Statesboro Magazine Sept./Oct. 2017 by Statesboro Magazine

September October 2017

Priceless

Josh D. Tucker

& Justice for All

2017 The Write Place

Bet the Farm

AG is Big Business!

A Gem

of a Story The 3 Ladies of Bernardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jewelers

All About Bulloch

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FROM THE EDITOR Established March 1, 2000

Jenny Starling Foss Editor

Just as the weather cools down a bit and the first few leaves start to change color, our thoughts turn to fall and all the great celebrations in Bulloch County. In addition to championship football, we get to enjoy the Portal Turpentine Festival, The Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair, The International Festival, First Baptist Church’s Fall Festival, Scare on the Square, The Write Place Festival, Shopping by Lantern Light and the Turkey Trot in downtown Statesboro. Wow! So many awesome events. The Statesboro Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce’s Agribusiness Committee has three great events planned just in time for harvest season. You can get a run down on the Farm/ City Week festivities and nominations for the Farmer/Farm Family of the Year with our story beginning on page 28. There will be plenty more events happening fall 2018 when Bulloch residents will get to see The Dream Realized (story page 20), of a new Premier Agricultural Arena just off of U.S. Highway 301 South at Langston Chapel Road. Inside we get an update from the committee responsible for spearheading the drive to have the long-awaited facility completed. In this issue we also catch-up with local attorney Josh Tucker. Here’s an interesting story - his great-grandfather, L. C. Anderson, was mayor of Metter at age 28 and began the family legacy of helping those who seek justice. Learn more about Tucker’s perseverance and success in his story, Justice for All. When good fortune falls on friends, it is especially sweet. Three ladies that are true gems have inherited Bernard’s Jewelers from Bulloch legend Bernard Olliff and are following their own dream of expanding the legacy of golden customer service and heirloom quality jewelry. They’ll be opening a second store soon in the Market District. That gives us one more celebration to attend! Hope you have the chance to get out and experience some of the many amusements coming our way this fall. The cooler weather makes it a perfect time to enjoy them all!

Joe McGlamery Publisher

Hunter McCumber Art Director

Erica Sellers Advertising & Marketing Director

Frank Fortune Contributing Photographer Statesboro Magazine is proudly produced by:

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE E-MAIL: esellers@StatesboroMagazine.com FOR EDITORIAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE E-MAIL: editor@StatesboroMagazine.com MAILING ADDRESS: PHYSICAL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 1084 16 Simmons Statesboro, GA Shopping Center 30459 Statesboro, GA 30458 p: 912.489.2181 f: 912.489.8613

September October 2017

Priceless

JOSH D. TUC

& JUSTICE FORKER ALL

Jenny Foss, Editor

2017 THE WRITE PLAC E

BET THE

FARM AG IS BIG BUSIN ESS!

A GEM

of a Story THE 3 LADIES OF BERNAR D’S JEWELERS

March/April 2016 • 45

Proud publishers of Statesboro Magazine, Weddings by Statesboro Magazine, and GSU’s official football program – FLIGHT!

4 • Statesboro Magazine

Featured Contributors Frank Fortune Frank is the national award winning freelance photographer who holds the distinction of shooting 18 years’ worth of covers for Statesboro Magazine. He retired from Georgia Southern after having been responsible for capturing the University’s history on film and video for 30 years. Throughout his career Frank’s enjoyed all aspects of photography, including sports, still-life, landscape, and architecture. He and his wife, Mandy, are the proud parents of teens, Jack and Cate.

Tormenta FC Drew Fellios is a Play-by-Play Announcer for ESPN and serves as the “Voice of Tormenta FC.” Over the past two decades, Fellios has worked for four different news organizations as a sports reporter/anchor, as well as a regional sports network announcer. He is a game voice for football,

basketball, baseball, volleyball and soccer on the ESPN family of networks

artners in

rogress

To promote a better, healthier and happier community, Statesboro Magazine is

and is also the primary voice for the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Florida. For the past year, Fellios, along with the Multi-Media Development Center at Georgia Southern University, has had a major role in broadcasting Eagle sports regularly on ESPN 3.

TRUE Blue From Eagle Nation is a column brought to you by Georgia Southern University, where we cherish our place in the larger Statesboro community. In each issue, we hope to bring interesting and informative stories to the readers of Statesboro Magazine. Doy Cave is the Marketing Content Manager in the Office of Marketing and Communications at the University, and resides with his family in Statesboro.

forming partnerships with those organizations of our community who are dedicated to providing valuable services to the people of Statesboro and Bulloch County. Call Erica Sellers at 912.489.9488 to learn how your organization can become one of our Partners in Progress.

SPIRITUAL PATHWAYS Bill Perry grew up in Live Oak, Florida, a small town just south of Valdosta, GA. After graduating from Stetson University, he earned three degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2004, he retired as pastor of First Baptist Church of Statesboro after serving that congregation for 22 years. He and his wife, Margaret, registrar of Statesboro High School before her retirement in 2005, have two daughters, five grandsons, and one granddaughter. Bill has been very much involved in community life in Statesboro. He is an avid reader and has been a runner since 1973.

THE VIEW FROM HERE Ric Mandes, a popular essayist, retired after 27 years as Director of Public Relations and Development for Georgia Southern. His memories about growing up and living in South Georgia inspire his writings. He’s a published author and former newspaper columnist for the AJC.

September/October 2017 • 5

the Fourth aNNual

statesboro MagaziNeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fabulous Favorites

Make Your NoMiNatioNs startiNg NoveMber 1, 2017 aNd top 5 votiNg starts deceMber 1, 2017 WiNNers aNNouNced iN our March/april issue! www.statesboromagazine.com/fabulist

Contents THE CULTURE Precious Jewels The Ladies at Bernard’s Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune ��

Justice for All Josh D. Tucker, P.C. Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune ��

2017 Write Place Festival Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography Supplied ��

From the Farm The Dream Realized Bulloch’s Premier Agricultural Arena Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune ��

Sowing the Seeds of Prosperity Statesboro/Bulloch Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee Promotes Area’s Largest Industry

14 Special Sections

Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune ��

IN EVERY ISSUE From the Editor ��

Calendar of Events ��

From the Farm | Agribusiness ��

News & Notes ��

Real Estate ��

Look Around ��

Autumn Festivals ��

Transitions ��

Circulation Statesboro Magazine is published bi-monthly (six issues a year) at a $20.00 annual subscription rate by Statesboro Publishing Company, Inc. Standard postage paid at Statesboro, GA. To subscribe, email Statesboro Magazine Editor, Jenny Foss at jfoss@StatesboroMagazine.com or call 912.489.2181. The cover and contents of Statesboro Magazine are fully protected by copyright laws of the United States and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Statesboro Magazine. We are not responsible for loss of unsolicited inquiries, manuscripts, photographs, transparencies or other materials. Such materials will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. Address letters and editorial contributions to Statesboro Magazine, P.O. Box 1084, Statesboro, GA 30459. Copyright © 2016/2017 by Statesboro Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

FEATURED COLUMNISTS Tormenta FC Written by Drew Fellios ��

True Blue Written by Doy Cave ��

53 55

The Spiritual Pathway Written by Rev. Dr. H. William Perry ��

The View from Here Written by Ric Mandes ��

September/October 2017 • 7

September Sunday

monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Main Street Farmers Market Every Saturday

Friday

Saturday

F1rst Friday

Farmers Market

Taste of Downtown

9:00 AM – 12:30 PM

5:30 – 8:00 PM

Every Saturday

Downtown Statesboro

Charlie Olliff Square Downtown Statesboro

9 AM-12:30 PM Charlie Olliff Square Downtown

Labor Day

A Day for Southern

Sept. 7 - 9

Parents’ Night Out

Guys & Dolls

5:30 – 8 PM

6 PM

7:30 PM

Roxie Remley Center

Paulson Stadium

Emma Kelly Theater

for Fine Art

GS vs New Hampshire

Caroline Leavitt

Harbuck Scholarship

Shenandoah

Best-Selling Author

9th Annual Reading

30th Anniversary Tour

7:00 PM

7:00 – 9:00 PM

7:30 PM PAC

IT Building Rm 1005

IT Building RM 1005

Georgia Southern

One of These Nights:

Music of the Eagles

7:30 PM

8:00 PM

Emma Kelly Theater

Emma Kelly Theater Taylor 2 Paul Taylor Dance Company 7:30 PM Whitaker Black Box Theater

Georgia Southern

Georgia Artist

Symphony

50th Anniversary

3:00 – 4:30 PM

Exhibition Opening

PAC

GA Artist Gallery Center for Art & Theater Georgia Southern

8 • Statesboro Magazine

October Sunday 1

monday 2

Tuesday 3

Wednesday 4

Thursday 5

Friday

Saturday

GS vs Arkansas State

F1rst Friday

A Tribute to Mayberry

8 PM

Ag Night Out

7:30 PM

Paulson Stadium

5:30 – 8:00 PM

Emma Kelly Theater

Downtown Statesboro

Columbus Day

Musical Legacy of

of Sleepy Hollow

6 PM

Chicago 7:30 PM

7:30 PM

Paulson Stadium

PAC

Whitaker Black Box

Georgia Southern

Theater

The Legend

Oct. 20 & 21

Paint a Pumpkin

of Sleepy Hollow

Mansfield Park

1:00 – 4:00 PM

7:30 PM

Roxie Remley Center

Whitaker Black Box

Emma Kelly Theater

for Fine Arts

Oct. 27 & 28

Scare on the Square

Rocky Horror

4:30 – 8:30 PM

Picture Show

Downtown Statesboro

Brass Transit: The

The Legend

GS vs New Mexico

Theater

7:30 PM Emma Kelly Theater

September/October 2017 • 9

News & Notes

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The Johnson Firm, P.C. Attorneys & Counselors

Y O U H AV E A C H O I C E Attorney Francys Johnson

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Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, Walking Humbly. — Micah 6:8

Blue Mile Foundation Receives ABC Contest Winnings Totaling Over $1 Million The board of directors of the Averitt Center for the Arts, along with executive director Jamie Grady, were recently able to present a check for over $1 million to the Blue Mile Foundation. The money represented the cash prize won by Statesboro during the America’s Best Communities competition which ended in April 2017. To be eligible for the contest, the Statesboro ABC committee had to apply through a community non-profit organization. The Averitt Center’s board of directors voted two years ago to assist the ABC committee by offering to serve as the host organization through which the contest entry could be made. When Statesboro was announced as the third place winner in April, funds were presented to the host organization by the contest sponsors, Frontier Communications, Dish Network, CoBank, and the Weather Channel. The Averitt Center’s board served as stewards for the funds until a non-profit foundation could be formed by the Blue Mile committee. The contest entry prepared by the Statesboro ABC committee focused on the revitalization of a section of U.S. Highway 301 between the main entrance to Georgia Southern University and the intersections of Main Streets downtown. Measuring approximately one mile, the stretch of roadway was dubbed “The Blue Mile.” Now the newly formed non-profit Blue Mile Foundation will be in charge of community development and planning how the funds will be distributed throughout the long term project.

Grammy-winning Country Music Band Shenandoah To Play Georgia Southern’s Performing Arts Center

Striking Out Alzheimer’s Tournament Raises $25,105 This summer the 6th Annual Miriam Burnette Memorial Striking Out Alzheimer’s Softball Tournament raised a record breaking $25,105 from local teams who participated in the tournament. Funds were also gathered through ticket sales, concessions, sponsorships, raff le tickets, T-shirt sales and donations. This year’s tournament proceeds topped last year’s donation by $3,155. Standing on a pitcher’s mound after the tournament, local organizers Darron Burnette, Burnette’s family and Chandler Dennard were able to present a check for $25,105 to Angel Carter of the Coastal Georgia Alzheimer’s Association. Striking Out Alzheimer’s and another popular fundraiser hosted by Burnette and Dennard during January, Rocking Out Alzheimer’s, combined have raised over $250,000 for research, awareness, and a cure for the debilitating disease which claimed the life of Burnette’s mother Miriam in 2011.

10 • Statesboro Magazine

The Performing Arts Center at Georgia Southern is excited to present famed country music band Shenandoah for the opening performance of the PAC 2017-2018 season on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Formed in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Shenandoah is touring this season in celebration of their 30th anniversary. The Grammywinning group is famous for hit singles such as “Two Dozen Roses,” “The Church on Cumberland Road,” “Next to Me, Next to You,” and “Sunday in the South.” Their beautiful duet with Alison Kraus, “Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart,” won a Country Music Association Award for Vocal Event of the Year and a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group. On this special anniversary tour, original members Marty Raybon and Mike McGuire reunite to launch a new chapter in the band’s storied career, and will be playing all of the great songs that provided the foundation for their success. Known for delivering songs that celebrate the importance of family while reveling in the joys of small town life, Shenandoah presents the perfect concert to kick off the Performing Arts Center’s season here in Statesboro. For ticket information visit the PAC Box Office in person Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or purchase tickets over the phone at 912-478-7999 or online at www.georgiasouthern.edu/pac.

Higher Education Regional Strategy for Southeast Georgia’s Workforce

Georgia Grown 301 Trail Gets New Push Representatives from eight southeast Georgia counties: Bulloch, Screven, Evans, Tattnall, Long, Wayne, Brantley and Charlton met recently to refocus efforts on marketing the Georgia Grown 301 Trail, an initiative created by the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism division to focus on the promotion of Agri-tourism products, events and attractions along U.S. Highway 301 throughout Southeast Georgia. The purpose of the plan is to promote tourism on the 301 corridor which includes miles of rural landscapes, historic small towns, agricultural operations, family owned and centennial farms, U-Pick farms, farm stands, fairs, festivals, state parks, farm to table restaurants, and other establishments that preserve and share local recipes and farming traditions. “The designation already exists so now we’re looking at reviving the core initiative and consistently marketing it to the public on a greater scale. We want tourists to choose Highway 301 when traveling. We want them staying in our Statesboro hotels, shopping in our stores and eating in our restaurants,” said Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau executive director, Becky Davis. “Bulloch County offers many unique Agri-tourism opportunities that give motorists a reason to stop and stay when traveling Highway 301.” The counties hope to reorganize the 301 Trail from the bottom up to get Georgia Grown growers, producers, attractions and Ag related tourism products involved to help draw tourism traffic from Highway 301 on a greater scale. GDEcD and the Georgia Department of Agriculture are working with the community partners and farmers to help build authentic experiences and to tell the story of the farms and the unique products found along the trail. Visit http://GeorgiaGrownTrail301.com, for more information.

On August 17, 2017, the University System of Georgia announced plans to support the workforce needs of Southeast Georgia through a regional strategy of specially tailored degrees and academic programs offered by the new Georgia Southern University and Savannah State University in Statesboro, Savannah and Hinesville. For the new Georgia Southern University, the institution will continue to offer in Statesboro all of its current academic programs and services, while expanding its degree offerings in Savannah. In addition to becoming the fourth largest public university in the state, the new Georgia Southern is expected to accelerate its growth in Statesboro, along with the campuses in Savannah and Hinesville. The Colleges of Georgia Southern: Eight Colleges: The new Georgia Southern will have eight colleges with five based in Statesboro: College of Arts and Humanities, College of Behavioral Sciences, College of Business, Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, and College of Science and Mathematics; and three based in Savannah: College of Education, Don and Cindy Waters College of Health Professions, and Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. • Classes from each of the colleges will be offered in both Statesboro and Savannah, with a select offering in Hinesville. Academic Program Highlights for the Region: Business: The new Georgia Southern will continue to offer its full Business degree programs in Statesboro, including its MBA programs. Additionally, the new Georgia Southern and Savannah State will each offer their MBAs in Savannah. Over time, Georgia Southern will expand its Masters of Accountancy and make this program available in Savannah, too. • Georgia Southern BBA in Economics: Will now be offered on the Armstrong campus and will replace Armstrong University’s Bachelor of Science in Business Economics. It is estimated there will be 150 new students per year admitted to this program at the Armstrong campus. • High-Demand Business Degree Consortium: The new Georgia Southern and Savannah State will partner to establish a high-demand business degree consortium in Savannah. Georgia Southern and Savannah State will use existing faculty from both institutions to offer high-demand career programs in logistics and tourism and hospitality management. Students will receive their diplomas from their home institution of record. The consortium will allow Georgia Southern and Savannah State students to cross-enroll in coursework at both institutions for selected business degrees. Engineering: Georgia Southern’s Engineering program will remain based on the Statesboro campus, continue offering its full programs in Statesboro and will expand its offerings in Savannah. • The new Georgia Southern and Savannah State will have clear, seamless pathways between the institutions for their respective engineering and engineering technology programs. • Georgia Southern will offer the first three years of its bachelor’s in mechanical engineering degree and the bachelor’s in manufacturing engineering degree at the Armstrong campus. For students on the Armstrong campus, Georgia Southern will use its Statesboro campus, with its state-of-the art equipment, for the one year of study needed with the equipment-facility intensive portion of the degree program. Education: Due to the ongoing regional and state demand for teachers, Georgia Southern and Savannah State will both offer a full complement of teacher education programs. Georgia Southern will do so as a part of the consolidation with Armstrong State on its Statesboro and Savannah campuses. Savannah State will expand their programs in Savannah over time in order to meet workforce needs. Military and Veterans: The academic program offerings at the Liberty Center in Hinesville will be expanded with three degree programs designed for military and veteran needs. Savannah State will offer the following academic programs at the Liberty Center: • Forensic Science • Homeland Security & Emergency Management • Social Work Pending approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the academic programs will be implemented over a period of time beginning fall semester 2018 through fall 2020. September/October 2017 • 11

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Precious Jewels

Precious Jewels The Ladies of Bernard’s

L Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune

Like the stones in an heirloom piece of precious jewelry, they complement each other; each adding a unique sparkle to the overall design. That’s how the ladies of Bernard’s Jewelers have worked together for some 25+ years. Pam Anderson, Pam Reed and Polly Reed each hold individual talents in jewelry conceptualization, design, creation, repair and appraisal, taught to them by Pam’s great uncle and the store’s founder, Bernard Olliff. “The store used to be in the back of Bernard’s home on a hill in front of where Lowe’s now stands,” said Anderson. “I was studying Art at Georgia Southern and I would stop by the store to talk to Aunt Pat. While I was hanging around the store, Bernard thought that I should put my Art degree to work designing jewelry.” That was 29 years ago. “I started on a Saturday, I already had two jobs in Savannah and I was getting married, buying a house and moving. Within a few months Bernard sent me to school to learn diamond grading for appraisals,” Anderson said. “I also took courses through the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to become a certified gemologist.” Polly Reed went to work at Bernard’s right after graduating from Southeast Bulloch High School. She’s been with the store for 32 years.

14 • Statesboro Magazine

Precious Jewels

September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 15

Precious Jewels “I applied to work here and within a few months, I knew I wanted to train on the bench for jewelry repair. Bernard trained me first on stone settings and jewelry repair, then he sent me to take classes at the Jewelry Institute of America during the 1980s,” Polly said. “I also took GIA diamond courses to become certified in appraisals and diamond grading.” Pam Reed started working at Bernard’s in 1993 while a student at Georgia Southern. “Mrs. Pat trained me,” Pam said. “She taught me to do the buying and how the business was run. I learned some jewelry repair. I have taken courses to be certified in pearls, diamonds and right now I’m taking a course in colored gems, too. But, Mrs. Pat liked for me to do the business side. It really takes all three of us to do everything.” That’s what Bernard thought, too. All three ladies agreed, “Bernard said that each one brings something to the business and without the others they would fall short.” He and Pat eventually sold the house and surrounding land from the family farm to Lowe’s. He built a small shopping center adjacent to the original store location. The new Bernard’s store opened in the shopping center and the ladies each watched as the bypass and Applebee’s and other new businesses came to the area. Business grew as traffic grew and the loyal customers always came back. “Our customers and clients watched us grow,” Pam Reed said. When his health began to decline four years ago, Bernard began thinking of his legacy. He and Pat had no children of their own, but they thought of the girls that they had trained and brought up through the store as their children. “Bernard left the store to us,” said Anderson. “I was crying when I came back to the store to tell the other two about it. I told them, ‘You’re going to think I’m crying because I’m disappointed, but I’m not. I’m crying because I’m so happy.’” There’s another legacy Bernard left them, too. “He always taught us communication and team work,” said Pam Reed. “He taught us about building relationships with our customers. We become a part of people’s lives.” “That’s right,” said Anderson. “It’s not about a piece of merchandise that we’re selling, it’s about sharing special moments and creating memories with our customers. Lots of emotion is shared.

16 • Statesboro Magazine

We get to serve people during the special occasions in their lives. We can meet people’s expectations because we get to know our customers’ tastes and get to know what they want in a quality piece of jewelry.” “It’s very satisfying to see when a customer brings something old in for repair and when they get it back it doesn’t look like the same piece,” said Polly. “They’ll say, ‘It didn’t look this good when we got it!’” “It’s the best experience and we want it to be the most pleasant and exciting time for our customers,” said Pam Reed. “We think of our jewelry as wearable with memories attached.” “People buy jewelry for sentiment,” said Anderson. “They buy for special occasions, commitments, special days…there is always a giver and a receiver. Most people want to pass down those precious pieces.” That’s why they take such care in selecting each piece of jewelry for the store, never buying in multiples. The ladies specialize in custom work, combining several pieces of older jewelry or stones into a completely new design to hold all those special memories. They’ve even added a new slogan – When the moment really matters. Bernard always had printed on his business cards – The store service built. Service that was given by a loyal staff. “We appreciate all our employees and we couldn’t do it without them,” said Pam Reed. “They all do a great job.” The ladies plan to build on Bernard’s legacy by opening a second store this fall in the Market District between Colonial House of Flowers and Entourage. The new store will have a boutique feel and will have the same quality service and exceptional merchandise for which Bernard’s is known. The expected soft opening date is in September with a grand opening planned for October. “We’re going to rotate and there will always be a certified gemologist on site at either store,” said Pam Reed. They’re also building on a legacy of their own. Anderson’s son has worked in the store and Pam Reed’s daughter, Tatum (Who is Polly’s niece. Pam Reed is married to Polly’s younger brother), is learning clock and watch repair and taking a diamond course. The heritage continues. The next generation of jewelry experts is in training just in time for the 50th anniversary celebration coming in 2020. S

Precious Jewels

September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 17

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The Dream Realized

Bulloch’s Premier Agricultural Arena

The framework is finally taking shape for the long-awaited Agricultural Arena being built on the site selected 19 years ago when the Bulloch County Board of Education deeded roughly 50 acres of land across from Langston Chapel Elementary School to the county. Funding is being provided by a 1998 SPLOST referendum approved by 93% of Bulloch County’s voters. Over the years the special tax has accumulated over $6 million for the arena which was originally part of a three-phase plan to incorporate a state and federal agribusiness office building, a conference center and a large multi-purpose arena. Much local excitement was generated by the proposed complex. Local tourism representatives, the City, the Chamber, the Development

20 • Statesboro Magazine

Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune Authority and the County bought an ad which appeared in a 2001 issue of Georgia Trend magazine featuring a meeting being conducted by local business leaders surrounding a board table in a corn field to illustrate the expected economic impact in Agritourism such a facility would bring to the area. The first phase, Bulloch County’s Center for Agricultural Business was completed in 2003 by local commercial construction company Dabbs Williams. The 22,000 square ft. structural steel and pre-cast concrete building houses the Bulloch County UGA Extension offices, plus the offices of USDA Rural Development, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Farm Loan Program, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission, which provides a one-stopshop for farmers with most Ag-related agencies housed under one roof. Plans to continue parts two and three of the project were put on hold when projected construction costs of the conference center and arena overran the available funding. At the time there were concerns from the county commission and then county manager Scott Wood that there would not be enough funding to cover the operations of the convention center and the arena. As years passed, the funds accrued, but the recession of 2008 had the county holding off

once again on construction until the economy improved. In July 2016 local accountant and equestrian enthusiast Billy Hickman, principal in the firm Dabbs, Hickman, Hill & Cannon CPAs, approached the county commission about completing the multi-purpose arena phase of the original project. Meetings were held at the Bulloch County Airport with an initial committee of Hermon “Dink” Butler, Doug Lambert, Laura Daniels, Mike Rollins, Hickman and architect Jim Ingram to discuss the project. Hickman and the committee members made presentations to the Chamber Agribusiness Committee, Rotary Club, and major donor prospects to create renewed interest and to promote the potential of the new facility. Since 2016, Judge Michael Muldrew and local resident Brian Cartee have joined the committee. “We invited Jim Ingram to join us to talk about the possibilities of the arena complex,” stated Hickman. “He knew about this type of project and had a lot of experience building these types of arenas.” Ingram, of Studio 8 Design in Valdosta, specializes in the design and development of largescale agricultural facilities in South Georgia including the National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry and the Georgia Museum of Agriculture in Tifton.

The Dream Realized

September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 21

The Dream Realized

The Main Covered Arena will be a 54,000 square ft. structural steel, aluminum, and concrete building with a 125’ x 250’ portable performance ring for equestrian or livestock events. Numerous configurations of the facility will allow flexibility for other events such as rodeos, trade shows and concerts.

22 • Statesboro Magazine

The Dream Realized

Ingram designed new plans for a Premier Agricultural Center to include three large covered areas: the main arena, a practice arena and a multi-stall livestock barn. The construction bid was awarded to local contractor Pope Construction for $4,282,008 excluding the site preparation work which would be performed by the County. “Pope Construction has been a wonderful choice for building the center and Bill Vickery has been super to work with,” said Hickman. A ground-breaking ceremony attended by well over 200 citizens was held on June 1, 2017 and a billboard installed on U.S. Highway 301 adjacent to the property to remind local citizens and visitors about the Ag Arena and the potential economic impact the new facility would bring to the county. “We did our market research and studied the demographics which showed that the closest facilities of this type were located

outside of a 75-mile radius of Bulloch County,” said Hickman. “The closest facilities similar to this were in Augusta, Jacksonville, and Macon. Within that radius we were surprised to learn that there are over two million people, with a projected population growth of 5% through 2022.” Those numbers are favorable in projecting need for the facility and usage. The Main Covered Arena will be a 54,000 square ft. structural steel, aluminum, and concrete building with a 125’ x 250’ portable performance ring for equestrian or livestock events. Numerous configurations of the facility will allow flexibility for other events such as rodeos, trade shows and concerts. The building will contain bleacher seating for 3,000 with restrooms, concessions and office space for show administration. A Covered Practice Arena, a special feature not commonly seen at such facilities, which usually rely on open fields for practice areas, will contain 38,500 square feet, with a portable per-

September/October 2017 • 23

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formance ring just like the one in the Main Arena. No spectator bleachers will be installed, but there will be covered walkways connecting the Practice Arena to the Main Arena and the Livestock Barn. The Livestock Barn will feature 218 ten ft. x ten ft. stalls with 20 wash bays for livestock. There will be ample electrical service for grooming and equipment needs, restroom facilities and paved aisles. An RV campground adjacent to the Livestock Barn will have 53 sites with full utilities and campsite space. There will be a central station with water and sewer. The county commission has placed responsibility for the center’s construction and operations under the umbrella of the Statesboro/Bulloch County Parks & Recreation Department headed by Director Mike Rollins. “I’m happy for Mike to be running the arena,” said Hickman. “I know it will be as well-kept as Mill Creek Park - a tremendously prestigious facility.” Plans are underway to hire an executive

WE GET I.T.

director for the Arena with completion projected for December 2017. Planners expect the first events to be held in the new facility in the spring of 2018. “I think the time is right now to do something good for the community,” Rollins has stated. Committee member and local hotel owner Doug Lambert agrees, “The state has long recognized that Georgia needs more tourism ‘product.’ The Bulloch County Agriculture Center is a perfect example of a facility that will not only contribute to the quality of life in Bulloch County, but will provide a venue to attract visitors from a wide area. Statistics show these visitors place little burden on county infrastructure while providing a significant boost to the local economy,” said Lambert. “I’ve already gotten several calls from organizations wanting to book the arena,” said Rollins. “I think it will prove to be a great investment in the future by Bulloch County citizens.” S

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Sowing the Seeds of Prosperity

Sowing the Seeds 28 â&#x20AC;˘ Statesboro Magazine

Sowing the Seeds of Prosperity

of Prosperity Statesboro/Bulloch Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee Promotes Areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Largest Industry Written by Jenny Starling Foss | Photography by Frank Fortune

September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ 29

Sowing the Seeds of Prosperity

It was at least a decade ago when the chair of the Statesboro Bulloch Chamber of Commerce’s Agribusiness Committee, Andrea Whitfield, began volunteering to promote Bulloch County’s largest industry. Whitfield, along with co-chairs Todd Faircloth and Brannen Smith, has seen the committee grow over time with the number of outreach opportunities that have been created to highlight area farmers and farming businesses. “I joined the committee after coming to work at AgSouth,” said Whitfield. “I worked with Dewey Newton when I first started and I could see the importance of being involved with the farming community, our customers. I took a little break when I started selling crop insurance three years ago. Now, I work with farmers all the time, not just in Bulloch County, but in Jenkins, Emanuel, Screven, Evans, Bryan, Effingham, Chatham and parts of Tattnall.” Bulloch is home to Whitfield. She was born and reared here and worked her way through college as a drive-thru teller at area banks. “I took classes during my lunch break and after work. At the bank I learned about dealing with the public and providing good customer service,” she said. Whitfield’s parents, Steve and Maria Tanner, weren’t farmers, but her first cousins, Allen and Stacy Spence, (Bulloch County Farm Family of the Year in 2008), have spent their lives in agriculture. “I’ve been around farming my entire life,” she said. “We would plant seeds just to be involved.” Whitfield’s love for life on the farm led she

30 • Statesboro Magazine

and her husband, Jason, to purchase her childhood home in the Middleground area in which to raise their children. “It’s really a blessing to be able to live and work in a community where Agriculture is such an important aspect of the overall economy,” she said. “Serving on the Agribusiness Committee gives me the opportunity to give back.” Co-chairs Brannen Smith and Todd Faircloth, also long-timers of the committee, feel the same. “As a lifelong Statesboro and Bulloch County native, and now a local banker, I have been able to see firsthand how important our local Ag community and industry are to the Statesboro/ Bulloch County community,”” said Smith. “The Ag industry makes up our largest economic driver and has a direct impact on the lives all of our residences, whether they realize it or not.” Having long-serving members is one of the distinctive attributes of the Agribusiness Committee. This extended involvement allows the members to accomplish and build upon a yearly action plan of organizing and presenting programs that recognize the significance of Agribusiness in our area and in the state of Georgia. “One of our newer programs is The Blessing of the Harvest Prayer Breakfast,” said Whitfield. “Area farm families and Agribusiness partners are invited to attend in August to pray for a good fall harvest and a good year. It is very moving to see the Ag community joined together in a circle, with each member taking turns praying for each other and the community as a whole. We try to involve all Ag people including chemi-

cal reps. Bill Tyson at the Cooperative Extension office helps us reach out to the extended farming community by promoting the event to his contacts.” According to Whitfield attendance has tripled since the Prayer Breakfast began. This fall, the work of the Agribusiness Committee will be very visible to Bulloch County citizens with the production of a series of events aimed at promoting Agriculture and educating the public on its importance. “The Agribusiness Committee has the unique task and ability through our members to bring farming to life to many of our local residences who may not otherwise have that opportunity,” said Smith. “As Statesboro and Bulloch County have grown, many of our residences are moving here from other parts of the country and may not have ever grown up in the Ag community, so we believe it is our job to help them understand, not only the area implications our local Ag community has, but also the national implications.” In partnership with the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, each year the Agribusiness Committee hosts the October F1rst Friday event. This year on October 6th from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., the committee will hold Ag Night Out with vendors converging on the courthouse square to highlight Bulloch’s farming community in the center of town. “We invite vendors and encourage them to have an educational component to their booths or displays,” said Whitfield. “They shut off East Main Street and we have tractors line up to bring awareness to how huge Ag is in Bulloch

Sowing the Seeds of Prosperity 1988 – 2015 Farmer of the Year & Farm Family of the Year Past Recipients

County. It also gives our vendors a voice – a way Ag Partner of the Year. to share how they support the overall industry.” Nominations are currently being held for The committee is currently accepting vendor the 2017 Farmer/Farm Family of the Year. You applications through Roxanne Kibler, the com- may nominate a farmer by contacting Roxanne mittee’s chamber liaison or Elena McLendon at Kibler at the Chamber. This year’s banquet the Main Street office. will be held at Ogeechee Technical College’s Last year Georgia Southern’s Athletic office Oak Room in the Natural Resources Building reached out to the committee to garner support on Friday, November 17th from 11:30 a.m. – for partnering with area Agribusinesses on an Ag 1:00 p.m. The committee has invited Georgia’s themed football game. Agriculture Commissioner “Our committee agreed Gary Black to be the feaAg Partners tured speaker at this year’s to promote and attend the Award Recipients luncheon. game, but it was Georgia Also at the luncheon, the Southern’s idea to host the 2009 – Wes Harris committee will award the event in support of Georgia’s 2010 – Debra Chester M.L. Miller Scholarship to largest industry,” said Whit2011 – Wendell Brannen field. one or more area high school 2012 – Wade Hodges At last year’s event there seniors who plan to pursue 2013 – Roxanne Kibler were tractors in the parking a post-secondary degree in 2014 – Allen Muldrew lot of the stadium prior to agribusiness, paid for by 2016 – Raybon Anderson the game, halftime videos of funds raised by the committee through the various farmers, peanuts provided by the Georgia Peanut Commission and beef hot- events held throughout the year. This spring two dogs provided by the Georgia Beef Commission. seniors from Statesboro High School were honHighlighting Agribusiness at the sporting ored: David Rizo received a $1,000 scholarship event in front of 20,000+ fans provided a new and Colby Deal, a $500 scholarship to apply toward their college expenses. The scholarship reaudience in which to build appreciation. “It really made me proud of my community cipients are also selected through a nomination process conducted by the committee through a and of Ag,” said Whitfield. One of the most popular events hosted by push on social media and through area guidance the Chamber and the Agribusiness Committee counselors. “This is an important way to insure the fuis the annual Farm City Week Luncheon. Each year the committee hosts the farming communi- ture of Agribusiness in our area,” said Whitfield. ty and supporters alternating presenting awards “And it’s a great way to end the year on a high for the Farmer/Farm Family of the Year or the note. But, we couldn’t do any of it without the

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Fred L. Deal Family Charles Deal Family Jack A. Brannen Family Jack A. Lanier Family James E. & Fostine Davis Bobby F. Williams Wade McElveen Family Eddie Lewis Family George & Paul Beasley Family Charles & Lynn Lee Cromley Family Farms Richard E. Bird Family Chap & Hal Cromley Families Smith Healy Farms Tony & Brent Nevil Farm Fred G. Blitch, Jr. Farms John McCormick Family John Emery Brannen Family M.L. Miller Family Spence & Spence Farms Clark & Sons Farms Lannie Lee Family Clarence Princee & Son Family Grayson Ellis Family Will Anderson Family Jimmy Skrine Mike Waters Raybon Anderson (Agriculture Partner of the Year)

Starting in 2016, the Agribusiness Committee made plans to rotate the awards for Farmer/Farm Family of the Year and Agribusiness Partner of the Year, alternating those presentations each year during Farm City Week at the annual breakfast. Nominations are currently being sought for the 2017 Farmer/Farm Family of the Year through SurveyMonkey.com on the committee’s Facebook page: Statesboro Bulloch County Chamber Agribusiness Committee.

support of Chamber Director Phyllis Thompson, Roxanne and our many great sponsors. They make it possible for us to carry out all the promotional and educational outreach we are able to accomplish each year.” “We appreciate all our hard-working members, our sponsors and the Chamber staff,” said Smith. “Through the various events we host, we are able to bridge the gap between City and Farm and plant the seeds to educate the public on the importance of our local Ag Community.” S September/October 2017 • 31

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September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ 33

Justice for All

34 â&#x20AC;˘ Statesboro Magazine

Justice for All

H Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune

He doesn’t stand on top of semi-trucks or carry a sledge hammer or make outrageous TV commercials about the huge settlements he can get for his clients. Josh D. Tucker is a personal injury attorney of a different sort. He came into the specialty because of a family legacy of law and because he believes in helping clients and their families receive the justice they deserve. A native of Metter, Georgia, Tucker always knew he wanted to be a lawyer, His great-grandfather, Lester Cleveland (L.C.) Anderson, for whom the Candler County Library is named, was a lawyer, state court judge and long-time mayor of Metter. Anderson passed the Georgia State Bar Exam in 1916 and setup a practice in Metter in 1918. At age 28, in 1920, he was elected mayor of Metter. During Judge Anderson’s lifetime he served as attorney for the City of Metter and Candler County and the Excelsior Electric Membership Corporation (from its beginning). He served as Candler County’s state court judge with juvenile court jurisdiction until December of 1984. At age 92, he was the oldest practicing attorney in Georgia. “That had a great influence on me,” said Tucker. “He practiced for 70 years, and served the people of Candler County well. He had a superior work ethic; in his late 80s he would work from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. every single day. I learned from his legacy that good things come to people who work really hard.”

September/October 2017 • 35

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Tucker graduated from Metter High School in 1986 and attended LaGrange College earning a B.A. in English in 1990. He spent a few years working for UPS and during that time married and started a family when son Bland was born in 1995. While with UPS, Tucker continued to pursue his dream of being a lawyer. He worked at the law offices of Matthew Waters in Metter during the day from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., then drove to Swainsboro to his job with UPS and worked until 1:00 a.m. every day. “I was in my early 20s and for seven years I just kept working. Then one day, I decided it was time to go to law school,” said Tucker. “I had never taken the LSAT. I took it and did well, plus I had very good work experience.” With a wife and a 17-month-old at home, Tucker moved to Macon to attend the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. “I’d leave home on Monday at 5:00 a.m. for Macon, and leave Macon after class on Friday,” said Tucker. “It was hard. I really missed my family.” Tucker graduated magna cum laude in 2000 from Mercer and continued his work with Matthew Waters and Kendall Gross in Metter. That’s the same year the family welcomed daughter Abigail. Tucker was glad to be back home with his young family, where he spent many hours working and studying for the bar exam. “The bar exam isn’t given until July,” said Tucker. “I got out of law school in May, took the bar in July, and waited on the results until October.” Tucker passed the state bar exam on the first try and shortly thereafter began an association with law school classmate Matt Hube. Hube, originally from Marietta, attended Georgia Southern University and after graduating from Mercer chose to locate a practice in Statesboro. When State Court Judge Gates Peed moved to the bench, Hube took over his offices, inheriting his staff. Interestingly, at the end of his first year of law school, Tucker had sought a judicial clerkship and began working with Peed. When Hube assumed Judge Peed’s practice, Tucker, already familiar with the staff, soon joined him. “I needed to borrow a book, and I called Matt to ask him about borrowing it,” said Tucker, “I was in Metter and he was in Statesboro, so we agreed to meet in Register that’s when we got together.”

Justice for All

September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 37

Justice for All

The two formed the partnership of Hube & Tucker, LLC. “Matt and I covered real estate, probate, domestic, criminal and personal injury,” said Tucker. “We went after our clients. We called on every bank president, every loan officer, real estate agents; we established relationships with anyone we thought could send us business. Instead of hanging out a shingle and waiting for them to come to us, we met with doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors - you have to go get it.” Beginning in 2001, the partnership of Hube & Tucker, LLC covered general law for ten years. 38 • Statesboro Magazine

“Over time work was allocated and Matt did domestic and criminal, while I covered real estate, probate and personal injury. I began to feel that real estate law wasn’t really helping people, probate was more of a process, but personal injury was truly helping people and their families.” Tucker opened his own practice, Josh D. Tucker, P.C., and began representing individuals who have been injured or families who have wrongful death claims. He works along-side paralegals Rainey Johnson and Maria Wyatt in preparing cases for clients. A second son, Finn, was born in 2013. “A lot of lawyers have case managers or a bank of attorneys who deal with clients while they spend their time marketing their services,” said Tucker. “At my firm we have a different approach. I prefer to work every file myself. That personal attention means I can understand my client, their problems, concerns and needs. ” Personal injury encompasses cases in which clients have been injured in vehicle accidents, slip and fall incidents, dog bite cases, medical malpractice and nursing home abuse. Tucker works on settlements for his injured clients and still tries cases in the court room if needed. In 2016 he was honored by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys as one of the Ten Best in Georgia for Client Satisfaction. He’s also been honored by Martindale Hubbell legal services with the Client Distinction Award for quality of service, overall value, responsiveness and communication ability. The National Trial Lawyers (NTL) have recognized Tucker as one of the Top 100 in the Nation for civil plaintiff trials. In 2017 he was chosen by Attorney & Practice Magazine as one of Georgia’s Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys. Just like his great-grandfather Judge Anderson, Tucker’s dedication to seeking justice for those who are in need extends to children who may need representation in the courts. For 17 years he has been the Guardian ad Litem for every child in foster care in Bulloch County. “I really believe in getting justice for all those in need of representation,” said Tucker. “I want to help people who have been injured through no fault of their own and may have lost wages or high medical bills. They are recovering from the accident and at the same time having to deal with these issues. I want to solve their problems, and get them the compensation they deserve to get them and their families back on track. Helping people is what it’s all about.” S

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A NN U A L

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2017 HISTORIC DOWNTOWN STATESBORO

Turkey Trot The 10th Annual Turkey Trot 5K is Saturday, November 18. It’s fun for you, the whole family or your team to walk or run. Register online at Active.com or more information, forms and sponsorship details are available at www.bullochschools.org/foundation. Start on Courthouse Square, enjoy the scenic route through downtown, and end your trek at the Main Street Farmers Market, the Averitt Center for the Arts or fuel up at one of our local Blue Mile restaurants. Registration is $20 for students or members of teams of five or more. Individual registration is $25 prior to Nov. 4, and $30 thereafter. All proceeds provide innovation grants for Bulloch County Schools’ teachers and teachers of the year and provide REACH Georgia Scholarships to deserving youth. statesboroturkeytrot@gmail.com | www.bulloch.k12.ga.us/foundation

REGISTRATION: $25 Until November 4th (guaranteed T-shirt) $30 from November 5th Until Race Day $20 for All Students with Current Student ID (Must show Student ID when picking up race packet)

$10 for 12 & under Fun Run

OCTOBER 25, 2017 5:00 - 8:00 PM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 108 N. MAIN ST. STATESBORO

All Proceeds Benefit Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education

First Baptist Church Fall Festival Celebrate the change in seasons with an evening of fun for the ENTIRE family! Everyone is welcome to this community event. We’ll have free food, inflatables, rides, and games. Open to all ages. October 25, 2017, 5:00-8:00 pm | First Baptist Church 44 • Statesboro Magazine

Autumn Festivals

ANNUAL SUGAR CANE FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 18, 2017 | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

56th

Kiwanis

annual

Ogeechee

LIVE MUSIC | FOOD & CRAFT VENDORS FRESH CANE SYRUP FRESH GROUND CORN MEAL

371 George L Smith State Park Rd, Twin City, GA 30471 Between Metter and Twin City

George L. Smith Sugar Cane Festival It’s the sweetest time of year at George L. Smith State Park! On November 18th, they will host their annual Sugar Cane Festival where families and friends get together to harvest the sugar cane and create syrup. The old-fashioned cane boil brings together farmers, local artisans, and area restaurants to showcase their produce and ingredients and celebrate the sugar cane harvest! Guests can help out with the harvesting of the sugar cane and taste it in its purest form and enjoy fresh ground corn meal. November 18, 2017 | 9AM – 3PM | Admission: $1 * Parking: $5 PLACE: George L. Smith State Park Located between Metter and Twin City off Highway 23. Take I-16 exit #104 | gastateparks.org/georgelsmith | 478-763-2759

International Festival Nov. 11 • 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mill Creek Regional Park FREE ADMISSION Performances, Market, Food, Games & Global Village

GeorgiaSouthern.edu/IntFest

Georgia Southern University International Festival Be sure to mark your calendars for the 2017 International Festival! Elementary, middle and high schools, as well as home and charter schools, from various surrounding counties team with international students from the Georgia Southern Global Ambassadors Program to create educational country booths. These booths will form the Global Village which will represent several countries. Factual information, arts & crafts, and other educational activities will be available at each booth. Come see what the students create! There is also free international arts & crafts for children including the World Map Puzzle, World Bingo, Chinese Lanterns, Languages/Calligraphy, Mexican Paper Flowers, Kabuki Warrior Mask, Global Village Search and International Storytime. Purchase unique items from Haiti, Ghana, China, Taiwan, Kenya, Korea, Trinidad, and the Philippines and sample international foods from various countries in the International Food Court. November 11, 2017 | 10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Mill Creek Regional Park | Free Admission | GeorgiaSouthern.edu/IntFest

FAIR OCTOBER

16-21 www.kiwanisogeecheefair.org

Kiwanis Fair The Kiwanis Club of Statesboro is hosting the 56th annual Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair on October 16-21, 2017 kicked-off by the parade in downtown Statesboro at 5pm on Monday, October 16. Bring your family and friends to continue the tradition of education, heritage, business exhibits, great food, entertainment, and rides. All money raised is given back to the community and the communities of Bulloch, Bryan, Candler, Evans, Tattnall, Jenkins & Screven counties. Because of public support, over $200,000 is donated each year. October 16-21, 2017 Kiwanis Ogeechee Fairgrounds http://www.kiwanisogeecheefair.org/ For up-to-date information and schedules.

September/October 2017 • 45

It started as the dream shared by Statesboro MagaGeorgia Southern’s Department of Writing & Linguistics, Downtown Statesboro and the Averitt Center for the Arts. We partnered to promote Statesboro as the Write Place – a place where writers and authors gather for writing workshops and reading events - a town with three major libraries and three institutions of higher learning. We imagined Statesboro to be the birthplace of future Southern authors. An area rich in Southern mystique with a university that’s home to the only Writing degree in the state of Georgia. This year November 2nd – 4th, 2017, marks the sixth time we will be celebrating our vision of Statesboro by honoring eight talented writers with local ties, including award winning and critically acclaimed Mystery writer Nancy Pickard, author of bestselling The Scent of Rain and Lightning, which has been made into a feature film. Joining Pickard will be L.A. Times Book Prize in History finalist Dr. Jonathan Bryant. A professor of History at Georgia Southern, Dr. Bryant’s work Dark Places of the Earth explores the legalities of human trafficking aboard the slave ship Antelope in 1820 Savannah, Georgia. This year we also highlight Johnathon Barrett author of Cook & Tell and Rise & Shine! Both are culinary memoirs, the stories of families and friends, food and growing up in the South. From Dublin, Georgia, Barrett’s books combine recipes, with food prepared from local farms, with the stories behind them. According to a review by Savannah author Harrison Scott Key, “I ate it up. You will, too.” Roland McElroy from Quitman, Georgia, had a front seat to history when he served as chief of staff for longtime Georgia senator Sam Nunn. McElroy’s book, The Best President the Nation Never Had, “is an insider’s view of Sam Nunn’s unlikely rise from unknown backbench Georgia legislator to one of the most influential U.S. senators to ever serve.” Writer’s Workshops are planned this year that will highlight the authors featured above and four more Southern standouts. Returning alumni from the first Write Place festival, Tina Whittle, a two-time nominee for Georgia Author of the Year, will be conducting a workshop on the short story. Whittle is well known for her Tai Randolph/Trey Seaver series of mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in The Savannah Literary Journal, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and Gulf Stream, which selected her story “Lost Causes and Other Reasons to Live” as the 2004 winner of their Mystery Fiction contest. Featured author William T. Morris, a fantasy novelist, will zine,

46 • Statesboro Magazine

deliver two workshops on “Writing Story Worlds,” Theory & Practice and Practical Tools & Methods. Author of five volumes in the “Year of the Red Door” fantasy series, Morris creates “worlds of imagination and adventure in his books that are complemented by maps and other materials pertaining to the series from the world in which the stories take place.” For the past decade, Mark Ezra Stokes has taught screenwriting workshops for students ranging from elementaryschoolers to senior citizens. He picked up an M.A. in Screenwriting & Film Studies, and an M.F.A. in Screenwriting, allowing him to provide more in-depth content for both his students and the clients he’s served as script doctor. Mark is also the founder and coordinator of Savannah Filmmakers, a democratic body of well-connected members of the Savannah, Georgia film community. Notable since Georgia recently outpaced California as the number one state for film production in the country. Every story is known by the telling and spoken word author Lawrence Green, Jr., a Georgia Southern alumni, delivers his stories by doing just that – telling them. He has performed poetry at the Decatur Book Festival, the LEAF festival in North Carolina, and on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, and will be delivering a workshop on spoken storytelling. This year the F1rst Friday event on November 3rd in downtown Statesboro will have the theme, Statesboro - The Write Place and will be open to the public. In addition to the usual F1rst Friday fare, there will be booths from booksellers, literacy programs, the public library, children’s authors, schools and groups who are involved in Statesboro’s literary community. Friday evening’s main event will feature Pickard, Bryant, Barrett and McElroy sharing from their most recent works and an opportunity for the public to meet the authors and purchase autographed copies of their books. The Burning Swamp Series public reading event will be held on Thursday night, November 2nd at Eagle Creek Brewery. University students and writers from the Statesboro area are encouraged to sign up to read from their work for an evening of literary entertainment provided by those who may not have yet been published. To purchase tickets for The Write Place or for more information visit www.AverittCenterfortheArts.org or call 912212-2787. If you would like to secure a booth for the F1rst Friday event, call or email Elena McClendon at Downtown Statesboro, 912-764-7227 or StatesboroDowntown@gmail. com.

Nancy Pickard Mystery Writer

Nancy Pickard is the award-winning and critically-acclaimed author of eighteen novels and dozens of short stories. She is the co-author, with Lynn Lott, of the beloved non-fiction book for writers, 7 Steps on the Writer’s Path. She is a 4-time Edgar nominee for her novels, I.O.U., The Whole Truth, and The Virgin of Small Plains, and for her unforgettable short story, “Afraid All the Time.” She won the first-ever Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original Mystery for her second book, Say No to Murder. She has won multiple Agatha Awards and Macavity Awards for her novels and short stories. Her last novel, The Virgin of Small Plains, won the Agatha and Macavity awards, was a finalist for both the Edgar and the Dilys awards, and was named a Killer Book by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. It was a Kansas Notable Book in 2008, and it was the Kansas Reads book of the year for 2009. Her most recent novel, The Scent of Rain and Lightning has earned the honor of being named Kansas’ Notable Book and one of Barnes & Noble’s Top 25 Novels. Summary of novels: • 10 novels in the Jenny Cain mystery series • 3 novels in the Marie Lightfoot mystery series • 3 novels in the Eugenia Potter series created by Virginia Rich • 2 stand-alone novels in her new “Kansas” series. Nancy is a founding member and former national president of Sisters In Crime, and a former national board member of The Mystery Writers of America. She is a graduate of the University of the Missouri School of Journalism and a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area.

Jonathan M. Bryant Narrative History

Jonathan M. Bryant is Professor of History at Georgia Southern University. Holding both J.D. and Ph.D. degrees, he specializes in the history of American law, slavery, and emancipation. Dr. Bryant believes small places tell big stories, and he loves unearthing tales that have been long forgotten. “Dark Places of the Earth plunges us into a world where slavery was normal, and where slaves had no rights as human beings. The arrival of the slave ship Antelope in 1820, bearing hundreds of African captives, surprisingly challenged those assumptions. The stubborn struggle of advocates for the captives ultimately forced the Supreme Court to decide whether human rights or property rights were paramount in American Law.”

Roland McElroy Memoir

Roland McElroy was born near the end of World War II in the little town of Quitman, Georgia, a rural community about ten miles from the Florida line. He later earned degrees in economics and journalism from the University of Georgia. When an opportunity to work with Governor Jimmy Carter came along in 1971, McElroy took his first step into the political arena. McElroy met state representative Sam Nunn, an ambitious young attorney from Perry who was looking for an opportunity to run for Congress. Intrigued, McElroy offered his services and joined the effort to put Sam Nunn in the US Senate. An improbable victory followed in the fall of 1972, and soon thereafter, McElroy was off to Washington to join Nunn’s Capitol Hill staff. He spent fifteen years with Nunn, first as Press Secretary, and later, as Chief of Staff. His book, The Best President the Nation Never Had, chronicles his work with Senator Nunn. September/October 2017 • 47

Johnathon Scott Barrett culinary memoir

Johnathon Scott Barrett takes you on yet another delicious sojourn in his latest work, COOK & TELL: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM SOUTHERN KITCHENS, a moveable feast across Dixie showcasing the incredible food created in the homes of the South and the resulting tales that accompany those heartwarming dishes. Stops along the way include such food-rich cities as Savannah and Nashville, as well as the small hamlets of Millingport, North Carolina, and Nanafalia, Alabama, where farm-to-table food still has a prominent spot on the dining table. And in this warm and engaging anthology, Barrett includes not only his own entertaining stories and meaningful recipes but also those of friends met along the way. Some accounts come from family and hometown cooks, while others are from award-winning chefs and authors.

Tina Whittle Mystery Writer

Tina Whittle writes the Tai Randolph mysteries for Poisoned Pen Press. The fifth book in this Atlanta-based series—Reckoning and Ruin—was released in April; the sixth—Necessary Ends—will be released in spring 2017. Tina is a proud member of Sisters in Crime and serves as both a chapter officer and national board member. Visit her website to follow her on social media, sign up for her newsletter, or read additional scenes and short stories: www.tinawhittle.com.

William Timothy Murray Fantasy

William Timothy Murray was born and raised in a small town of the Deep South and now lives in the Appalachian foothills of northeast Georgia. He enjoys stargazing, tinkering with an old sailboat, and music (right now, he is really into Revien and Ludovico Einaudi). He is not sure whether his favorite author is Charles Dickens or Patrick O’Brian. His favorite wise character from a classic novel is Faria. His favorite not-so-wise character from a classic novel is Barnaby Rudge. If he had to fight a duel and could choose the weapons, it would be trebuchets at three hundred yards. His favorite place is sitting before a crackling fireplace with a bowl of popcorn, a glass of sweet iced tea, and a good book. He keeps a small writing desk in an old barn. There, amid a clutter of maps, drawings, and books, his memories and experiences join with all the tales he has read to inform and disturb his pen.

Mark Ezra Stokes Screenwriter

Mark Ezra Stokes has two passions in life: education and social improvement, and his career path reflects them both. With an M.A. in Screenwriting and Film Studies and an M.F.A. in Screenwriting, both from Hollins University, he has extensive experience as a professor of screenwriting, film studies and stage drama at multiple colleges and universities. Mark is also the founder and coordinator of Savannah Filmmakers, a democratic body of well-connected members of the Savannah, Georgia film community. Whenever he writes, produces or directs documentary or narrative projects, Mark continues to seek out stories that both educate and raise social consciousness. 48 • Statesboro Magazine

Lawrence Green, Jr. Spoken Word Artist

Lawrence Green, Jr., is a spoken word artist currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina. A graduate of Georgia Southern University, he performs under the name Basiknowledge and has been a featured poet at the Decatur Book Festival, the LEAF Festival in North Carolina, and on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam.

Schedule of Events Thursday, November 2 7:00 p.m. Burning Swamp Series at Eagle Creek Brewery Author’s Open Mic Night & Sign-up Upon Arrival Free Public Event Friday, November 3 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The Write Place F1rst Friday Downtown Statesboro Event Booths, Book Signings, Children’s Activities, Food & Fun 7:30 p.m. The Write Place Main Event Featuring Award-Winning Mystery Writer Nancy Pickard Plus Presenters: Jonathan Bryant, Narrative History Author Johnathon Barrett, Culinary Memoir Author Roland McElroy, Political Memoir Author 9:00 p.m. Meet the Authors Event Emma Kelly Theater Lobby & Main Gallery Presenters Sell & Autograph Books Saturday, November 4 The Write Place Workshops Averitt Center for Performing Arts 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Nancy Pickard 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Eight Featured Authors Across Genres Attendees Choose Two Workshops 1:00 p.m. Lunch with the Authors Another Opportunity to Meet the Authors And Purchase Autographed Books September/October 2017 • 49

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Tormenta FC s Drew Fellios

Tormenta Nation Will Remember 2017 Everything was perfectly in place on July 22, the first night of the Professional Development League postseason. Four teams came to Statesboro to kick it up while league brass soaked in the stadium atmosphere surrounding the 2016 PDL New Franchise of the Year – Tormenta FC. The weather was HOT. The pitch was as always - perfect. And, spinning through the air, brightly painted on the ball, you could still see the name and colors of the host team, Tormenta FC. Experiencing the sights and sounds of the playing field, the bright lights, the announcer and cheering fans, the feeling for Tormenta Nation was that their team was good enough and played well enough this year to have earned a tremendous second season. For the second straight year, there was plenty of hoping and dreaming of playoffs. But like the beautiful game of soccer itself… while the end goal may have come up short, the build-up for the games got stronger, faster, and better. That’s how Tormenta FC in 2017 should be remembered. Yes, at times, Tormenta Part II seemed incredibly similar to its opening chapter in 2016. Like 2016, this Tormenta team started slow. In fact, like 2016, the first win didn’t come until the fifth game on June 8th. In a 14-game PDL

season, this created an immediate sense of urgency to play catch-up in the standings. Also like 2016, two goalies shared the spotlight. One played well. The other played better. But instead of Anton Widen giving way to Alex Guerra, it was Keegan Meyer starting the season and Matt Rosenburg finishing with an exclamation! If Tormenta’s goalie situation has taught us anything in two years, it’s that competition makes everyone better. And, in a league where change is the norm, some faces became fixtures. With Sam Lofts and Jad Arslan in the front and Reed Norton and Ayao Sossou in the back, Tormenta’s returning core nucleus performed well. All are great athletes and even better young men proud to don the magenta and blue. So what did make 2017 unique and better? First answer is simple … PLAYERS! After Nico Rittmeyer became a member of the Charleston Battery, many wondered who would replace his production? In came Jamie Merriam (9 goals) who performed like a superstar and became one of the most lethal forwards in the PDL. Returner Jad Arslan (4 goals) took a few games to mesh with his new teammates, then took his game to the next level. Josh Phelps handled his move to centerback like a pro, combining with Leeland Archer to form a wall in

front of the goal. And the numbers do not lie. Tormenta Part II scored 34 goals while the inaugurals netted 22. After six wins in their last 7 matches it was clear, Tormenta’s 2017 model had parts and gears 2016 did not have. But, every journey has speedbumps. Tormenta faced their fair share early this summer. While this team was finding their identity, PDL teams had gotten much better. The first half vs. SC United on May 31st was one to forget. Tormenta had no spark, played out of position, and looked like they lacked trust in themselves as they were being shutout 2-0. The performance left new head coach John Miglarese shaking his head in the postgame. Just four games in, Miglarese went from a coach trying to forge a team, to trying to salvage a season. His style was a bit different from good friend and predecessor Ben Freakley. Freakley commanded attention and focus. But through the first four games, Miglarese was looking up and down his roster and still searching for it. For a few weeks, he wondered who or what was missing. After May 31st, Miglarese made sure his team knew there was nowhere to go but up. And so, the ascension for Tormenta FC in 2017 began. There were ten games left. Tormenta lost only one and posted seven victories. By eclipsing last year’s win total and dominating Tri-Cities 5-0 in the season finale, 2017 out shown the previous year. Aside from wins and losses, every franchise in sports carries its own vibe. In two years of existence, Tormenta’s could not be more solid. Owner Darin Van Tassell continues to make sure his organization not only meets the standard, but sets the standard. All while new partnerships are being made and new stadium drawings are becoming more visible. Importantly, players all over the soccer world are noticing. After this season’s final victory, Forward Jamie Merriam set aside his two goals to applaud Tormenta management. “I played PDL last year in Baltimore and never experienced anything like this. This has been unreal,” Merriam said. Coach John Miglarese added, “The type of soccer we played and the players we added this year, I simply can’t wait for May.” There is an old saying in sports. It applies to every team in any sport trying to achieve excellence. Have one good year and you are a team. Have two good years and you are a program. In 2017, Tormenta FC became a program. And now we all can’t wait for May. September/October 2017 • 53

True Blue GS s Doy Cave

Take your Garden Indoors I just dislike the heat...and the bugs... and hunching over and fussing over plants and pulling weeds and getting caked with dirt and sweat — all of which normally leads to the slow and inevitable death of said plants in my negligent and incapable hands. I guess I should rephrase: I love the IDEA of gardening. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the value of it. I’m actually a vegan, and my entire diet comes from the ground. A backyard garden would save me a sizable amount of grocery money each month, and I’m sure the hard work would make me feel enormously self-sufficient, productive and ruggedly handsome. It’s just the variables that get in the way. Once you’ve successfully debugged and de-weeded and sprayed and watered and the like, you have to hope the weather cooperates. And weather in Georgia seems to have a mind of its own. Our state lost 80 percent of its peach crop this year due to a severe lack of chill — which is apparently an actual thing — and the current heat

waves across the country are on pace to break all previous records. So, how do you get started on a garden with so many obstacles in the way? Move it indoors, of course. Subhrajit Saha, assistant professor of biology at Georgia Southern, says indoor gardening is the future of how some of our food and provisions are grown. Our changing climate has produced water scarcity in many places around the world, and global urbanization has produced a growing lack of arable land and soil. In the face of such harsh realities, indoor techniques such as hydroponics and aquaponics will fill a serious need. “It’s becoming difficult for the crops and plants to adjust,” said Saha. “That’s where the importance of indoor agriculture comes in. Because indoor agriculture would ensure that the temperature, the humidity — everything is controlled. So that’s a good thing.” In both hydroponics and aquaponics, plant roots are submerged in a container of water and

largely left alone. In hydroponics, nutrients are manually added to the water, while in aquaponics, fish live in the water and add nutrients through their waste. Large-scale indoor agricultural companies, some of which are almost the size of a Walmart, have grown significantly in the last five years both in the U.S. and around the world. Fisheads Aquaponic Lettuce, which is located outside Augusta and regularly works with Georgia Southern, boasts a 3,500 square-foot solar greenhouse, where they grow a variety of lettuce and greens, producing year-round crops for sale in grocery stores and area farmers markets. In the process, they’re using less water and generating higher yield than typical outdoor farms. Saha says that, for these larger operations, the initial investment is expensive, which can be an obstacle to its wider acceptance. For a small garden, however, operated by a mostly incompetent plant-killer such as myself, the investment is minimal, and easy to start. To get started in hydroponics, the easiest indoor process, you need: 1. A small storage container or bin to hold the water, 2. A strip of polystyrene or styrofoam that would float in the container and hold the plants on the surface of the water, 3. A “net pot” that allows water to come in and roots to grow through, 4. Rocks, pebbles or organic material such as coconut coir to hold the plant or seed starter in place. Once you have your materials, fill the container with water and add liquid nutrients, which you can get in any gardening section of a department store. Cut holes in the styrofoam strip to hold your net pots and plants so that about half of the pot is submerged. Then place your container and plants near a good light source. “Most windows are good enough,” said Saha. “You don’t need direct sunlight. Deflected sunlight still promotes photosynthesis.” Not every plant works with hydroponics, but Saha has successfully grown all kinds of leafy vegetables as well as peppers in a well-lit greenhouse. No matter what you use, however, Saha says it’s best to start small. “We learn by doing,” he said. “Once we grow on a small scale, we learn what needs to be done and what doesn’t need to be done.” I’m taking his word for this, and I’ve decided I’ll start with one seed — maybe spinach, in a mason jar, with adult supervision. In time, I hope to kill plants exclusively by ingestion, not by incompetence. September/October 2017 • 55

ON VIEW IN THE GALLERIES

BETTY FOY SANDERS

Georgia Artists Collection 50th Anniversary

GEORGIA ARTISTS COLLECTION

Georgia Artists Gallery

Sept. 25, 2017 – March 9, 2018 Fluid Structures by Betty Foy Sanders

University Gallery Sept. 25 – Oct. 13 Paintings by Katherine Taylor

Contemporary Gallery Sept. 25 – Oct. 20

ANNIVERSARY

C E L E B R AT I O N

Georgia Pottery

Smith Callaway Banks Southern Folk Art Gallery

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 at 5 p.m.

Sept. 25 - Dec. 27

Center for Art & Theatre at Georgia Southern University

GALLERY TALK • HORS D’OEUVRES • LIVE MUSIC To RSVP contact Casey at (912) 478-6667 or cstoddard@georgiasouthern.edu by Sept. 7.

GeorgiaSouthern.edu/CLASS

A Black Box Theatre performance of Anon(ymous) will begin at 7:30 p.m. For tickets to the performance, contact the Center for Art & Theatre Box Office at (912) 478-6667 or go to GeorgiaSouthern.edu/CAT.

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The Spiritual Pathway s Rev. Dr. H. William Perry

Accounting for Time

It has been on my bucket list for several years, and now I can mark it done! I’m speaking of the reading of the classic adventure novel, Around the World in 80 Days, written by Jules Verne in 1873. It tells the story of Phileas Fogg, a wealthy resident of London, England, who is in a discussion with fellow members of the Reform Club. They are discussing an article in the newspaper that states that with new railroads and faster ships one could go around the world in 80 days or less. His fellow club members didn’t think that was possible, and the heated discussion led to a bet: Fogg wagered the equivalent of $2 million that he could make it in the specified time, and other club members took him up on the bet. Fogg and his servant, Jean Passepartout left London by train at 8:45 p.m. on October 2nd, and to win the bet they would have to return by the same time on December 21st.

The two traveled by train, ship, elephant, and foot, facing all kinds of difficulties. The newspaper had said the train tracks now crossed India, but that was not true. Fifty miles had not been laid, thus the elephant ride. On two occasions they missed their ships, and later they missed their train. When they left San Francisco by train they faced such obstacles as a massive herd of buffalo blocking the tracks and an attack by Sioux warriors. Finally they reached New York City and set sail for England. After further complications they arrived at London, but were five minutes late. Thus Fogg lost the wager and his pride. Phileas Fogg moped around that whole day only to find out that when they had crossed the International Date Line on their trip they had gained a day. They were not late! So Fogg hurries to the Reform Club, burst through the door saying, “Gentlemen, here I am!” It’s a wonderful story, emphasizing one of

our most priceless commodities: Time! One of the greatest gifts God has given us is time. God has deposited 86,400 seconds into each day for your account. Those 84,600 seconds are non-transferable. When they are gone, they are gone. You can never go back and relive them again. Your time account carries no left over balance. Let’s not squander it or waste it. Do you spend your gift of time in a way that brings honor and glory to God? Let’s use it wisely. Let’s enjoy it. The Around the World in 80 Days story also emphasizes the importance of deadlines. I like what Douglas Adams said in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” But if it weren’t for deadlines, I probably wouldn’t get much done. Yes, they do produce stress, but they also give rise to a feeling of accomplishment. If I had not had a deadline, you wouldn’t be reading this article! September/October 2017 • 57

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The View From Here s Ric Mandes

The Nest

The knock on my front door and the bell chime let me know the UPS delivery had just been made. Moving to the entrance, I bade the driver a shouted thanks. He just waved and tossed over his shoulder “nice bird nest you’ve got there.” And with that, I looked around the stoop of my small front porch and there resting in the far left corner was indeed a bird’s nest. At that moment unoccupied! But without a doubt an active resident did board there. I stood now in the silence of this sunny afternoon looking up at the nest. Its symmetry perfectly round hosting a deep well for one of the cluster of twenty birds who enjoined my yard and the moderate-size trees standing sentinel throughout the day and all night. Oh, yes, my Chorale, plenty in numbers, would chirp and skip about one branch to the other, all the while offering me a hymn of good morning as I moved down the sidewalk to where rested the morning paper. And I always paused and thanked them out loud for their harmony filling the beginning of the day. “Oh how beautiful,” I would offer. “Is this a new melody? I don’t remember ever hearing this anthem.” Now and then thanks to fate, upon hearing my kind review, all chirping stopped and the grandeur of silence came about. The stillness was chilling. As we, the tiny sweetie singers and I, were cast into the golden sanction of the presence of God from whom all blessings flow, such as this sanctuary of harmony. Now and then, as I was in the far corner of my den relaxed in my easy chair reading, I would hear their soft lullabies up close as they lighted upon the steel rails of my patio. Keen was this feathered group. Oh! How that nest stationed in the far left corner of my porch brought upon me intrigue. For how long had it been since birds’ nests were all about? At Granny’s where a forest of trees began just across the road fronting her country cottage? For certain, as this was my playground for several years beginning when I was nine when I came to live with my Granny. Jennings Overstreet, my best buddy who lived on the other side of the branch, would often spot a nest. We could tell by the color tone of the nest if it had been lived in or was still occupied. The old ones were darkened. And if it were, Jennings would climb up and gathered the now empty nest. We would sit with it on Granny’s porch.

Holding this delicate prize. And would discuss how it came to be, this gathering of small twigs and earthen straw all tightly bound by the weaving art and strength of the once feathered occupant. Now more than a half-century later, I take care about my cadence through the front entrance wanting not to disturb my soloist who just might have alighted. Time after time since the pronouncement of the UPS man, I would always seek life encumbered in the nest. Nothing. But the tone of the nest looked alive. Hoping nothing had happened to my resident

friend, without thinking early one morning I jerked opened the door and there, there, looking about and taking immediate flight was my tweetie bird. Thank you, Lord. All is well. I have a companion; a brand new one for me to know. And at the restive age of eighty-four my time upon the stage is no more. But this is not a sad period for me. I have acclaimed many notes of my personal and professional concert. But I hesitate not to say there is a warm comfort about me knowing not far away, as I turn out the lights and head for my bed of rest, just outside a few feet away, my songstress sleeps well. September/October 2017 • 59

LOOK AROUND Averitt Center for the Arts 13th Annual Meeting Thursday, June 22, 2017 Rosengart Gallery & Whitaker Black Box Theater 41 West Main Street Downtown Statesboro

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September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 61

LOOK AROUND 44th Annual Meeting of the Bulloch County Historical Society Monday, June 26, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. Program: “Georgia Records & Me: Why I Should Care About the Georgia Archives” Presented by Christopher M. Davidson, J.D. State Archivist & Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Georgia Archives In the Fellowship Hall of Pittman Park United Methodist Church

Photo by Scott Bryant/ Statesboro Herald

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September/October 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 63

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TRANSITIONS

“Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.” -Les Miserables Mr. Robert Wade Adams

06.29.17

Mr. Dell L. Hendley, Jr.

07.24.17

Mr. Thomas “Tommy” Potter

07.27.17

Mrs. Mildred “Millie” Allen

07.31.17

Mrs. Dorothy E. Hendrix

07.02.17

Deacon Enoch Joseph “E.J.” Rawls

06.08.17

Mrs. Myrl A. Anderson

06.12.17

Mr. Hurbert Henry

06.06.17

Mrs. Malynda “Moot” Raymond

07.15.17

Mrs. Mary Frances “Freda” Paine Bacon

06.30.17

Mrs. Debra Faye Purvis Hightower

07.25.17

Mr. Neil Aaron Reid

06.12.17

Mrs. Annabel Deal Brannen Banks

06.29.17

Mrs. Janie Reed Hodge

06.06.17

Mr. Robert Gordon “Bob” Rethmel

07.10.17

Mr. Jimmie Joe “Joey” Bath, Jr.

06.06.17

Mr. Lonnie Lee Hodge

07.31.17

Mr. Leland Riggs

06.24.17

Mr. Clifford Wayne Baumann

07.07.17

Mr. James Edward Hunter

07.02.17

Mrs. Vickie Joyce Robertson

06.22.17

Mr. Johnny Hilton Biggers

07.25.17

Mrs. Reba Jackson

06.08.17

Mr. Roosevelt Robertson, Jr.

06.17.17

Mrs. France Ward Bird

07.29.17

Mr. Hubert Prathel Jenkins, Jr.

07.13.17

Mrs. Ouida Rogers

06.28.17

Mr. Michael Eugene Blythe

06.21.17

Rev. Bernice Wiggins Johnson

07.08.17

Mr. Coke Eugene Rogers

06.30.17

Mrs. Vivian Phillips Bowen

06.16.17

Mrs. Nancy Keisling

07.12.17

Mrs. Lydia Louise McGowan Rushing

06.04.17

Mr. Doise D. Brady, Sr.

07.06.17

Mrs. Julia “Nana” Miller Trapnell Kenan

06.05.17

Infant Nathan Tyree Ruth

07.20.17

Mr. William D. Brinson

06.18.17

Mr. Robert “Bob” Kicklighter, Jr.

06.05.17

Mrs. Myrtice Morris Sconyers

07.24.17

Mrs. Earlene Lee Saxon Brown

07.24.17

Mrs. Bobbie Sue Lanier

06.18.17

Mr. Jerry Davis Sharpe

06.19.17

Mr. Douglas Roger “Chief” Carroll

07.20.17

Mrs. Judy Callaway Lanier

07.23.17

Mrs. Missouri Sharper

06.30.17

Mrs. Sara Jo Wald Churchill

06.14.17

Mr. Laurence D. Leavitt

06.21.17

Mr. Donald Oswell Sheppard, Sr.

07.04.17

Ms. Maudeane Arden Clifton

06.14.17

Mr. Elisha Lester, Jr.

06.22.17

Mrs. Lovie Bell Henry Simmons

06.24.17

Mr. Willie Cooper

07.14.17

Pastor Dorothy Mae Littles

06.23.17

Mrs. Emma Juanita K. Vangiller Skinner

06.26.17

Mr. James Huston costlow

07.01.17

Mrs. Susie “Peggy” Parrish Littleton

07.05.17

Father Michael Heffernan Smith

06.21.17

Mrs. Jewell Crowley

07.27.17

Mr. John Howard Luna

06.28.17

Mr. Charles Edward Smith

07.17.17

Mr. John Wilferd “Jack” Daily

07.19.17

Mr. L. Eugene “Gene” McElveen

06.15.17

Mr. Jack Benjamin Smith, Sr.

07.19.17

Mr. Lyman Cooper Davidson

07.29.17

Mr. William E. Buddy “Uncle Bud” McNair 06.10.17

Mr. Henry C. Sparks, Jr., D.D.S.

07.02.17

Mr. Austin Lee Davis

06.10.17

Mr. Paul Mikell

07.24.17

Mr. Joeph A. “Uncle Dick” Stanfield

07.29.17

Rev. Hugo M. Davis, Jr.

07.04.17

Mrs. Carolyn Bohler Millican

06.27.17

Ms. Lillian “Lil” Ryals Stephenson

06.02.17

Mr. John L. Dekle

06.23.17

Mrs. Carolyn Bohler Millican

06.27.17

Mrs. J. Kim Sweat

06.19.17

Mr. Walter Clayton “W.C.” Donaldson

06.23.17

Major James “Jim” Thomas Mitchell

06.23.17

Mrs. Frances Brown Thompson

06.24.17

Mrs. Miriam Georgana Davis Ellis

06.25.17

Mr. Kenneth Doye Mons

06.07.17

Mrs. Margarett Ceil Crockett Thompson

06.30.17

Mr. Juvay Finch

07.13.17

Mr. Lewis Lanier “Buddy” Moore, Jr.

06.03.17

Mrs. Margaret Tremble

07.05.17

Ms. Kaitlyn Nicile Fischer

07.09.17

Mrs. Dorothy Joyner Moore

06.09.17

Ms. Vicki Anne Volf

07.19.17

Mrs. Hazel “Jean” Smith Floyd

06.14.17

Mrs. Willa Mae Steele Murphy

07.06.17

Deacon Paul Walden, Sr.

06.20.17

Mr. Ricky Lee Frawley

06.11.17

Ms. Jane P. Newton

06.01.17

Mr. Allen Wallace, Jr.

06.11.17

Rev. Dr. G. Ross Freeman

07.03.17

Mrs. Carmen Cowart Noel

06.17.17

Mrs. Delores Jane Naumann Ward

07.07.17

Mr. Lonnie Griffin

06.19.17

Mrs. Emma Lou Oglesby

06.04.17

Ms. Candy Renee Warren

06.10.17

Mr. James Dewey Hagin, Jr.

06.17.17

Mr. Robert Timothy “Tim” Page

06.28.17

Mr. H. Phillip Wilkerson

06.10.17

Mrs. Penny Rimes Hagins

07.30.17

Mr. Remer Pendergraph

07.22.17

Mr. James Walter Wilson

06.05.17

Mrs. Ruby Lee Harris

07.12.17

Ms. Jessica “Jessi” Jenkins Pennington

07.05.17

Ms. Faye Nessmith Wilson

07.05.17

Officer Howard Hendley

07.05.17

Mrs. Joyce Lanell Nesmith Pilz

07.10.17

Mrs. Mary Frances Chester Young

06.29.17

September/October 2017 • 65

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