36 minute read
THE LINE BETWEEN STUDENT AND TEACHER IS A FINE ONE
STORY BY
JEN MEADOWS
Advertisement
PHOTO BY
JOHN RIDDLE
THE LINE BETWEEN STUDENT & TEACHER is a fine one
GARY HACKETT is a Master Barber, preacher, and apprentice of life and God. He’s a serial entrepreneur who travels the world but always returns to the same small town where he was born and grew up because he believes in helping others share in the lessons he’s learned along the way.
As soon as you walk in the door of Hackett's School of Barbering, and receives a haircut was put there for a reason. They tell us their problems, we listen, and licensing, accreditation, and attracting students, would take too long. you are greeted with a smile. When asked how he's doing, Gary Hackett is quick to respond with, “I'm wonderful, great, super, and fantastic.” A small pleasure, he shares, is when his regulars reply with the same or similar. “It's more than a haircut. My students and I know that everyone who sits in that chair we let them know it's going to be okay. Our customers are like our family.” The Hackett School of Barbering was a dream that began in the mind of Gary Hackett more than 25 years ago. Gary admits that he “…should have done it sooner,” but he thought the process, including Gary graduated from Swainsboro Technical College with a cosmetology degree in 1992, but he cut hair since he was eleven years old. While he didn't always love it as much as he does now, barbering seemed to be second nature to him from a very young age. His mom encouraged him to go on whenever he felt
LEFT: Of the twenty-two students currently enrolled in the Hackett’s School of Barbering, Lonza Hightower is one of the first two students to finish the and will soon take the state board exam. TOP: Jasmine Bynes, an instructor for Hackett’s School of Barbering.
like giving up. “My mom saw something in me I didn’t see in myself. So many times, I wanted to quit. My mom loved me through it all, though it was often tough love.”
People from all walks of life seem naturally drawn to Gary. Not just because of his hard work and dedication, sometimes working impossible hours with very little sleep, but because of his willingness to let others in. He tells of how people have come into his barbering space, at times just a small one-room space, and sat in the corner watching and listening.
Gary's passion extends beyond the barber chair. He became a pastor in 2003, and that combination has opened doors for him to share his passion to people from all walks of life, including professional basketball player Dwight Howard.
So, how did someone from a small town end up growing into a world-class celebrity barber, preacher, and serial entrepreneur? Connections, giving back, and a whole lot of faith.
One day while driving through Orlando, Florida, Gary got a call from Kevin Samples, a Swainsboro native and friend, to come by to bless the new house he had just moved into in Orlando. Kevin was working as Dwight Howard’s manager. He and Dwight are also cousins - Dwight’s parents are from Swainsboro. Dwight was then playing for the Orlando Magic professional basketball team.
Soon after that, Gary began visiting Kevin more frequently. Eventually, he met Reggie Jones, who was Dwight's barber. Reggie was drawn to Gary’s style and encouraged him to move to Orlando and go into business with him. Though Gary had opened a barbershop in Swainsboro and was reluctant to leave, in 2010 he moved to Orlando, which, “…opened up a different world and allowed me to grow in many ways.”
He and Reggie opened a few barbershops together, and Gary learned a lot about barbering and running a business from Reggie's very structured style.
One day, they got a call that took Gary's life experience to a whole different level. “Reggie got a call requesting two barbers for members of the Orlando Magic. They asked me to cut Dwight’s hair and needed Reggie to cut Brandon Bass’ hair,” Gary recalled. That was the first interaction he had with Dwight Howard. Soon, Gary
had established himself as one of Dwight’s regular barbers.
Eventually, Dwight was traded to the LA Lakers, which prompted another fortuitous call.
“I got a call one day from Los Angeles asking for my full name and birthday, which I refused to give out,” Gary explained. “Then, they told me that I was needed in LA on Saturday, and I realized who they were.” Needless to say, Gary provided the information. Dwight Howard flew Reggie and Gary to LA for the weekend to see how they liked it. “The next week, they had us back, and we stayed for a week,” Gary said. “On the last day, I got a text from Kevin saying that Dwight wanted me to be the pastor for his entourage and team.” That led to Gary moving to LA in 2011, where he was picked up by a driver every day to lead 6:30 a.m. devotionals with Dwight’s team. Occasionally, he was also cutting Dwight’s hair along with other celebrities.
However, Swainsboro has always been home for Gary and no matter where his travels took him, his hometown was always on his mind. In 2013, Gary’s niece was killed in a car wreck, and he felt his family needed him, so he moved home. He continued the daily devotions with Dwight’s team over the phone. Their paths split when Dwight became a free agent and moved to another team.
He continued pursuing his dreams. Soon, he obtained his Master Barber and Master Barber Instructor licenses from Webb’s Barber School of Arts in Macon. It was time for Gary to make his dream come true. He wanted to teach others how to build their dreams. He was going to become the mentor and teacher he wished he had when he was starting out.
He found an empty building downtown that was “…perfect for my barbering school and more.” The problem was the price. Gary and his friends and family
were committed to raising the money to lease the building, even organizing donut and BBQ plate sales. Soon, they had enough to help Gary open his shop.
While attending a middle school awards banquet with his son, the idea for a mentoring group began to form. Soon, he opened the One Unity Youth Center in the back of his barbershop. After school, busses would bring the children to the center and volunteers from the community would help students with their homework, provide art activities, and work on their social skills. The pandemic has curtailed the group sessions, so now they have one-on-one mentoring.
“We have witnessed amazing results from our mentoring program. Possibly even more so now that it’s on a personal level with the children. We have seen their grades consistently climb. Whatever help we can give to each other and our children to build our community, the better.”
One of Gary Hackett's latest programs is the Junior Barbering Program. The program's purpose is to teach young people how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build a business, and create the life of their dreams. The program includes hands-on demonstrations, interactive learning, practical lab assignments, and games. Hackett is constantly learning, growing, and sharing his knowledge with others. He learns just as much from his students and mentees as he does from his teachers. “I always feel so blessed and full of abundance, and I want to share that abundance with others.”
There’s still more to come for Gary Hackett. He’s not ready to talk about the rest right now, but you can bet that it will be brilliant. “We just keep going. We're still going and growing. In four years, we'll look different from where we are right now. There is still so much I have to share.”
ABOVE: A photo of Dwight Howard (in blue), professional basketball player in the NBA, holds a prominent place in Gary's barber shop.
Courtney Terwilliger
A MAN WHO LOVES WHAT HE DOES
STORY BY JEN MEADOWS PHOTO BY JOHN RIDDLE
COURTNEY TERWILLIGER has served as director of the Emanuel County EMS for forty-two years. During his tenure he has served in many roles. Perhaps, the most notable is his field is his work with the Georgia EMS Association (GEMSA) which he helped form and served as chair for fourteen years. In 2019, GEMSA renamed the "Chairman's Award" the "Courtney Terwilliger Chairman's Award" to honor his years of service and dedication to his field. In October, 2021, he was Courtney became the Emanuel County Public Safety Coordinator. If ever there was one, he is truly a man who loves what he does.
Courtney in the State House of Representatives on the occasion of being appointed to the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission. (State Representative Butch Parrish, David Moore, Georiga EMS Board member from Candler County, Terwilliger, Speaker of the House David Ralston.)
Courtney Terwilliger says that if he had a theme song, it would be “God Bless the Broken Road.” As a young man, he was, like many, doing “foolish things”, like drag-racing. “I got into some trouble and signed up for an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) class as a way to get out of trouble. I also figured it would be good to know what to do in case someone got hurt.” So, for ten dollars, he spent two nights a week taking the class with no intention of making it his career.
After finishing the EMT class, Courtney went back to working as a mechanic with his dad. He didn’t think much more about the class until a few months later when the EMT director called and asked if he wanted a job. He agreed. The EMS was still pretty new in the area, and he was able to work part-time with that and still work with his dad. When he couldn’t do both, he became a full-time EMT. Later, when the director who hired Courtney left, he applied for the position. He has been the director for 42 years now.
Being part of emergency services is a highly demanding job, and you have to do it for the love of it, Courtney explained. “Many times, it's just two medics, working as a team to take care of folks out in the community. Unlike if you’re in the hospital where you’ve got a whole team of respiratory nurses, physicians, and equipment. While most of the calls are routine, some of them are very dramatic and challenging. The skill sets of your team make a big difference.”
Things have changed dramatically since his career began. “Whether it was a car crash, stroke, or heart attack, our job was to get people to the hospital so they could diagnose the issue. Then the team at the hospital would take over,” Courtney recalled. Nowadays, there is much that can be diagnosed on the way to the hospital. “If a patient complains of chest pains, we can do a 12 lead EKG on them, and if need be, take them directly to the catheterization (cath) lab. If they get there quick enough, the patient can walk out of the front door with no heart damage whatsoever. If it’s an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a type of heart attack, we are sometimes able to do something about it.”
Courtney adds that statistics have shown that diagnosis and treatment from EMS often can reduce a patient's hospital stay by an average of two days.
“It’s quite a bizarre feeling to have someone die and see them walking around town just a little while later. I have watched a friend go home the next day,” Courtney explained. “About a week later, I saw him walking around in the grocery store, picking out his own groceries, and carrying them to the car. It can be a bit bizarre at times."
Courtney stays on top of the latest medical advances, leads the coordination of education of emergency medical technicians, as well as the education of key community organizations. He is also a highly motivated advocate for personnel who work in emergency medical services, which has a high turnover rate due to increased stress and low pay.
According to Courtney, one of the reasons for losing so many EMTs is a lack of leadership training.
“Directors know how to be medics, but they often don’t know how to lead. They don’t know conflict resolution and how to run a business,” he said. He saw a way to improve that situation. Courtney worked with Russ Toll from the Public Health College at Georgia Southern University to develop the Georgia EMS Leadership Program, a leadership training curriculum. The four-week curriculum program also teaches directors how to create and maintain a budget and work with county commissioners and other community entities. The program has shown success over the past ten years it has been in effect.
In his East Central Georgia Health Coalition role, he helps create plans for flu and other outbreaks of diseases. Even before the latest pandemic, Courtney coordinated with the hospital administrator and respiratory therapists to train nurses and EMTs to learn to use ventilators in case the time came when their help was needed.
“We needed our nurses and EMTs to learn how to use ventilators. We needed respiratory to train them. They needed to know how to assist.” He was right. “Pretty much everything we talked about and prepared for has happened in the past two years,” he said.
More recently, Courtney was instrumental in obtaining a grant to Emanuel Medical Center from the Georgia Trauma Commission to improve trauma care in rural Georgia. “This gives us the opportunity to lead in the development of a true system of care for critically injured people in all of rural Georgia.
In October 2021, Courtney accepted the new position of Emanuel County Public Safety Coordinator. While he continues his role as the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator and grant manager at the hospital, he now spends most of his time coordinating the improvement of the Emanuel County Fire and Rescue department.
“In my role as the EMS Director, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest people in the world. This new role gives me the opportunity to continue to work with great people who place the needs of their community before their own,” Courtney said.
Courtney credits his success to his family and others. “I have lived a blessed life. I have enjoyed the support of my wife and children, the hospital leadership, the medical staff, and the County leadership. Most important to my success is the support of the EMS staff and now all the fire fighters in Emanuel County. I appreciate the support and friendship of all these friends.”
DANIELS
•CHEVROLET• A Swainsboro Institution
The Fourth Generation of Daniels Manage the Family Business that Started in 1926
STORY BY JOHN RIDDLE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DANIELS CHEVROLET
In 1926, Marlow Daniels opened a general store in Twin City that sold everything from caskets to cars. Little did he know that the small business he started then would still be around in 2021 with a fourth generation of Daniels at the helm. While they haven't sold caskets for many years, they are still selling cars from the same location he moved the business to in 1945.
Marlow's son, Arthur Daniels, became a partner in 1939. Arthur's son, Richard “Dickie” Daniels, joined his father and grandfather in the business after college. Today, Richard's three sons, Richard, Ed, and Sam Daniels, preside over the business that celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2021.
Richard, Dealer Principal and President of Daniels Chevrolet, feels a great sense of pride in carrying on the family business. “I have a great sense of pride and accomplishment to still be a part of our family's business after 95 years,” he said. “I know our Dad would be very proud, and I doubt he would believe that the business he taught us would last and be looking toward our 100th anniversary in a few years.”
Daniels Chevrolet is not stuck in the past or resting on its laurels as they approach their 100th anniversary in a few years though. Just as they sold the first cars with air-conditioning and automatic transmissions when they added the Oldsmobile line years ago, Richard says that they will be investing in electric vehicles in the near future.
At the core of any business with this longevity must be customer service. “We very much care about our friends and customers,” Richard explained. In fact, it’s that dedication and their belief that “…you must believe that your dealership does more than sell cars and trucks” that earned them the highest award a dealer can earn from Chevrolet in 1998.
And even though this is a great milestone for Daniels Chevrolet, Richard says that nothing will change regarding how they do business. “Our 96th anniversary will be business as usual – taking care of customers and helping our friends and fellow citizens.”
[OPPOSITE TOP] Richard, Ed, and Sam Daniels are the fourth generation of Daniels to manage the family business that began as a general store in Twin City in 1926.
[OPPOSITE BOTTOM LEFT & MIDDLE]
The dealership moved to its current location in 1945. [BOTTOM RIGHT] Four generations of Daniels who have been part of Daniels Chevrolet. (from right) Marlow, Arthur (Marlow’s son), Richard “Dickie” (Arthur’s son), Richard’s three sons, Sam (in Richard’s arms), Richard, and Ed.
Recipes by KATHY PALMER | Photos by MARK WILLIAMS STUDIO
SouthernEvenings
KATHY PALMER
is known for her hospitality and recipes. She was gracious enough to share both for the "Southern Evenings" buffet. We're so glad she did! The hardest part was waiting until after the photo shoot to taste the dishes. Here, she shares some of those recipes so you can use them at your next gathering. Bon Appétit!
Shrimp Salad
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. raw shrimp in shell 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt 1 pound box small shelf pasta 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 1/2 cup purple onion, finally chopped 1/2 teaspoons dried dill Kraft Miracle Whip Salad Dressing Hellman’s Mayonnaise
DIRECTIONS
• To cook shrimp in shell for optimum flavor: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and drain shrimp. Spread in even layer on parchment paper on baking sheet.
Sprinkle with olive oil and garlic salt.
Toss. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just done, turning half way through. Cool shrimp just enough to handle, peel and devein. Do not overcook. Overcooking makes shrimp hard to shell. • Cut shrimp into bite size pieces. Save about three nice whole shrimp to decorate top of salad. • Cook pasta according to package directions. • Using a large bowl, while pasta is hot, add chopped shrimp, onion, celery, and dried dill. • Using a one to one ratio, add a combination of Miracle Whip and mayonnaise to dress salad to your desired amount of dressing. It takes at least 3/4 cup of each. Using both varieties adds a complimentary balance of tastes to the food. Add salt and pepper to taste. • Eat immediately or refrigerate until served.
Pesto
Description of dish?
INGREDIENTS
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves 1 clove garlic 1/2 cup good grade olive oil 1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
• Using the food processor, add all ingredients except salt and pepper. Process until mixture is consistency desired. If too thick, add a little more olive oil. • Taste before seasoning with salt and pepper. The Parmesan can be salty so pesto may require little to no extra salt • To store, pour a small amount of olive oil over top.
Refrigerate.
Easy Pesto Yeast Rolls
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm water-with one tablespoon removed: should be about 100-110 degrees. 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 large egg, beaten 2 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons pesto 4 cups bread flour (can use all purpose or half of each) • In a large bowl or mixer bowl, add warm water, yeast, and honey. Mix and allow to “bloom” for about ten minutes. Add in salt, egg, olive oil, and pesto. • Mix in flour. • Place dough in a large bowl greased with olive oil.
Turn dough to coat with the olive oil. Cover and let rise until it collapses-about two hours. • When collapsed, divide into 16 balls. Put balls in a greased (olive oil) nine inch round pan. Let dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350. • Thin 1 tablespoon of pesto with olive oil and gently brush tops of rolls. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until done. • Eat warm with extra pesto for spreading or make sandwiches.
To use for sandwiches, split rolls, spread pesto on one side, your favorite mayonnaise on the other. Add cheese of your choice and smoked turkey, chicken, pork or beef. Serve warm or room temperature.
Party Basil Tomato Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
White thin sliced sandwich bread Fresh tomatoes, peeled and sliced Kraft Miracle Whip Salad Dressing Fresh basil leaves Salt Medium coarsely ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
• These are open-faced party sandwiches. • Using a round biscuit cutter, cut bread slices into circles. Generously spread with Kraft
Miracle Whip; top each with tomato slice.
Sprinkle tomato slices lightly with salt and pepper. Cut basil leaves into thin strips and sprinkle over tomatoes.
Serve at room temp. • (Using the specific brand called for results in a balance of flavors between sweet and acidic that gives these sandwiches their special flavor.)
Butch Parrish’s Margarita
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ oz Tanteo Chipotle Tequila 1 oz Triple Sec 1 ½ oz Fig Syrup 1 ½ oz Sweet & Sour Mix Equal parts water, sugar, fig preserves.
DIRECTIONS
• Combine and stir. Serve over ice.
FOOD & RECIPES White Russian Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 3/4 cup butter, room temperature 3 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 cup Vodka 1/4 cup Kahlua
DIRECTIONS
• Preheat oven to 350. • Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla, Vodka and Kahlua. Mix well. • Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together.
Stir into other ingredients just until mixed. • Bake in muffin pans for 18 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
Makes 36 regular sized cupcakes. If making bite-sized cupcakes, bake 10 minutes. • Serve or cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
KAHLUA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 cup butter, room temperature 5-6 cups confectioners sugar, sifted 1/2 cup Kahlua
• Whip butter. Add confectioners sugar and begin adding Kahlua until frosting reaches proper consistency. • Use to frost cupcakes. This is enough frosting to use a decorator frosting treatment. • Cupcakes freeze well.
Story by JOHN RIDDLE
BISCUITS SYRUP A SOUTHERN TRADITION&
Photo by Tanya Lane
RUSTY LANE’S BISCUITS AND
COOPER HENRY’S CANE SYRUP
are a well-known combination in and around Emanuel County. Mr. Rusty shares his biscuit recipe and baking tips and while Cooper Henry won’t give up his secrets to making cane syrup, he does share his passion for his family’s tradition. So, to enjoy this mouthwatering combination, you can try your hand at making Mr. Rusty’s biscuits and at getting your hands on a bottle of Cooper Henry’s syrup. You’ll be glad you did!
MR. RUSTY’S BISCUITS
INGREDIENTS: MAKES APPROXIMATELY 8 - 10 BISCUITS Self-Rising Flour - 2 cups Buttermilk - 1 cup Salted Butter - 1 stick
DIRECTIONS • Preheat oven to 550 degrees • Take a small amount of soften butter and wipe down the bottom of baking pan. • Preparing the mixture: Begin by pouring buttermilk and flour in a mixing bowl. Then put the butter in the microwave for approx. 10-15 seconds or until softened. Take a knife and slice the butter into several thin pieces and add to mixture. • With your hands, thoroughly mix all ingredients. After mixing, wash hands and dry well.
FORMING THE DOUGH: Pour approximately 2 cups of flour into another bowl. You will need to thoroughly coat your hands and fingers with flour. Once you have coated your hands well, you will start forming the mixture into a big roll of dough. With your hands, begin working the dough on the outer edge of the bowl toward the middle. At the very slightest sign of the dough sticking to your hands, you will need to flour your hands again and again and again as you work the dough. The main objective of this stage is to form the dough into a big roll so that you can pull off the smaller pieces to form the biscuits.
Making Biscuits: Your hands should still be coated with flour when you start this process! To begin, simply pull off a piece of dough and flatten it in your hand. Once you have the shape and size that you want, put it on the baking pan. Repeat this process until all the dough has been used. Again during this process, you will likely flour your hands several times.
COOKING: Place the biscuit pan on the bottom rack of the oven for approximately 5 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Remove from oven. Then place the oven on broil. While the oven is adjusting to broil, you should melt a small amount of butter in a small bowl or coffee cup. Using a spoon, coat the top of each biscuit with the melted butter. Return to the oven and leave approximately 3 minutes or until the tops are brown. Once done, let cool for approximately 3 minutes and then…EAT THEM!
Photo by Tanya Lane
Photo by Zebe Durden
COOPER HENRY AND SYRUP MAKING GO WAY BACK. He remembers fondly helping his grandfather make syrup. Cooper started his own syrup making tradition around 1989. And, while the actual syrup making is a shorter and more intense process that takes constant attention the cane growing and preparation process is a year-round effort.
“There are certain things that about growing the cane, like what you feed it, that affects the final product,” Cooper shared. However, he won’t share what those things are.
Cooper, a farmer, starts the syrup making process after crops are gathered. Cane must be gathered before the first freeze. According to Cooper, it takes ten gallons of cane juice to make one gallon of syrup.
It’s hard to tell whether Cooper is more fond of the syrup or the process – or maybe it’s the fact that he’s carrying on a family tradition. Just as he helped his grandfather, he involves his grandchildren also by letting them help feed the cane mill that grinds the cane and produces the juice.
Either way, folks who have tasted Cooper Henry’s syrup are just glad he does it. There is a long list of friends, neighbors, and family members who want a bottle every year way before the syrup making process begins. And, with his sons and grandchildren involved it seems that at least someone in the Henry family will be carrying on the family tradition for a few more generations. Here’s hoping!
Arts & CULTURE Backroads RIDING
THE ART OF BARN HUNTING
BARN HUNTER CAL AVERY spends many days riding the backroads, looking for that “object or scene” that “will catch my eye.” Though his range of interest is broad, from landscapes to cityscapes, old buildings to waterfalls, flowers to animals, he decided, upon retirement, that he needed a primary focus. And he was led to barns by the photos of Alabama photographer Gary McDaniel, a Facebook friend and “the best barn photographer I knew.” He created his Facebook page The Barn Hunter in 2014 and is “humbled and grateful” that it has grown from four-five hundred followers in its first year to more than twelve thousand.
I’VE NEVER BEEN ON BEFORE.”
A retired educator who spent 21 years at Swainsboro Middle School and a resident of Swainsboro since 1959, Avery and his wife, Marisue, “live in the house she was raised in.” Though his serious pursuit of photography began on their 30th anniversary trip to Oregon, his passion is capturing and sharing the beauty of his county and region. To that end, he describes "The Barn Hunter" page as “a place that you can enjoy and forget about the cares of the world for a while. We are constantly bombarded with things of this world every day. So, when you come here, I invite you to kick off your shoes and relax. Pour yourself a glass of sweet tea, grab a rocking chair, and enjoy the views.”
Accordingly, for Avery, the beauty of the Emanuel County countryside is hardly limited to the subjects of his photographs: “You just never know what's around the next curve or over the next hill. Some days I see a lot of things to photograph, and some days I see very little. The worst thing that happens is I've had a nice relaxing ride in the country. Many times someone is home, and I get to meet some really nice folks." Seldom operating with more than a general idea of the area he intends to cover or a route he intends to travel, he often ends up “somewhere I didn’t have in mind to go” as a result of taking roads that “look interesting.” As Avery explains, “I love riding backroads I’ve never been on before.”
Arts & CULTURE
The Barn Hunter collection asserts that beauty is ours for the finding. Avery acknowledges having, over the years, driven past many of the barns he later photographed without noticing them. And only when photography taught him to be truly mindful of his surroundings did the full beauty of Emanuel County begin to present itself. This theme is very much in line with his stated purpose: “to have a record of old structures that won’t be with us forever; to bring back fond memories of days gone by; and to inspire others, whether they have a camera or not, to ride the back roads and see what’s around the next curve or over the next hill.” Those who are adventurous and mindful enough to find beauty earn the privilege of sharing it.
Recently, Avery has begun posting photographs from his trips to Ireland, where he and Marisue visit their son Will and their grandchildren, Arlo and Asher. Between his followers who would love to visit Ireland, those who have left Ireland for the USA, and those with Irish ancestry, the photos "have been received very well." One difference in the Ireland photos is their concentration on the landscape rather than old wooden structures. Avery explains that in the Irish countryside, "there are no old wooden structures. All the old outbuildings are made of stone. Sometimes they are nice in a landscape photo, but to me, they don't have the character of our wooden structures." However, he adds, “the Irish coastline, the mountains, the valleys, are just awesome on their own, especially when I can capture all the different shades of green. Sometimes in a landscape, there may be four or five different shades of green.”
As far as photography, Avery has three pieces of advice. First, take photos. When his son recommended that he put aside his point-andshoot camera for a DSLR, he also told him that “the secret to getting a good photo is to take a lot of them.” Avery estimates that, despite usually keeping only one or two of them, he may take upwards of a dozen photos of a single barn "from different angles at different settings.” Second, make friends with photographers on social media. As a member of "probably 30 photo groups," he has found that, "the people in those groups are always willing to answer questions and give advice when asked for it." And third, "develop your own style. Don't try to copy what someone else does. Be yourself. It's your art."
Arts & CULTURE
TALK OF THE TOWN
Barb Moore, Daisy Reeves, Jean Schwabe, Denny Key, Jim Roberts, Greg Bennett, Erica Teamer, John Parker, Lea Ann Williams, Charles Schwabe, Rita Faulkner, Kenny Griffin, Syvetta Young, Jacquie Brasher, Cason DeVane, Mark Lillquist, Gloria Mason, John Parker, John Derden, Imogene Buckley, Gail Ware, Lynn Brinson, Carol Parrish, Larry Calhoun, Neil Shah, Willie Butler, Desmal Purcell, Alan Brasher, Carmine & Jessica Palumbo and their children, Virginia and Robert.
The Emanuel Arts Council held an Open House and Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, for The Barbara & Tobe Karrh Community Arts Center. The center will feature live performances, arts and culture education, and exhibits. It is also the new home for the offices of the Emanuel Arts Council. The opening exhibit featured artist Neil Kalmanson. The center is located on 109 North Green Street in downtown Swainsboro.
1 2
3 4
5 6 7
8 9
1. Daisy Reeves, Imogene Buckley, Carol Parrish 2. Anna Torrance, Ken Warnock, Donna Haddock 3. Jacquie Brasher, Denny Key 4. Rita Faulkner, Erica Teamer, Lea Ann Williams 5. Desmal Purcell, Gloria Mason, Mark Lillquist 6. Sandra McCuen, Loraine Frederick, Heather Townsend 7. Barb Moore, Jean Schwabe 8. Greg Bennett, Neil Shah, Charles Schwabe 9. Kenny Griffin, Cason DeVane, Larry Calhoun, Jim Roberts
TALK OF THE TOWN
Cason DeVane of Swainsboro Supply
INDUSTRY APPRECIATION Golf Classic
The 28th Annual Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce Industry Appreciation Golf Classic was held Oct. 28, 2021, to show appreciation for existing industry.. The four-man-scramble format was held at the Swainsboro Country Club. Industry winning teams: 1st Place - Handi House Manufacturing; 2nd Place - America Knits; 3rd Place - Crider Foods. Non-Industry winning teams: 1st Place – Southern Landscape Management; 2nd Place – Bulloch First; 3rd Place – Pineland Communications.
1 2 3
4 5
7 8 6
9
10 11 12
1. Handi House: PO Youmans, Mark Jordan, Scott Livingston, Bailey Sause 2. America Knits: Brock Hooks, Pratt Hill, Ike Hubbard, Walker Hill 3. Crider: Steve Wilson, Jessie Hadden, Aaron Schoeneberger, Jeff Wiemers 4. Southern Landscape Management: Kyle Hammock, Brad Hall, Mack Waller,
Matthew Waller 5. Bulloch First: Wes Simmons, Zac Frye, Jason Farmer, Clay Price 6. Pineland: Bobby Crooms, Dustin Durden, Michael Cardell, Steven Snell 7. Emanuel Medical Center: Thomas Hanners, Cassidy Johnson, Tony Waters, Luke Waters 8. Swainsboro Supply: Chuck Canady, Eric Wheeler, Cason DeVane,
Cleve Edenfield 9. Interfor: Michael Terry, Darrell Edenfield, Rusty Bailey, Randall Smith 10. Citizens Bank: Butch Parrish, Minton Hester, Milton Gray, Bill Simmons 11. Ponce Electric: Harrison Pitts, Chris Cann, Bill Ponce, Dustin Everett 12. East Georgia Healthcare Center: Paul Dorsett, Kyle Cannady, Mark Haddock,
Peyton Frye
TALK OF THE TOWN
2021 MISS PINE TREE FESTIVAL: Bralie Dorsey MISS PINE TREE FESTIVAL pageant
PHOTOS BY SOUTHERN SIMPLICITY PHOTOGRAPHY
Thanks to all who supported this Rotary Club of Swainsboro fundraiser and made it a great success! Congratulations to each and every contestant! Teen Miss and Miss contestants are required to sign contracts after the pageant is complete to move them forward to the Miss Georgia Forestry Pageant in June. Due to prior obligations, Caroline Mason was unable to fulfill her duties and relinquished her crown and scholarship to the 1st Runner Up, Bralie Dorsey. The new 2021 Miss Pine Tree Festival is Bralie Dorsey.
MISS: Winner: Caroline Mason 1st runner up: Bralie Dorsey, 2nd runner up: Lily Womack, 3rd runner up: Ami Scott; 4th runner up: Bailey Davis TEEN MISS: Winner: Karoline Brooke Kettles 1st runner up: Lillie Rebecca Worthington; 2nd runner up: Ayla Marie Thompson; 3rd runner up: Layla Bosche; 4th runner up: Anna Smith Willoughby
TEEN MISS: Caroline Kettles
YOUNG MISS: Winner- Bayli Laura Altman; 1st runner up: Tinley Brooke Switzer; 2nd runner up: Bristol Dorsey; 3rd runner up: Alivia Moore; 4th runner up: Rayleigh Layne Faircloth
TINY MISS: Winner: Madelyn Olivia Braddy; 1st runner upo: Sarah Laine Coxwell; 2nd runner up: Lanie Jo Branch; 3rd runner up: Brystal Shepard; 4th runner up: Cambryn Dessie Sapp JUNIOR MISS: Winner: Anna Claire Tanner; 1st runner up: Chanlee Youmans; 2nd runner up: Sailor Kate Monroe; 3rd runner up: Lexa GeorgeAnna Jukes; 4th runner up: Mary Katherine Durden
LITTLE MISS: Winner: Hadley Hobbs; 1st runner up: Lilah Riner; 2nd runner up: Jacie Shepard; 3rd runner up: Neriah Young; 4th runner up: Paris Howard
WEE MISS: Winner: Everly Green; 1st runner up: Braylee Jade Williams; 2nd runner up: Kennalyn Jean Marsh; 3rd runner up: Presley Blake Peebles; 4th runner up: Lainey Emersyn Bass
TODDLER MISS: Winner: Hensley Daniel; 1st runner up: Kennedi Jae McCloud; 2nd runner up: Oaklyn Grace Fultz; 3rd runner up: Addy Lane Lewis; 4th runner up: Havilah Grace Moran BABY MISS: Winner: Renleigh MeCay Hendrix; 1st runner upL: Mary Catherine Jordan; 2nd runner up: Leona Rewis; 3rd runner up: Hadleigh Elizabeth McClendon; 4th runner up: Sailor Brinson
ADVERTISER’s INDEX
92 52 23 30 35 38 56 36 30 45 93 76 93 7 BC IBC IFC, 70 77 24 92 55 92 77 1 40 51 5 80 89 88 93 62 3 89 88 80 76 88 48 Big Dog Lending Central Fence Company Citizens Bank City of Swainsboro City of Twin City Crider Foods Custom Furniture & Flooring Daniels Chevrolet Downtown Development Authority Durden Bank Durden-Hudson Funeral Directors East Georgia Center for Oral & Facial Surgery East Georgia Health Care East Georgia State College Emanuel County Commissioners Emanuel County Development Authority Emanuel Medical Center Georgia Dermatology Georgia Eye Clinic Handi-House Interfor Jab-O Metals Josh Tucker Law Mark Williams Studio Parrish Pest Management Persons Banking Company Pine Tree Festival Pineland Telephone Company Pinetucky Meats Queensborough Bank Southeastern Technical College Southern Traditions Floral & Gifts
Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce Swainsboro Supply The George's Flower Shop TLC Children's Services Willow Pond Senior Care Wren's Southern Ladies & Gents Yeomans & Associates bigdoglending.com centralfenceco.com cbs-lc.com cityofswainsboro.org twincityga.com criderfoods.com customfurnitureflooring.com danielschev.com cityofswainsboro.org durdenbc.com durden-hudsonfuneraldirectors.com eastgeorgiaoralsurgery.com eghc.org ega.edu emanuelco-ga.gov emanuelchamber.org emanuelmedical.org gaderm.com georgieeyeclinic.com handihouse.com interfor.com jabometals.com joshtuckerlaw.com markwilliamsstudio.com
personsbankingcompany.com
pineland.net pinetuckycountrymeats.com qnbtrust.bank southeasterntech.edu southerntraditionsfloral.com emanuelchamber.org
thegeorgesflowers.com tlcchildrenservices.com georgialivingseniorcare.com shopwrens.com
PLEASE THANK THESE ADVERTISERS FOR MAKING THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE! SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES AND BUY LOCAL.
