TiftonScene JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2014
M A G A Z I N E
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Volume 9 • No. 1
Publisher/Ad Director DAN SUTTON Editor ANGYE MORRISON Graphics Coordinator IRIS HARBIN Design/Layout DEREK SCHAPER Contributors STEVE CARTER MIKE CHASON LATASHA FORD BECKY TAYLOR CHRISTINE TIBBETTS Circulation RACHEL WAINWRIGHT
Tifton Scene Magazine is published bimonthly at 211 N. Tift Ave., Tifton, GA 31794 by The Tifton Gazette p: 229.382.4321 • f: 229.387.7322 P.O. Box 708 • Tifton, GA 31793-0708 email: angye.morrison@gaflnews.com www.tiftongazette.com Letters and all editorial contributions may be sent to the above address or emailed to angye.morrison@gaflnews.com TiftonScene is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Reproduction or use of any article, photo or graphic content, without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Advertising rates and ad specifications available by contacting: • Jody Benson, Ext. 1932 • Kitty Stone, Ext. 1910 • George Moody, Ext. 1929 • Chelsea Fowler, Ext. 1928 Newsstand: $3.00 Subscription (six editions per year): $12.00
A Magazine with Personality!
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CO N T R I B U TO R S Angye Morrison is the editor of The Tifton Gazette. Morrison is a Georgia native who hails from Lincoln County, and is an avid high school football fan, as well as the Georgia Bulldogs. She is a graduate of Augusta State University, and has worked at newspapers in Georgia and Florida, as a reporter, photographer, paginator and editor. “I try not to make resolutions at the start of a new year. I’d rather make small changes throughout the year as I bump my hard head and learn those lessons I need to learn…it’s kind of a bump-and-go policy.”
Latasha Ford has been with The Gazette as a reporter since August 2010, fresh out of college. Ford started August 16, 2010, fresh out of college. She graduated from Turner County High School in Ashburn in 2006, where she was involved in yearbook and journalism. In 2010, she earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in professional writing from Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus. While at GSW, she was involved with the literary and visual arts magazine, Sirocco, for three years. “I’m not big on making resolutions for the New Year. Every day, I just strive to do better and be a better person.” Becky Taylor joined the sports department of The Tifton Gazette in September 2012. She was reared in Berrien County and developed a love of sports, starting with the 1991 Atlanta Braves and an invitation to keep basketball scorebooks for Nashville Middle a year later. She graduated from Berrien High, attended ABAC and finished Valdosta State with a degree in History. Five years later, she found herself in Athens and later graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Newspapers. Prior to joining The Gazette, she worked some with Georgia Public Broadcasting for the in-production “As If We Were Ghosts” and has done research for the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. “My New Year’s resolution is bagging a unicorn.”
Christine Tibbetts started life in New Jersey and ventured west in 1966 for the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Tifton became home in1978. Her professional focus for 30 years was marketing and public relations for the arts and education, for healthcare and early childhood education, plus a healthy dose of community activism and political advocacy. You can find her work for the Equal Rights Amendment on record in the Library of Congress. Crafting stories of places near and far dominates Tibbetts’ work now. “Weaving New Year’s resolutions into the fabric of my daily life gives them staying power, creating little habits more than declaring sea changes tough to achieve. Here’s one for 2014: embrace something I hopefully do well already and intentionally seek opportunities to share whatever that is more often.”
Other contributors this edition include Stacey Beckham, Chris Efaw, Ashley Mock and Clint Thompson.
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SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY
contents JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2014
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EDUCATION A look back at Tift County’s education system
EDUCATION Enrollment increases at ABAC
SPORTS FEATURE More than just a coach
FEATURE Life’s full of surprises
TRAVEL Rosemary Beach, FL
ART FEATURE Threads that bind... a season of quilts HEALTHCARE Tift Regional Health System EDUCATION UGA-Tifton’s grads in high demand ON THE COVER Addie Wilcox, whose life story is being told on a quilt during A Season of Quilts, is always ready to open her door, her home and her heart to her family and friends. photo by Angye Morrison
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We can also learn and grow by observing the difference others make in the world. The example of someone who gives back and makes life better for others, despite their own adversity, is a shining light in a sometimes dark world.
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These are the things we hope to capture in this magazine. The common threads that bind us together, when combined, form a tapestry of our past, present and future.
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e’ve all experienced life’s ups and downs, and those experiences, when shared with others, are the things that make life, well, interesting. It’s been said that the things that don’t kill us make us stronger. But more importantly, the things we experience and the lessons learned can often make life easier for others. It saves us all a few lumps and bumps when we can learn from others’ mistakes.
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Read about Miss Addie, and learn how she grew into the amazing woman she has become, raising 15 children to become productive and impressive adults. Miss Addie’s life is the subject of a special quilt being designed and made as part of A Season of Quilts, to be held Feb. 16 through March 30. There are numerous events happening during that time, and you’ll want to get involved and see not only Miss Addie’s quilt, which will be displayed as one of many amazing quilts created by talented artists, but also help to create a community quilt, hear stories from local storytellers and learn about others and how they overcame adversity. Read about a young newlywed couple. Angela and Warren Elder are just starting to stitch together their life’s tapestry. In this issue, you can also read about a coach who became so much more than just a leader on the athletic fields and courts. You’ll also get a look at ABAC, how the school has grown and become a leader among colleges and universities. Read about Tift Regional Medical Center’s history, and how it’s moving forward to better provide for patients and the community. Learn a little more about the history of our school system, as well as our local universities. We hope you enjoy this edition, and see it as a great start for 2014. Angye Morrison, Editor
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EDUCATION
Tift County’s education system
A look back Submitted by the Tift County School System
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ifton’s first school, the Tifton Institute, located at the corner of Fourth Street and Tift Avenue, was built in 1891. Prior to its construction, children attended classes in a small pine shack in downtown Tifton that was also used as a courthouse and church. Residents formed a stock company to establish the school and charged tuition: primary students, $2; intermediate, $2.50; and high school, $3. The city bought out the Tifton Educational Company in 1897 and named the first school board soon after. A referendum to levy a school tax failed in 1900, but passed in the second effort in 1906. That same year, construction began on the new Tifton Grammar School, which would house grades one through 11. It was built for $30,000 and was located where the current Tifton Post Office stands. By 1912, a drive for another school began. Tifton High School, the present County Administration Building, was finished in 1917 at a cost of $100,000 and was used as a school for the next 53 years. It housed grades six through 11, while Tifton Grammar School housed grades one through five. Tifton Grammar was renamed Annie Belle Clark for its long-time principal in 1944. Children who lived outside the
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city limits attended county school. Teachers normally taught for threemonth terms and then moved on to another school. At one time, there were 28 separate schools in the county, including Excelsior, Brookfield, Ty Ty, Omega, Eldorado, Chula and Harding. A consolidation drive spurred by World War I brought the number down from 28 to 14 by 1927. Tifton Junior High was also built that year at 506 W. 12th St. The building is still in use as the Pre-Kindergarten Center on 12th Street. The city and county schools merged completely in 1955. G.O. Bailey, the city superintendent, became principal of Tifton High School, and Henry Banks Allen, the county superintendent, served as the first Tift County consolidated superintendent. By 1956, three new schoolsNorthside, Southside (now Charles Spencer Elementary) and Matt Wilson High School were started. The next educational milestone came in 1962 when Tift County High School opened on Eighth Street, then a dirt road. This building is now home to Eighth Street Middle School. The football stadium was built in 1966, and a new junior high, now TCHS Northeast Campus, followed in 1970. Tifton Industrial School, now J.T. Reddick School, was home to African American students in grades one through 11 from 1917-1957, and Matt Wilson High School educated African American students in
grades eight-11 from 1957-1968. Matt Wilson closed briefly and was reopened in 1971 as a seventh grade center while J.T. Reddick housed all sixth graders in the county. Lake Drive, now Len Lastinger Primary School, opened in 1963 and was built for a cost of $232,000. G.O. Bailey, named for a long-time Tift County educator, was built in 1971. Citizens passed a bond referendum in 1995 to build the current Tift County High School. In 1997, they passed the first SPLOST which allowed the bonds to be retired in June 2002. Tift County Schools currently serve more than 7,850 students. The Pre-K Center serves Pre-K 3 and 4. Primary schools (Kindergarten – third grade) include Annie Belle Clark, G. O. Bailey, Len Lastinger and Northside. The elementary schools (fourth and fifth grades) are Charles Spencer and Matt Wilson. Omega School is home to Pre-K – fifth grade. All sixth graders attend J.T. Reddick, while Eight Street Middle School educated seventh and eighth grade students. Ninth graders attend TCHS Northeast Campus while the High School is for 10th – 12th. Note: The Tift County School System is looking for more information and old photos to add to its history. Anyone who has information, artifacts or photos that can be scanned and returned, please contact send an e-mail to info@tiftschools.com.
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Uniforms Linen Service/Doormats Restaurants/Businesses Doctors Offices/Healthcare Facilites Table Cloth Rental JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2014 | TiftonScene
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EDUCATION
Enrollment increase at ABAC reverses statewide trend by Ashley Mock
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ith a five percent increase in enrollment this semester, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College bucked a statewide trend which saw 18 of the 31 University System of Georgia institutions drop in enrollment from the 2012 fall semester. “We have known it for a while but I think students in the state and the nation are now recognizing ABAC as a bonafide baccalaureate degree-granting institution,” ABAC President David Bridges said. “We started with 40 students in our bachelor’s degree programs in 2008, and now we
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have nearly 1,000 students in four-year degree programs.” The University System granted ABAC State College status in 2006, opening the door for bachelor’s degrees. Prior to that time, the college had offered only associate degrees since 1933. ABAC enrolled 3,394 students for the 2013 fall term and had the third largest enrollment increase among the 13 colleges and universities who reported higher enrollments this year. Southern Polytechnic State University reported an increase of 5.6 percent fol-
lowed by Atlanta Metropolitan College at 5.1 percent, and ABAC at 5 percent. Total enrollment in the University System declined by 1.4 percent. Bridges pointed to higher numbers in the ABAC School of Agriculture and Natural Resources as one of the keys to the increase.
“That school has just over 1,000 students, and almost 600 of those students are majoring in bachelor’s degree programs,” Bridges said. “But look at that biology degree. We offered the first classes for a fouryear degree in biology in the fall semester of 2011, and now we have 202 biology majors. It’s the fastest growing single major we have.” The bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management with options in Forestry and Wildlife Management continues to be a popular choice for ABAC students with 170 majors in that area. The four programs under the Rural Studies bachelor’s degree, Social and Community Development, Politics and Modern Cultures, Writing and Communication, and Business and Economic Development, have also grown from 50 majors to almost 200. The ABAC enrollment includes students from 151 of Georgia’s 159 counties, 19 states and 24 countries. From Ghana to Germany, ABAC attracts students from around the world including the countries of Japan, Jamaica, Australia, Nigeria, Morocco, Brazil and Canada. The outermost points of the continental United States are also represented with
students from Maine and Washington. As could be expected, the number of Georgia students is highest with 3,202 followed by Florida at 105, and South Carolina with 24. Fifty-four percent of the ABAC students are female, and 147 have yet to declare a major. Almost 1,300 students live on campus in either ABAC Place or ABAC Lakeside. A University System economic impact study showed ABAC had an impact of $261,313,451 during the 2012 fiscal year. With the increased enrollment, Bridges said that figure is sure to take a leap forward. “Look at the facts,” Bridges said. “We have more students this fall. More importantly, we have more students living on campus and in rental properties around town. That group of 1,000 students in bachelor’s degree programs is going to be here four years or more.” Bridges, in his eighth year as the ABAC president, takes the increase a step further down the road. “Some of these bachelor’s degree graduates will choose to get jobs in this area and raise their families here,” Bridges said. “It’s a win-win situation for ABAC and this community.”
Students at ABAC get hands-on experience in a variety of disciplines. photos submitted JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2014 | TiftonScene
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SPORTS
coach More than just a
“Every young man dreamed of playing for the Wilson Tigers.”
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By Becky Taylor
ift County has been home to several football state champions. There was Gene Brodie’s 1983 Tift County High team. Then there have been the three champions at Tiftarea Academy in 1984, 1988 and 1992. But there was a team that came before then. During the days of segregation, Tifton’s Wilson High won championships in the old Georgia Interscholastic Association in 1950 and 1952 when they were known as Tift County Industrial. The first was under R.L. Mack. The next belonged to a coach who not just made his imprint on that year, but for many years after. Arthur Mott was a Tifton native, born in 1921, and a graduate of Industrial. After high school graduation, he went to Savannah, where he played
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football for Georgia State, now known as Savannah State. Being the era of World War II, Mott served in the Navy. When the war ended, he did not go back home. Instead he became a boxer in New York, but when he had disagreements with his manager, he came back south. First it was to Tuskegee Institute, where he majored in health. Then it was back to Tifton, where he took a job at Industrial. There, he was became not just a coach, but Mr. Athletics. His son, Dr. Alfred Mott, said that during sports seasons, he saw little of him. When it was not football season, it was basketball. When it wasn’t basketball, it was baseball. Football was his most successful sport. “He never had a losing season,” said Alfred. Records are still incomplete for his
teams. Media coverage was not always so good for African-American schools. The Tigers played in three championship games under his watch, two as Wilson and one as Industrial. The Industrial one saw him win a state title, the team’s second overall. Not shabby, considering he was a first-year head coach, having taken over from Mack. It was also one of the biggest upsets in state championship history. Industrial’s record was possibly 9-1-1. Possibly 9 wins, as two are not confirmed. There was definitely a loss and a tie, happening in back-to-back weeks against powers Hunt of Fort Valley and Brunswick’s Risley. They defeated Wayne County Training in the semis, but were matched up with Cedar Hill in the finals. The Panthers from Cedartown were one of the state’s best during the decade, winning titles in 1951 and 1953.
There was no such victory in 1952. It looked like one on paper. They were 10-0, had surrendered only 6 points for the entire year and were rolling on 7 straight shutouts. There was no semifinal for them. The team they were scheduled to play backed out, having been beaten by the Panthers in the regular season. None of that mattered in the end. Mott’s crew took care of business under the lights at old Tifton Stadium, winning 20-14. The 1950s were a time of change in Tift County. In 1957, the old wooden Industrial building was replaced with a brick one. Its site became Industrial Elementary and a new site gave rise to Wilson High. Despite new buildings, the sports budget was still tight. Though a gym exists by Wilson now, Alfred remembers basketball games being played outdoors, on a set of hoops behind the school. “A lot of times, they didn’t have enough equipment,” said Alfred. Some, he said, was donated locally, but he also remembers long rides up to now-closed Archer High in Atlanta to get more. He did figure out a way to put some actual bucks in the meager budget. “He would sell ice cream at Wilson to supplement athletics.” His dedication translated to even longer hours. Mott frequently had to drive players home after practices, which were held behind the school, or in later years, behind Springfield Baptist Church. But he was never one to complain. “My father was always positive, always upbeat.” That attitude was transferred to his players. “Every young man dreamed of playing for the Wilson Tigers.”
It was not just attitude; Mott led his players by example. Alfred remembered that whatever the players had to do in practice, his father would be doing it with them. The Tigers had the honor of being in the last game in GIA history, a state championship contest. They were a powerful group that year, that is quite evident by just the scores. After a 36-0 win in game one, they put up an astonishing
121 on Appling County Consolidated with 1,033 total yards. It was 67-0 at halftime. Quarterback Garland Ingram was 10-10 passing for 146 and averaged 24 yards on six carries. Mott tried his best to keep the score down. “Daddy played every string,” his son said. They had racked up six wins before their first loss and despite playing seven straight games on the road, made it all
the way to the finals, where they were finally upended by Houston County Training, 140. So ended a school legacy. Total integration meant Wilson shut down as a high school in 1970. His records were largely forgotten until 2007, when he was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame. “We were very pleased,” said Alfred, though he is not quite sure how much his ailing father was aware. Mott died in 2009. The team also played in the finals in 1965 against Trinity of Decatur, a game that would be pivotal to the future of two players. Michigan State would recruit Trinity’s quarterback Jack Pitts. Earl Anderson, one of Wilson’s top players, would transfer to Tift County High the next year. Earlier in 2013, he said Mott helped him with the move. “He made a comment when I decided to go, [he told me] ‘good luck,’” Anderson said. “He was a great coach, really a disciplinarian.” Later, inspired by Pitts, Anderson, too, would sign with Michigan State. Mott was not just a man of sport. Alfred said he focused just as much on the classroom. At home, he and his wife Leona instilled the value of education to their children. Sons Alfred and Tony went into medicine and daughter Vicki became an attorney. He extended that to his players. “His thing was to teach the whole man … [to get them] to pretty much be good role models for the community. He taught them about life and he led by example. He was a consummate gentleman.”
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FEATURE
Life’s full of surprises ...and the best are yet to come for this couple By Latasha Ford Newlywed Angela Elder describes the day she and her husband, Warren, got married as being “perfect,” and leading up to that perfect day was just as special. Married Nov. 30, Elder (maiden name Moore) said there are two stories to how she and Warren first met. She is originally from Tifton and works for The Spearman Agency as account executive. Warren is from Fitzgerald and works as a full-time firefighter at the Tifton-Tift County Fire Department, as well as for a private ambulance service in Fitzgerald. They had a mutual friend from Fitzgerald who sort of introduced them, says Elder. In 2007, she worked with this friend on an event and then she went back to Fitzgerald and told Warren and his family about her. “She just thought we would make a good match,” she said. This led to Warren calling her a couple of weeks later. However, they never met face to face and it never developed at the time. They both began dating somebody else. Elder said she later found out that Warren was friends with her sister and that they were in a class together at Moultrie Tech. The more she and her sister talked about it, they connected that it was the same guy. She said her sister had wanted to introduce her to him but never did. Then in 2008, Warren needed a date to the city’s Christmas party. “He called several of his friends. He just wanted somebody to go with,” Elder said. “He came to my sister and asked about me again.” She said that was their first date and they’ve been together ever since. The proposal came on April 27 at the Tifton Truck and Tractor Pull, which is run through The Spearman Agency. Elder said although she and Warren had been discussing marriage and were in the process of buying a house, she had no idea when he would actually pop the question. She said at the Truck and Tractor Pull, the fire department has to be on site, and Warren was working that weekend. Warren and Angela Elder stroll hand in hand. Submitted photo 14
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Warren had talked to Elder’s boss, Tyron Spearman, and arranged to do the proposal during intermission that Saturday. Elder said Spearman called her out on the track for a fake award from the association. He then proceeded to say that there was another special presentation from the fire department. “Warren comes walking up the track, and he’s in uniform and everything,” Elder said with her eyes bright as she recalled that moment. “At that point, I knew, like ‘Oh my gosh, this is really about to happen.’” She said he was grinning ear to ear and was raising his arms in the air as everyone cheered. “So, he walks up to me, gets down on one knee and holds a little box in his hand and asked me to marry him,” she said, smiling. And of course, she said “yes,” tears included. “I was so surprised,” she added, noting that the setting was perfect for them because that’s what they enjoy and they were both working, which they do all the time. “It was perfect.” When preparing for the next step, the wedding, Elder said it wasn’t that difficult to plan because she does wedding planning on the side for other couples. Now having to plan her own, she said she already had some ideas of what she wanted. What made the planning a little easier and more special was that Warren surprised her in two different ways. She wanted for them to get married at the local Peach Barn at TimberMill Acres, which was booking fast. She wanted to secure the date Nov. 30, which was the last date available at the barn for that month, but Warren kept putting it off. Elder then learned that all of the dates for November were filled. She said she was disappointed at first until she found out on the night he proposed that he had already booked the date. The other surprise was that when looking for a photographer, Elder said she already knew who she wanted to take the wedding photos. She said however, when she e-mailed the photographer, she learned that she wasn’t available for the day of her wedding. She told Warren about it and he suggested that she call her. After calling the photographer himself, Warren told Elder that she could expect a phone call from her. “She called me and said, ‘The reason that I’m not available is because Warren has already booked me.’ So, he had already booked the photographer too,” Elder said,
smiling. She said Warren wanted her to call so that the photographer could tell her the surprise over the telephone, not through an e-mail. With the place she wanted to get married booked and the photographer she wanted booked, the rest fell in place as she, along with help from family and friends, fell into place. She said she enjoyed the process of planning the wedding, and she had some great friends who helped her pull it together. It was just as she imagined it, and she was able to enjoy the moment.
Newlyweds Angela and Warren Elder. Photo by j.leigh Captures
The wedding colors were true red and white; Warren wore his Class A uniform. They used blue mason jars and burlap for decoration. During the ceremony, which was held outside, guests sat on hay bales that had different quilts thrown over them. Elder’s sister was her only bridesmaid, and Warren’s father was his best man. The reception was held inside the barn. “It was a perfect day,” Elder said. For their honeymoon, they went to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., the Gatlinburg area, for a week. Transitioning from living a part in different towns to now living under one roof, Elder said it’s been great seeing one another
every day and living life together. They bought a house in Fitzgerald in May. Their first night together in the house was their wedding night. When asked what makes their relationship unique, Elder said, “We were raised the same. Both of our parents are still married, and we were both raised in church. We have the same beliefs, the same morals. The basis of our relationship is founded in that Jesus is Lord of both of our lives. That is where it starts and everything builds upon that for us.” She said they learned through dating that their backgrounds were the same and they wanted the same things for their future. Family, church, their faith and work are very important to them. When asked what she believes will make their marriage work, she replied their faith because without it, that complicates everything else. Also, communication is incredibly important, she added. “If you don’t talk to each other, you cannot assume that they know what you’re thinking or know what you’re feeling,” Elder advised. “We’re still learning that, to talk to each other more, especially now that we see each other every day face to face.” She said honesty is very important also and knowing that they love each regardless so that they can be honest. When mentioning the possibility of having children, she said kids are definitely in the future. Her advice to other couples who are in the process of getting married is: “Hire me as a wedding planner,” she said, laughing. She then added, “Be willing to let people help you, because you can’t do it all on your own. Enjoy dating as long as you can and enjoy being engaged.” As a newlywed, Elder advises, “You have to be patient as you learn what each other habits are. Give it time to get settled and don’t expect it to happen immediately. Learn together, do it together.” She commented that she and Warren are still getting used to living together, but they’ll “figure it out.” She described the love they have for one another as being “real.” “I don’t doubt when I’m with him that he loves me and that he loves me for me,” she said. “It’s the same for me for him. We are definitely not perfect people, but we are perfect for each other.”
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ROSEMARY BEACH TRAVEL
Architecture wea ves tapes tries too by CHRISTINE TIBBETTS
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he roofs of Rosemary Beach suggest a beach experience far different from high-rise condos casting shadows on the sand. Instead, think tapestry. This Florida community, an easy fourhour drive from southwest Georgia, weaves 13 architectural styles into pleasant cottages and expansive houses, as well as loft apartments and carriage homes. Part of the pleasure of deciding to go here is contemplating the accommodations. I’ve tried two, so now I wonder if vacationing in each style might be a curious bucket list! Beach time matters to me but my main traveling partner prefers to skip the sand. Rentals in Rosemary felt like neighborhood homes to us with intimate front yards and sometimes private courtyards – a fine melding of desires.
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Cross sea oats and sand dunes respectfully with boardwalk crossovers.
I could easily stroll to the beach on boardwalks—yes, made of wood like my fond little girl memories on the Jersey shore. Walkways every which way connect residences to the beach, to 11 eateries, to boutique shops and lush greenways often featuring a picnic, sometimes croquet, perhaps a wedding. Don’t expect a lawn—and never the noise of a lawnmower—in your vacation space. These yards sport native plants, not invasive intruders, and an abundance of rosemary. Guess it’s acceptable to run my hands through the neighbor’s shrubs; I do appreciate the oily fragrance of rosemary on my fingers. Travelers joining a sand and surf fan like me on vacation will appreciate the complexity of these yards with their broomsedge and asters, lupine and scarlet sage.
Ask for the native plant list when you pick up your key in the cottage rental office. Quite fun to discover these dozens of varieties, all at home where you are on Gulf Coast holiday. Photos of 15 butterflies appear on a Rosemary Beach brochure, also indicating their preferred host plant, and it’s possible to track them down in the community butterfly garden, or your yard. Can’t say on any other beach vacation I’ve figured out that giant swallowtails love rue or Gulf fritillary prefer passionflowers. Butterfly colors and blue sky shine brighter than Rosemary Beach houses because paint is not preferred, only waterbased stains. The result? A muted tapestry, weaving the architecture with landscapes, wooden walkways, sand clay paths, paved bike paths and discreet alleys. Been to vacation places where properties shouted at you with bold hues? Rosemary Beach speaks with a soft voice.
I didn’t linger long enough to experience all 11, locally owned restaurants but can speak authentically about six. I’ll find it challenging to try the others should I return simply because repeating what I know to be good is compelling. Summer Kitchen for instance. So named, proprietor James Dillon clued me in, to recall kitchens removed from houses to keep living space cooler. Air conditioning’s fine in homes here, and Gulf breezes blow, but why not let skilled chefs cook for you? That’s a cooling notion. My portabella mushroom salad on greens from a garden just down the road told me returning for breakfast or dinner also would be a good notion. Amavida Coffee attracted me thinking light breakfast after a prior evening of abundant fine dining in Restaurant Paradis. Chai latte my choice at Amavida, although coffee beans are as copious as magazines and newspapers, fair trade and organic choices, and paintings on display and for sale by regional artists. How light did I eat? The date walnut breakfast bar baked there oozed sumptuous fruit. Servings and their flavors are works of art at Restaurant Paradis, worthy of vacation photography. Servers are too, and their fingers never touch a dish. Really. Ever dined where servers deftly present each dish with a black linen napkin separating your plate and their thumb and fingers? Never contrived, just elegant so I wonder at another meal how to perfect that skill? Rosemary Beach let me balance lingering-style fine dining in romantic lighting at Paradis with the sunny bright fast-paced energy of many small plates.
Half the menu at La Crema Tapas & Chocolate is Barcelona inspired: meats, rice, cheeses in artful forms. The other half is chocolate. I recommend teaming up with a group because you’ll want to order and taste everything. Don’t fill up on the generous platter of paella. Explore. Anticipate Serrano-wrapped figs. Eggplant bites with sea salt and molasses. Lamb lollipops with rosemary. Do gather inspiration from proprietor Kevin Neel. Ask for his happy family story trading corporate banking for cuisine designing here. Good thing it’s easy to rent a fat tire bike and ride around this community, or further on bike trails beyond. Eight miles round trip gets you to and from Deer Lake State Park with coastal dune lakes. Some say Africa and Australia are the other travel destinations to find such an ecosystem. Good exercise option too that Rosemary renters can access the fitness center, indoor and outside swimming pools, tennis courts. Red arrows on green posts (might be the most paint you’ll see) indicate the 2.3mile fitness trail, with stretching and strength training exercises along the way. I so need to gather my many-generations family to take a sand castle building lesson on the quartz crystal white sands of Rosemary Beach. That happens in spring and summer. Mega designs, bigger than life sand castles and sea creatures, characters and whimsy. I’m
dreaming, hopefully planning a way. Didn’t count carefully enough to determine which is in greater number: exercise options or restaurants in walking distance. A more diligent shopper than I would rejoice in the personalities of boutique-size shops with an astonishing array of merchandise. I could have bought my own stand-up paddleboard as readily as a snazzy pair of new leather boots. Or selected books for self and gift-giving with advice of a savvy bookseller. Good luck ever exiting the kids’ store; fashions enticing and so is the train running just under the ceiling. Children go to school at Rosemary Beach too. Really. Here’s the Ohana Institute mission: “Leadership and service in a global society.” Twenty one qualities flesh that out. Wish I’d taken time during my lunch to chat with a few of those kids who were lunching at Summer Kitchen when I did. Bottom line observation — depth of experiences when a beach vacation includes neighborhoods, architecture, a downtown, and indeed, the beach. Clockwise below: • Inflatables for family fun join sea kayaks, Hobie cats and stand-up paddleboards for beach time. • Butterfly garden on a beach vacation? A well-established feature at Rosemary Beach. • Eden Gardens State Park offers broad water views and tours of an 1897 home a short drive from Rosemary Beach.
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TRAVEL Back to the beach, gazing across a lawn gives visitors this view of The Pearl, a hotel lodging option.
Architecture Styles Pan-Caribbean mean anything to you? It will after seeing Rosemary Beach housing styles, and also when you explore St. Augustine, Charleston, New Orleans and the West Indies. Here’s an insider’s tip about the choices you might make renting a place here. Grand chance to muse about your dream home... for a long weekend!
People who build here but allow their homes to be in the rental community for the rest of us consider these building types. That’s a factor in what they call “new urbanism,” intended to resurrect a small town, neighborly ambience.
www.rosemarybeach.com 866-348-8952
The namesake of this “new urbanism” community blooms in abundance throughout the neighborhoods. 18
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• Arcade or flats • Courtyard or townhouse • Sideyard house or small house • Large house or live/work • Parkside or beach • Cottage large or small
ARTS
Threads that bind
weaving through the community, drawing us together by ANGYE MORRISON
Each of our lives are filled with laughter, love, joy and yes, even sorrow – these are the threads that bind us all together. For Addie Wilcox, life has been no different. But now her life story will be told on a special quilt, being designed and made by Wiregrass Quilter’s Guild member, Caroline Benefield. The quilt will be displayed as part of a special series of events called A Season of Quilts, to be held Feb. 16 through April 30, in two phases. Wilcox is well-known in the Tiftarea, and Benefield said after visiting her, she felt Wilcox is a “very interesting lady who’s had a very interesting life.” At 88 years young, Wilcox still cooks dinner for friends and family each Sunday at her home, often hosting as many as 20 people, Benefield said. “Nourishing her family and friends is important to her. She’s known for her sweet potato pie,” Benefield said, adding that she plans to include a table scene, complete
with a sweet potato pie, as the centerpiece of the quilt. She plans to use Wilcox’s favorite color, purple, as the main color. Benefield plans to surround the table scene with silhouettes of the four most influential people in Wilcox’s life: her father’s aunt, her father, her maternal grandmother and her mother. Wilcox’s father was raised by his aunt, after his mother died in childbirth. Grandma Laura, as she became known, was a slave as a child, and her parents were slaves. Laura’s job was to sweep the yard, and she will be depicted as a child, sweeping, in the silhouette. Wilcox’s father will be depicted at work, cutting trees for turpentine. He had one arm, but Wilcox says it did not slow him down. Wilcox says her mother’s job was raising the children – there were seven of them. She worked in the fields and picked vegetables to help support her family, and she will
be depicted with a baby and cotton basket, and holding some vegetables. The last silhouette will be of Wilcox’s maternal grandmother, who owned her own home, which was just down the road from Wilcox and her family. Her children worked in cotton and saved their money to buy their mother’s property and house, which was a log home with no windows. “This grandmother was a slave, and this one owned her own home. I thought that was remarkable and important,” Benefield said. Benefield added that Wilcox fondly remembered her grandmother sitting on her front porch, so she will be depicted in a rocking chair. “These four figures were instrumental in forming her life, and gave her a strong work ethic,” Benefield said. Wilcox’s husband died early on, and she raised her 15 children on her own.
Beth Mount, a renowned New York artist and Georgia native, is known for her vibrant quilts, some of which will be on display at the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage. JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2014 | TiftonScene
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ARTS Three of her children have since died, one of them having drowned in a school bus accident in 1959. Wilcox has a portrait of that daughter hanging in her home, and she proudly pointed it out to Benefield. She said she was surprised and pleased to be selected as the subject for a quilt, but also a bit perplexed. “I think it’s great. I’m surprised they picked me – I’m nobody,” Wilcox said with a laugh. “I feel really good that she would choose me. (My children) will be delighted.” Wilcox has much to be proud of – her children are accomplished and well educated. She has one son who is a musician in New York, several have served in the military, and many have college degrees. “They are just a very diverse group,” said Benefield, adding that Wilcox now has 19 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. All of these people and events – a lifetime of love, laughter and tears – will be represented on the story quilt, which was the assignment the quilter’s guild took on as part of the Season of Quilts. They were challenged to talk with someone different from themselves or someone with a disability, and tell that person’s life story. Benefield found there were more similarities than she expected. “She grew up in the South, as did I. My parents had a farm also, and so there were similarities,” she said. Finding those similarities is the common thread running through both phases of A Season of Quilts. The event is the brainchild of Tifton residents Marion Curry and Syd Blackmarr, who attended a similar event in Savannah in 2012, and who both thought, “Why can’t we do this in Tifton?” “We wanted the series of events to be something that includes everybody in the community. So that’s taken a lot of creativity to figure out. The anchor is our theme, The Threads That Bind,” said Curry. “What got it all started was the concept ‘celebrating through quilts and stories the world that works for everyone.’ It’s a way of lifting up, through the art of quilting and the art of storytelling, people who are outside the mainstream, and saying, ‘how do we create a world that everyone is a part of?’ “ said Blackmarr. Phase I, The Threads That Bind, will feature events designed to draw in people from all over the Tiftarea, from all walks of life. All the events in this phase will take place at the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage.
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One of the events will allow residents to come in and create a quilt square, using felt squares that will be provided. Questions will be provided like, “What can I do to make the world better?” and people can be creative as they answer the question they choose. The squares will be tied together to make a community quilt. Local storytellers will also be a big part of Phase I, as well as National Public Radio’s StoryCorps, which will come to town during the phase and allow people to record their personal stories with a friend or relative. These may be aired on NPR, and all will be archived, recording the lives and stories of local people. “The stars of our project, however, are the quilts created by Beth Mount,” said Blackmarr. Mount is a renowned New York City artist who is originally from Georgia. Her quilts reveal stories of individual resilience, and celebrate the ways people blossom in adversity and their contributions to their communities. She will be speaking at the opening party on March 1, and several of her larger-than-life quilts will be on display at the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage. The quilts are vibrant in hue, and three-dimensional. “Beth works in the field of disability internationally, but she’s an artist at heart. They’re all story quilts and all about the gifts and contributions of people who have different lives than we do. By and large, they’re people who have disabilities who have made contributions to their communities. They’ve worked in their communities to help create better lives,” said Curry. Tom Kohler will be on hand March 16 to tell the Waddie Welcome story. Welcome was a man born with severe disabilities, who moved beyond life in an institution to inspire an entire community with his accomplishments. Growing up in Savannah, Welcome lived with his parents until they died, when he was moved to a nursing home in Abbeville, S.C. He could not speak, but had his own way of communicating. Friends approached Kohler, head of citizen advocacy in Savannah, about helping Welcome to come home. Kohler championed the cause, and brought Welcome home, where he lived until he died. Welcome was voted one of the 10 most influential people in Savannah, and is highlighted in the Civil Rights Museum there as well. All of the events throughout Phase I are designed to bring the community together in a way that perhaps hasn’t been
done before – and to stir memories, as well as create new ones. Phase II, a Celebration of Barn Quilting and More, will be held at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village. During this phase, Churn Dash, a barn quilt block, will be unveiled March 29 and will be permanently displayed on the side of the Opry Shelter on the grounds of the museum. Painted by the Wiregrass Quilter’s Guild, local artists and volunteers, the block will be visible from Interstate 75. There will also be a showcase April 4-5 of the Wiregrass region’s finest quilters, representing both traditional and contemporary methods, patterns and fabrics. From April 4-30, the GMA gallery will feature Her World in Quilts, by Sue Turnquist, the 2013 American Legacy Viewer’s Choice quilter. A Season of Quilts is being funded by the Georgia Council for Developmental Disabilities and Georgia Power. Assistance was also provided by the Georgia Microboards Association, the Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association, which helped with marketing, and the Rural Studies program at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, located in Tifton, which provided interns.
Addie Wilcox is often surrounded by her friends and family in her home, and feeds around 20 people most every Sunday. Being surrounded by her loved ones is sweeter than the jars of her homemade jam or jelly, which she often sends home with visitors. Photo by Angye Morrison
Caroline Benefield is working on a story quilt based on the life of “Miss Addie,” a woman who is well known in Tift County. She’s chosen to focus the quilt design on the things and people most important to Miss Addie. She’s shown here cutting out squares. Also shown are her materials for the design. Photos by Angye Morrison
A Season of Quilts Phase I: The Threads That Bind
SPECIAL EVENTS DURING THE EXHIBIT
Celebrating through quilts and stories the world that works for everyone. Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage February 16 – March 22, 2014 Sunday, February 16 - Opening Party Wiregrass Quilters Challenge Quilts Exhibit 1 to 3 p.m.: Wiregrass Quilter’s Guild members showcase original quilts; several tell the story of a person who overcame serious challenges.
• National Public Radio’s StoryCorps in the museum: Record your personal story with a friend or relative. • Sunday, March 9: 2 p.m. Local lawyers and preachers: Stories that entertain and inspire • Thursday, March 13, 14 and 16: Storyteller-in-residence Jeanette Waddell helps folks participate in the NPR StoryCorps opportunity • Saturday, March 15: 9 a.m. to noon at the Tifton-Tift County Library: Building support for my family member with a disability: A presentation for families and people with disabilities • Sunday, March 16: 2 p.m., The Waddie Welcome Story, told by Tom Kohler; A powerful story of a man born with severe disabilities, who moved beyond life in an institution to inspire an entire community with new possibilities. • Sunday, March 16: 2 p.m., Storyteller-in-Residence Jeanette Waddell • Wednesday and Thursday, March 19 - 20: Special morning field trips, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.; Andy Irwin, children’s storyteller-inresidence ignites Tift schools’ fifth graders’ imaginations • Saturday, March 22: Last Day of The Threads That Bind exhibit Closes at 3 p.m.
Exhibit/Activities continue February 18 - 22 • Quilting demonstrations • Quilters and partners tell their shared stories • A fun project offers all ages a place to write responses to interesting questions • Saturday, March 1 - Opening Party 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Story Quilts by Beth Mount Renowned New York City artist and Georgia native Beth Mount’s massive and exquisite quilts reveal stories of individual resilience, celebrating ways people blossom and contribute to community, particularly in the face of difficulty. Remarks by Beth Mount – 7 p.m. Exhibit continues March 3 - 22 Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursday, 1 - 7 p.m.; Sunday, 1 – 3 p.m.
Shown is the Churn Dash Quilt Square that will hang on the I-75 side of the Opry Barn at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture. The project is the key piece in Phase II of the Season of Quilts project.
PHASE II: Celebration of Barn Quilting and More Georgia Museum Of Agriculture And Historic Village March 29 – April 30, 2014 • Saturday, March 29, 9 a.m. Dedication and Unveiling: Churn Dash Wiregrass Barn Quilt Block Opry Stage & Grounds Paintings of large, colorful quilt blocks on the sides of barns can be traced back 300 years in America history. The GMA and Historic Village are participating in this tradition by creating and hanging a very large quilt block typical of the Wiregrass area and the GMA’s time period. The Churn Dash block will be mounted permanently on the side of the Opry Shelter in view of both locals and I-75 travelers. Painted by the Wiregrass Quilter’s Guild, local artists and volunteers, the dedication and unveiling are highlights of a quilter’s picnic. • Friday, April 4, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. • Saturday, April 5, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. GMA Conference Room Wiregrass Quilter’s American Legacy Quilt Exhibit A showcase of the Wiregrass region’s finest quilters, representing traditional and contemporary methods, patterns and fabrics. • April 4 – April 30 Her World in Quilts by Sue Turnquist - GMA Gallery A display by the 2013 American Legacy Viewers’ Choice quilter
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HEALTHCARE
Tift Regional Health System: A legacy of care and compassion by Chris Efaw Vice President, Outreach and Development Tift Regional Health System ift Regional Health System has played an integral role in the Coastal Plains health care since its founding more than 72 years ago. From its genesis as Tift County Hospital in 1941 to being one of the state’s most-respected health systems today, TRHS has consistently held to its commitment to be at the heart of healing. TRHS is comprised of Tift Regional Medical Center and the Tift Regional Medical Center-West Campus in Tifton, Cook Medical Center in Adel and Tift Regional Physician Group with various outreach clinics throughout the region. TRHS offers signature services in primary care, surgery, oncology, cardiovascular care, womenís health, medical imaging, neurodiagnostics, geriatric psychiatric care and more. TRHS is under the direction of the Tift County Hospital Authority, a ninemember board of volunteer trustees led by chairman John B. Prince, III. Each member serves five-year terms. Though guided by a government-appointed entity, TRHS provides charitable care for the community without county financial support. Prince was elected chairman in Oc-
T
tober 1993 after tenure as board vicechairman and chairman of the finance committee. Prince is only the second hospital authority chairman in Tift County’s history. B.L. Southwell was the first hospital authority chairman and served on the board for more than 46 years. In addition to offering a wide-range of health care options for south central Georgia, TRHS serves as an economic engine for the community. According to an analysis report conducted by the Georgia Hospital Association, Tift Regional Medical Center and Cook Medical Center have a combined impact of $472.7 million on the local economy. Total household earnings generated by both hospitals are projected at $228.6 million. Tift Regional Medical Center is Tift County’s single largest employer with 1,833 employees. Cook Medical Center adds another 243 employees. The GHA report noted that as a supplement to the 2,076 people directly employed by TRHS, the hospital system’s presence in the region creates an additional 3,684 jobs to the community. This includes physician offices, nursing homes, suppliers, home health care and more.
Located on a tract of land on East 18th Street in Tifton, Tift General Hospital (now Tift Regional Medical Center) opened in 1965.
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William T. Richardson has recently surpassed his 25th year as president/CEO of TRHS. “Cutting-edge technology and contemporary facilities are important, but it’s our physicians, nurses, therapists, technicians and support staff who have made TRHS the hospital system of choice in the region,” said Richardson. “Our people strive to provide compassionate, intimate care with a focus on total quality.” In December, Georgia Trend magazine named Tift Regional Medical Center a top 10 Georgia hospital for the second year in a row as part of its annual hospital rankings issue. Tift Regional Medical Center was ranked number six in the medium-size hospital category, one of only two hospitals from south central Georgia and southwest Georgia to make it in the top 10 for this grouping. Georgia Trend used publicly available quality and patient satisfaction data to make its determinations. Before there was Tift Regional Health System, there was Tift General Hospital, and before that, Tift County Hospital. “Our institution has provided the community topnotch medical services for many years,” said Richardson. “There is a history of progressive, patient-focused care, and you can see heritage and pride in the faces of our employees, medical staff, board members and auxiliary volunteers.”
Early hospitals in Tifton
Clockwise from left: • Tift General Hospital opens a new emergency room in 1992. • Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jim Scott performs a knee procedure in the Tift General Hospital operating room in the late 70s. • Tift General Hospital leaders discuss new construction in 1990. From left to right: Sarah Thompson (Vice President, Operations), William T. Richardson (President/CEO) and B.L. Southwell (Chairman, Tift County Hospital Authority). Mr. Southwell was the first Chairman of the Tift County Hospital Authority and served on the board for more than 46 years. • The original Tift County Hospital, located on 12th Street in Tifton, opened in 1941. • Newborns in the Tift General Hospital nursery in 1989.
There were several early attempts at establishing a hospital for the residents of Tift and surrounding counties. The first hospital opened in 1915 at 604 North Central Avenue in Tifton. Surgery was mostly performed at this small hospital. If patients needed only bed rest, they were treated at home. In 1919, Coastal Plain Hospital opened on the third floor of a building located on the northeast corner of Love Avenue and Second Street in Tifton. In 1924, this building was destroyed by a fire. What was salvaged from the hospital was moved to a large rented house at 310 South Park Avenue. This hospital was often referred to as the hospital in the “heights.”
Tift County Hospital Tift County Hospital, a new 35-bed acute care facility, was formally dedicated on February 7, 1941. During the first year, there were 13 doctors on the staff of the hospital. Tift County Hospital was located at the corner of 12th Street and Tift Avenue at what is now the Pickett Building, home of the Tift County Health De-
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HEALTHCARE Tift Regional Medical Center
Tift Regional Medical Center recently completed expansion and renovation of its heart and vascular center.
partment. The original Tift County Hospital was operated by the Board of Commissioners of Roads and Revenues of Tift County. Some equipment for the hospital was purchased from the Coastal Plain Hospital. Beginning in 1947, Tift County Hospital was governed by a court-appointed board. In 1952, the hospital was enlarged from a 35-bed to a 60-bed hospital. In March of 1960, an administrative wing, lobby and prayer room was completed. In the early 1960s, the need for expanded patient services at Tift County Hospital was becoming evident. In 1962, the Tift County Hospital Authority was created to assume the responsibilities of the Hospital Board. Although its members have changed through the years, the Hospital Authority has always been comprised of volunteer trustees from the community who have donated their time.
Tift General Hospital By the mid-1960s, the county had outgrown the Tift County Hospital and the Authority members sought every possible avenue of funding for the construction of a new and expanded hospital. In 1965, a new era of hospitalization began in Tifton when Tift General Hospital, named in honor of Tiftonís founder Henry Harding Tift, open on a tract of land on East 18th Street in Tifton. A $700,000 bond issue had been approved by Tift County voters and HillBurton money was secured to augment it. These funds for construction of the hospital totaled $1.8 million. Local citizens made contributions for furnishing and equipment to show their interest and support of the hospital. This new 85-bed hospital had a medical staff of 14 doctors.
The Tift Regional Oncology Center offers medical oncology, hematology and radiation treatment services in one freestanding, patient-sensitive facility.
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Over the years, Tift General Hospital rapidly grew from a community hospital to a regional referral center for 12 counties in south central Georgia. The demand for quality care close to home resulted in numerous expansions and renovations of Tift General Hospital to accommodate new services. The bed-size eventually increased to 191. The hospital continued to recruit more primary care physicians and specialists. In 2001, to reflect its growing regional status, Tift General Hospital officially became Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC), offering more than 100 physicians and 30 specialties. More advanced services, such as cancer treatment and cardiovascular care, were introduced.
Tift Regional Health System today Today, the hospital has evolved into TRHS, comprising of Tift Regional Medical Center and Tift Regional Medical Center-West Campus in Tifton as well as Cook Medical Center in Adel and numerous physician clinics throughout south central Georgia. Tift Regional Medical Center has recently renovated and increased the size of its heart and vascular center and is finishing a new laboratory expansion. New primary care physicians and specialists have joined the system’s medical staff over the past year and more are being recruited to meet the demand. New surgical specialties introduced recently include plastic/reconstructive procedures, robotic surgery and Lap-Band weight loss surgery. Cook Medical Center opened the Sylvia Barr Center in 2012, a 12-bed geriatric psychiatric unit. TRHS continues to stay on the cutting-edge with diagnostic technology, recently placing digital mammography at Cook Medical Center and a new high-definition CT scanner at Tift Regional Medical Center that provides unprecedented image quality with a 50 percent reduction in radiation exposure. The grand opening of the new Tiftarea YMCA and Tift Regional Community Events Center was held in August 2013. TRHS owns the 16,652-squarefoot building located at 1657 S. Carpenter Road in Tifton and provided a grant to the Tiftarea YMCA to renovate 9,172square-feet of the facility, which consolidates health, exercise and wellness
functions. The remaining 7,480-squarefeet of the building was renovated by TRHS and is operated by the hospital for community seminars, screenings and other community events. The YMCA’s aquatic pool and outdoor sports complex remain at the 1823 Westover Road location.
Health care: the changing landscape Though TRHS has been successful, the road ahead for health care is uncertain. “We are challenged by a rapidlychanging medical environment which includes government-mandated computer technology requirements, a new reimbursement model under the Affordable Care Act and a rising uninsured and underinsured population,” said Richardson. “Hospitals have to learn how to operate much leaner, yet still provide a high-level of care and service.” In July 2013, Tift Regional Health System and several other health care institutions from south and central Georgia announced its partnership in one of the nation’s largest collaborations of hospitals, healthcare systems and physicians aligned to develop a clinically-integrated network. The alliance, called Stratus Healthcare, consists of 29 hospitals, 14 health systems and approximately 2,000 physicians. Each hospital and system remains independent, but is able to take advantage of shared services model. “The goal of Stratus Healthcare is to enhance the health and wellness of residents in their communities by improving
the regional coordination of medical services for patients, employers and payers,” said Richardson. Richardson said that forming a collaborative partnership sets the stage for innovation in the changing healthcare climate. He added that Stratus will serve as a vehicle to keep health care local with the goal to improve outcomes, enhance the patient experience and increase efficiency as required by health care reform.
Into the future
nurses, acquiring the most advanced and effective technology to provide leadingedge diagnosis and treatment resources, and treating each and every person with compassion and respect for their individual dignity. “This has been our mission from the start,” Richardson said. “And it is what keeps us moving forward.” The new 128-slice Discovery CT at Tift Regional has high-definition imaging quality with half the radiation exposure of traditional CT units.
Richardson said that TRHS will continue to evolve to meet the needs of the community and to maintain its vitality, striving to control costs, attract and retain the most highly qualified doctors and
Tift Regional Medical Center acquired Memorial Hospital of Adel in 2012 and changed the name to Cook Medical Center.
Tift Regional Medical Center today: the 20th Street entrance.
William T. Richardson has been president/CEO of Tift Regional for more than 25 years. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2014 | TiftonScene
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The Tift Regional Medical Center West Campus, located at the crossroads of I-75 and Highway 41 in Tifton, is home to Affinity Clinic, the region’s largest multi-specialty physician practice.
Affinity Clinic and the TRMC West Campus
Dr. Joe Turner, founder of Affinity Clinic.
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Internal medicine physician Dr. Joe Turner founded Affinity Clinic, originally named Tifton Medical Clinic, as a solo office in 1964. Dr. Turner shared office space with Dr. Jim Kirkpatrick, a local surgeon, close to the First Methodist Church on 12th Street in Tifton. Because of a rapidly growing medical practice and new hospital facilities, additional practice space and physicians were needed. In 1968, five acres of land across from Tift General Hospital were purchased and the new Tifton Medical Clinic was built, along with a second building, Tifton Pediatric Clinic, owned by Dr. William Bridges. In 1968, Dr. Robert Wight joined the practice, followed by Dr. Richard McCullough in 1976 and Dr. Steve Rigdon in 1981. While many have followed, these physicians laid the foundation for the progressive facilities and health care that are the hallmark of this medical practice. By 1994, the clinic had grown to 14 physicians and again needed additional office space. The now renamed Affinity Health Group moved into its present location on Highway 41 in Tifton in 1997. In 2007, Tift Regional Medical Center acquired the Affinity Health Group building and its ancillary services and renamed the facility the TRMC West Campus. Affinity remained an independent practice and leased space from TRMC. In 2010, TRMC formally acquired Affinity Health Group, employed its physicians, and the practice name was changed to Affinity Clinic. The group is the largest multi-specialty practice in the region. “From medical sub-specialties like cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and critical care to newer services, Affinity Clinic provides area residents with quality primary and specialty care close to home,” said William T. Richardson, president/CEO of Family physician Dr. Jim Graham at Affinity Clinic. Tift Regional Health System.
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UGA-Tifton’s grads in high demand
EDUCATION
by Clint Thompson UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
TIFTON — The University of Georgia Tifton Campus, known for its worldrenowned research in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is making a name for itself with its academic program and a 100 percent job placement rate for last spring’s graduates. “People want our graduates, and the only complaint we get about our graduates is there aren’t enough of them,” said Joe West, assistant dean for the Tifton campus. UGA-Tifton’s graduates are in high demand because they are being trained and taught by scientists who are known across the world for their agricultural expertise; for example, Dr. George Vellidis, an expert in precision agriculture; Dr. Glen Harris, a soil fertility expert; and Dr. Craig Kvien, the brain trust behind
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the Future Farmstead Project — an energy- efficient home and demonstration farm located on the Tifton campus. “We will continue to get our message out there and let students know about the advantages of earning a UGA degree. The public is realizing the importance of agriculture and that there are good jobs and salaries for graduates in the field of agriculture. A UGA degree has excellent value as well as a high level of recognition,” West said.
Success driven by volunteer teachers
Much of Tifton’s success can be attributed to the work ethic and selfless nature exhibited by the campus faculty. Scientists such as Vellidis and Harris vol-
unteer their time to help educate future agricultural leaders. “I consider myself a team player. I thought it was good for the campus, that’s why I volunteer,” Harris said. “I went into it 11 years ago having no idea if I’d like it or not. But I guess it’s no surprise that a guy with an Extension personality can take that experience to the classroom and like it.” Harris credits his success in the classroom to his unique teaching style. “I wondered if I would get tired of it after 10 years but I’ve got a little trick, I never teach it the same way twice. I try to let the students determine course direction, if they have an interest in one area, we’ll go a little further in that area,” Harris said.
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Dr. Glen Harris, Micheal Lee Barnes and Jason Peake all attribute their teaching successes to time spent at UGA-Tifton.
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EDUCATION Vellidis, who was instrumental in the Tifton campus starting an academic program in 2003, just wanted the opportunity to share his expertise through teaching.
“A lot of us have always wanted to teach. Before this program, people on the Tifton campus had to drive to Athens to teach two or three times a week,” Vellidis said. “It just takes up your entire day to
teach 50 minutes. I just stopped doing it. A lot of us had this desire to be able to teach here.”
Hands-on approach
Why is the Tifton campus so effective in its teaching program? It starts with its hands-on approach outside the classroom. The benefit of having scientists and researchers doubling as teachers is students are able to study alongside while the research is being conducted. For example, in Vellidis’ class, students are learning about yield monitors while observing a cotton picker or peanut combine equipped with these sensors during harvest. In Harris’ Soil and Hydrology Class, students are taken on a field trip to Providence Canyon in Lumpkin, Ga. to learn about erosion. “We knew we could do things a little different here versus Athens. We’re right in the heart of production ag area,” Harris said. “My (course) is very hands-on and applied. I’m not going to apologize for that. I had a student one time on my evaluation say, ‘I teach the course like job training.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, was that supposed to be a derogatory comment?’ I think that’s a compliment.” Harris’ classes involve traveling to the Sunbelt Expo in Moultrie, Ga. to examine cotton research, including fertility problems and how nutrients work. They also travel to a compost operation in Douglas, Ga. Learning away from the classroom is essential to Vellidis’ class. Vellidis admits students can get easily fatigued if stuck in a class every day during a semester, which is why lab work serves as an important teaching tool. “You see them in labs, and a spark is there. They’re excited to get their hands on our research equipment and be able to use it. That translates when they’re out there getting jobs. When you tell a student their prospective employer has interest in someone with precision Ag experience — that I’ve used all the equipment and are familiar with all the equipment — you have a competitive advantage over someone who may have just seen a picture of it in a PowerPoint presentation,” Vellidis said.
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TiftonScene | JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2014
Past graduates laud Tifton campus In a little more than a decade, the UGATifton campus has demonstrated a propensity to produce top-notch leaders in all areas of agriculture. Past graduates are quick to praise Tifton’s teachers for their professional success. “I was told by two or three different administrators that the way I handle my classes, it looked like I had been teaching for 10-15 years. I attribute all that to UGATifton and the staff there,” said Micheal Lee Barnes, a second-year Ag teacher at Lowndes High School in Valdosta. “It’s very flattering for me to hear that but I give all the credit to UGA-Tifton.” Brittaney Schwing, a 2013 graduate of UGA, echoes Barnes’ sentiments. “I know that graduating from the University of Georgia has prepared me for my future. Without a doubt, I know that I have received the best education in my field,” said Schwing, a first-year agriculture teacher at Northeast Campus in Tift County. Schwing and Barnes are just two of more than 60 agriculture teachers across Georgia who graduated from the Tifton campus. For Tifton campus ag teacher Jason Peake, seeing his students succeed in the career path they’ve chosen is a rewarding experience. “It is incredibly rewarding to see Tifton Agricultural Education graduates directly engaged in teaching and growing Georgia’s future agriculturalists and making an impact on the lives of young people,” Peake said. For more information about UGATifton’s academic programs, see the website, www.students.caes.uga.edu/tifton/index
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