Winter 2022
ANNUAL Chamber
AWARDS
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2 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
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Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 3
4 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
2 0 2 2 Annual Awards Celebration finalists and nominees
10 LM INSTALLATION
Metro Power
12 REEVES GIFTS JEWELRY AND MORE
26 MICHAEL JENKINS
13 SPRINGHILL TREE FARM
28 GALLAGHER DEMPSEY
14 DIXIE DANDY 18 METRO POWER 20 TAURUS 21 MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND MANOR 22 KEENAN ADAMS
Bainbridge Public Safety
Southern Philosophy Brewing
32 COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD Dana Bryant
34 PIONEER AWARD Jack and Joyce Leverett
38 PEACE OFFICER OF THE YEAR Capt. Justin Williams Bedwell
40 MAN OF THE YEAR Bert Hines
Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 5
EDITOR’S LETTER
Years of Dedication & Hard Work
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ello, and welcome to the Winter 2022 edition of Bainbridge Living Magazine! This year we have once again partnered with the Chamber of Commerce to recognize the Young Professional of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Community Service Award, Kiwanis Club Man of the Year Award and the Pioneer Award. We also had the pleasure of reviving the Peace Officer of the Year Award, which is an award I’m very passionate about, especially after this trying past year. In these pages, you will read about the true labor of love people have put into their jobs, making them the success stories they are today. I hope in these pages, you are equally as inspired by the hours of work and dedication to make a vision come true, as I was.
6 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
EDITORIAL JOHN WELLS General Manager JILL HOLLOWAY Managing Editor
news@thepostsearchlight.com
ETHAN REDDISH LAUREN MINOR Contributing Editors
ADVERTISING MEGHAN LASHLEY RALPH DOBSON Advertising Sales Staff 229-495-6123
PRODUCTION MARK POPE General Manager Bainbridge Living is published four times per year by Bainbridge Media, LLC. P.O. Box 277 Bainbridge, GA 39818 www.bainbridgeliving.com (229) 246-2827 Advertising rates and information available upon request.
Winter 2022
ANNUAL Chamber
AWARDS
Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 7
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8 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
CUSTOMER SERVICE
FINANCIAL SERVICES
MORTGAGE LENDER
PLACE TO WORK
MICHAEL JENKINS Finalist, Young Professional of the Year
Congratulations, Engineer Michael Jenkins! We at the City of Bainbridge are very proud of you and your accomplishments! We are fortunate to have you as a member of our team.
Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 9
10 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Fall 2020
a lifetime of loyalty From putting a hitch on a car to installing grain bins for farmers, LM Installation has grown with the times and proven their loyalty to customers the last 30 years.
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ome people move South for retirement, wanting to spend their golden years in the sun and warmth. Others move down for familial reasons, which is what brought Lee Merchant to Bainbridge in the 90’s; specifically, his wife was originally from Bainbridge. Having grown up in Caribou, Maine, one of the northernmost cities on the East Coast, Merchant was raised in the signmaking business with his father. “Well, working with your dad, he’s always right, and you do what he says and there’s no questions,” Merchant recounted, “Being from up there, you work from dark to dark, because you only have about six to eight months to do a whole year’s worth of work. Up there, it gets light about 4:30 a.m.., and goes dark about 9:50 p.m. So, you had plenty of daytime to do what you had to do.” After spending two years in Bainbridge working for others, Merchant decided to go into business for himself, and started LM Installation in 1992. He spoke on those early years, and how far the business has come, saying, “There was times I’d have to go work for someone else when we first started and make it happen, and now we have about eight men going right now.” Initially, Merchant started as a sign business. However, Merchant found he had to expand LM Installation’s offerings to metal fabrication in order to adequately service the community. “We’ll do anything as simple as putting a hitch on your car, all the way up to a multi-million-dollar job over there at Elberta Crate putting in another drier,” he said. To work in Bainbridge required “versatility”, as he put it, “We have to deal with farmers, because we are a farming community. So we do all this stuff,
from grain bins, to farming, whatever it takes.” Despite growing his business over 30 years, there have been bumps and problems along the way. Even before the Pandemicera labor shortages, even before Hurricane Michael, Merchant had problems retaining workers. “It started before Michael,” he said. Even now, despite being able to have eight employees, LM Installation only has six. When Michael hit, it had both a positive and negative effect on business. “Every good employee we had went to work for themselves… Michael paid for a lot of stuff, gave us a lot of heads up and work ahead, and we’re still working on Michael now.” In addition to labor shortages, supply chain issues have also impacted LM Installation. None of this has stopped Merchant. “It’s difficult, fun, exciting, all of the above,” he said. “Disappointing, sometimes. But the gratification of it, and having what you do and making what you got overrides it all.” He continued, “The way I’ve always looked at it is, I’m responsible for everyone that works here. So that’s a big responsibility, and there’s been times that they get paychecks and I don’t, and we make sure that they go home with their stuff.” He concluded, saying, “It’s been special. We learn from our employees, we have relationships with our employees that make us a family setup… we can’t do it without our employees, no matter how it works. We are held back or pushed forward, and the ones we have now have really pushed to keep us in line with what we should be doing. That’s very respectable on their side. Then again we can’t do anything without our customers either, we’ve had some of the same customers for 30 years, and we really are thankful for that.” Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 11
customer service queens C
o-owners of Reeves Gifts Jewelry & More, Amanda Rentz and Shae Brouillet have set the bar high when it comes to customer service. After only owning the store since July 2017, they have already been nominated for Small Business of the Year. With their passion for community causes and love of retail, it’s no wonder Rentz and Brouillet have found such success. The two women previously worked at Godwin’s Jewelers with Brouillet having been there for 27 years, while Rentz worked there for 17 years. They were both in management positions, when Brouillet was approached about an opportunity. “Someone approached me and told me they knew something I would be really good at,” Brouillet said. “They told me Reeves was for sale.” Brouillet originally said she blew off the idea, but the more she got to thinking about it, she considered a change might be nice. “I jokingly mentioned it to Amanda and said ‘let’s go buy Reeves together’ and she said ‘okay’,” Brouillet said. “Then we did and it happened really, really quick. We really didn’t think it would happen.” Brouillet and Rentz then met with previous owners, Gloria and Tom Reeves and discussed prices and what they were expecting of the new owners. From there, the paperwork flew by. Within a month, Brouillet and Rentz found themselves with a new store in hand. “Everything just fell into place like it was supposed to,” Rentz said. “We never thought it would work out so quickly and easily.” Since then, the women have somewhat rebranded, changing the original name of Reeves Linens and Gifts to Reeves Gifts Jewelry & More. In addition, they changed the logo and the layout of the 12 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
Lauren Minor
GREETING YOU WITH A SMILE: Shae Brouillet and Amanda Rentz are the co-owners of Reeves Gifts Jewelry and More and they pride themselves on customer service, making everyone feel welcome.
store. “We wanted to open it up a bit more and make it more spacious,” Rentz said. “We just wanted to update it.” As far as products go, the store now has even more than it did when the duo purchased the store. However, they did add more jewelry and merchandized their products differently. When looking for new products, Brouillet said they are always looking for the next best thing. “We try to shop at all the other stores and support them and make sure we aren’t buying what they already have,” Brouillet said. “We also try to buy from a lot of give back companies.” According to Rentz, Brouillet is the expert when it comes to merchandise. “I love to decorate and I love to merchandise,” she said. “I make sure the displays are accessible for everyone, rather you are in a wheelchair or have a baby stroller. That’s why it’s more open.” While the job may be hectic at times, Rentz and Brouillet have truly grown to love every minute of it, especially the customers. “We strive on customer service,” Brouillet said. “We want to everyone who walks through the doors to feel welcome.” Rentz echoed Brouillet’s statement, saying they both build on customer relation-
ships. “We both love people and get joy out of seeing people happy with their purchase,” Rentz said. One of the ways they are able to build such great relationships is through their community involvement. Reeves is particularly active in the Humane Society. Every week, the store showcases a “Pet of the Week.” While showcasing the pet, the store offers to put $50 toward the adoption fees, if someone will adopt it that week. In addition to that, Rentz and Brouillet really try to give back in other ways as well. Instead of simply getting rid of a product, they take products out to the nursing home or to senior citizens who may get more use out of it. They have also taken products to Harvest House of Hope and Salvation Army. Rentz and Brouillet said they couldn’t do the donations or the job alone, though. They said they are thankful for their team of Alyson Matthews, Tonya Timmons, Christy Ward and seasonal worker, Ansley Walker. Rentz and Brouillet ended by saying they are honored to be nominated and thank everyone for their support over the past few years.
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continuing a legacy
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an Provence and his son, Daniel work around the clock to make Springhill Tree Farm one of the most popular agritourism locations in the region. With their recent addition of racing pigs and new fruits and vegetables, they are well on their way to meeting their goal. Both of Provence’s parents were farmers, so farming came naturally to him. However, he never expected his farm to grow into what it is now. Provence’s family moved to Bainbridge before his senior year of high school and purchased the farm from the Dixon family in 1982. The barn was an old cow barn that had horses, approximately 100 cows, donkeys and Holstein heifers. The family sold the animals in 1993 and converted it into a Christmas tree barn. During the offseason, the family would host weddings and birthday parties there. Provence said his father loved seeing people enjoy and take in the beauty of the barn. When he passed away, Provence was determined to keep that same tradition; thus creating Springhill Tree Farm. Provence has been operating the farm for 11 years now, offering activities throughout the year. In October, families can come to Oktoberfest, where they can pick, paint and chunk pumpkins, walk through the corn maze, take a hay ride, or play in the corn pool. When it begins to get chilly, Provence begins to unload the Christmas trees for families to come purchase. Recently though, his son returned home and they ventured into a new territory, adding U-pick strawberries during the spring and pig races during the fall and spring. “When he was young, I didn’t make him work on the farm,” Dan said. “He was busy with school and soccer and
Becky Bardin
WORKING DUSK TILL DAWN: Dan Provence and his son Daniel have taken a family farm and turned it into a local agritourism hot spot.
football and I didn’t want to push him on it. I didn’t want to make his mind up on what he wanted to do.” Despite Daniel’s lack of interest when he was younger, he returned and began planting food plots for deer. “He got the bug of growing and watching stuff grow,” Dan said. Daniel still has a full time job in LaGrange as a marketing manager at Interface. However, he believes this is his true calling. “I hope to eventually take over the farm,” Daniel said proudly. Daniel admitted that his dad was right about him getting the “bug to watch things grow,” as growing the strawberries were his idea. “I had a buddy who told me they had done it a few years back and it was really successful,” he said. “I had really enjoyed helping my dad grow the corn maze, and I thought I could grow these and really contribute.” Daniel believed growing the crop would not only allow him a larger role on the farm, but would also complete the loop of agritourism, giving visitors something to do every season. “We constantly are adding to it, so people can have something to do,” Daniel said. “I feel like Springhill is the premier place for agritourism.” While they aren’t quite ready yet, Daniel and his dad have added two new crops
to their rotation that they hope their customers will enjoy. They recently planted some peaches, along with strawberry onions. “What we’ve done is plant onions between strawberries,” Daniel said. “The onions are supposed to absorb the strawberry’s flavor.” Another addition to the farm that Daniel believed would add value were the pig races. Daniel said he wasn’t sure if people would even enjoy pig racing. He also said he, nor his dad, knew how to train pigs to race. But, they quickly learned once “Eye of the Tiger” comes on, the pigs would be up and moving, racing around the track to get a cookie treat. “That was something me and dad added right before we opened up last season, because we just wanted to have more things to do out here,” Daniel said. “For me, being nominated reaffirms that people enjoy what we are doing out here.” Dan is thankful to be recognized after years of building the farm. “I’m excited about the nomination,” he said. “It’s a real honor and we are really proud of the growth.” Daniel expressed his gratefulness too, saying he and his dad put it a lot of long hours, sometimes questioning if it will ever pay off, but this nomination and support from the community proves it has. Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 13
Growing by the day D
ixie Dandy remains one of Bainbridge’s dynastic businesses, handed down from one generation to the next. Originally started 45 years ago by Tom Harrell, last year, Carla Chastain was simply managing her grandfather’s business. Now she’s the owner. Though she might consider it just a title, saying, “There was really no change. My mom still helps me, she’s still part of it. It’s still just a family business, not much has changed in that respect.” As a smaller grocery outlet, Dixie Dandy has been spared some of the turmoil larger box stores have experienced. “We do have other small suppliers; we have had to go to different suppliers for certain things. But overall, we haven’t had any major supply issues,” Chastain said. “It may be that, we don’t have cream cheese right now, and we heard two months ago there was going to be a shortage of cream cheese. We just experienced that in the last two weeks, so we’ve been very fortunate, and it’s probably that we’re a small town, that the supply issues I know a lot of the larger companies have had, we have not experienced it.” While, according to Chastain, not much has changed in the intervening year since their last interview, there have been some new additions, most notably a website and online ordering. When the pandemic hit, the store initially offered curbside pick-up, which led to the online ordering. Though the same small-town size that spared Dixie Dandy from supply issues, Chastain feels, may contribute to online ordering not quite catching on. “I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that we are really small. It’s not hard to hop out of your car and run in and get what you want, and I’ve found that a lot of people want to pick out their own groceries, especially fresh meats and produce.” Despite this, Dixie Dandy has expe-
14 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
Lauren Minor
PROVIDING PRODUCE AND MORE: Carla Chastain and her team of grocers at Dixie Dandy smile. They offer curbside service and meats cut to the customer’s liking.
rienced growth in their seafood department, with sales growing and the store expanding its offerings. The store as a whole saw 30-40% growth in sales, not accounting for current inflation. “Other than having to hear a lot from our customers about the cost of groceries, it hasn’t stopped people from buying gro-
ceries right now,” Chastain said of inflation, “I do worry that eventually that will become a problem.” Chastain thanked the community for their continued support, “I wouldn’t be here without the support of the community, and obviously our staff has just been very dependable, and I couldn’t do it without them.”
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RX Drugs would like to thank all of our loyal customers!! RX Drug Center 1203 E. Shotwell St. 229•246•1000 Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 15
Serving our Community with a Smile Since 1965!
LEVERETT DENTAL 1515 Miluli Ave | Bainbridge, GA
(229) 246-1548 www.leverettdental.com
16 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
Congratulations
JACK AND JOYCE LEVERETT FOR WINNING THE PIONEER AWARD 2022.
Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 17
18 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
a vision of leadership Now celebrating their 75th Anniversary, MetroPower has created a name for themselves spanning from Jacksonville, Florida to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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etroPower is in their 75th year of servicing the greater part of the Southeastern United States. Started by Julius Pieper in 1947, the company prides itself on delivering high quality products with commitment to its customers, no matter the hour. In 1967, Pieper sold the company to his son, Dick, who had a vision centered around servant leadership. His vision was for all employees to eventually own some of the company. “He wanted each of his employees to go through an apprenticeship program, become an electrician and have the opportunity to become a management person or a person in leadership,” Ben Harrell, MetroPower Bainbridge branch manager said. “Once in that position, they then have the opportunity to buy stock and get ownership in the company, and watch it grow.” A prime example of watching the company grow was when Harrell helped expand the company into Jacksonville. “Last year we hit a little over $5 million in revenue down there and this year we are projecting to hit $8 million,” Harrell said. “We have more work than we can get people to do.” Harrell has 12 managers at his branch that he has scattered throughout Georgia
and into North Florida. “We take those people and expand into their direction, whichever way we can go,” Harrell said. “That’s the way we see us continuously improving and getting better.” Harrell’s dream is coming true, as MetroPower is continually expanding in various directions. Bainbridge’s plant does only Industrial work, but their various sister locations offer industrial, Department of Defense work, Healthcare work, Mission Critical work and prime commercial work. When he first started at MetroPower, he worked in their Atlanta Division. However, he saw a lot of potential for the Bainbridge area and asked if he could transfer. “At MetroPower, they encourage you to transfer; they want you to be happy,” Harrell said. “They would rather accommodate you than lose you.” Harrell then began his journey servicing the Bainbridge area with only one electrician. He said it took almost two years to get into their first paper mill, but then they were set. Working on the Industrial side, Harrell began to see a lot of outages. “We did a lot of outage work,” he said. “We may get called 7 days a week. My phone sits right by my bed and it has
gone off many of nights.” Harrell said they would work on machines, and be given a certain amount of days before the outage had to be fixed. “It was very fulfilling to see it fixed before the drop dead date,” he said. “If you didn’t perform them well, you wouldn’t get to do that work, but we were always able to put the right people together and get the job done right.” Harrell said he may not know all the answers to every outage situation, but he always knows who to call in a situation. “I don’t pretend to be the smartest person in the room, but I surround myself with the smartest people in the room,” he joked. In all seriousness, Harrell said he has been very blessed by the people he works with and the knowledge they have brought him. “We know we have to have the best people to be a leading company,” he said. “We have to have continuous growth, and we aren’t perfect, but we try to have the good jobs outweigh the bad ones.” To thank the community for trusting them with the jobs, Harrell said they put 10 percent of all their profits back into the community. “We’ve enjoyed the ride,” he said. “We are excited to celebrate 75 years and sponsor River Town Days this year.” Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 19
shooting their shot I
t’s been a little over two years since Taurus cut the ribbon here in Bainbridge, moving their American plant from Miami, Florida. In the time since, they’ve brought new jobs to the area and established themselves as a large part of the local economy. “It’s been very interesting, because we’ve obviously had a tremendous amount of support from the local community,” CEO Bret Vorhees said. “A lot of really eager employees have come from local communities. We’ve also had employees that came up with us from Miami, that have been able to blend in and make themselves at home here in Bainbridge, so that’s also been fantastic.” Vorhees himself previously worked for Walther Arms in Arkansas before taking his position at Taurus. “The opportunity at Taurus was obviously a great one, a company that’s been doing all the right things and making big improvements, and a lot of opportunity to grow the company, those types of things,” he said. And grow the company has. According to Vorhees, there was over 100% growth in their first year in Bainbridge, over growth during their last year in Miami. “It was an immediate impact we were able to see,” he said. “That growth has been great, and I don’t think we can do it without the benefit of what we have here in Bainbridge. We certainly weren’t able to do it in Miami with the same amount of employees, so there’s something there.” Not only has Taurus been able to outperform their own growth, Vorhees said they’ve also done better against their competitors. “In relation to the other companies in the industry, I think Bainbridge gave us an opportunity to grow where maybe some of the large competitors that we have are already established in their buildings and probably have some con-
20 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
Lauren Minor
A TAURUS TRIGGER: A Taurus GX4 sits with a specialty Taurus case at their gun manufacturing plant at the Industrial Park.
straints they’re up against, so we were able to outperform the market.” And, they have no signs of stopping, with “aggressive growth plans” over the next five years, with 2022 aimed at investing in the companies’ Bainbridge infrastructure to prepare for more growth.
“Being nominated for Large Business of the Year is a tremendous honor for us,” Vorhees said. “We want to thank the local community here for being so supportive of us, and we’re looking forward to continuing success in the future.”
bringing patients hope M
any small businesses across the country were ravaged last year by COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns. Restaurants, bars and gyms were some of the worst hit. But, how has Memorial Hospital and Manor preformed in this new landscape, and how has it’s relationship with the public been impacted? According to CEO Jim Lambert, this pandemic has had many obvious hardships. “I think it’s been hard on everybody. No one likes wearing masks any more than anyone else,” he said. Like most other hospitals, various non-essential services were forced to temporarily close. “We had to shut down elective surgery earlier in the year.” The restrictions have also extended to, and taken a toll on, patients. “It’s been hard on patients and residents. If you’re a COVID-positive patient in the hospital, we don’t allow visitors... We’re restricting visitors to other patients, so you only have one visitor a day, so I think that’s been hard.” Of course, visitor limitations extend to residents of the Manor. “If you’re a resident and you haven’t seen your daughter, granddaughter, somebody in the manor, that’s tough, to not see them.” That’s not to say Memorial doesn’t try to allow visitors to those that need them most. “We’ve tried to provide opportunities for them. Virtual visits, we did some visits when the volume was down a little bit in terms of COVID cases. We would set up visits outside, and patients could visit their family members for a while...” Lambert acknowledged how harsh these guidelines can be, but expressed positivity toward the hospital and manors’ efforts. “I think just being isolated and all the restrictions they’ve been put on, whether you’re a patient or a resident, it’s been tough. But I feel like we’ve taken good care of them, we’ve tried to overcome
Becky Bardin
A BOARD OF VISIONARIES: The Memorial Hospital and Manor Board stands proudly in front of the hospital after a year of unprecedented patient check-ins and vaccinations.
that as best we can with other things that we’ve done at the manor and even at the hospital to some extent.” Now, despite the vaccine having arrived, things haven’t gone back to normal. “I think the challenge is that there’s a lot of people that don’t want to take the vaccine right now.” According to Lambert, “Probably about 50-60% of the employees don’t want to take the vaccine because they’re concerned.” But when it comes to the public, they have the opposite problem. “We’re overrun with people wanting vaccine, the problem is I don’t have enough...” In addition to the 600 doses the hospital already received, Lambert has ordered 500 more, but no definitive arrival date was given. “I think the vaccine hasn’t really changed anything because it’s not pervasive enough… but I think it’s given people a little hope that we’re heading toward the back end of this.” That said, COVID and this past year haven’t been only negatives for Memorial. “Financially, I think there’s been some benefits with some of the stimulus dollars that we got,” Lambert said. “The rules on some of the dollars we’re getting haven’t been finalized, so we don’t know exactly how much of the stimulus dollars we’re gonna be able to keep as a grant,
or if we’re going to have to pay it back.” In addition to receiving stimulus, the hospital has purchased a new 3-D mammography machine, with radiologist Dr. Charles Brown joining the hospital staff. The hospital is also looking to update their cardiac nuclear medicine. “Our nuclear medicine camera is fairly old, and we hope to replace that so we can maybe do some cardiac ultrasound, nuclear medicine studies as well… We’re always looking to grow and provide service to the community.” Lambert also sees responding to the pandemic as a way for Memorial to improve their relationship with the community. “I think there’s plenty that we can do to take care of the patients that think they have to leave and go someplace else, either because they don’t trust us, or they had a bad experience, or they don’t like the billing process. So, we’ve got to get the confidence in the community, and I think COVID has kind of helped us.” Despite a tumultuous year, Memorial Hospital and Manor is working to serve the people of Bainbridge. From providing vaccines, to upgrading equipment and offering new services, they are working toward giving people quality care options for years to come. Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 21
22 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
building new skills With a Master’s degree in reach, Keenan Adams has no plans of slowing down the learning process when it comes to Project Management.
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eenan Adams, 29, grew up in Bainbridge in a construction oriented family. Locals would recognize Keenan as the Bearcats kicker from 2007 to 2011, and rightly so. Keenan was an accomplished athlete earning a D1 scholarship to Colorado State University. After two years there, Keenan transferred to Georgia Southern where he would receive a degree in construction management. In 2015, Keenan accepted a Project Management position for MetroPower, an industrial electrical contracting company headquartered in Albany, Ga., with a branch located in Decatur County that currently employs 80 people. Keenan has worked there for seven years managing accounts and industrial projects such as, the BASF plant in Attapulgus as well as the most recent project announced in Bainbridge, Danimer Scientific’s new greenfield development. He describes the role of MetroPower in simple terms. Georgia Power supplies the electricity to the site, and MetroPower takes it inside the building where they perform all the hookups to operating equipment. In late 2019, Keenan began the process of obtaining his Master’s in Business Administration for Georgia Southern. He expects to graduate from the program this Spring. When asked why he wanted to pursue his Masters, Keenan said, “As I grow deeper in my career, I am finding out that construction is only
a part of it. The business side of my career has really piqued my interest. I have enjoyed learning new skills and growing in my knowledge of business as a whole.” Keenan is not only serious about his professional career, but also giving back to the community that gave so much to him. Keenan spends much of his time pouring into the First Port City Bank Youth Leadership class through his Chamber involvement. He is also a Deacon at Grace Church, where he and his wife, Aubrey, and his two sons, Brayden and James are faithful members of the congregation. Keenan was most recently appointed to the Planning Commission Board, the arm of the city government that conducts public hearings relating to the City’s master plan for growth and other special studies, rezoning, and variances. Keenan looks forward to serving the community in this capacity. “I enjoy seeing the community grow and look forward to being a part of the exciting things to come in Bainbridge,” Keenan commented. The Chamber is pleased to highlight Keenan as he is an investor in not only his professional growth, but the growth of the community as well. Keenan’s vision goes beyond his backyard, which will in turn create a positive impact on Bainbridge for years to come. Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 23
24 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
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Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 25
changing the narrative Bainbridge Public Safety Engineer Firefighter, Michael Jenkins never gives up. Even when faced with rejection, he finds a way to come back better than before.
M
ichael Jenkins, a Safety Engineer Firefighter with Bainbridge Public Safety, has been nominated for the Bainbridge Under 40 Young Professional of the Year twice now. Michael, affectionately known as “Worm” by those that grew up with him, started out as a small, slim statured boy in Attapulgus. Later in life Michael’s family moved to Bainbridge, where he would decide to establish himself. Michael cut his teeth in the restaurant industry at the local Bainbridge Hardee’s. He eventually became the Assistant Manager and worked there for over ten years. While there, he began to yearn for more. By the encouragement of his wife, Michael applied to Bainbridge Public Safety in 2013. Though he was rejected at first, he fell in love with the idea of the profession, and pursued it again. In December of 2014, Michael was accepted into the program. Michael has been a BPS firefighter for eight years now. Though one might think his only responsibilities are fighting fires, he also functions as a mechanic of the fire truck, cleaning and maintaining the engine after each call. He also responds to any major medical emergencies such as, vehicle accidents. For the majority of accidents, he is the first person to offer prehospital care to the victims. One of his greatest achievements as a firefighter is receiving the Life Safety Award. The long hours of training and dedication became a reality when he received a call
to a fire on Stewart Avenue. He was able to save two individuals and their pets that day. In return, he was awarded the Life Safety Award for his efforts. “I will forever be grateful and honored that God placed me in a profession to serve and protect my community,” Michael commented. Michael has gained the reputation of being one of the most hard-working and charitable employees at BPS. “Michael is always the first person to pick-up extra shifts or volunteer his time for department efforts,” Julie Harris commented. A facet of the job that Michael may not have anticipated, has since grown to be the most rewarding aspect next to saving lives; inspiring and educating youth. Michael is aware of the media’s portrayal of policemen and firemen today, and he is directly involved to help combat that narrative. He hopes to create a positive image of those in his profession by being involved in Kids N Kops, the Fire Prevention Program, as well as being Sparky the Dog at community events. “Seeing kids while I am on and off the job come up to me and tell me they want to be like me when they grow up makes me love my job even more,” Michael said. Passionate about his career and readily serving his community, Michael is the epitome of the Young Professional that the Chamber wishes to celebrate. Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 27
28 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022
crafting a dream With a commitment to craft and community, Gallagher Dempsey is on the brink of celebrating three years with Southern Philosophy Brewing in June.
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allagher Dempsey has seemingly lived all over the world, from Argentina to Washington DC, to many cities in Florida. He never thought he would end up in Bainbridge, Ga.., but he has found his dream realized in this quaint town. One year, on a trip to visit friends with his wife Nicole, they visited Bainbridge to eat at the restaurant that Tyler and Heather Thomas had recently opened. Knowing that Gallagher had always wanted to open a brewery, Tyler began to encourage him to look into the potential of starting one in Bainbridge. With 17 years of brewing experience, 12 years of business experience, and 10 years of combined experience working in the service industry, Gallagher put together all he knew, and took a leap of faith, “ I dreamed and planned for many years and when the time came I acted….To accomplish my goals my family and I saved every penny we could. We then took a leap of faith and moved to a new town, Bainbridge. I created a business plan and shared it with interested parties. I did my research. I utilized labor when available, however I spent every day after my 9-5 job building the brewery nearly on my own with the help of a few close friends at times. Once we were open I did everything I could to keep disciplined, to strive to create a quality product and to get better every day.” Gallagher commented on the brewery’s beginnings. And create a quality product, he did. Anyone can see his pas-
sion for the craft at hand. He enjoys using his creativity to brew different types of beers, many of which come from the suggestion of his patrons. From sours, to lagers, to IPAs, Gallagher truly enjoys the intricate process it takes to brew each one. Southern Philosophy Brewing Company will be open for three years as of June 2022. Any business owner can speak to the overwhelming responsibility it takes to keep a business running. With this in mind, one would imagine that it would be difficult to find time to serve the community, but Gallagher has used his business as a platform to give back to the community that has supported him so well. The brewery has been the host of various community fundraisers such as the Celebrity Bartenders for Cloud event. Gallagher is also the co-creator of the Jazz and Blues Fest, casting a vision to attract regional tourists to Bainbridge. He also seeks to support other local businesses through collaborations with local vendors such as, Springhill Tree Farm, using their strawberries in the desserts on this menu as well as the beer he brews. Other businesses he uses are Long Farms produce, Grady Ranch beef, and Lashley Aviaries honey. Gallagher’s commitment to his craft and this community has earned him a seat on the Chamber Board of Directors. Nominated in 2021, Gallagher rolled on the Chamber Board in January of 2022. He is the epitome of a new generation leader, one our community is sure to benefit from. Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 29
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a heart for the community Dana Bryant’s love for “her people” extends far and wide, as she never turns away someone in need.
T
he Community Service Award is proudly given to an individual or organization that has gone above and beyond to serve the community in their personal life or as institution. Past recipients have included the likes of Councilwoman Roslyn Palmer, Missy Rollins, Alesia Brinson and Mr. Bennie Brookins. This year’s recipient, much like her predecessors, offers a smiling face and is an encouragement to all, even in the darkest of times. This year’s Community Service Award winner is Dana Bryant. When asked to describe Bryant, her family all agreed that she was an advocate for the underdog. Bryant’s husband, said she fiercely believed in taking care of “her people,” and by “her people” that could mean anyone in Decatur County. Bryant’s husband believes her love for other people and taking care of them started at early age during a Christmas gift swap. “They did a little gift swap and she got a pair of underwear, but another girl wanted to swap with her because she really needed them,” he said. “Since then, it’s just been an ongoing process of wanting to help others.” Bryant has had many jobs, but one of them led her to helping adults with developmental disabilities at Georgia Pines. During her time at Georgia Pines, Bryant met an individual who loved robots. For years, she would go on to buy him a
robot at Christmas, taking her two sons, Landen and Christopher over there on Christmas morning to build the robot for him. Landen recalls the memory fondly, saying once the robot was finished no one could touch it. The robot would only be taken off the shelf to show others, as the individual’s collection grew for years. “She would never treat anybody any different,” Landen said. “She loved everyone from every walk of life.” Christopher agreed with Landen, stating that his mom was a lifeline for many, and would often drop what she was doing to go help others. “What’s so different about her is that it doesn’t matter if she’s known you her whole life or 10 minutes, she’ll be there for you,” Christopher said. “She’s made some pretty significant sacrifices for people who have no involvement in her day to day life, and you don’t see that much.” Christopher said as kids, prior to the giving of the robot, his mom would adopt a family to provide Christmas for. However, she did not believe in just giving gifts and leaving. Christopher said the family would become a lifelong commitment to Dana. “She made a point to continue checking on the people and being a source of encouragement to that family for the long haul,” Christopher said. “She made contact with those people all year; some
of them it would be just a call, while some of them it would be stopping by and checking in.” Bryant was a strong force in everyone’s life, and she truly made it known that she was there whenever anyone needed her. Prior to Bryant working with mentally disabled adults, Bryant worked in the education system. Christopher said his mom made it clear that her students were not just her students from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m., but they were her kids all of the time. “When she was the director of PLC, she would get a call and tell us to get in the truck that one of her students needed something and we would go do it,” Christopher recalled. This devotion to her students led the way for Christopher to become a teacher and coach and have the same mentality. “I try to do that same thing and have that attitude toward my students and my players,” he said. “At the end of the day, she always had everyone’s best interests at heart and wanted them to realize their full potential.” Christopher concluded that his mother is passionate about people in general and wants to help people in whatever capacity that may be, from a phone call to taking someone out to lunch. For that reason, it is clear to see how Dana Bryant has impacted the Bainbridge community with her constant outreach and love for people from all walks of life. Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 33
pioneers in the field Jack and Joyce Leverett are true visionaries in the community. From chairing the Bainbridge College Foundation to fund raising for the Arts, the couple has done it all.
J
ack and Joyce Leverett grew up in neighboring communities outside of Moultrie, Georgia. They attended the same elementary and high school and started dating their Senior year of high school. (fun fact- their first date was to a donkey basketball game of April Fool’s day!). They married in 1959 - 63 years ago this year! Joyce graduated from Mercer University and taught 4th grade in Dekalb County. Jack attended Barnsville Military College, the University of Georgia and graduated Dental School at Emory University. After dental school, Jack was commissioned as an officer in the US Air Force and was stationed at Maxwell Airforce Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Upon leaving the Air Force as a Captain, Jack looked at several places to practice dentistry. He wanted a small town with hunting and fishing close at hand. Since Bainbridge needed a dentist and the local dentist, Jake Nichols and Oscar Jackson, encouraged him to come and the hunting and fishing were good, Jack chose Bainbridge. Jack practiced dentistry 57 years, retiring in 2020. During his time as a dentist, Jack was responsible for getting the Mayor and City Council to put a Fluoridation system in Bainbridge’s Public water system. He also held a number of professional titles, including President of the Southwest Ga. Dental Association and Honorable Fellow of the Georgia Dental Association in 1978. Following his retirement, Jack now enjoys hunting and fishing
with his friends, and working on his farm. Joyce loves working in her yard and house and being involved in making Bainbridge a better place. Since being in Bainbridge, Joyce has become a member of multiple committees and clubs, winning the Woman of the Year in 1987. She has been the Chairman for the Bainbridge College Foundation and the Chairman for the Southwest Georgia Regional Library, along with the Decatur County Library Foundation. She was the Secretary of the YMCA and on the original Board of Directors. When not sitting as a Chairman, Joyce found herself co-chairing galas for the hospital, fund raising for the Firehouse Arts Center and becoming a patron at the Bainbridge Little Theatre. They both have enjoyed traveling together over the years and are always up for an adventure. They are so active at age 84 They have 2 children, Dr. Jay Leverett – wife Ashley and children, Jackson, Henry and Abbie of Bainbridge. And Janet Leverett Atkinson, husband, Dr. Toby Atkinson and children, Josh and Sarah of Andalusia, AL Jack and Joyce have been very involved with their children and grandchildren. They are the most giving, loving, kind, encouraging, and selfless parents and grandparents on the planet. They have set a wonderful example on how to live a full life and how to serve others! Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 35
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peace officer of the year T
his year, The Post- Searchlight proudly revived the Peace Officer of the Year Award. This award is given to an individual, regardless of rank, who has gone above and beyond to protect and serve the community in the line of duty. Sheriff Wiley Griffin and Bainbridge Public Safety Director Frank Green were both asked to submit nominations. However, no nominations were needed, as it was clear there was only one officer deserving of this year’s honor: Captain Justin Williams Bedwell. Bedwell was shot in the line of duty on February 27, 2021 and succumbed to his injuries two days later on March 1, 2021. In Griffin’s nomination letter, he began with a quote. “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night because rough riders stand ready to do violence on their behalf,” the quote said. “Captain Bedwell was that “rough rider” the night of February 27, 2021,” Griffin continued. “Decatur-Grady 911 dispatch radioed Captain Bedwell that Seminole County Deputies were in pursuit of a white pickup truck occupied by two white males that were shooting at those Deputies. Captain Bedwell was en route to the location of the pursuit with lights and sirens, when Seminole County Deputies lost visual contact of the suspects on Brinson-Colquitt Rd. near Brinson, Georgia. Captain Bedwell proceeded north on Brinson-Colquitt Rd. looking for the two suspects. As Captain Bedwell approached a residence on Brinson-Colquitt Rd. the suspects were trying to shoot down the wooden door of the residence of Jesse and Melissa Whitley with an AR-15 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun. Jesse Whitley was returning fire with a 9MM pistol. As the
blue lights of Captain Bedwell’s cruiser approached the residence the suspects turned their attention to Captain Bedwell and started shooting at his patrol car and one of the bullets penetrated the driver side door, penetrated Captain Bedwell’s bullet proof vest and then penetrated the chest of Captain Bedwell. A total of 19 rounds of ammunition was fired by the suspects at the Whitleys and Captain Bedwell. Captain Bedwell pulled away from the house, pulled down the road a ¼ of a mile and gave his location. His last radio transmission was, ‘Tell my wife I love her.’ Captain Bedwell drove headlong into a gunfight to save Seminole County Deputies and the lives of the Whitleys. He gave his life to do just that. That sacrifice makes Captain Bedwell most deserving of the Peace Officer of the Year.” Prior to Bedwell’s passing, he was a mentor and teacher to many fellow deputies. Current criminal investigator, Vincent Edmond recalls his time with Bedwell fondly, saying he most deserving of this honor. “Justin trained me when I got out of the academy in 2007,” he said. “I came from working at the jail and he really wanted me on his shift. He eventually convinced Sheriff Griffin to let me be on his shift.” Edmond said that shift became one of the best patrol shifts to come out of the Decatur County Sheriff ’s Office. The shift consisted of Justin, Efrain Belltrain, the late Robert Griffin and himself. “We could do everything, because we all specialized in different things,” Edmond said. “Justin had just moved back from CID and knew all about investigative tactics; Efrain was great at traffic stops and warrants. I was also good at warrants and Robert knew maps and locations.”
During his time on the shift with Bedwell, Edmond said he was taught lifesaving tactics. “He trained me with a lot of emphasis on being safe,” Edmond said. “It was a lot of small things, that looking back, probably saved my life. He always told me to pay attention to the small details, like how to watch a person’s hands. He also reminded me that sometimes it’s worth letting the bad person go, if you’re in danger, because you could always catch them tomorrow.” When Edmond eventually moved to CID, he said Justin was his biggest cheerleader. “When I moved to CID in 2018, Justin was very encouraging,” Edmond said. “I was nervous I would mess up, but Justin still encouraged me up until the day he passed.” Edmond reminisced on how he had just spoken to Bedwell four hours prior to his call, where he told him once again how proud he was of him. “He really was one of my best friends,” Edmond lamented. “I really miss him and I’m always going to give 100% for him.” Green echoed Edmond’s statement, saying “Captain Bedwell is missed by all who knew him.” Green had previously spent 17 years of law enforcement working at the DCSO, before moving to BPS. “I am confident that Captain Bedwell exhibited all the characteristics of a true law enforcement professional in demonstrating a sincere care and concern for the welfare of this community,” Green said. “As a past recipient of this very prestigious award, I am confident that Captain Justin Williams Bedwell is the best candidate posthumously as 2021 Peace Officer of the Year.” Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 39
40 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2021
man of the year Serving on multiple boards, while juggling a demanding job and coaching kids on Little League, Bert Hines has done it all, instilling in everyone the importance of giving back to the community.
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iwanis Club’s Man of the Year is an award given to an individual in the community, who has devoted their time to improving the lives of those in the community, specifically the lives of children. This year featured three nominees: Ladaric Jones, Dr. Landin Marzolf and Bert Hines, with Hines being named as the recipient. Hines grew up in Bainbridge with his grandmother operating the Eastside Grocery Store. “My grandmother wanted to help people,” Hines said. “I have people come up to me and tell me all the time that if it wasn’t for my grandmother they wouldn’t have eaten that week.” Hines went on to explain that his grandmother would let people get the food they desperately needed and pay her back when they could. Because of the impact she had in the lives of others, Hines was inspired and wanted to live a life that served others in some capacity as well. He now serves as President of the Touchdown Club, which he has done for three years. Hines has a lot of love for the Touchdown Club, because he knows it goes toward helping kids, who may not get anything else. “The money we raise goes toward pre game meals, post-game meals, meals they need to eat during the week and helps them get the things they need to be successful,” he said. “It’s fun to watch them and interact with them; I get to know a lot of them in that position, and they end up
knowing me by name.” Hines always reminds the players that anything they need, to just call on him. “I do see it as a form of giving back, but it’s something I really enjoy,” he said. Hines also sits on the Youth Advisory Board at First National Bank. “I think it’s important for those kids in high school to get to see how things in the financial world work,” he said. “I think the schools do a great job, but I think there’s things these kids need to see in order to prepare them for the real world. “I’ve helped teach some business and financial education classes,” he said. “I just want to prepare them on how to open up a bank account and how to take out money in their name.” When Hines isn’t with the Bearcat football team or Youth Advisory Board, he can be found at the Gilbert H. Gragg Library, sitting on the Library Board as Treasurer. “I’m a reader and I think it’s good to have a strong library in the community that kids and adults, whoever, can go and check out books and be exposed to different things,” Hines said. “I believe in reading and I believe it keeps your mind sharp.” Hines also spends his free time with the Recreation Department, serving as a Little League coach. “Of course with Brooks (my son) coming up, I coached with the Rec. Department and I enjoyed it; I loved it,” Hines said. “It was fun to see kids who may not have played before or were just learning. I loved seeing the progression.”
Hines went on to also be a volunteer coach at the YMCA in basketball and eventually coach the All-Star Baseball team, where his team placed 3rd in the state. “That year, I asked Kevin Dowdy with the radio if they could mention it, but they encouraged me to come on instead, and then tons of people showed up and rode it out with us for the rest of the tournament,” Hines said. Hines still coaches his son’s travel ball team out of Thomasville, while supporting his daughter’s ambitions as well. “In my opinion, kids come first,” he said. “Although I coach my son’s travel ball team, when it comes to middle school baseball, I holler for every kid in the lineup; these kids have earned the right to be there, so why not make it fun for them?” Hines doesn’t see any of these community endeavors as a task, though, saying he participates in things he thoroughly enjoys doing. Hines believes this also stems from him working at a community bank. “We are a community bank and I take the community part of that very seriously,” he said. “You have to give back to your community; you have to find things that get you excited or that you’re passionate about and be involved in those.” Hines said if it wasn’t for the community, who put so much into him, he wouldn’t be who he is today. For that reason, he is grateful and thankful to be nominated for Kiwanis Club’s Man of the Year. Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 41
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