeMortgage.com

• Interest-only ARM’s • VA/FHA • Rural Development • Home Equity • Investor Loans

912.826.2246 Effingham Magazine |

June/July 2011 53

21 Rental CenteR and Sales, Inc. Home Owners • Contractors • Parties 189 Commerical Dr. • Rincon, Georgia

Since 1956, we’ve made customer service and personal attention our top priorities.

(912)826-5264

www.DeWittAgency.com

Southbend Office Park

5877 Highway 21 South • Rincon, Georgia *Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through ING Financial Partners, Member SIPC. DeWitt Insurance Agency is not a subsidiary of nor controlled by ING Financial Partners.

Effingham County’s Oldest Mortgage Company…

International Mortgage

(912) 826-2600

AS &

Roofing RepAiRS

Specializing In Repairs

WooD WoRK • pAinTing • pReSSURe WASHing Licensed and Insured

SHAnnon pRice (912) 407-0144

LUSH-N-GREEN

Your Lawn Spraying Service...

CAll FoR DETAIlS oN THE20 $8000 TAx CREDIT Treatments Designed For Your Specific Needs 100% Financing Packages Celebrating Years

First Time Buyer Programs

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(912) 826-5386

Home Improvement Loans

• WEED CONTROL • INSECT CONTROL • FERTILIZATION • CERTIFIED & EXPERIENCED • FREE ESTIMATES • COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL • VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

BILL RAHN (912) 661-3180 GREER RAHN (912) 754-3865 BRLtdDeanofGreen@aol.com

Jane Hughes PRESIDENT

• First Time Buyer Programs - 100% USDA • FHA, VA & Conventional • Construction Loans • Purchases • Refinances • Free Consultations • Home Improvement Loans

• Home Improvement Loans

(912) 826-5386 • Fax: (912) 826-4556

(912) 826-5386 • Fax: (912) 826-4556 hughes@internationalmortgage.com McCall Road•• Rincon, GA 55055505 McCall Road Rincon, GA Residentialsurrounding Mortgage Licensee#5748areas & all of Georgia Serving Effingham EffinghamGeorgia County, Serving County, surrounding areas & all of Georgia Serving Effingham County, surrounding areas & all of Georgia

GRMA#26250 GRMA#26250

NMLS# 158359 (Novella J. Hughes) NMLS# 158273 (International Mortgage Co.,Mortgage Inc.) Licensee#5748 Georgia Residential

54 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

108 International Drive P.O. Box 1742, Rincon, GA 31326 (912) 826-2760 Office (912) 826-2762 Fax www.EffinghamMagazine.com

Effingham

RATCHFORD & RAFTER, LLP Homes

Ratchford & Rafter, LLP is a law firm based in Springfield, GA. Formed in 1983, the firm has over 50 years of combined legal experience. The attorneys are Warren E. Ratchford, Partner; Richard R. Rafter, Partner; and Gregory R. Reeves, Associate.

According to Ratchford, the firm has an unwavering commitment to personal attention and the highest level of service to clients.

While the breadth of expertise is impressive, Ratchford said that the bulk of the firm’s work is in the areas of corporate, real estate law and civil litigation.

Some of the most important work Ratchford & Rafter does has a positive impact on the economic development of Effingham County. Ratchford himself was the founding president of the Effingham Chamber of Commerce. The firm has been instrumental in bringing new businesses to the county. “We help in the formation of business structures and various incentives that bring business into the county,” said Ratchford. “We do problem solving to alleviate obstacles to new business development.”

The firm developed a niche market working with small business people in starting up new businesses. Fully 25 percent of the firm’s

practice is setting up new corporations and expanding the small business influence in the county. The bulk of the firm’s work is in corporate, real estate and civil law.

Ratchford & Rafter, LLP, also handles personal injury cases through a network of various personal injury lawyers in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. Ratchford said the firm can better negotiate the contingency fees and save clients on what is known as hard-scape costs, which are the filing fees, administrative costs and other ancillary expenses. Most personal injury lawyers charge fees of 30 to 40 percent of the award; the firm’s fees are closer to 20 to 25 percent.

The firm enjoys the highest rating from Martindale Hubble, the nation’s best-recognized organization for rating the professional ability and ethical standards of attorneys. The Effingham Chamber of Commerce also voted Ratchford & Rafter, LLP the 2010 Small Business of the Year.

The firm is also an active force for service to the community.

Partner Richard Rafter is Chairman of the Effingham County Hospital Authority. Firm members and employees are active in churches around the county and support professional, governmental and arts-related organizations with volunteer time and resources, including the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, Rotary Club of Effingham County and Kids Voting USA. Ratchford & Rafter, LLP has earned the reputation as a versatile, highly professional and highly effective law practice, with a strong emphasis on customer service and a deep commitment to the community. The full breadth of services may be found on the firm’s website: www.ratchfordlaw.com

Specializing In Real Estate Closings...We Make It Simple!

R

R

Ratchford & Rafter, LLP “We Can Help You With All Of Your Legal Needs” • Real Estate • Divorce • Child Custody

• Criminal • Personal Injury • Probate

1575 Hwy 21 S., Springfield

(912) 754-7800

Open 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

www.ratchfordlaw.com

Effingham Homes COLDWELL BANKER

Providing specialized service, both residential and commercial

C

oldwell Banker Intercoastal Realty in Rincon provides homes up for rent, making it necessary for them to rent when specialized services in residential and commercial sales they settle here.

Because of the turn in the economy, the option of breaking as well as property management in Effingham and Chatham Counties. even when selling is not there. “They don’t want less of a house The hot button for the firm right now is residential leasing but they can’t afford both. This is the reason the rental market is and property management. With real estate sales still flagging, so hot” she said. You will see owners listing their homes to just Realtors are finding new and creative ways to service the break even with no results, so they elect to lease it out rather market. Where once, property management than leave it vacant.

Murphy said she’s handling double was largely a separate and distinct field, it is quickly becoming the purview of Realtors who the properties per month; a figure that has are uniquely positioned to provide a seamless doubled since December when she started, continuum of services from sales to purchase and keeps growing exponentially. “The to leasing to property management. housing buying market is not what it was Sherry Murphy is a Realtor and Property and is beginning to stabilize,” said Murphy.

Manager at Coldwell Banker Intercoastal I’m getting calls from buyers but fewer are Realty. Murphy handles residential sales, able to buy.” Some still are afraid to make the leasing and property management exclusively. commitment. Currently, Murphy has only six That’s because it is one aspect of the real rental properties available, and calls come in estate business experiencing rapid growth. daily from new customers looking to rent.

Sherry Murphy A large portion of a property’s value is Murphy says she’s not seeing much in the determined by what similar homes are selling way of small investor buying because there’s for in the neighborhood. People end up in negative equity not much lending going on. “Selling prices are not showing positions because of foreclosures in the neighborhoods, which any noticeable improvement,” said Murphy. In the meantime, drive overall property values down. Foreclosures mean there the demand for rental homes continues to outpace availability. are distressed properties in the area that usually remain on the Quality rentals stay on the market for just a week or two at the market for long periods. When they finally do sell, they go for a most. “I am optimistic the rental side will keep on growing,” she much lower price. said.

With job growth on the rise in the area, people are “I’m here every day. I don’t take much time off,” said transferring in from other locales. The problem of negative Murphy. “I take care of it all. They [the landlords] don’t get the home equity is nationwide, of course, and people transferring phone calls for repairs at one-o’clock in the morning,” she said. in from other areas face the same problem and have to put their “My phone rings, not theirs, I’m the go to person.”

56 June/July 2011 | Effinghm Magazine

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Effingham Homes TIPS & IDEAS

Trust Your Senses To Pick The Right Color For Your Home

The next time you paint your house, close your eyes.

The colors you see are the ones that may suit you best.

Instead of staring at the outer walls, concentrate on your inner emotions. The process of choosing paint colors may involve sifting through hundreds of hues, but decorators have discovered the final selections are almost inevitably tied to the homeowner’s emotional connection to a particular color.

Every color has an emotional association, and individuals are drawn to different colors for reasons depending on their distinct personalities. The feelings that stem from the five senses are the best sources to identify meaningful colors best suited for your personality, style and interests. What helps homeowners feel most comfortable and confident with their color choices is recognizing the role your reactions to color play in your home decor.

According to color expert Dee Schlotter, “Color preferences are unique, and choosing a color is a personal exercise.” She believes that the feelings specific colors elicit are a subconscious reaction based on past experiences and associations. “Many times, we’re not even aware of why we like a color or how certain colors, when paired together, make us feel,” adds Schlotter.

Tips On Picking Colors When choosing colors, basing your decisions on an accent piece that you love, such as a piece of art, can help make the selection process simpler.

Consider these tips: • Work with a few colors. As a general rule, you should assign 60 percent of the available space to one color, called dominant; 30 percent to another, called intermediate; and 10 percent to an accent color. Using too many colors in the same room is likely to create confusion rather than harmony.

• Keep in mind the effects colors may have on your moods.

This will help you in deciding which color should be dominant, intermediate and accent.

• Determine the elements of your decor that you don’t intend to change, such as the floor, for example. Be sure their colors will blend nicely in your scheme.

58 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

Ten Tips For Family Fun In The Pool And Sun For a hot time in warm weather, consider these 10 tips, time-savers, water-care ideas, and maintenance and safety suggestions for backyard living: 1. Safety first. Keep each child within arm’s length at all times; designate an adult as water watcher; ensure that the pool’s fence is always locked; and install both gate and pool alarms.

2. Dress up the landscape. Use shrubs for form, foliage-heavy plants for color and sturdy perennials for cheery blooms with little tending.

3. Add years to backyard furnishings. If mildew spots appear on outside chairs and tables, wash the fabric according to manufacturer directions and dry in the sun. Then mix together equal parts lemon juice and salt; spread on the stain. Dry in the sun again and rinse thoroughly.

4. Organize backyard toys and tools. Two simple storage rules for keeping backyard clutter down: Air out wet things by storing them in big mesh bags or open-weave crates.

Toss all the little bits into a clear plastic shoe organizer hung on a fence or nearby wall.

5. Try a water workout. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just 21 minutes a day of exercising in a pool can cut your risk of chronic disease. Strength, endurance and balance are all benefits of using water as the resistance. A typical water exercise session of 40 to 50 minutes can burn up to 600 calories.

6. Create a backyard oasis. Instead of using typical bulk salt, for your saltwater pool consider Mineral Springs from BioGuard.

It contains a special blend of minerals, pool equipment protectors, water enhancers and pH adjusters that all work to make silky, relaxing water.

7. Soak in a sensational spa. Place flameless LED candles around the edge of the spa. Take tunes into the spa with a floating speaker that connects wirelessly to an MP3 player. Add a soothing scent to the water with single-use aromatherapy packs.

8. Be more environmentally friendly. Always keep your pool water balanced with the right combination of chemicals.

Overworked filters and motors waste energy and hike utility bills.

9. Help pets swim safely. Before you let a dog jump in, make sure he can get out without damaging the pool or hurting himself. Also check with the vet. Swimming in a pool should be appropriate for the breed. Monitor the water. A typical dog can be the equivalent of about 50 swimmers in the pool, meaning extra vigilance is needed to maintain the chemical balance.

10. Maintain a pristine pool. A good pool-care strategy involves circulation, filtration, cleaning, testing and chemistry. A BioGuard dealer can provide computerized water testing and recommend the best care schedule for your pool.

Effingham

WILEY’S HOME CENTER Homes

Furnishing Your Home With Family Pride

Family owned, Wiley’s Home Center has been helping Effingham County residents furnish their homes for 24 years.

Owners Wiley Thomas and his daughter Detra have built their business around the same family morals and respect they grew up with. “Our customers are treated like one of the family,” said Detra Thomas. “Good customer service continues long after the sale.”

An amazing and wide variety of inventory fills more than 35,000 square feet in two buildings at their location on Highway 21 in north Rincon. Different than most furniture stores, at Wiley’s a person can purchase items right off the showroom floor. Customers can also thumb through countless catalogues of special order items as well.

With every day discounts, and a family atmosphere, it’s hard not to find what you are looking for at Wiley’s. From bedroom suits to living room furnishings and dining room sets, Wiley’s has a wide variety of styles to choose from. For the armchair quarterbacks and quilters, there are also a wide variety of recliners to select from as well.

Wiley’s also has a variety of GE, Whirlpool and Frigidaire appliances to select from as well as a complete flooring department.

Detra Thomas and her father, Wiley Thomas.

Wiley’s also offers delivery services. Their delivery drivers care about getting your furniture to and in your home unscathed.

Look for upcoming tent sales, and daily discounts on various goods in Wiley’s. For more information, you can visit our website at HYPERLINK “http://www.wileyshomecenter.org” www.wileyshomecenter.org or stop by and look at what Wiley’s has to offer.

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Effingham Magazine | June/July 2011 59

Effingham Homes DM JONES CONSTRUCTION

Vast Array of selections at Buckingham Plantation

B

uckingham Plantation has been designed and created with that thought in mind. Dennis and Vera Jones (award winning builders) have been in the building business for better than twenty years, and incorporated D.M. Jones Construction, Inc. in 1995.

They are both licensed residential and commercial contractors. They moved to Effingham County for the Schools in 1993. Although they have built homes in areas like Westbrook and Southbridge, they decided to focus on building primarily in the county that they have made their home, Effingham County.

“This is more than a business to us. This is our life, our livelihood, our reputation and our name.” That is the care and attitude they place on every home they build, and they believe it shows on the inside and out. They have been married over thirty years, and learned the benefits of working as a team long ago.

Dennis is on every job site daily. He pays meticulous attention to detail and quality. He insures strict oversight, and this hands on approach guarantees your home is built to the highest standards of quality and excellence. This also allows flexibility and creativity on site. Dennis often finds ways to improve the home while on the job daily. That’s all part of it. “We are always looking for ways to give the customer MORE VALUE for their MONEY.” “We are always looking for ways to exceed clients expectations.”

These factors all contribute to our homes maintaining a high resale value for our buyers.

Vera is involved in advertising and finance, but also works closely with our customers in assisting them with their interior and exterior selections.

This helps make their homes unique.

“Listening to your customer is key.”

What is most important to them? Clients priorities and style, are as individual as are our homes, and that is what is so critical. I have purposefully decorated and designed our homes with unique styles, to help show just how versatile our plans can be, and still be affordable.

Almost anyone can impress you if they

60 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

Vera and Dennis Jones of D.M. Jones Construction.

have an unlimited budget. “We help customers build their dream home, and stay in budget.”

We have spent countless hours of research to create a sense of community with character at Buckingham Plantation.

It’s a visionary approach, preserving the best of our past heritage- “Where houses where homes, and neighbors were friends, “ and incorporating modern smart technologies and green elements to our craftsmanship.

I once had a realtor walk through one of our more modern plans and say- this one isn’t for me. To which I responded, “That is exactly the point!” We don’t build one style fits all. “We are building the American Dream, and there are no two

dreams just alike!”

We invite you to come see the benefits, and vast array of selections at Buckingham Plantation where you too can say-”There’s no place like home!”

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. -On Highway 30,- only 1/2 mile from wonderful schools, South Effingham Middle and High School.

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PRICES RANGE FROM $175,000$350,000 Office 912-826-2069 Dennis Jones cell 912-429-1939)

THE LAST Word

The Road To Somewhere

Transportation has always been linked with economic activity It is easy to see where over the past couple of decades and vitality. Famous routes and transportation modes have long our transportation infrastructure has become more and more been the catalyst for growth. Whether we are talking about the inefficient. In fact, infrastructure spending, adjusted for inflation Silk Road connecting Europe to Asia, the Atlantic Crossing, and accounting for depreciation is at the same level it was in the Cumberland Gap route or the 1968. Public share of investment Transcontinental Railroad, transportation in transportation infrastructure as a routes are intrinsically tied to economic percentage of gross domestic product growth and development. has fallen steadily since the 1960s and Like other economic activities, now stands at 2.4 percent in the U.S., transportation is an important compared with 5 percent in Europe and component of the economy impacting more than 9 percent in China. on development and the welfare of Studies indicate that for every $1 populations. The Roman Empire billion spent on infrastructure creates was literally built on their ability to 11,000 to 30,000 jobs through direct and build roads into the empire. When indirect benefits. Public infrastructure transportation systems are efficient, enables the private sector. A modern they provide economic and social efficient transportation network opportunities and benefits that result improves private-sector productivity by in positive multiplier effects such as reducing production and transportation better access to markets, employment costs, and facilitating trade, economies and additional investments. When they of scale and efficient production are deficient in terms of capacity and methods. reliability they can have an economic There will be much debate in the cost such as reduced or missed near future as our federal government opportunities. Thus, through both looks to the reauthorization of the direct and indirect impacts efficient federal transportation program prior transportation systems can enable larger to September 30, 2011 and the regions markets, create savings in time and across the State of Georgia prepare lists costs, affect the price of commodities, of transportation projects this summer goods and services and have an effect for the Transportation Investment Act on the quality of life of citizens and of 2010 (TIA2010). We must remain John Henry the productivity of industry. Suffice it vigilant in seeking efficiencies and IDA Chief Executive Officer to say that transportation systems have insuring that appropriate projects are an impact on our daily lives and the chosen. Yet we must find a means of efficiency of trade. That is not to say that more roads equal a better appropriately funding this vital investment. life or improved productivity. I must emphasize that transportation We must also remember that our modern infrastructure networks systems must be “efficient” and provide a desired added value. are international in scope. Not only do our roads get us from Efficiency of transportation can best be thought of using the place to place, but our airports and our shipping ports allow us to Sisyphus analogy. Sisyphus is a character from Greek mythology transport goods to markets and people throughout the world. The that due to his misdeeds was condemned by the gods to roll a incidental exchange of technology and culture is also important stone up a hill for eternity only to see it roll back down again each to any economy. It transformed Europe from the Dark Ages to time. If you apply some basic principles of transportation you can the Renaissance it allowed our Western Expansion to develop envision the volume (rock or load), the distance (bottom of hill to economies in areas like California that rivaled entire countries. top), and the friction (difficulty of moving a volume per unit of An efficient transportation network has always been a major distance) being a function of Sisyphus’ “effort”. Thus, efficiency component of human societal development and economic power. is lowering this effort and making his perpetual chore much easier We must protect, maintain and remain diligent in improving our on him. To reduce the effort and increase efficiency it is necessary transportation networks. to reduce the distance, reduce the volume or reduce the friction.

I am sure that everyone reading this has heard about the “Bridge Reducing the friction would require less effort to move the same to Nowhere” that became a prime example of pork-barrel waste. volume over a distance. In transportation a core goal is to reduce As a nation, a region and a community we cannot afford to allow the friction of distance through development of new infrastructure, the bad projects that catch headlines to overshadow the dire need capacity improvements and technological improvements. Each roll for continued investment in our transportation infrastructure. Our of that stone up the hill (each trip) can be more efficient by reducing roads, ports and airports are essential to our economy. We must friction and lowering the effort. The greater the reduction in effort maintain and continue to invest if we want to stabilize and grow our the greater the efficiency. country and our communities.

62 June/July 2011 | Effingham Magazine

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