Welcome to the Winter 2023 edition of Bainbridge- Living Magazine! For the third year in a row, we have partnered with the Chamber of Commerce for our annual Chamber Awards edition.
Each year we are in awe of all of the community members who have contributed countless hours and ideas to turn Bainbridge into not only a wonderful place to call home, but a great place to work and do business.
This year’s awards honored members who have been staples since the Chamber’s inception, along with newcomers who have jumped right in and continued to build on the years of success.
I hope after reading the profiles in these next few pages, you shake the hands of these hard-working individuals and thank them the next time you see them. It’s not easy to volunteer after a hard day’s work, but these businesses and professionals make it look second nature to pour into a community that has poured so much into them.
We could all take a page from their book as we look for more ways to involve ourselves this year.
EDITORIAL
JOHN WELLS General Manager
ETHAN REDDISH TRAVIS POLITAKIS
JILL HOLLOWAY
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The story and significance of Isaac’s Bakery in the Decatur County community is one unlike any other. Isaacs Bakery is the oldest operating business in Bainbridge since their opening in 1928. As it was passed down to Al and Marilyn Collins where they served their baked goods to the community for years, it was their dedication to customer service and building relationships that made them a hit among the community for the past century. Most recently, Al and Marilyn Collins were awarded with the Bainbridge Chamber Pioneer Award which represents someone who has set the precedent for business operation, community involvement and service to others over a long period of time.
Many rave about the countless baked goods served by Isaacs Bakery for the last 88 years, but Isaacs also serves sandwiches, soups, salads, and chicken and dumplings. Some of their most popular items feature chicken and dumplings, Turkish macaroons, and cherry chews. Isaacs Bakery has been a staple of the downtown square for 88 years and most likely will continue to be for another 88 years.
Something that sticks out about Isaacs Bakery is the stories from community members. Almost every member of the community has shared a story of their experiences at Isaacs Bakery
that highlights not only the quality of their products but also the quality of their customer service.
“When you think about pioneers, it’s hard to believe that it’s generations of people,” said longtime friend and customer Dana Bryant.
“For this family, it is generations of pioneers. Al and Marilyn have a love for everyone. They’re active in their church, they’re always available, and they always take time to talk to you. You can hear Mr. Al saying, ‘hey cuz,’ and he just wants to know what’s going on with you. That’s how they built their business.”
For some people, their interactions at Isaacs Bakery with Al and Marilyn were their first-ever encounter in Bainbridge. Their hospitality and service made people comfortable in being able to call Bainbridge home.
“I came to Bainbridge in 2001 originally, and a couple of the first people I met were Al and Marilyn Collins,” said City Manager Chris Hobby. “Al and Marilyn owned Isaacs Bakery, of course, and Al was very involved in the Downtown Development Authority, but these were in the days before the downtown was as vibrant as it is today. Isaacs Bakery was a mainstay in the downtown area and was one of the city’s anchors. Al and Marilyn were involved in the very early days of us trying to put
Having been in business since 1928, Isaac’s Bakery sets the standard for customer relationships, baked goods and service to others.
together a plan that would make downtown Bainbridge vibrant.”
Marilyn treated her job as an artistic masterpiece. Dozens of customers have raved about how beautifully decorated the cakes she made were, how delicious all of their products were, and just the overall time and effort put into making Isaacs Bakery a Bainbridge staple. Marilyn was also unique in her care for others and the relationships she built with her most frequent customers.
“The cakes weren’t just delicious,” said Penny Reynolds. “It was like she was an artist. She just decorated beautifully, and I was always very pleased with it.”
“When I was pregnant with Michael, every Friday I would come in for their famous cream puff,” said Dana Bryant. “If I wasn’t there by 4:00, count on Marilyn dialing my phone number because she wanted to know if everything was okay and where I was, and what time I’d be there.”
Not only have the Collins’ business been a staple in the downtown area for 88 years, but the community has also counted on them to provide a voice and provide leadership when it comes to decision-making because not only have they poured everything into the community, but they have also helped lead the community.
“We always counted on them for leadership, for council, and for their experience,” said Hobby. “Because Isaacs Bakery has literally been downtown for 100 years, and so if anything we were going to do that was going to be successful, it was going to require their input and their guidance.”
Although Al and Marilyn aren’t in the store anymore, Isaacs Bakery still brings the same quality products and customer service. The Collins are still very much involved in the community, and there is always a great chance you will see them smiling with others in the square.
March 3rd Friday@thefirehouse 5-7pm
Elephant Aid International
Purchase photographs and elephant inspired artwork
Founder Carol Buckley is Guest Speaker
March 9th Opening Reception 5-7pm
Light of Life, A John Bayides Retrospective Exhibit will be open through March 26th
Burke, Worsham and Harrell LLC is a certified public accountant and financial consultant business that serves clients all across the Decatur County Community. Burke, Worsham and Harrell has been operating for over 50 years and most recently was recognized as they earned the Bainbridge Chamber Star Business Award.
“Burke, Worsham and Harrell is a full-service CPA firm providing a wide range of services for accounting, taxes, businessrelated services, and estate planning so we offer quite a variety of services,” said Billy Walker of BW&H. “We’re quickbooks pro advisors, so we can help anyone from small business on up, we can help individuals and stuff like that.”
Beginning in 1965 with founder Jack Burke, Burke, Worsham and Harrell have stood behind, assisted, and backed businesses in the community for over 50 years. One business they have especially helped over the years is the Salvation Army. They have assisted them on many projects that have helped serve and provide goods to many community members.
“Burke, Worsham and Harrell is a large community partner with the Salvation Army,” said Salvation Army Director Merreann McDonald. “They stand behind any of our projects; we can call on them anytime we need them. If there is something urgent that we need to be able to help our clients or community, they are always willing to step up to the plate and help us meet the need.”
One specific case of BW&H stepping up to help the community was when the Salvation Army wanted to hold a fan drive, to assist those in need during the summertime who may not have access to air conditioning and cooling units.
“One of the things we have seen happen in the severe heat of the summer, and the elderly people that we found out did not have air conditioning in their homes and so I threw out at a chamber of commerce meeting that we needed someone to step
up and help us collect fans or find some money to provide fans and BW&H contacted me and agreed to sponsor a fan drive,” said McDonald. “They brought in over 30 fans as well as some additional funds to help us purchase fans for the elderly.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of businesses were impacted and needed help. One business in particular that BW&H really rejuvenated was Brazils Wax Center with CEO Edward Blocker.
“Our books were a mess, and we had so many accounting problems, and we saw it was difficult to get fixed,” said Blocker. “We had an accounting firm out of Oklahoma who couldn’t fix us, our own accounting staff internally that made it worse. We then went to BW&H and met with Billy Walker, and he cleaned us up pretty quickly. They helped navigate us through the COVID PPV process, which was a nightmare and kept us from collapsing during the shutdown. We’re very thankful that Billy and his team were able to clean us up and make us a fully functioning company.”
For Billy and his team, the commitment to building personal relationships and working directly one-on-one with their clients is something that sets them apart from their competition and also allows them to further delve into the Decatur County Community.
“I believe our clients choose us over other CPA firms because we provide that personal relationship with the clients, we will work one on one with them,” said Walker. “We’re not just churning out work. Anyone can prepare a tax return, but we also want to discuss the situation with the client and want to help our clients grow and help their businesses grow.”
Burke, Worsham and Harrell have served Decatur County Businesses for over 50 years and cannot wait to see the growth and impact they can make in the next 50.
and
LLC goes beyond the basic business call for financial needs, often developing close-knit relationships with customers and helping those in need.
It’s been roughly three years since Taurus officially moved their business to Bainbridge. In that time, the gun manufacturer has made themselves a quintessential part of the local economy. So it was no surprise when they were awarded the Corporate Citizen Award at the Chamber Awards last month.
“Ever since December of 2019 when we opened up, we’ve employed over 250 employees in our facility here,” President and CEO Bret Vorhees said in a testimonial video put together by the Chamber.
Vorhees, previously was employed with Walther Arms, and has spoken about the change to 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. “It’s important for Taurus, and myself personally, to be very involved with the Chamber of Commerce,” Vorhees continued in his testimonial.
Vorhees is a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, and Taurus itself is a sponsor of many local community events, including Rivertown Days.
Rick McCaskill, Executive Director of the Development Authority of Bainbridge and Decatur County, discussed how Bainbridge was chosen as Taurus’ new home; originally, the company had been looking at locations around Atlanta.
“There was a hurricane coming in through south Florida, and of course they were located in Miami, and all the owners and the leadership was down in Miami. They had hunted at Southwind and the south part of Decatur County in the past,” he said in the testimonial. As McCaskill told it, Southwind offered some of their lodge rooms to the leadership during the hurricane evacuation.
“The owner at Southwind gave me a call and said, ‘I’ve got someone down here you need to eat lunch with,’” he recounted. That lunch meeting ultimately led to the choice of Bainbridge over Atlanta.
Cody Osborn, Taurus’ Director of Marketing, had nothing but positive things to say about the move.
“I was not involved with the move to Bainbridge, but from my time here after the move, it shows that whatever the difficulties or obstacles that the company faced were all well worth the investment,” he told the Post-Searchlight. “We have seen an incredible increase in our manufacturing capabilities and a dramatic reduction in requests and time for service/repair.”
Other employees had similar positive experiences with the move, but not just from a business perspective. Peter Alvarez, import coordinator for the company, moved to Bainbridge with his wife and two children.
“Moving from Miami to Bainbridge was very different, and indeed a culture shock,” he said. “A lot of it just gave me peace of mind. It’s less busy. Now when I come home, I’m home and I can relax, in Miami there was always something to do.” He continued, “I can let my kids play outside without having to worry about so many cars driving by, and that’s something they enjoy.”
“The company’s move to Bainbridge has paid off in more ways than we can really count,” Vorhees said. “We rely on Bainbridge as a community, and we invest a lot of time and effort here, but we were also welcomed with open arms when we decided to move up here, and we have a workforce that comes to work every day, excited to be a part of our company.” He concluded, “If it wasn’t for the move to Bainbridge, I don’t believe that we would have the dedicated work force, and ultimately the success that we do as a company.”
When Taurus employees originally moved to Bainbridge, they never imagined the impact they would have on a quiet, humble community.
Family means everything to us, and after the tough passing of my father, we understand that even more. We want to carry on family traditions with our two sons, Rhoades and Bailey. One of our traditions is showing livestock. Brock and her father, “Dr. Cliff Bailey” have already introduced it to the boys. Rhoades, our 2-year-old, has already shown interest by loving anything to do with cows, tractors, and his “Doc”. Growing up, it was through showing livestock that we created many memories as a family. Showing animals has a way of teaching values such as hard work, leadership, and discipline.
These values were instilled in us at a very young age, and they are the same values we want our boys to have. Bainbridge is our home. Recently we have experienced the support of a small town through the birth of our son, Bailey. Our church, friends, and local businesses have been so supportive during this time. We know this type of community is rare, and it’s one we are proud to live in and raise our two boys.
With an influx of new businesses and new hires in the community, the Chamber of Commerce opted to have one of the 2022 Chamber Awards honor the cream of the new crop, with the Rising Star Award. As Chamber board chairman Darrell Cox explained in the award night testimonial, “Some of the characteristics we were looking for when choosing the recipient of the Rising Star Award, is youthful energy, a passion for the community, someone who, when called upon is there, they volunteer their services, and they need to be a proven professional.”
The Chamber found that Kyle Staples was the embodiment of these qualities.
Staples currently works as the Vice President Commercial Lender at First Port City Bank, but that alone would not be enough to clinch this award. Staples is additionally involved in the First Port City youth leadership class, as well as the Chamber of Commerce adult leadership class, the Rivertown Days committee, and Bearcat Workforce Now, as well as the Salvation Army Advisory Board. He is also looking to join the Rotary Club.
“Kyle’s a commercial lender here at First Port City Bank,” said Bank President and CEO Scott Ewing. “He’s been here a little over a year, but one of the things that attracted me to Kyle, and him to the company I think, was our shared desire to serve, and to be a community partner here.”
Teri McCord, a member of the 2021 Youth Leadership class, had nothing but praise for Staples’ involvement in the program.
She recounted her meeting with him at the Youth Leadership luncheon, saying, “When I first sat down, we both stood up and shook hands, and he fully engaged in conversations with me.”
She continued, “We both took a while before we started to eat our food, just so we could talk to each other, get to know each other, and he gave me so much insight into the business he ran at First Port City Bank.”
When asked about his community involvement, Staples cited a Bible verse, supposed to be a favorite of Truett Cathy, Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be desired more than great riches, to be esteemed more than silver or gold.”
“You don’t go out and do that kind of work to receive a reward,” Staples said.
While Staples’ wife, Brock, is a Bainbridge native, Staples feels he has finally become integrated into the community. “It’s become my town too, I’m not the new guy. Everybody’s been so welcoming, and that’s part of the reason I wanted to get involved, because I was newer and wanted to meet people.”
“Anywhere there’s a need, he looks to be involved,” Ewing said.”He just really fits our culture here, and that’s one of the things that I think attracted Kyle to the bank, was not only did we provide that opportunity for him to serve, but in fact we encouraged that.”
“When we assigned Kyle to a task,” Cox said, “he not only is happy to do it, he does it really well. We know we can always count on him, no matter what we ask him to do.”
When Kyle Staples came onboard at the Chamber of Commerce, he embodied all of the qualities of servant leadership and a community partner.
This year saw the Chamber of Commerce recognize a certain member with the Outstanding Chamber Member award, recognizing a member for their “immense support of the Chamber in the last year.” Among the dozens of Chamber members, the one deemed to have the most outstanding support was New Hire Solutions.
“New Hire Solutions isn’t local,” Chamber president Lauren Minor said, “so they’re not really a business here. But they are a Chamber member, and they’re extremely involved.” Minor went on to detail New Hire’s long history with sponsoring Rivertown Days, even through the last few years’ difficulties. “They sponsored the Rivertown Days sponsor party, which means they decorated for it, and they decided to do that in 2020,” she said. “It flooded in 2020, and we had to move it from the Boat Basin to Bill Reynolds sports park, and I remember them all there, they had centerpieces, they were putting tables out, they had lights strung up on the batting cages, which we were using as our sponsor party.” The COVID pandemic emergency was declared that day, which ultimately led to Rivertown Days being rescheduled four more times. New Hire maintained their help
throughout. “We planned all the way up to it every time,” Minor said, “so they, every time, had centerpieces and decorations, all of that. They were so faithful in that, and they didn’t get frustrated with us.”
In addition to their faithful support of Rivertown Days, New Hire has also helped with the Youth Leadership and Bearcat Workforce Now programs, even having talent and business coordinator Chandler Hurst as a representative on the fair committee.
“Their involvement and their support is just immense,” Minor said.
“We are definitely honored to be recognized for our volunteer work,” Hurst told the Post-Searchlight. “The Chamber can call on us for anything, and we of course appreciate the award.”
“We are honored to have been selected to receive this award,” New Hire president Landis Thomas said. “We are so thankful for the Bainbridge Chamber staff and members that give back and volunteer their time to keep the community growing and thriving. The New Hire Solutions team and I look forward to our continued partnership in the future.”
Despite not being centrally located in Bainbirdge, New Hire Solutions has always been heavily involved in the Chamber and more than willing to lend a hand whenever needed.
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On Tuesday, January 17 the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce hosted the 97th annual chamber awards that honor citizens across Decatur County who go above and beyond both in their profession and in their community. This year, the recipient of the 2022 Pilot Club Woman of the Year went to a former elementary school teacher and administrator at Bainbridge High School, current family services coordinator at Bryant Funeral Home, and full-time mom and friend, Dana Bryant.
Not only has Bryant been a Bainbridge local since her birth, but Dana as well as the entire Bryant family are seen all throughout the Decatur County community. Whether it is with Chris Bryant devoting himself to athletes at Bainbridge High School or her two other children, Landen and Michaele, helping alongside her four grandchildren Mason, Hartley, Isabella, and Cayle, who have volunteered alongside Dana in a number of ways, including Supper on Scott, ringing the bell for Salvation Army, serving meals at Thanksgiving, purchasing and delivering Christmas gifts, supplies and food for families in need; the Bryants are an integral part of the Bainbridge community, and it starts with Dana.
“Max and I are from this community and have been here pretty much our entire lives,” said Bryant. “After I received the award I looked at the trophy and it lists all the recipients dating all the way back to 1961 and when I had the chance to read through some of the names, I was just blown away. There
were 60 names I counted on there and I can tell you 70% of the people who have received this award have poured into me at some point in time. That is larger than my brain can even comprehend. I see it almost as being a product of their work.”
For Bryant, learning who had nominated her for the Pilot Club award was just as special as receiving the award because it showed her impact on others’ lives. Bryant emphasized that winning the award wasn’t so much about herself but about being a part of others’ stories and being able to pour herself into others the way so many have done for her throughout her time in Decatur County.
“When they told me who nominated me, that became bigger than anything else because this is a person that I see serving and giving to our community,” said Bryant. “For them to turn around and recognize me made me step back and go ‘wow, I’m part of their story as well.’ This award for me isn’t about a singular person of the year but about all the partnerships we have built across the community. It’s not a one-man band, it’s a village throughout the community.”
Bryant has instilled the virtue of service across her whole entire family, but her instincts and willingness to help others no matter the circumstance has been her mission since elementary school.
“As a kid, my parents worked extremely hard to provide for us and we didn’t do or have extravagant things,” said Bryant.
There isn’t a person in the Bainbridge community whose life hasn’t been touched by Dana Bryant at some point. Through her efforts, citizens always know they have someone to lean on.
“When I realized that at a young age, I heard God’s calling and he was telling me that ‘you have an abundance that I have given you that you can share with someone else’ and since that point on I was always drawn to people in need. Sometimes when you hear that you think it’s just homeless people or people with financial struggles, but we’re all in need at some point in our lives, regardless of what’s in our bank accounts. Whether it’s a listening ear, food, a project you need to get accomplished, we always need somebody.”
One moment that stuck out to Dana and her son Christopher who was in elementary school at the time was when Dana encountered a visually impaired couple while working at Jones Wheat Elementary School and saw the need to assist in any way possible.
“While I was teaching elementary school I saw a couple who were visually impaired and they had a child and I saw a need that they had,” said Bryant. “It was around Christmas time so we bought them Christmas gifts and everything, but when we got to their house we realized that the need was so much greater. They didn’t know that their shrubbery needed to be cut because they walk the same path in and out of the house everyday and had no idea their grass had been overgrown. We went through and cleaned up their whole yard and were able to make their house look like a home again. Examples like that are important for my kids and grandkids to see because if there is a gap, be the one to stand in it and fill that gap for whomever it may be.”
Dana and her love for the community is shown everyday but one specific example was shown during the Chamber Awards. As Isaac’s Bakery was presented with their award, Dana talked about how close she was with Marilyn Collins and the relation-
ship they built because of the community. That story is just one example of Dana and the Bryant family’s love for the city of Bainbridge.
“You would not have enough ink in the newspaper to show the countless examples of how much this community means to me,” said Bryant. “There is not one thing about this community that I don’t love. People that live in metro areas have no idea the benefits of a small town. The benefit of being a part of this village far outweighs any negative you could possibly think of. I have never been in a situation where I needed assistance that I couldn’t pick up the phone and call someone who wouldn’t respond right away. When I say this award is about the village, it really is about the coming together of the community.”
The reliance on her faith and God have had a tremendous impact on Bryant’s life and helped guide her through the roller coaster of life, no matter the hardship or the glory. Ever since age ten, Bryant has developed a strong trust in her faith and in God and has been able to impact others’ lives because of it.
“I do not exist without Him,” said Bryant. “Simple as that. In my early twenties I started getting really serious about my faith and joined a women’s Bible study group and I truly mean it when I say that Bible study changed my life. The person who led that Bible study, the way she spoke and conducted herself really planted the seeds of faith in my life to help me to keep growing. It made me realize that this world and this life is not about me. I’m just a vessel to show God’s grace. I believe that every introduction between a person is a divine intersection between two people’s lives.”
Bryant continues to show her service to others both in her professional life and personal life each and every day and finds motivation in being able to impact Decatur County as a whole.
With the local Kiwanis Club having been dissolved recently, the Bainbridge Rotary Club has since taken on the responsibility of naming the Man of the Year. This year, they only received a single nomination, and it was one who they had no qualms or debate about presenting the titular award: Dr. Charles Clifford Bailey, owner and head vet of Port City Animal Hospital.
Having founded his practice in 1988, Dr. Bailey is on call 24/7 for clients. This was exemplified on the night of the Chamber Awards, as he had to leave before his award presentation on an emergency call, with his daughter Brock Staples accepting it in his stead. “We don’t have to name a person every year,” Bo Jones, Rotary president-elect and secretary, said. “If we don’t think they’re suitable or worthwhile or whatnot. But certainly, his application I thought was worthwhile.” In the nomination letter, Dr. Bailey’s 24/7 schedule is acknowledged and praised, as is his work with BHS students with livestock showing, and his work with the local Humane Society’s trap-neuter-release program.
“I’ve known the family for 40 years,” Jones said. “Cliff is very
deserving of the award. He has done a lot.”
“It was quite a surprise and quite humbling,” Dr. Bailey told the Post-Searchlight. “I’m very humbled by that, because there’s certainly people way more deserving than me to receive that award, but I do appreciate them giving me the opportunity to be a recipient of it.” He continued, “I hope that I can continue to live up to the expectations that go along with it.”
Dr. Bailey made sure to thank those that have helped him along the way. “I’m fortunate that I have a great staff that supports me,” he said. “Oftentimes, people don’t see what they do behind the scenes. I can’t do what I do without them.” He thanked the community for its support, as well as his family. “My wife is a big part of it… She runs the business side of this place, because I’m just an extremely poor business person.”
“It’s kind of hoky I guess,” he said, “but I’m basically living the American dream. I grew up as a kid wanting to do this, in this community, and to come back to the community and be able to do it, lots of people don’t get those opportunities. I know I’m blessed and very lucky to do it.”
Being on call 24/7 has afforded Dr. Charles Clifford Bailey the opportunity to not only save many animals’ lives, but connect with their owners in a time of need.
This year’s Chamber Awards saw multiple people from different fields and with different areas of involvement in the community be honored, from veterinarians to bank vice presidents. Those who work in education and childcare were not excluded, with the 2022 recipient of the Chamber’s Outstanding Committee Member Award being Dr. April Aldridge, specifically for her work with the First Port City Bank Youth Leadership program, as well as Bearcat Workforce Now.
“I was very surprised, because I would never have anticipated it,” Dr. Aldridge said.
Aldridge and her husband moved to Bainbridge almost 20 years ago, with the couple almost immediately getting involved with the Chamber.
“I grew up in a small town, my husband grew up in a small town. You don’t move to a small town and not be ready and willing to engage in the things that a small town has to offer, and being part of the Chamber is a natural way to begin to be connected.”
When the couple first moved to Bainbridge, Aldridge was a classroom teacher. It wasn’t until she worked her way up to higher positions of leadership in the school system that she became a personal member of the Chamber.
“Dr. Suzi Bonifay, she was always involved with the Chamber too, and so when I moved into that parallel role to hers, it was just a natural thing that I would also be a member,” she said.
When asked, Chamber president Lauren Minor praised Aldridge’s work with the Chamber.
“She helped us spearhead Bearcat Workforce Now. Our board never tasked her with that, she just took it and ran with it,” Minor said. “That is just worthy of a good pat on the back.”
Bearcat Workforce Now is a partnership between the Chamber and Bainbridge High School, with a focus on helping students find local careers in the community.
“The goal of the program is to identify these students, and then to begin working with them on soft skills, on business skills, communication skills, resume skills, to prepare them,” Aldridge said in a testimonial video that was shown at the Chamber Awards. “And then, ultimately, the goal is to connect them with industries here in Decatur County, and then to help contribute to the workforce here. And of course we want those industries to hire our students, so they can give back to our community.”
Aldridge further elaborated on the program’s origin in the testimonial: “Lauren and I went to lunch one day,” she said, “because we had really been working together a great deal with the Youth Leadership program, and we had begun to have conversations about how we could be intentional, about creating a program that would help to meet the need of this group of students who is targeted more towards entering our workforce.”
Receiving this award was a welcome surprise to Aldridge, but recognition wasn’t the reason she committed to the programs. “In the video, I said it is about the kids for me, and there’s nothing greater than watching a kid grow into themselves and finding success,” she said. “Whether that’s in a kindergarten classroom, with a kindergarten teacher who works with a student the day they learn to read… or if you’re in a third-grade classroom and it’s the day that students realize they’re beginning to master their multiplication facts. As they move through school, it’s always about those moments when a student grows into their own.” Helping not just the next slate of workers for the economy, but the next generation, is what Aldridge pushes for. “All of that progression, about helping individuals become the best version of themselves, that is always what I’m about. Students are our future, so the stronger we can help them become as individuals, the stronger they will be as collective team members and collaborators.”
Dr. April Aldridge is never one to shy away from a challenge; from spearheading a new Youth Workforce Program to helping build resumes, she’s the ultimate teammate.
Captain Michael Cox of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office has been helping people on their worst days since long before he became a deputy.
Cox previously worked for Decatur County EMS for 19 years.
It was at EMS that Cox found his passion for helping people.
“I like to deal with the public,” he said. “I’m a people person and I really like helping people more than anything.”
After spending almost two decades helping people with EMS, Cox approached Sheriff Wiley Griffin in 2005, wanting to come onboard at the DCSO.
Griffin welcomed Cox with open arms and put Cox through the CHAMPS Instructional Program in 2007.
Since then, Cox has become the sole CHAMPS instructor for all fifth graders in Decatur County.
“I’m the only one who teaches CHAMPS in Decatur County,” Cox explained. “I spend about 95% of my time in the school system.”
Working with the school has its perks.
According to Cox, he has gotten to travel all across the U.S. with the school and band, citing some of his favorite trips as NYC, Memphis, St. Augustine and San Antonio.
However, those travels came to a halt in 2012, when Cox was diagnosed with a heart issue.
Cox later underwent open heart surgery to fix the issue in July
2016, but his celebration was short lived.
In December 2016, Cox was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, a diagnosis that would change his outlook on life forever.
Cox was forced to travel to Birmingham and undergo two different surgeries, before beginning his chemo and radiation treatments.
However, Cox never fought this battle alone.
“Wiley Griffin and Wendell Cofer were there every step of the way,” Cox recalled. “It was never a question of would I go back to the DCSO; it was just a matter of when.”
Cox specifically remembers when Griffin told him not to worry about anything, that they would all be waiting when he got back.
“When your boss says don’t worry about anything, it really just moves mountains,” Cox said.
Cox never gave up in his fight against cancer and attributes this to not only his work family, but his wife, who he has been married to for 47 years, daughter and son.
“They were my backbone,” he said.
Of course, get-well cards from Cox’s CHAMPS students helped as well.
“At one time, I got a huge poster from all the kids at Jones Wheat Elementary telling me to get well,” Cox said.
Since Cox’s remission, he has used his own story with his
CHAMPS students.
“When I teach the kids about tobacco, I always ask them what they think of when they hear heart disease,” he said. “They all tell me they think of someone who can’t move or is overweight and are shocked to learn that I have heart disease.”
Cox said sharing his personal story creates an even better relationship with the students.
That relationship lasts much longer than just their fifth grade year.
Cox was reminded of this recently when he went into A Town Wings and a student behind the counter told Cox he was in a part of his CHAMPS class years ago.
“It makes my day to see these kids,” he said. “I really believe I have the best job at the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office.”
Believing his job is the best is one of the many reasons Cox fought so hard to beat cancer.
“Having a job to get up and go to makes all the difference,” he said. “Get sick and you’ll understand.”
While Cox has no intentions of slowing down any time soon, he admits that his cancer and heart surgery changed his life.
“My heart surgery changed me,” he said. “I’m not able to control my emotions as well.”
While this has sometimes proven to be difficult during tough cases, Cox said it has also shown a much different side of the badge.
“It’s proven officers are human and we can be more sympathetic and compassionate to certain issues,” he said.
Cox’s ability to empathize with others, along with a strong will to help young kids learn through his own life experiences is what makes him the prime candidate for Peace Officer of the Year.
Ansley Holden’s heart for others is on full display through her partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and in her business practices at Rivers and Bridge.
Ansley Holden of Rivers and Bridge has had a winding path getting into the fashion business. However, her hard work recently paid off, winning the Fast Start Recognition during the 2023 Annual Chamber Awards Banquet.
Rivers and Bridge is an upscale boutique located in Downtown Bainbridge that specializes in classic clothing and menswear.
“We wanted to stick with classic, timeless clothing that people could keep and wear for years on end,” she explained.
While Rivers and Bridge is unique in the fact it is one of the few menswear options in Bainbridge, Holden still wanted to find a way to stick out, so she chose a memorable name for the store.
“I’m not from Bainbridge, but I wanted to pay homage to the city,” Holden said. “Rivers is named after the Flint and Chattahoochee, while the Bridge is named after the large train trestle bridge that sits over the Boat Basin.”
Since its opening, customers from all over southwest Georgia and north Florida have traveled to the downtown storefront, looking for that perfect piece of clothing.
While serving customers is Holden’s goal, she wanted the store to also give to the community it serves.
Holden took part in the Leadership Decatur County class the Chamber of Commerce offered. Of the many facets of government the class was opened to, Holden took a special interest in
the Decatur County Jail, which she felt was often overlooked.
“I feel it’s often overlooked because we don’t want to be associated with felons,” Holden said.
People’s perception of the jail didn’t impact Holden’s overall vision for herself or her store, though.
She began collecting books to donate to the prisoners to read and got her store involved by using it as a platform.
“I felt if I used my store as a community platform to help collect these books, it would coincide with my brand instead of seeming just a passion project,” she said.
The efforts didn’t go unnoticed, as Holden was able to donate 150 books to the Decatur County Jail.
“The book drive is something I want to continue to do,” Holden said. “We met tons of individuals who are just awaiting a trial due to the backlog and don’t have any books or anything while they wait.”
The project has inspired Holden to help others find their passion.
“I recently hired two girls with the Youth Leadership Project, whose job is to come up with a service project,” she said. “I want them to be passionate about something and get involved in it as well.”
Holden said she and her store are always open to projects that help impact the community in the way the community has impacted them.
For many in the Bainbridge area, a trip to Ellianos is part of their morning routine. Whether it’s their coffee, food, customer service or everything in between, Ellianos has become a staple of the community. Owned by husband and wife Spencer and Whitney Thomas, Ellianos was most recently recognized by the Bainbridge Chamber for the Fast Start Business Award.
“Ellianos is a double drive-thru coffee concept where we offer different types of specialty products,” said Spencer Thomas. “I think being part of the chamber has definitely shaped and helped us grow our business in Bainbridge. Growing up here in town it was a lot different than it is now. I think the chamber has helped facilitate business growth as well as connecting the consumer with the businesses.”
Since its opening in 2020, Ellianos has been a hit among the community. Ellianos offers many different coffee and beverage options such as traditional coffees, freezers, smoothies and red bull rushes, as well as food options such as baked goods, breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches.
For the Thomas’, being able to serve the community of Bainbridge has been a joy since the opening of Ellianos and they know that as the community grows and Bainbridge sees more people, Ellianos will grow with it.
“Personally we are extremely honored to receive the award,” said Whitney Thomas. “We have put a lot of work and energy into starting Ellianos and are looking forward to the future with this company. We hope Ellianos will continue to serve Bainbridge, both through serving great products as well as serving this community.”
Serving Bainbridge goes beyond providing great products and customer service to their customers. The Thomas’ believe that in order to fully live up to their service role, they must be
tapped in with the community at all times and show support to the community in every aspect.
“Bainbridge is home and we believe it is our responsibility to plug in and be engaged,” said Thomas. “It is important we use our talents to make Bainbridge a better place, whether that’s being involved at the Chamber, supporting youth sports, or supporting local schools and churches.”
The virtue of service is something that the Thomas family strives to live out even outside of the drive-thru window. Whether it is helping provide opportunities to the youth, helping people financially or just giving someone a few minutes of their time, the Thomas’ value of service stems from the community of Bainbridge.
“Service to our family extends past the coffee shop window,” said Thomas. “We believe it is better to give than receive, and if we want to see change in this community we have to be part of the change. That’s why service is so important to us. We serve in many aspects: financially, with our time. and using our talents on various committees.”
Although Ellianos looks like a small business, the Thomas’ are extremely grateful for those who are behind the scenes everyday making their business a success. They’re hopeful that with the success seen in Bainbridge, that Ellianos will be able to extend and offer their services to other communities in the future.
“Ellianos looks like a small operation because the business model is so small,” said Thomas. However, there are many people behind the scenes that keep things running seamlessly. We want them to know we appreciate everything they do to help. We have plans to open several other Ellianos locations in other communities. We’re excited to grow our team and grow this wonderful business.”
Since its opening in 2020, Ellianos has been a community staple for breakfast and coffee, along with the best service in town.
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