Albany Living - Summer 2016

summer 2016

Dennis A. Robinson, M.D.

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Tracy A. Bridges, M.D. Michael A. Fowler, PA-C

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Continuing Success

Dr. Parker is a man who has written his own story punctuated by periods of compassion, determination and intelligence.

When There Are No Words Because music is a language all its own, Anthony Johnson has made it a priority to play his music and spread his sound around this corner of Georgia.

Lifetime of Love

It is evident that the Barcus family’s recipe for success involves patience, understanding and endless amounts of love.

The Red Thread Project Ashley Griffin never had intentions of being sought after for her ability to combine secret ingredients in a jar, nor did she realize the potential these jars contained.

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Albany Living m a g a z i n e

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contents 10

The Red Thread Project Ashley Griffin never had intentions of being sought after for her ability to combine secret ingredients in a jar, nor did she realize the potential these jars contained for a family a thousand miles away on the south side of Honduras.

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Faces of Downtown Albany

Giving a voice to the people of downtown Albany and listening to what they have to say.

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Continuing Success

Dr. Parker is a man who has written his own story puncuated by periods of compassion, determination, and intelligence.

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When There Are No Words

Because music is a language all its own, Anthony Johnson has made it a priority to play his music and spread his sound around this corner of Georgia.

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Behind The Lens

Stallian Cagle believes that, just like himself, everyone has a story.

Albany Living magazine

About the Cover

The cover photo is of rising music artist Anthony Johnson. Experience his journey and how he is helping people through his music and sharing this infinite and eternal gift with the world. Read more about him on page 70.

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Lifetime of Love

It’s evident that the Barcus family’s recipe for success involves patience, understanding, and endless amounts of love.

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Artful Teaching

It is clear art is teacher Donna Rouse’s passion, but the high school children she interacts with daily are her reason for teaching in the field for over 18 years.

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Good Things Growing

David and Melody Goodson of Goodson Pecans have found themselves back in their hometown, raising a family and growing a family business.

in every 112 issue Hometown Happenings

A glimpse inside a few of the exciting events recently held in Albany.

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Nature’s Business

Kayak Attack Adventures are helping people experience Albany’s kayaking paradise.

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Considerate Dedication

Southwest Georgia is truly fortunate to have a physician of Dr. Franco’s caliber working to try to connect all the dots in an attempt to improve the lives of us all.

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Albany Living Magazine

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From the Publisher

Albany Living m a g a z i n e

P u b l i s h e r With You In Mind Publications E x e c u t i v e E d i to r s Jay and Patti Martin

Landon and Mandi Spivey

Photo by Eric S. Love

C r e at i v e | D e s i g n Eric S. Love Mandi Spivey Robert Self Ryan Sichelstiel Stacey Nichols O f f i c e m a n ag e r Ashton Spivey

Recently we came across a quote that read “I’m loving life and life is loving me.” Never had we heard a better depiction of perspective on the enjoyment and fulfillment of life! What a fantastic way to summarize the amazing gift we have called “today”. As always, a common thread seems to weave its way through each Albany Living issue creating a unique and organic decorated canvas. This time is no different. The pages are full of not just stories, but instead hand-crafted journeys through people’s lives. Inside you will read about people who are making a difference, living with a purpose and following dreams as far as their heart can take them. These beautiful individuals and families are your family, your friends and your neighbors. They ARE Albany.

We are also thrilled to introduce you to a gorgeous spread inside called “Faces of Downtown Albany.” This project was created by Amy Rolfe with Dare Photography who has a passion to share the voices of the people of Albany and listen to what they have to say.

Albany is such a treasure. It’s not just a town to live in, it’s a home to love. Albany most certainly lives up to its motto of “where history and nature flow.” You can read about adventures to discover in the story “Nature’s Business” that highlights a favorite community outdoor sport perfect for everyone.

We thank you, Albany, for sharing your lives with us and we are so grateful to love life through you. We are also so appreciative of the continued support of the advertisers that make this possible. It is our joy to be able to continue to generously supply the area with copies of these magazines at absolutely no cost to you. On page 160 you will find a listing of these businesses. You may pick up your own personal complimentary copy at any of these locations! As always, we ask that you join us in thanking them and support them by shopping local and enjoying their services.

Keep on loving life, Albany, as it is certainly loving you!

Wishing you many blessings,

With You In Mind Publications Sales: (912) 583-4183 Email: landonspivey.wyim@gmail.com 8

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A s s i s ta n t

Ma n ag e r June Dixon

Nikki Burkhalter

P h otog r ap h e r s Albany Technical College

Amy Rolfe with Dare Photography Camyljah Giddens David Parks Eric S. Love K&R Photography Millie Mac Photography Rachel Price Robert Edwards Shae Foy Photography Shannon Campbell Photography Stallian Cagle

C ov e r P h oto Anthony Johnson, Photo by David Parks Photography Sa l e s Keisha Cory

Patti Martin Landon Spivey

Contributing

Wri te r s Amy Rolfe

Audrey Pike Crystal Waddell Elizabeth Sheffield Keisha Cory Lexi Anthony Sherri Martin

Albany Living Magazine© is published semi-annually by With You in Mind Publications. www.hometown-living.com P.O. Box 55 • Glennville, GA 30427 (912) 583-4183 All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher.

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Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice.

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Story by

It’s not every day that you walk into a bank and overhear a conversation about the most amazing salsa you ever tasted. Really? I had to know more, so this inquiring mind and admitted salsa lover found out how to order. Not only is the salsa unbelievably good, it reminds you with every bite what being a customer is helping to do on the mission field in Honduras. Oh yeah, and you may have to get on the waiting list to score a jar like I did.

On any given Saturday, when she’s not in Honduras, you may find Ashley Griffin down at Tift Park Community Market selling her secret sauce. Ashley never had intentions of being sought after for her ability to combine secret ingredients in a jar, nor did she realize the potential these jars contained for a family a thousand miles away on the south side of Honduras.

In just a year’s time, over 650 jars have been sold to people all over Albany and beyond. Yet, the demand to keep up does not surpass the need in Honduras, a place where a part of Ashley’s heart resides. The simple suggestion from a friend

Keisha Cory

Photos by

K&R Photography

Ashley Griffin is your all American girl next door, or lady I should say.

She is a stay at home mom of three, a wife, a more than regular church attender, and founder of The Red Thread Project.

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to make salsa to raise funds for a mission trip turned into a resource that far exceeded her expectations. Not only did Ashley sell enough salsa to provide funding for the trip, but she had plenty of money to acquire the supplies they needed. With $2500 left over, they were able to create a mission fund for future use. A little salsa goes a long way.

Let me tell you what a little salsa can do for the soul‌ Ashley Griffin is your all American girl next door, or lady I should say. She is a stay at home mom of three, a wife, a more than regular church attender, and founder of The Red Thread Project. On what was a routine sort of Sunday at her local church just a couple of years ago, Ashley was faced with a challenging message from a visiting speaker that would propel her into hands on mission work. Her life soon shifted into a realization that there was more for her to do even though life was already busy and full. In the midst of all that summer brings, with three kids at home and very involved in their own schedules, Ashley filled every bit of her time with making salsa and filling orders. She just wanted to get to Honduras with a few travelers, but little did she know there would be a very unexpected end. Her search for purpose collided with a

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cause that would be the change of a lasting impact. During the time she was in Honduras she met a family. Not just an ordinary family, but one with special needs. The young husband and father of this family had been shot as their home was invaded and robbed. The home was nothing more than a shack, no windows and little ventilation. Ashley noticed that he was bound by a wheelchair and that his wife pushed him everywhere.

There was little the husband could do in his condition to provide for his family. She asked the family what it would take to build them a home with adequate space, a roof and windows.

The husband suggested a thousand dollars would do the job. Completely humbled, Ashley was amazed that this could be a reality. She instantly thought about the remainder of the funds she had set aside from the salsa and felt impressed to offer to build this family a home and wired the funds. Interestingly enough, when it was all said and done, the cost was just a little more than said, but no more than Ashley had placed in reserves. In totality, this family had a home built for them for less than $2500.

It was literally built off salsa. Pretty good salsa I might add.

The Red Thread Project

During her stay, Ashley made an observation that while short-term mission trips have great purpose and serve immediate needs, communities would still go on in the conditions that they are left in. A question among their team of travelers arose to the director of the local medical clinic, Sheila Amick, asking what they could do to bring sustainable change that would directly impact their community. Sheila replied quickly that the ladies in the community needed to learn how to sew. If they could learn how to make uniforms the children could go to school. This was a requirement for education. With this 14

albany living magazine

During her stay, Ashley made an observation that while short-term mission trips have great purpose and serve immediate needs, communities would still go on in the conditions that they are left in. A question among their team of travelers arose to the director of the local medical clinic, Sheila Amick, asking what they could do to bring sustainable change that would directly impact their community. Sheila replied quickly that the ladies in the community needed to learn how to sew. If they could learn how to make uniforms the children could go to school. This was a requirement for education. With this need surfacing it became Ashley’s focus and what essentially began the idea behind The Red Thread Project.

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need surfacing it became Ashley’s focus and what essentially began the idea behind The Red Thread Project. She could supply the needs that would impact future generations, one jar of salsa at a time. The sewing program not only provides jobs for women, it also provides sustainable income for their families.

Ashley is now working on an additional incentive for the ladies to stay in the sewing program that would help secure their children in the local private Christian school. This would drastically increase their education.

Arriving home after this third trip to Honduras, things began to move quickly into place as The Red Thread Project became a reality. What could have taken an endless amount of time happened speedily, and the non-profit was approved, leaving Ashley and her husband, Frank Griffin, astonished! They formed a committee and began to see favor upon their efforts and a steady ease down this new path.

While Ashley is great at making salsa, she laughed at the thought of sewing. She exclaimed to me, “ I couldn’t even sew on a button if I had to!” To think that God would use her to create jobs with sewing made her well aware that this was not about her strengths, but about fulfilling a greater purpose. If we are willing to stretch outside our capacity, I believe we can all be amazed by the potential that lies within us.

Ashley approached her mom’s best friend for help, whom she referred to as Aunt Sibby as a child. She remembered that if her mom needed anything sewn Aunt Sibby could do it. Sylvia Broadaway is her real name, and to know her is to love her! I personally know her from my high school days at Byne Baptist School, and she could brighten a room with her smile. When Ashley asked her about teaching her how to sew, Mrs. Sylvia replied, “Oh Ashley, didn’t you know I used to be an instructor for the Singer Sewing Company?”

Another step in the right direction, another confirmation. While Ashley was back home in

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For more information on how to purchase salsa or to learn more about The Red Thread Project, visit theredthreadproject.org or to receive emails and notifications visit redthread.instapage.com

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Albany learning to sew, things on the ground in Honduras were already coming together quickly.

In just a short matter of time, Ashley received a phone call from the medical director Sheila with news that she couldn’t contain! She wanted so desperately to surprise Ashley when she returned, but she had to share the news with her over the phone. Along with the help of some of the people in the community, and some left over building supplies from the house, they were able to put up a building suitable for women to start their sewing training. In Ashley’s mind, it would take a year to sell enough salsa to bring this part of the vision to life, but amazingly it was completed in a few short months! With The Red Thread

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Project in place, and a suitable facility to begin training, Ashley is confident they will be able to fund the initial phase of the training. Very soon, uniforms will be created by the hands of beautiful women, and they will be empowered to create more resources for their community.

Ashley is working on phase two of this endeavor to equip women, and creating websites for purchasing salsa and articles of clothing for additional support. For more information on how to purchase salsa or to learn more about The Red Thread Project, visit theredthreadproject.org or to receive emails and notifications visit redthread. instapage.com  ALM

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Story by

Lexi Anthony

Photos by

Eric S. Love Hometown Living At Its Best

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You look on the horizon to see multiple trees positioned equal distances apart filling row after row. Each one tarnished by the ash of fresh forest flames. You can still smell soot in the air from the flickering flames used to Spring clean the forest underbrush kissing the crisp air. I follow Stallian Cagle’s black Vans throughout the untouched undergrowth, praying that no animals are awakened by the rustling. To watch Stallian pursue his passion

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is to watch him ponder and then receive an epiphany for the next move in the shoot. As I interview Stallian weeks after our photo shoot, those black Vans are still on his feet. However, instead of leading me into the unknown of a mysterious forest for a better shot, they are slightly fidgeting because Stallian cannot and does not like sitting still.

As a writer, my job is to find the story and write the story. I use words, phrases, and

This truly remarkable person behind the lens advises everyone to “fall in love with yourself for being a human being. Fall in love with other people for being people and enjoy their stories and try your best to learn the most about the people around you.�

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figurative language to convey to you a personality, an achievement, or a life.

This is not an easy task with only a creative mind and a dictionary. But, how difficult would it be if I only had a single shot, a camera, and a dose of talent? As a photographer, Stallian Cagle uses one click, one second, a single frame to capture what a thousand words could never say. As an artist, Stallian is “only concerned with human beings and telling their stories as best [he] can.” However, the story of the person behind the lens is one that is both inspiring and difficult to capture.

To say Stallian is merely a photographer would be an understatement. Stallian Cagle was born in Jacksonville, Florida but, since he moved to Leesburg shortly after, he considers it his hometown.

He graduated from Lee County High School in 2014 and, at only 19 years of age, he is pursuing his passion to create art in multiple outlets, most notably filmmaking and photography. He enjoys photography because “you have to put as much as you possibly can in a single frame and that’s a challenging thing but I do like to be challenged.” To find someone who is this passionate about an art form, one has to wonder how exactly he recognized his love for photography.

As I ask Stallian how exactly he became interested in photography, he glances down at the patio table and looks back up with a slight smile and chuckles as if what he is about to say is not the easiest bit of information to share. During the summer of 2014, Stallian suffered from a bout of depression: “I was at my wit’s end as far as life and I kind of hit rock bottom.

I needed to find something that would help me express myself. A way to help me really put my hands to something…

I needed to find something that I felt

like I could truly do and make an impact with and that gave me a purpose.” His mother, who also serves as Stallian’s inspiration, gave him his first camera.

He states that this piece of machinery was her contribution to his future as an artist and that “It’s a five year old camera. It’s not that expensive. It’s not that glamorous and elaborate but it was a gift she gave me so I use it to the best of my ability.” Stallian admits that anyone can potentially purchase this essential piece of equipment but

He enjoys photography because “you have to put as much as you possibly can in a single frame and that’s a challenging thing but I do like to be challenged.”

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when you look at one of Stallian’s photographs, you know it is a piece of his work. To find someone with this amount of passion for a craft is rare and remarkable, however, his love for photography runs much deeper than just a shutter-click. He states that photography saved his life: “I honestly believe that I am here to do photos and do art. That’s how I got into it. Since then, it’s kind of taken off into something totally different that I didn’t anticipate but I’m so grateful to God for it.”

With his newfound talent and passion, Stallian has embarked on a series of projects that are all unique in their own way. While scrolling through his Instagram feed, you will see a multitude of high quality photos that catch the eye and halt your browsing but one in particular is the most intriguing. Stallian began the Humans of Albany project after becoming familiar with the social media page, “Humans of New York.”

For those who do not know about “Humans of New York,” it is a site that takes a photo of a completely normal,

Above all, Stallian desires for his photography to exemplify his faith and God’s work.

“I want someone to see a photo I have taken and to be quite frank with you, I want them to see the photo and see God in it. See my story. See my faith. See where I came from because I am a huge believer in the fact that God brought me here and is taking me to new places with my photography and art.”

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everyday person you could encounter in the Big Apple and shares his or her story. Stallian believes that, just like himself, everyone has a story: “You come from somewhere. You are born. You have a story. Even if you think it’s minute and not that great, someone else is going to find it fascinating.” The idea behind Humans of Albany is to highlight individuals that Stallian encounters in the Good Life City because “there are a lot of people who don’t have their story told.” He believes that a lot of negative stigma surrounds Albany for various reasons but “This city does deserve a lot of attention because of the love, the friendliness, and the homeliness that characterizes this city as a whole.” Of all of the people he has encountered through the project, he mentions that Willie Neal told the

most influential story that impacted Stallian personally: “His story was basically that I’ve been in Albany all of my life and I’ve spent too much of my time imagining what’s out there and I feel like it’s finally time for me to go do it… For me, that was a very inspiring thing because basically his message was know your roots, know where you come from, appreciate the world around you but also go see the world that’s out there.”

Above all, Stallian desires for his photography to exemplify his faith and God’s work: “I want someone to see a photo I have taken and to be quite frank with you, I want them to see the photo and see God in it. See my story. See my faith. See where I came from because I am a huge believer in the fact that God brought me here and is taking me

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As a photographer, Stallian Cagle uses one click, one second, a single frame to capture what a thousand words could never say.

to new places with my photography and art.” Most of his personal projects have a biblical theme because he believes that a lot of directors “rob stories from biblical mythology.” When asked if he wants his photography to bring people closer to God, “If I present a piece of art, whether you see God in it or you see a message about protecting the earth and keeping it green, if you saw something, then I did my job.” Though he does not like being preachy and admits to not being an avid churchgoer, he does admit that photography connects him spiritually to God and attributes all of his success and talent to Him. The lingering question is what is next for this inspirational, talented artist?

While jokingly giving himself a plug during the interview, he says that he will be moving to Atlanta over the summer so if anyone needs a photography session, it is best to book one now. After moving to Atlanta, he hopes to continue his pursuit for those perfect Kodak moments while also igniting a deeper flame for his videography passion. He reflects that it is a “living breathing story” and that he is truly excited to find a “new art to delve into.”

Behind the Canon Rebel T3I stands an artist, not just another photographer.

Someone who laughingly admits to literally being a starving artist after missing a few meals due to the expenses of his craft. Someone who produces “art for art’s sake” so he will never be caught up in the perceived fortune of what he’s doing. Someone who is fascinated by your story and wants to capture what makes you unique in a single second.

This truly remarkable person behind the lens advises everyone to “fall in love with yourself for being a human being.

Fall in love with other people for being people and enjoy their stories and try your best to learn the most about the people around you.”  ALM

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of Downtown Albany Giving a voice to the people of downtown Albany and listening to what they have to say.

Story and Photos by Amy Rolfe Dare Photography

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When I was young, my parents established a little church right in the heart of downtown Albany between Broad and Pine Streets – this is where I spent my formative years. I would stand very still and pretend to be a mannequin in the window fronts, play hide-n-seek amid the various streets and alleys, and go for Sunday afternoon walks with my parents – these were good years and good days, but if you listen to the common voice of many Albanians, those days are gone. Right?

I’ll admit it, that’s what I once thought. I was among the vast majority that viewed downtown as a lost cause, something long forgotten and perhaps too far past its glory days for any sort of resurgence. However, my job as a photographer increasingly drew me back to the area that was my second home as a child. As I once again found myself wandering in and out of the various streets and alleyways, absorbing the sound of the rushing water, walking along the very spot Martin Luther King, Jr., walked, something in me started to change. Little by little I was falling in love all over again.

Believe me, I know the stories we’ve all been bombarded with: “There’s nothing going on down there” and the ever popular, “It’s not safe down there.” Comments and sentiments like these seem to have taken on a life on their own.

I began thinking about the concept of perception versus reality and how very strong perception and preconceived ideas can be; they can be as influential as a parent and passed down from generation to generation as surely as Grandmother’s china. Was this the case with downtown Albany? I found myself pondering this time and time again. If the tightly held beliefs of so many weren’t true, then what could I do to change that? I began to ask myself, “Why not fight perception WITH perception? Why not show the faces of downtown Albany, give them a voice and listen to what they have to say?”

So I hit the streets and started talking to the people there and doing what I do best: taking pictures. I had so much fun and loved it so much I started Instagram and Facebook pages dedicated to this very thing. I encourage you to visit often to see all of these wonderful people and more as the days and months go on. For now, join me in the next few pages and meet some of the Faces of Downtown Albany.

Amy Rolfe Dareimage.com Instagram: @facesofdowntownalbany Facebook: www.facebook.com/facesofdowntownalbany

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“We took wedding pictures here and now that Brandon just finished many years of hard work studying and working towards his doctorate this seemed like the place to commemorate his amazing accomplishment. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Amy had so much fun with this project that she started Instagram and Facebook pages dedicated to this very thing. She encourages you to visit often to see all of these wonderful people and more as the days and months go on.

Instagram: @facesofdowntownalbany Facebook: www.facebook.com/facesofdowntownalbany

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“I came here in 1957 and I worked here as a secretary for CSX – at that time they wouldn’t hire any females, at least the railroad didn’t, for secretarial work so I had to learn, I already knew typing, but I had to learn shorthand, so I went to night school and learned shorthand. I worked hard, for about 13 years, and then one day I was a commercial agent myself and I had a secretary. So, I worked up the hard way. I didn’t go the school route; I went with experience and hard training.

And they gave me a company car and I traveled through South Georgia calling on customers.”

“My wife and I are retired now. She’s walking right now and my knees hurt so I sit here and read a book and, believe it or not, read a book about being mortal. At just past the age of 85, this is about when you come round to that age, and what you do with yourself.

“I’ve watched Albany grow and, of course now it’s, it’s struggling, like all places are but, I’ve always loved Albany” “I do admire those that are struggling to do better, our City Manager, everybody, we’ve got a very good City Manager right now, it seems to me.”

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“The attraction was living as close to downtown as possible – I live about 6 blocks from here. I’ve actually started walking to work. It’s really given me a lovely start to my day – it gets me in the mood to start work. I do a sort of, meditation as I’m walking, I hear the birds… It’s kind of like this time that’s really truly set aside to transition, and to work.”

“I’m the Operations Manager here. My husband actually works here too, but he still drives to work! I’ve been with the aquarium for 11 years now.”

“You never know what you’re going to find downtown, or who you will meet. Most people who are downtown are very open people and very pleasant to meet. Like I said, I’ve been working here for 11 years and I never once had an uncomfortable confrontation.

People are more apt to repeat negative stories then they are to repeat positive stories. I took a public relations class once and I believe they said it takes eight positive stories or interactions to take away one negative story or interaction.”

“I’m invested in the aquarium, which makes me invested in the downtown, which makes me invested in Dougherty County, so why wouldn’t I live where I can vote on what I’m invested in?”

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“I’ve been here a year and a half, I moved from Atlanta. I think one of the best things is that there’s no traffic! There are stigmas around downtown for sure, “There’s nothing to do”, “It’s not safe” but it’s not true. There’s a lot to do downtown and I’ve always felt safe here and there’s something new to do everyday! There’s the Riverwalk, Ray Charles and the Riverquarium – they have different movies going on, it would take several days to see all that they have to offer. We have different planetarium shows going on, we have an incredible historical campus - the last brick street in Albany with trolley tracks going down the center – who has trolley tracks going down the center of their street anywhere? It’s kind of neat! Our office is a former historical home – we’re here 8-5 if someone wants to see it and poke around. Our archives are available during our research hours Thursday and Friday but we are usually available for people that have historical documents they are interested in donating or getting information on preserving, we’re here to help. That’s one big thing, there are a lot of people downtown to help. If we don’t know, we’ll send you to someone that does.

Did you know you can ride horses around Albany without a permit of anything?? Just hop on your horse and head downtown!

What other city can you do that?”

“We’re just going with the flow” “We’re fat, trying to lose weight!”

“With our pseudo trainer here” “We’re exercising, getting in shape and enjoying everything down here – the weather is perfect today and we have everything we need to workout”

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“We wanted to fly a kite, so we went to Target, bought a kite and here we are.

So far it hasn’t been a successful day…”

“Our daughters have been friends since they were both in diapers and now their little girls are friends.”

I love the people, good people.”

“Not enough people take advantage of everything the downtown has to offer. I mean, do you know how far you can ride on the River Walk?”

“Yeah, you can ride like, forever and hardly ever stop” “There are a lot of cool people down here” “I like to meet people and I like the scene”

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“We moved here about 15 years ago from New York.”

“Some friends of ours in New York were from this area and that’s why we came here.”

“Albany has had some big changes in the 15 years that we’ve been here, all positive. They’re trying to entertain the people.”

I

“I’ve been here for four years now. I believe that now that the city has purchased the property I think things are really gonna turn around. I’m an advocate for downtown and I won’t abandon it. I travel to all these different cities and states and see how they are set up… Downtown Albany is the best set up I’ve seen because of how close it is to the river front, much better than other cities – so I think we’ve got something good going on down here, but we need more people to come down here and make it work, with determination, and support it. It can’t be just one person or business.”

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“My mama used to work at JC Penny and every Sunday we’d get out of church and we’d walk all along, up and down the streets window shopping.”

“I broke my arm last year and I can’t play baseball this year, but I’m going to next year.”

“So we practice. And I really like the scene down here.”

“Were here with our church (Mount Zion) today, we’ve got some visitors with our church today from Virginia and we’re waiting on them to show them a little bit of Albany.”

“We’re going to show them the Riverquarium, Ray Charles Memorial and the Veteran’s Amphitheater.”

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I

Eric “I got half way through my incarceration and I realized that I made a choice, and my circle of concern was different you know? I had the wrong circle of concern so once I learned to use the right principles then I was able to deal with my situation.

So now at the Albany Transitional Center transitioning is a lot easier for me you know? Because I know now that you have to manage your time and managing your time is not always about going by a schedule, it’s just doing the right things, putting first things first, with the beginning and end in mind, just all those type things.

You know, anywhere you go they have a mission statement, my mission statement, sort of, is to try and help somebody else that went down the wrong path, that had a good foundation but made some bad choices. My paradigms were all screwed up. I’m 52 years old and I saw things that, you know, my dad did that didn’t get him in trouble but I was curious about the other things! So, I drift away from it sometimes but I still carry those old paradigms with me, so I gotta do a paradigm shift now.”

“My kids are doing well, both of my parents are deceased, but they left a good foundation that I can build from. I have this imaginary tool belt around me now, any tool that I need, I’ve got. I’ve got all the tools to be successful, the keys to success and one of my tools is to become well, like a handy man but I’m going to call it different than being a handy man, I’m going to call it the “Home predictive and preventive maintenance” – you know from cleaning out your garbage can to mold control. I’m gonna try and knock the handyman out the way.

So that’s what I’m trying to do.

I was born in Columbus, GA, I have two years of college, two years of tech school… I just made a bad choice. But sitting here talking to you has made all that I went through worth wild because somebody’s listening. Now I’m helping somebody. I would say to anyone out there that it’s all about discipline and respect – those two things there, you always have to learn those things, day in and day out. You know, we make constant decisions every day, we’re constantly saying no to a lot of things, and we become anesthetized to it, because we want to do what we want to do! But you know, yes it sometimes more burning inside you than no. The yes has to be more burning than the no. Everyday we tell ourselves “no, I can’t do that, no it’s not possible” but you gotta shift the way you think and change what you believe is possible.”

“My children are 26 and 30 and we’re close and that’s one thing I’m really proud of. My dad put a good foundation under me and even though I made a bad choice, I knew. But you know I just kinda

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outsmarted myself, and now I’ve been in about three and a half years. I first went off to what I call a County Camp and the warden there, man, he was good. My perception of a warden, he was nothing like that. He was just like this, like we’re sitting here talking, that’s how he was. If he said something he meant it. He told me “Smith, I took this job not just to tell people what to do, but to help them, that’s what it’s all about. It’s all about rehabilitation.

It’s not about me sticking you in the hole, just being in compliance but me showing you and leading you and being a leader in what I do.” He would sit down with you and talk to you, ask about your family and if you hadn’t been able to talk with them he’d bring you into his office so you could make a phone call and get to them.

Things like that mean a lot when you’re removed from everything. One phone call can mean a whole lot.”

I

Cornelius “I’ve been locked up 19 years, since I been 16 years old. I get out next year in February. It’s all been one long stretch.

I chose to grow up in prison because I thought I was a grown up on the street, but I wasn’t. And then I got put in a grown person’s situation and I had to be. And there’s a big difference between thinking you grown and having to be grown. I grew up pretty quick. I got my GED and became a certified fireman, got all kinda skills and trades, and prison gave me the opportunity to meet lots of different people and it’s a lot of bad stuff that happened, not to me, but I seen it everyday, but I don’t like to harp on that. This, prison, is not a place for anybody but it is a chance for everyone to change themselves while they are there. It’s not thinking you gonna change once you get on the street. “ Me: “What made you change positively when I’m sure you were seeing people all around you choosing to change for the worse, become bitter and angry?”

Cornelius: “Well, my faith in God, knowing that if Jesus hadn’t died on the cross I wouldn’t have been saved no way, I was doomed any way. My family stayed with me the whole time, they still with me now, and you know, finally choosing to do that right thing. I was raised right and I used to have, well, I hate to, well I don’t hate to tell people this but I hate I was like this, I was very smart in school but my friends weren’t so I thought being smart was dumb. I committed the crime of armed robbery, no reason to steal or nothing, not cause I wanted to, but because I actually thought it was fun, and that’s sad. But I do have dreams and aspirations of being a youth counselor to teens and young adults

so that no other 16 year old will have to go through what I’ve been through. I think that’s what needs to happen. The children are the future and we are only going as far as they take us. If it doesn’t start with them then how far are we gonna go? Who’s gonna take care of us? Who’s gonna make sure Social Security is there and our roads are taken care of? What I would tell someone is that a lot of people become more criminal minded when they come to prison and I never understood that! My idea was I came to go home!

And God put me in a position now that I’m fixin to go home. I had my faith and my foundation before I went to prison but, I just wanted to be cool, I was a follower is what I was. In prison I did learn how to be a leader among leaders, being a leader but listening to someone that’s traveling in the right direction – you can be a leader and still follow a good leader, because everyday you have to lead yourself, everyday is a test, and everyday is a blessing.”

Me: “What about those entering the system that don’t have the foundation that you two had going in?”

Eric: “There are going to be opportunities – they gonna call religious services religiously! I would say to someone, don’t judge any particular religion because you can learn something every religion there is. You can learn something from a Muslim, you can learn something from a Christian, you can learn something from ANYBODY because God don’t have any religion, so the message might be coming out of somebody you don’t expect. So you gotta listen and you gotta learn and you can’t be selfish, don’t be selfish, even with yourself. Allow yourself to grow.”

Cornelius: “The funny thing is that when your talking religion and your talking something to hold on to, that’s not really something that someone has to give you because you know what? It’s like you looking for it anyway before you get there.

Your already trying to find something that’s gonna change you because… you know you’ve done something wrong, your looking for that one thing you need to guide you. It starts with reading one scripture, then you read another and you think, “this makes me feel better, it’s not drugs, its not another person, it’s something that’s already been done you know? So now I’m gonna follow this” Eric: “You gotta look in that mirror everyday, and you gotta challenge that person you looking at every day. Because if not, you gonna give up and if you give up your going to get into any other thing.“ Me: “Do you see yourselves going back in to counsel and help others once you get out?”

Eric: “That’s what I wanna do. I tell

people the next time I’m in prison I’ll have a visitor’s card and a suit!”

Cornelius: “It’s all about knowing that there are some really good people in there. Being in there 19 years you see people that’s doing life and regardless of what we’ve done, some of us are good people. You see people serving small sentences that are bitter and hateful and then you see someone serving life walking around with a smile on their face, thankful for everyday. Some will keep messing around and messing around until they mess themselves out of chances and the same can go for someone serving only 2 or 3 years. “ Eric: “I wouldn’t change anything because I feel like I had to go this way, I had to go down this path. I always wanted to help people; I didn’t know this would be the way, but, it’s just more tools in my tool belt.”

Cornelius: “I would recommend to anyone in our situation, even if you don’t have a drug problem or addiction, go to AA or one of those support groups because brotherhood and fellowship builds a strong foundation. You never know, someone might be about to go make a huge mistake and they run into someone from the group they can talk to and that helps them make the right decision when they are feeling weak.

Sometimes people just wanna be listened to, because they feel like they don’t have a voice, and I’ve been that person.”

Me: “What’s next for you?”

Cornelius: “Well, first I wanna further my education. I want to get a small business degree and I want to make sure I reconnect with my family. I have nieces and nephews that don’t know me.

So, meet my family, reconnect and further my education so that when I do start my business I’ll know how to manage my business and not squander it away. And then after that I want to open up something I call “The Hart House”, everything has to do with my last name, so I’m my own salesmen. Open it up to teens and young adults and start some kinda little league, and I wanna have a study period that takes education from around the world, everywhere and educate our kids in America about the world. We have too much social media and not enough being sociable. But man will evolve and advance as time goes on, but you have to be able to sit down with different types of people and evolve in that area too.”

Eric: “Like Alan Greenspan said in his book The Age of Turbulence he said, ‘What makes the world small is the cell phone’.

“Things are happening too fast, you don’t have time to think, no time, everything started with the cell phone.”

Cornelius: “We can only use what’s around us and what we see, because we make assumptions about people by what we see but that’s not always truth, not until I actually meet you, talk to you and get an understanding. Principles, up and down, up and down they stay the same, policies, practical things, those things always change but principles stay the same and that principle is that respect should be given to everyone because everyone deserves it – nobody should have to earn respect. Earn trust, trust has to be earned but everyone deserves respect. Respect yourself and give respect.”

Eric: “Well you know, it took for me, it took, well I had to sit back and be patient.

I had this one lieutenant that used to say to me, ‘Smith, you just don’t listen!’ It used to burn me up so bad! Have you ever sat back and said to yourself, ‘I’m listening, I’m listening now’? That’s me, that’s how I am now. So now, it’s a whole new ballgame.

Your circle of concern changes, my day doesn’t have to be bad because it rains – put on a rain jacket and have a good day, things don’t have to ruin you. I had to stop being reactive and start be proactive.

A reactive person is not that successful – reactive people blame” Cornelius: “We see a lot of that, we’re around a lot of that, and I’ve been there.

I’ve been through a lot of phases during my time. I was mad, I was mad at my family, it started with my momma and then she told me, “I didn’t put you there” and it made me cry! A grown man and it made me cry. I went to my room and I went to thinking and I felt better. Then the

next day I felt even better. So then it was like, ‘Who am I gonna blame now?’ So I started at my father. One day he came to see me and was all asking me what was wrong, what was bothering me, and I wouldn’t tell him. So he just said, ‘Look man, I’m sorry, I can’t fix it but I’m here and I love you’ and just like that, the anger melted away.”

“So just think positive, act positive, be positive and positive things will happen.”

 ALM

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IN MEMORY OF

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story By Crystal Waddell photos By Shae Foy Photography and provided By Dr. Anthony Parker

Dr. Parker is a man who has written his own story punctuated by periods of compassion, determination and intelligence.

Dedicated. Humble. Brilliant. These are just a few of the words that are synonymous with Dr. Anthony Parker, who is the President of Albany Technical College (ATC). He is a man devoted to his career and to the success of others. His accessibility not only extends to that of his colleagues, but also to students at the college. He has even been known to give out his personal cell number to students in case they need him, and he attends basketball games to cheer on his students. Needless to say, he is not your ordinary college president.

In 1979, Dr. Parker was given the opportunity to transfer from Augusta to North Carolina when he and his wife discovered they were expecting their first child. He was working for ColgatePalmolive at the time, and the couple made the decision to stay in Augusta where there was access to excellent medical facilities.

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Dr. Parker considers Albany his home and is proud of his college and the way it

serves the community he loves.

He applied for a position as a faculty member at Augusta Technical College with the intention of staying for one year.

“Either I love what I do or I cannot tell time,” laughed Dr. Parker. Although he changed his career course from business to education, Dr. Parker said, “It’s a natural fit between what we do in business and the students that we place in careers after they finish college. Although I am in education, I don’t think I have separated from the business environment because of what we do. If we are not graduating and placing a significant number of employees in the workforce environment, then the workforce community could lose confidence in us.” It is obvious that Dr. Parker not only enjoys his profession, but is also committed to seeing the whole process through to fruition. For over 20 years with Dr. Parker at the helm, the college’s enrollment has doubled. This is a source of pride for a man who realizes the value Hometown Living At Its Best

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It is evident Dr. Parker is dedicated to the success of all students at ATC. The school boasts a 95 percent graduation rate, a 98 percent chance of students being employed, and a 94 percent chance of being employed in their field.

of a quality education. Dr. Parker’s own education began with a degree in accounting from South Carolina State University, continued with his master’s and specialist’s degrees in education and culminated with his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.

It is perhaps his own love of learning that has inspired him to partner with the Dougherty County School System.

“You never know where your earlier relationships will be valuable. Dr. (Butch) Mosely and I have known each other since we worked together in Vidalia in 1989 or 1990. He

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was the Superintendent of Vidalia Public Schools, and I was Vice President of Student Services at Southeastern Technical College. “We came together (in an official capacity) when he came as interim superintendent here at the Dougherty County School System. We knew we could work together so that high school students could begin earning a living wage at 18 years old immediately after high school. We decided to fast track all those things we thought about 25 years earlier and put them in motion here. It’s been an easy relationship since we have been friends for a while. Our staff works very well together also,” complimented Dr. Parker. Hence, this was the beginning of a successful career academy. “In 2012, there was a concern whether students would reach a dead end or impasse after working on their associate’s degree (while in high school). However, we developed a process to show what can happen afterwards in terms of continuing their education at four year colleges,” said Dr. Parker.

One such success story that epitomizes the dual enrollment program is Ayana Harpe. Ayana enrolled in the Pharmacy Technology program at ATC after a positive summer experience with the SASET (Students Achieving Success in Engineering Technology) program. At 18 years old, she had graduated high school and completed her associate’s degree in Pharmacy Technology at ATC. She has already began working on her doctorate degree in Pharmacy at Florida A&M University. Not only did her prior college experience ease the transition from high school to a post-secondary

institution, but it also allowed her to reap the financial benefits of zero costs of the program.

“Because I was dually enrolled, I was able to go straight into my university of choice as an academic sophomore, which came with benefits such as better class selection, faster matriculation, and other privileges,” said Ayana. Her goal of becoming a Pharmacist will come to realization much sooner than most high school graduates thanks to her head start at ATC. Dr. Parker was quick to note Ayana’s success story, as well as many others who have gone on to other postsecondary institutions, such as Albany State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia and Auburn University, just to name a few. “Almost no high school student gets admitted into Pharmacy school when they apply, so the relationship with Dougherty County Schools is growing stronger,” said Dr. Parker.

When asked how the partnership with Dougherty County Schools works, Dr. Parker explained that the partnership recently received $3.3 million from the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to begin the conversion of the Southside Middle School building to the Albany Career Academy.

“The students will have an advantage to what is being taught in that building and their proximity to us. They can go to homeroom there, take their high school classes and begin taking college classes.

It’s been a great relationship with the Dougherty School System and other systems, but it has really taken off in the last two years. The beauty is that students can transition to college while living at home, making the process much easier, especially the more demanding the degree might be. There is no direct cost to parents, not even the textbooks.

It is by far, the most impressive piece of education reform I have seen in my 34-year career. To be able to confer to someone an associate’s degree with no cost out of pocket while they are living at home with mom and dad is a tremendous opportunity that almost everyone should take advantage of.”

The dual enrollment program is called Move On When Ready (MOWR) where students begin college when they are emotionally ready. Grades

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He is a proud husband to his wife Sandra, who is the CTAE (Career, Technical and Agricultural Education) Director for Lee County High School and is also an Assistant Principal. They have three children, Kimberly, Andrea and Richard Anthony.

are a part of the admissions process and so is parental input. “It’s an exciting time to be in higher education, especially technical education,” said Dr. Parker. “We can submit Georgia as the economic engine for the southeastern part of the United States since no other state has been farsighted enough to do this. For the Second Congressional District, it hands students who are willing to stay in school and work to gain their college credentials a chance to do so at no cost to them. I am hopeful that a student will finish a bachelor’s degree one day by the time the student is 18 years old.” There are so many options for students who are working within this program.

While the positive effects of the dual enrollment program for high school students are certainly encouraging, Dr. Parker is also working tirelessly on a problem facing a large number of adults. “Unfortunately, our single most important program is Adult Education.

We know that a substantial number of the population does not have a GED® or high school diploma. We also know that the future of the workforce is determined by the number of high school graduates. We are encouraging 62

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adult students to dual enroll under a program called Ability to Benefit (ATB), which is a part of the Title IV/Pell Grant financial aid program. Those students can enroll in about 10 programs right now, but we are adding more programs each semester. They can work on their GED® while getting a workforce skill at the same time. There is a system of checks and balances designed to encourage them to finish their GED® since they must complete it if they wish to finish their associate’s degree. As a region, we need to get them to complete their GED® and gain skills to keep our workforce in supply and attract businesses to the region.”

It is evident Dr. Parker is dedicated to the success of all students at ATC. The school boasts a 95 percent graduation rate, a 98 percent chance of students being employed, and a 94 percent chance of being employed in their field. “For people who need a change in their lives or a raise in their income, ATC is a wonderful fit,” added Dr. Parker. Economic developers have been working tirelessly to bring more jobs and businesses to Albany, so ATC is assisting with the endeavor. The goal is to reduce the rate of need for Adult

Education by gaining more qualified individuals in the workforce. “The best poverty program is a good job and keeping that job,” stated Dr. Parker.

When asked, Dr. Parker made note of some of the most notable accomplishments at the college. In addition to doubled enrollment, the school is also focused on student outcomes. What is important to Dr. Parker is retaining students and successfully assisting them with job placement. ATC has set the bar high for working with students throughout their academic career and preparing them for the workforce. Students begin the journey with the “end in mind” by going to the ATC Career Development Center and working on their employer portfolio. Dr. Parker explained how beneficial the center and student portfolio are, “For example, a surgical technician might have a video of them during a mock surgery so that a potential employer can view and see the technical skill in action. What we also want is for the students to be able to compete for the best jobs at their first interview, because it could be the best job out there for them. We have interview rooms set up for our students to practice, and we provide a place for those vocations/ employers to come in and interview our students,” added Dr. Parker. The college also helps students learn to “dress for success” by assisting them in choosing a wardrobe suitable for the workplace.

Essentially, ATC provides the whole package for students to thrive in the workforce from start to finish.

“I get to see people who, just a short time ago, did not have the requisite skills to compete for jobs and earn a living. Being successful and having the economic utility to be able to supply their family with what they need to survive is crucial. Talking to graduates and having them tell me they are

Dr. Parker is very active in the community, having served as the Vice-Chairman of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and as the campaign chair of the United Way of Southwest Georgia.

He is also a board member of Phoebe Putney Health Systems, SB&T Bank and is active in the Rotary Club of Albany.

satisfied with what they learned from ATC in order to gain a successful job is very fulfilling. Our community is the perfect size and fit for the number of graduates we supply in this area, and I enjoy being in a community where our students have been effective. Although I feel that we can never do enough, we are still working to meet the needs of everyone,” said Dr. Parker. These are such humble words from a man who has accomplished so much and has been lauded as a brilliant mind in his field. His hope is that students will know he cared for them and took the time to know them on a personal level while at ATC and that he made the college a better place. This is a man who shakes the hand of every player after a basketball game to tell them, whether win or lose, what a wonderful job they have done. As he speaks of the students and their success, he calls them by name, knows their major and even what their plans are for the future.

“It is important to the students that they continue to keep me up-to-date on how

their lives are going after college. They will text me or my wife to let us know the wonderful things that are happening in their lives. I got a nice letter recently from a young lady thanking me for what I did for her. I just did not expect that.”

Dr. Parker is very active in the community, having served as the ViceChairman of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and as the campaign chair of the United Way of Southwest Georgia. He is also a board member of Phoebe Putney Health Systems, SB&T Bank and is active in the Rotary Club of Albany. His love of giving back to the community gives him the opportunity to make essential connections necessary to aid in student job placement which he sees as a win-win situation. He is a proud husband to his wife Sandra, who is the CTAE (Career, Technical and Agricultural Education) Director for Lee County High School and is also an Assistant Principal. They have three children, Kimberly, Andrea and Richard Anthony. This busy man made certain he always made time to

attend ball games, ballet recitals and any other activity in which his children were involved while they were growing up, and now he takes the time to visit them in Atlanta, Texas and Miami, Florida.

“I want people to know that at ATC, we are collegiate and will not abandon the traditional classes, however, we are so much more. The original programs we offer and the work our students do are important. People should take the time to learn about us, because it is to their advantage to be exposed to what we are doing.” Dr. Parker considers Albany his home and is proud of his college and the way it serves the community he loves.

It is evident that his measure of his own achievement comes from the continuing success of all of his students. He is a man who has written his own story punctuated by periods of compassion, determination and intelligence. Although his story is not yet finished, we all know there is a joyful conclusion for the man whose dedication knows no boundaries.  ALM

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“Whenever there are no words,” Anthony Johnson says as the blustery wind blows through the knitting of his cream color sweater, “there is music” – a phrase that he says will go on his tombstone if he ever gets one. “Music is infinite.

Its possibilities are endless,” explains Johnson as he sits outside at a black metal table on a chilly day at Elements Coffee Shop in Albany, Georgia.

He sips a latte and, every few minutes, he strokes his reddish-brown mustache or swirls the end of the left side between his thumb and index finger – a need to constantly move, or as he puts it, “Anything that I can do with my hands.” He watches the world around him intently through blue eyes framed in round, tortoise shell glasses.

When he speaks, his voice is full of energy, and though he appears on the outside as a grown man in his early 30s wearing a grey golf cap and brown loafers, as he talks, it becomes apparent that he is

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a big kid at heart and isn’t afraid to admit it. But even though he can quote lines from Frozen, I suspect the story or the words themselves are not what he loves most; his main passion is in the music and what it can say without the words.

Johnson relates his love of music and instruments to being in another country and not knowing the language, but wanting to communicate with the natives. “You’re going to try to find every way possible to communicate with the natives, and that’s where my love of instruments came from. I would try every possible way to express what was in my head,” he says, “Some of the greatest composers we’ve ever had were German and Russian. I don’t speak either language, but I hear their music and I know exactly what they are trying to say. Music is amazing. It pops all barriers.” Because music is a language all its own, Johnson has made it a priority to play his music and spread his sound around this corner of Georgia. “If my lot in life is to inject music into southwest Georgia, then I’m fine with that. I’ll die trying,” he says, sure that God has given him this special talent for a reason. However, he has spread his music and the word of God elsewhere. Just months after getting married Johnson and his bride, Sarah, spent four months in Alaska as missionaries. He has also played concerts from Tennessee and Kentucky to North Carolina and Georgia.

Before he began playing for others, Johnson learned to play music by ear, which he still does. He started around age three, though music has always been a large component of his life from the day he was born. He immediately compares himself with Elliot, the little boy in the movie August Rush, who hears and sees music everywhere he goes, drawing everyone who hears the music to him. He hears music in the most basic elements of life, teaches himself to

His advice to young artists: Never quit playing.

“Your fingers are going to be blistered and bleed.

Just don’t stop. Learn everything you possibly can and question everything. Music has no rules. There are boundaries, of course, but no rules. Music is fluid. It’s like play-doh. You can do anything you want to with it. It’s any color; it’s any shape; it’s anywhere.”

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music by ear Before he began playing for others, Johnson learned to play music by ear, which he still does. He started around age three, though music has always been a large component of his life from the day he was born.

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play the guitar and piano, and searches for new ways to create the sounds he hears in daily life. Elliot sees music in people, the wind, and the bus passing by on the street. Johnson says he is exactly like that little boy. “I can’t express it better than what that movie did. It’s like music is everywhere for me. Even color has sound,” he says, gesturing to the coffee shop behind him and busy Ledo Road in front of him. All around him, the cold wind blows a tune in his ears as they peek out from the sides of his cap.

As a young child, Johnson listened, watched, and learned from his grandfather and dad, Tony. “My grandfather and my dad showed me all of the major chords on a guitar,” he says. “I remember some of it, but growing up I was constantly surrounded by music. My grandfather and grandmother played, my

grandparents on the other side played.

My mom and dad sang,” he says as he talks about how music has always been a big part of his family and his life.

He started with the guitar and now can play several instruments, including the mandolin and bass, which he taught himself in order to get the sound he was hearing in his head. During adolescence, the budding musician realized his Godgiven talents to not only play the music, but to put song to it. At about 14 or 15 years old, Johnson’s sister, Miranda, brought him a poem she had written, asking if he could put music to it for their parents. Together, the siblings recorded the song; Anthony’s music, Miranda’s words. Afterwards, Johnson realized that he had a niche for this activity. “The Bible says to covet the best gifts you have. So, I got into writing and recording,” Johnson says, but admits he “ had no idea why I was writing” at the time.

Johnson does have one confession: “I can’t read music, and I feel very held back as far as being able to orchestrate and put stuff together.” Learning to read music is on the agenda for this year, however, which will allow him to collaborate with other artists and have people help him create the music he loves. “I don’t want people to look on an album or soundtrack and see all instruments played by Anthony Johnson.

All music written and played,” he says.

The 33-year-old artist has not let his inability to read music get in the way of his passion. Though he doesn’t do many on-stage concerts any more, but when he does he prefers a small and intimate crowd, he has begun composing music for films, including his first short film, Picture Show and his most recently acquired film for a civil war piece called Harmony that he is working

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on now. “I’ve done four or five films,” he says. “That’s something I always dreamed of doing, but I felt very held back because I can’t read music. But the movies that I’ve gotten to do, that hasn’t been a problem at all. It’s just locking myself away and trying to help the screen writer tell the story.”

However, music and his collection of smoking pipes, which he restores and sells or trades, are the only reasons Johnson locks himself away from the world. Otherwise, he is very social with many other hobbies. “I

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love computers. I love technology,” he says.

“I’ve tried everything. I’ve had paper routes.

I’m a licensed paramedic. I used to help cousins with fencing and roofing. Anything that keeps me mobile and keeps my hands in it.”

When not playing or composing music, restoring pipes, or helping someone, Johnson has a day job. Currently he is the AVL (Audio, Visual, and Lighting) Director at Greenbriar Church in Albany, GA, and is a drafter for Butler Engineering. “it’s music

related,” Johnson says about his jobs, “which I’m glad. If it was something like I’m the boss of a logging company, there would be no purpose for me in that.” He adds, always thinking about the music industry, “Well, except to get trees to make guitars out of.”

On top of composing music for films, other hobbies, family, and day jobs, Johnson is also working on his “awakening” as he calls it; or his new album. “I haven’t released a CD since 2011,” he admits. This one will be different than the last, however, containing one lyrical disk and one instrumental disk, a side effect of loving the music he has created for films.

“There is something about instrumental music that communicates what you can’t say,” he says.

This is evident in his most recent film composition for The Box, put out by Heritage Church, which is about miscarriage. After sharing his composition, he was delighted to realize that the song communicated and resonated with people who heard it. “Somebody replied that it reminded him of people who have gone on, but it gave him hope. That was exactly what that piece was for in the movie.

That was exactly what I was trying to express,” Johnson says excitedly, “and I didn’t have to say a word.” Instead, those who listen to the soundtrack hear the emotion Johnson poured into the music as he wrote. “That was one of the most emotionally filled compositions,” Johnson admits about the instrumental music he created, “I felt empty, like a wrung-out dishrag after that.”

Johnson confesses that the past few years since his last release have been dark ones. His new album will signify his “awakening” rather than just releasing a new album to release one.

The musician has struggled with deep depression, though no one could tell by talking to him. “I have the worst esteem

“I put it out there because I know that is what I’m supposed to do and love to do. I know that it helps people. Music is eternal.” as far as my music is concerned,” he says, “I put it out there because I know that is what I’m supposed to do and love to do. I know that it helps people.

Music is eternal. If I can touch someone emotionally and get them through depression, or get them to stop suicidal thoughts or to stop them from quitting something,” he says about the legacy he wants to leave with his music, “then I can die happy. And music can do that without saying a single word.”

His advice to young artists: Never quit playing. “Your fingers are going to be blistered and bleed. Just don’t stop.

Learn everything you possibly can and question everything. Music has no rules.

There are boundaries, of course, but no rules. Music is fluid. It’s like play-doh.

You can do anything you want to with it. It’s any color; it’s any shape; it’s anywhere.”  ALM

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Story by

Crystal Waddell

Photos by

Shae Foy Photography

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For Jay and Joan-Marie Barcus, love overflows in abundance in their home. With biological children Brantley and Brody and adopted daughter Beckam, the Barcus home is in full swing. While there are obviously no dull moments, one can feel the love this family has for one another and for others.

Jay is the pastor at Forrester Community Church in Leesburg, and the whole family is very active in the ministry. Joan-Marie, a former Miss Albany who placed 4th runner up in the Miss Georgia Pageant, stays at home with the children and homeschools Brantley. In the fall, Joan-Marie will add one more student, Brody, to her roster when he transitions from preschool at Porterfield Day School. So that the older children can concentrate more efficiently on their studies, Beckam will begin preschool two days a week at Porterfield

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For Jay and Joan-Marie Barcus, love overflows in abundance in their home. With biological children Brantley and Brody and adopted daughter Beckam, the Barcus home is in full swing. While there are obviously no dull moments, one can feel the love this family has for one another and for others.

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in the fall. One of the major benefits of homeschooling is that Brody has already been learning along with his sister. This is evident as he and Brantley proudly show off their artwork depicting Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet. “We do classical conversation topics (in their Classical Conversations Group at Gillionville Baptist Church) once a week, and that is the presentation topic this week,” explained JoanMarie. As she extolls the benefits of homeschooling such as setting one’s own schedule, spending more time together as a family and concentrating earlier in the day on the subjects that require more focus, it is easy to see why the couple chose this path for their children. As Joan-Marie states how it works out well homeschooling the children, Jay quips in his ever-present humor, “So when I call home and ask how it is going (when all 3 are being

homeschooled) you are going to tell me it’s still great, right?” These two parents not only complement each other well, but they also truly complete each other.

“We recently went to the Kolomoki Indian Mounds and had about 50 people who went on that homeschool field trip. I took Beckam along with us.

There is just a huge parental motivation to take trips like this,” added JoanMarie. “It works for us, and Beckam is so good with it. She is on a schedule, so we work on the more challenging subjects while she is napping.” With Brantley, 8, Brody, 5, and Beckam 1, this mom certainly has her hands full, but she clearly enjoys every moment.

The homeschool group in Albany continues to grow which ensures the Barcus children have no lack of social interaction. In the fall, there will be two Classical Conversations campuses- one at Gillionville Baptist Church and one

Clearly, Beckam’s birth and adoption were all in God’s time which the couple respects enormously.

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As Joan-Marie extolls the benefits of homeschooling such as setting one’s own schedule, spending more time together as a family and concentrating earlier in the day on the subjects that require more focus, it is easy to see why the couple chose this path for their children.

at Greenbriar Church. There is also a Leesburg campus, which grew out of the first Albany campus.

This family, who has so much love for others, also takes mission trips to different places and went to Mexico when Brantley was six years old and had just completed kindergarten.

“Brantley made friends with a little girl on our trip, and it was such a good experience for all of us,” said JoanMarie. The family is also taking a trip to Rosarito, Mexico in the summer and will again take Brantley with them, but Brody and Beckam will stay home with their grandparents. When Brody turns 6 and finishes kindergarten, he will join his dad, mom and sister on the next trip.

This summer, the family is helping to build two houses with Yugo Ministries, and they are also going to have a vacation Bible school for the children 90

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of the town. “I wanted to get the church into foreign missions in the last few years, and working with Yugo Ministries has allowed us to do so,” said Jay. When asked how God led the Barcus family to welcome another child, Jay said, “It was about six years ago when I started talking to Joan-Marie out loud about adoption. Then, we found out we were pregnant with Brody, so obviously it was not the right time. When Brody was about three, we started talking about it again. At first Joan-Marie was not completely there, needless to say, since she was already at home with two young children.” However, God had a different plan. “We attended the Gospel Coalition Conference where I felt like God spoke to me. (Adoption) kept getting brought up there,” added Joan-Marie. On the way home the couple seriously discussed adoption

further. “Not to sound cliché, but being Christians, a big reason behind adoption is the idea of God’s Word. The more you read scripture the more you understand. We read it all the time in Ephesians 1, Galatians 4, and Romans 8 and 9. It talks about God adopting us, and I think that David Platt said it best that ‘It is important to realize we adopt not because we are rescuers. No. We adopt because we are rescued.’ It ties into the whole adoption process. The more we realized and thought about this the more we saw the adoption with Beckam as one of the most vivid pictures of God’s Word.

We adopted for all the right reasons, and through the process, it has brought us and our kids closer to God. For our church family, they really rallied around us and worked hard along with us. We are in the middle of (studying) James right now, and he is talking about how we are to care for widows and orphans. That is not to say everyone needs to adopt, but they can make a difference with their prayers or physically or financially should they want to do so,” explained Jay. Joan-Marie brought the adoption point full circle with, “It was a total God thing.” Ever the family comedian, Jay laughingly looked at Joan-Marie and added, “And you finally got a baby with dimples!”

“The kids have been so good with Beckam because they have been a part of the whole process.

We were matched early on in the pregnancy, so we had five or six months to prepare and work on fundraising (for the adoption). The kids even had a lemonade stand. When we went down to Florida and found out she was a girl, we brought the kids pink lollipops back. They have adjusted so well,” said Joan-Marie. “And then one day I woke up and found the baby seat. I was awake when they got home (with Beckam), and I remember how she little she was,” said Brantley proudly. Needless to say, there is no shortage of help taking care of Beckam since both Brody and Brantley are so good with her. It is apparent there is no love lost between the three siblings when Beckam looks adoringly at her older siblings or she follows them around the home. If Jay and Joan-Marie were curious as to whether the children would like to add another sibling to their family, Brantley proudly exclaimed, “Let’s adopt again!”

After receiving the call that Beckam’s birth mother was in labor, the couple took off for Florida and arrived just shortly after her birth. By Florida law, they had to stay in the state until all the paperwork cleared which took about two weeks.

Friends of the couple allowed them the use of their beach home for no charge while they waited.

Although they missed their two older children, the initial bonding experience with their new baby was a sweet time. In June of 2015, the whole Barcus family returned to Florida where their new addition was officially declared Beckam Abigail Barcus.

Even the family court judge was proud to be part of the process and gave Brody and Brantley stuffed animals to commemorate the big occasion.

Joan-Marie and Jay continue to pray for and keep the birth mother apprised of Beckam’s growth and how well she is thriving in their home. While many adoptive families might be concerned with Hometown Living At Its Best

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Barcus family adoption day

The Barcuses plan to openly share Beckam’s story with her as she grows up, but they do not want it to define who she is. To them, she is a blessing sent by God whose road to their hearts just took a different route than that of their other children.

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the fear of birth parents not wanting to go through the whole process, JoanMarie never felt that fear. “I just felt a whole peace about the whole situation.“ I had the initial fears and ‘what ifs’ that are associated with adoption when the conversations first started. But when I truly committed it to the Lord, he removed all fears for me, and I was able to move forward boldly,” said JoanMarie. Jay pointed out how selfless the birth mother was to want Beckam to have a better life, which she knew would happen with their family. JoanMarie and Jay also knew in their hearts that it did not matter what race their adopted baby would be. Joan-Marie recalled the first time she called the pediatrician’s office to make her initial appointment. She was bragging about the baby and how precious she was when the receptionist asked the race of the baby. Bewildered, Joan-Marie explained her birth mother was white and her birth father was black. When the receptionist asked if that meant “other,” Joan-Marie immediately said, “Let me tell you what you can do, you can make another box called ‘perfect and precious’ and put a check in it.”

Their family, church and community rallied around them while they held various adoption fundraisers such as yard sales. The family was amazed at how God provided the monthly needs for the financial support that they gave to the birth mother. Once the couple advertised what the fundraisers were for, people graciously donated above amounts asked for the items at the sale.

The couple was even more blessed by how other people who were adopted would stop by the fundraisers and share their stories of adoption. The Barcuses plan to openly share Beckam’s story with her as she grows up, but they do not want it to define who she is. To them, she is a blessing sent by God whose road to their hearts just took a

different route than that of their other children.

Jay and Joan-Marie also praised the fact that their adoption has been “infectious” since 2 or 3 families in the church are also considering it. It is something the couple prayed would happen, and God is still continuing to show his faithfulness to this couple with so much love to give. On Joan-Marie’s heart is the plight of older children in foster care needing permanent homes.

While right now is not the opportune time for the Barcus family to adopt again, it is their hope that other families will find that path. Joan-Marie added, “Foster to Adopt is a great option for families that would like to adopt older

When asked what advice the couple would give to other families thinking about adoption, Joan-Marie said, “Get more information and see what is out there.

There are agencies and Foster to Adopt which are great places to start. We did a lot of research before beginning the adoption process.” The couple went through a private agency and had a wonderful, positive experience.

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There is no shortage of love for the Barcus children since JoanMarie’s parents, Dr. and Mrs. John Burns, also reside in Albany and spend a great deal of time with them. Jay’s mother, who lives in Ellijay, also visits frequently to spoil her grandchildren.

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children and is a great way to keep siblings together.” Jay said, “John Piper, who is a pastor and who has also adopted, was asked about his thoughts on adoption. He said everyone he has talked to about the subject only said they wished they had adopted sooner and adopted more children.”

When asked what advice the couple would give to other families thinking about adoption, Joan-Marie said, “Get more information and see what is out there. There are agencies and Foster to Adopt which are great places to start. We did a lot of research before beginning the adoption process.” The couple went through a private agency and had a wonderful, positive experience. Jay said, “Make sure when you do this that both spouses are on board. At any point in this process if I had pushed and Joan-Marie had not been ready, it would not have been a good thing. I have seen other families where maybe one person is more passionate about adoption than the other spouse. I would

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advise people to slow down until you both are onboard. I am glad Joan-Marie was so honest with me about being hesitant at first.” Clearly, Beckam’s birth and adoption were all in God’s time which the couple respects enormously. These are such words of wisdom from a couple who have had such a wonderful experience.

There is no shortage of love for the Barcus children since Joan-Marie’s parents, Dr. and Mrs. John Burns, also reside in Albany and spend a great deal of time with them.

Jay’s mother, who lives in Ellijay, also visits frequently to spoil her grandchildren. They are a loving family which is so obvious when they are seen interacting with each other, making funny inside jokes, and finishing each other’s sentences. The Barcus home is the ideal model for which most parents strive, and it is evident that the family’s recipe for success involves patience, understanding and endless amounts of love.  ALM

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teaching story By Elizabeth Sheffield 100

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photos By Shae Foy Photography

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As I walk through the double glass doors into Deerfield-Windsor High School in Albany, Georgia, three large pieces of artwork catch my eye. On tall easels for everyone who enters to see sit three pieces of cardboard, each with a different design ripped, torn, or painted on the surface. At the bottom of each piece is a student name giving credit to the artist. Turning left and walking down the hall to Donna Rouse’s classroom, I see more artwork covering the walls. This is not just the average drawing, but instead 3D art cut from paper and glued and fit together to stick out from the wall and micro pen drawings of animals from all skill levels.

This, I think, is a woman who is proud of her students and their work. She has made sure that the entire school sees what her students have the ability to create.

Turning right and walking down another hall, I finally arrive at a studio-style classroom that Rouse says is not big enough: “It really isn’t. I’m dealing with high school kids and some of them are big football players. I rearrange my room all the time, but I can never make it feel big enough.” High ceilings with exposed metal beams painted white and white cinderblock walls; the room is filled from top to bottom with cabinets full of art supplies, three iMac desktop computers, and student artwork. There are twelve desks, each one tall and facing the other to make two long tables. Each station has a tall metal stool with

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For Rouse, it isn’t all about the talent and skills to pass the class. Instead, Rouse centers the projects around the students themselves and the skills the students need to be successful in life, not just in her class.

a hand painted design on the seat. Toward the back corner stands Donna Rouse. She welcomes me into the room with a smile, offers me a stool, and begins to tell me about the fun projects her students are working on. As she speaks, her eyes light up, and she beams a little brighter with each new art project and each student’s accomplishments. It is clear art is her passion, but the high school children she interacts with daily are her reason for teaching in the field for over 18 years. “If you like to do something and you enjoy it and you look forward to it, then it goes by quickly,” she says as she gestures around the room, David Yurman bracelets jingling on her wrists.

Rouse not only teaches in this room, but she was a student in this very same room when she was in high school. “We’ve renovated the school,” she says, “but some of it is still original.” She goes over to the old wooden drawers and pulls one out. It sticks and she has to shove it back into the hole while her hot pink shirt flows around her. After graduating

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After the projects start and she has made her rounds, she turns on music for the students to listen to while they paint, draw, or create.

“I want the students to really have their own ability to express themselves.”

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from Deerfield, Rouse attended Auburn University and majored in Art Education. She taught at Westover her first year out of college, but then moved to Tennessee when she got married. She taught elementary art for seven years before moving back home where she worked in the Dougherty County school system teaching elementary school art for nine years. Mr. W.T. Henry, then principal of DeerfieldWindsor, lived behind Rouse and constantly asked when she was coming back to Deerfield, this time as a teacher. “Mr. Henry asked one day, and finally I said, ‘Well, I might be interested.’ And so I taught middle school art for three years, and then I moved up to high school,” says Rouse.

As the high school art teacher, Rouse teaches Art 1, Art 2, and the AP art classes to the 9th through 12th grades. “I have Art 1, which is my introductory class,” she says. This is the class that many students take because Deerfield requires all students to take an art class before they are able to graduate.

They can choose from band, performing arts, or fine art, which is Rouse’s class. “Art 2, which is the next step, allows

the students to delve more into what they like,” she says, “I give them handouts of the projects and they can take it and change it and tweak it. They can step out of the box from what my plan is and feel more independent.” She also teaches the AP art classes, which include three different portfolios: 2D, 3D, and drawing. As long as a student has completed a whole year or two semesters of Art 1 and Art 2, they are able to move into the AP classes and take the AP exams for college credit. The AP classes are taken by the year, not by semester. This allows students to delve deeper into projects and hone skills that Rouse says, “They can take elsewhere in the future and maybe fall back on if needed.”

However, for Rouse, it isn’t all about the talent and skills to pass the class.

Instead, Rouse centers the projects around the students themselves and the skills the students need to be successful in life, not just in her class. “I try to introduce to the students mediums that they haven’t tried themselves,” she says, “or that they haven’t had the accessibility to go and buy all the project materials. I try to think of

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things that they might not have tried or something different using some of the basic materials.” Rouse makes sure her students “have all this new stuff to learn about every time they come to take art” whether it’s their first 9th grade semester or their third time taking Art 2. “It’s not going to be any of the same projects.

I work really hard,” says Rouse, “in the summer looking for new things we haven’t done that are different and fun.”

These new and novel studio projects last anywhere from one to three weeks, but on Fridays, the class stops what it is doing to try something new. Fridays are used for trying a new medium or technique, like an upside down drawing or drawing inside of a brown paper bag.

Rouse may also take a Friday and teach art history. “Whatever I’m finding that is new and different that we haven’t tried before,” she says. “We do sculpture.

We do ink blots and drop in on a piece of wax paper and smear it out. We let it dry and turn it into something,” she says

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naming a few of the Friday projects they have done most recently.

Not every piece of artwork is made for a grade or to hang in the hallway, however. Rouse prides herself on the fact that she gives students the ability to be published, win money, and win awards with their artwork. She points above the computers to a shelf holding multiple sketches, paintings, and colored drawings, all of which are printed on quality paper, matted, and wrapped in protective, clear plastic. “These on the wall here are some of the printed pieces from the winners of the Dougherty Historic Preservation Competition that we have won,” she says, the pride in her students oozing from her voice as she fingers the long, black beaded necklace around her neck. This competition is not the only one into which she enters student’s work. She also involves them in Nasco Sketchables, Sanford Bishop Congressional Art Competition, Dougherty County Kiwanis Club contest, The Georgia Farm Bureau Art Contest, and a Southern Teachers calendar contest. “If they win, they get a little bit of money, but then they get this prestige of having their picture printed and sent out to I think 1000 different schools,” Rouse says, “plus they get the calendar and can use it in their portfolio for college.”

One other opportunity that Rouse gives students is to enter their work in Deerfield’s art contest: the Charlie Hawkins Art Competition. Created in the name of a late teacher, one student is chosen every year. That student gets the picture printed, matted, framed, and hung permanently in the little gallery toward the entrance of the school, and they get $150.

Competitions are fun, but students in Rouse’s art classes still must pass the class. She shows me a handout

for one of her projects. It consists of directions, suitable color schemes, and, at the bottom, what she is looking for: to follow directions and to work to their fullest potential. There is also a due date by which to complete the piece: “And if they don’t complete it by the deadline given, then I knock off one point per day it’s late,” Rouse says. She encourages students to avoid this happening by taking the piece of art home to work on the project over the weekend. She also gets to the school early in the morning just in case a student needs to come in and work.

During class she keeps a positive attitude, even when students aren’t following directions. After students start working on their projects for the day, Rouse tries to talk to each student personally. “I try to go over and ask how they are doing. Do they need help? Do they understand what to do?

I just try to talk to each one so that I have that one-on-one contact for a second,” says Rouse who holds in high esteem the “no-pressure and welcoming atmosphere” of her classroom. “Kids this age have drama going on. You know hormones and family situations, so I feel like if I’m positive, and even if I’m not having a great day, I try to smile and be very nice and uplifting to the students,” she says. After the projects start and she has made her rounds, she turns on music for the students to listen to while they paint, draw, or create. “I want the students to really have their own ability to express themselves,” Rouse says, “I strive to help them find that niche that I know every student has. They don’t know it themselves, but they find it in here. When those eyes light up, that’s really special to me.”  ALM

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Kayak Attack Adventures are helping people experience Albany’s kayaking paradise.

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Story by Elizabeth Sheffield Photos by Stallian Cagle

Born and raised Albanians, Josh and Theresa Lorber are the founders and owners of one of Albany, Georgia’s handful of places to rent kayaks and canoes, Kayak Attack Adventures. The couple has kayaked many places from the local rivers and creeks to Key West’s magical Mangroves, but they always return home to their roots and their favorite kayaking area, the Kinchafoonee Creek, which is one of the creeks the couple has centered around their business.

With 697 square miles of lush land and roughly 11.8 square miles of coffee and cream-colored water bursting with different species of marine life spread between Dougherty and Lee counties, the Kinchafoonee Creek, Muckalee Creek, and Flint River are little-known kayaking paradises. Locals, such as the Lorbers, are familiar with the areas as good fishing spots, and though all three bodies of water have many options of boating ramps with parking, kayaking as a sport has only recently began growing in the community. In the words of Theresa Lorber, “I think everybody is realizing just 112

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how big kayaking has become in South Georgia and Georgia in general. I mean, you look at ten years ago in this area, and you don’t see this many people kayaking and canoeing. It’s something that has really taken off and is getting people back in the outdoors again.”

The Kinchafoonee, Muckalee, and Lower Flint River Basin have plenty of outdoors to explore; filled with Long Leaf Pine, an abundance of natural springs, and a steady ecosystem, Albany’s section of the river is the last to be well-preserved. The Flint River stretches from the Georgia Piedmont, between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Upper Coastal Plain, to the Chattahoochee River in Southwest Georgia, making it one of only forty rivers in the United States that flow unimpeded for more than 200 river miles. The Flint River is also host to the coveted shoal bass, which is the river’s prime species, bringing fisherman, including Josh Lorber and his family, from neighboring counties and states. According to Josh, “You can only catch shoal bass in a few Georgia rivers. There is just a couple, and people come from all over, not necessarily just Albany, but to Georgia to fish.

It is definitely a popular attraction. When people rent kayaks from us and they want our fishing kayaks, they 114

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are generally hunting shoal bass.”

Kayaking is better for fishing the shoal bass in this area.

When the water in the river is low, motorboats cannot go into certain areas. Josh prefers a fishing kayak, saying, “With kayak fishing, you can get into those nooks and crannies that boats can never get into.” When kayakers come to an area where the boat scrubs the bottom and they can no longer paddle, they get out and drag or carry the vessel. “Kayakers create their advantage that way,” says Josh, “there’s no loading and unloading with a kayak. You can just drag it across. The motor boat takes more time.”

This growing, soon-to-be center for aquatic adventures, offers more than just fishing. Tourist and locals of Dougherty and Lee counties can easily put in kayaks at any boat landing on the Flint, including the Flint River Outpost, Radium Springs and the Flint River Dam Ramp.

The Flint River Outpost is the name of my competitor, the landing there is the Mitchel Boat Landing, locals call it “Punks Landing.” Putting in at the last boat ramp, the Flint River Dam Ramp, allows “yakers” to turn and go down the Flint River toward Riverfront Park and then on to Radium Springs. However, if the Flint River is not where paddlers want to be, they can easily turn left into Lake Chehaw or

go down the Mucafoonee Creek, spilling out into Worth Lake. From Worth Lake, a simple turn right will take kayakers into the Muckalee Creek beside Chehaw Park, but a left turn leads into the Kinchafoonee Creek, the Lorber’s favorite paddling experience.

The name Kinchafoonee, originating with the Creek Indians, means, “white bones.”

The creek is one of the best spots to kayak with calm waters and a slow to moderate current. For the Lorbers, the Kinchafoonee is an all-day paddling event that they plan for. It takes anywhere from 6 to 7 hours.

The couple stops at the blue hole, a spring that offers a connection to groundwater and appears blue or clear, half way through the trip. They relax on a sandy bank lined with vines, trees, and smooth, polished rocks, swim, and then finish out the trip.

“We have beautiful blue holes on the Kinchafoonee. There’s a cave. It’s just really beautiful,” says Theresa. “It’s getting out there with nature and having your family in the outdoors. It’s just something productive and feels good to go and do.”

The river and creeks are not the only essential part of owning a kayaking business.

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Theresa encourages those in Albany to get out and do something family oriented, fun, and healthy while also learning about the beautiful nature found right here in Albany, Georgia.

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Family is another part of the Lorbers’ trade. “We’ve taken the kids quite a few times. We always do the floats that are good for their age. Shorter floats for them, of course. Two hours, stuff of that nature. Our 16-year-old has done most of the floats,” says Theresa. “Children tire out easily, but kayaks have a handle on the back and the front, so you can just link the child’s kayak to yours and tow your child at any time.”

Not only does the couple take their own three, soon to be four, children with them on age appropriate trips, but they also get their extended family and friends involved.

Their business thrives on those who rent, fall in love with kayaking, buy their own kayaks, and then have their family and friends rent to go with them to explore the coffee-colored waters of the Flint River, Muckalee and Kinchafoonee creeks.

“Kayaking is a community sport,” says Josh, “You don’t go by yourself; you want to bring somebody with you. You want to bring everybody you know with you.”

“Make it an event,” agrees Theresa, “and once they go for the first time, they’re hooked. They can’t wait to do it again. We have a lot of people who go and purchase Hometown Living At Its Best

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“Kayaking is a community sport,” says Josh, “You don’t go by yourself; you want to bring somebody with you.

You want to bring everybody you know with you.”

kayaks after their first trip. It’s just something that is highly addictive. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Once renters buy their own kayaks, Kayak Attack Adventures continues to keep them as customers because, as Theresa explains it, “Say Josh and I bought kayaks. Now we want my brother and his wife to go, but they don’t have their own kayaks. So, we have to contact Kayak Attack Adventures and rent kayaks for them. It helps get our name out there and drum up business.”

Josh agrees, saying that there are three ways this process helps build business. “First, there is the way Theresa explained. Second, people will rent from us if they are not sure if they want a sit-in or sit-on-top.

They aren’t sure if they want an 8-foot or 12-foot, so they rent from us to get a feel for what they want. Third, we shuttle. So even if everybody on the trip has their own kayak, we meet them at the end of the trip, they leave their cars at the end. We bring them back to the beginning that way they finish at their cars they left at the end.”

For extra advertisement, the couple promotes events and rentals on their Facebook page, which is where Kayak Attack Adventures got started. “We started with a Facebook post and asked all our friends to spread the word,” says Josh. Now, to drive viewers to the main website, which is the Facebook page they started with, the Lorbers do a weekly giveaway during the kayaking season. “We give away two rentals or four rentals during the week,” says Josh. Just this has led them to 1300 likes or followers in the time they have been doing it.

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“We tend to get around 3000 views for just one of our like and share rental give-a-way posts,” Josh says. The company also has a sign hanging in the Albany Welcome Center. “We actually have a kayak there with our sign on it,” says Josh. Kayak Attack Adventures also has a coveted section on the Visit Albany website to drive people who pass by or come for the fishing to them for kayak rentals.

Their advice for beginners is simple: don’t be scared.

“I think people are very unsure when it is their first time,” says Theresa, “Beginners are worried about flipping, but most kayaks are very stable. We even have gotten in them and shown how you can rock them and they don’t flip over.”

Josh agrees, saying, “We call that the beginners shake.

When we first put people in the water, I’ll grab the kayak from behind them where they can’t see me and shake it.

I tell them I’m going to do it beforehand, but they can expect that kind of movement in the water.”

Theresa says she can tell a first time kayaker by the body language. “People go stiff immediately,” she says.

Both Josh and Theresa agree, however, that once people are out in the water, they get over being scared fairly quickly. “If you can swim, you aren’t really too scared,” says Josh.

“More people are scared with the water level so high right now. But, most of the time when it is low, you can walk around in the water. People aren’t as scared then.”

Kayak Attack Adventures is here to help visitors and locals overcome the fear of kayaking and the waters that are essential to Albany being on the map, most recently by adding an aqua cycle to their collection of rentable items. The couple has also just partnered with Chehaw on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to rent kayaks to those who would like to put in and paddle the Muckalee Creek or go down to Worth Lake, helping to drive traffic into the now privately owned park and getting people away from technology and out into nature.

“Kayaking is easy. It’s a safe, healthy activity,” says Theresa, who encourages those in Albany to get out and do something family oriented, fun, and healthy while also learning about the beautiful nature found right here in Albany, Georgia. There is no need for expensive traveling when the Kinchafoonee, Muckalee, and Flint have so much to offer right here at home.  ALM

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[Story by Audrey Pike Photos by Shannon Campbell Photography and Eric Love]

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Carlos Franco-Paredes, M.D., M.P.H. is an Infectious Diseases doctor with Phoebe Physicians.

In his clinic and hospital practice Dr. Franco treats any infectious process and disease, such as TB, HIV, tick-borne illnesses, community acquired infections, chronic pulmonary infections, and surgical infections.

As a fellowship-trained infectious disease physician, he is a scientist. In speaking with Dr. Franco I quickly learned he is much more than a scientist; he is a humanitarian.

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The passion Dr. Franco has for his patients and for the global epidemics facing many third-world countries is punctuated by the gentleness of his voice and hands. He speaks with fervor that is muted in humility. It is love for people and a deep-seated belief that all we have is each other that fuel’s Dr. Franco’s relentless commitment to treating – and preventing – infectious disease.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, Dr. Franco attended LaSalle University School of Medicine. During his last year of medical school, he did an Internal Medicine externship at Emory University in Atlanta. Loving Emory, he chose to apply to do his residency in Internal Medicine.

He developed a keen interest in the societal issues surrounding access to medical treatment, so he obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Health, with a focus in global health while also becoming fellowship trained in Infection Diseases. During that time, Dr. Franco met his beautiful wife, Maribel, who was obtaining her master’s in Epidemiology. He, also, served as Chief Medical Resident for Grady Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Franco, while quiet in discussion, brims with the energy of a large intellect that is curious about everything. This, coupled with an obvious compassion for people, makes it clear why Dr. Franco is a beloved physician with Phoebe Physicians.

It is love for people and a deep-seated belief that all we have is each other that fuel’s Dr. Franco’s relentless commitment to treating – and preventing – infectious disease.

“During studying for my Masters in Public Health I realized that while I could understand and learn the science, I needed to understand the society.

Societal determinants combine with biological factors to understand patterns of infectious diseases. In other words, to understand infectious disease you must first understand people.”

After finishing his residency, Dr. Franco and his wife, Maribel, moved back to Mexico for over a year to work with the national vaccine program.

While he returned to the United States, he has maintained ties with the program and continues to provide services when he is able. The program works on vaccination efforts for developing countries by studying the most effective ways in which to introduce new vaccines and how to expand existing vaccine projects in low-income countries.

Dr. Franco was intrigued by the practice of infectious disease medicine because of the historical, sociological and anthropological aspects of infectious diseases.

“Yellow Fever, for example, came to the U.S. via the slave trade from West Africa via Cuba,” Dr. Franco explained.

“In the 1600s the disease travelled up the Mississippi River because the virus is carried by mosquitos that thrive in damp, warm environments. For 200 years, Yellow Fever was considered the “Great American Plague” as the mosquitoes travelled with the ships along the cotton route. It started in the South and then spread across the entire U.S. What eventually controlled the

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epidemic was not actually a vaccine, though one was later invented. It was sanitation. Sewage and water systems were introduced which largely eliminated feeding sites for mosquitoes who love standing water. It was a social change that stopped an epidemic; not a vaccine.”

“Now, today, we see that HIV continues to be an epidemic in the U.S.,” Dr. Franco stated, “and while only 28% of the population lives in the southern states, the fact is that 40-50% of new HIV cases are in the Southeast, and 70-80% of new AIDS diagnoses. A lot of the reason for this is because of social factors in the South, like a lack of services, poverty, lack of access to transportation, to education. It is complicated with many factors. This is a major issue for the Southern United States and yet preventative efforts are little to none.”

Dr. Franco explained the difficulty in seeing how much international funding there is for combatting 128

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HIV and AIDS around the globe when there are almost no resources for fighting it in the U.S. “The global program is huge, but the domestic program is almost non-existent,” Dr. Franco explained. “Of course, it is important to help the global community but we have got to direct more resources to preventing this epidemic within the U.S. Like I said, it is a complicated, multifaceted issue. There is still a large stigma associated with HIV; there are many disparities in access to health care, especially in rural areas. In our region, there is one provider for every 10,000 people afflicted with these diseases. Up North, there is one provider for every three afflicted people. The difference is staggering.”

Wanting to do more to help locally was what caused Dr. Franco to recently return to his Infectious Diseases position with Phoebe Physicians.

“I left Phoebe for almost a year to work with a

group out of Geneva that was conducting a surveillance project on Typhoid Fever in Southeast Asia. Typhoid Fever is still frequent in that part of the world in countries like India, Bangladesh and Nepal,” Dr. Franco said. “Like with Cholera, water management systems and sewage systems are the issue in these developing and low-income nations. I worked with a group of people that went to rural hospitals in these countries to assess the number of complicated cases of Typhoid Fever. There were a significant number of cases. Of people dying.”

Dr. Franco continued to explain. “Our project was to gather research to justify the introduction of the Typhoid vaccine into these countries. In the U.S., there is no Typhoid Fever because of the vaccine. We were collecting hospital-based data to prove the need for better sanitation systems and vaccinations. All hospitals had beds filled with people suffering from both typhoid fever and cholera. It was unbelievable.

There were just dozens of them.”

Dr. Franco was quiet for a moment, and I asked what resonated the most with him while he was in those countries helping the sick.

“Here in America we see on the news all this information about emerging infections,” he said. “Truly, we will always have new infections. They are part of the larger ecosystem of which we are one part. But if we want to truly anticipate these sorts of problems, epidemics, we need to understand society and we do not do enough work to truly understand societies. We do not truly understand how helpless so many people are, just because of an accident of latitude.

When you see this first-hand, when you see how hopeless so many situations truly are for these people, it has a huge impact on your heart because you understand it is simply a random distribution of life opportunities.

And this is all these people know. It is not their fault; they did not ask to be born into a third-world country. It is just the way that it is. An inevitable outcome of their biological circumstances.”

“Global politics are really challenging.

I grew incredibly frustrated with seeing the people who desperately needed basic medical supplies get almost nothing while the administrative infrastructure of global aid kept most of the resources in their own pockets,” Dr. Franco stated. “I think things could be better.

I supposed I wasn’t strong enough to deal with all the politics. I came back to Phoebe because here I feel like I can actually help some people; do some good.”

“In Southwest Georgia where there is so much poverty, there is a population that truly does not have the money to take the medication

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The passion Dr. Franco has for his patients and for the global epidemics facing many thirdworld countries is punctuated by the gentleness of his voice and hands. He speaks with fervor that is muted in humility.

that they need. It is not that they are making bad choices with their money; it is that the money isn’t there at all. This is an incredibly underserved area.”

“For example,” Dr. Franco continued, “There is a lot of Tuberculosis (TB) in Southwest Georgia. That is, in many ways, a medical expression of social inequalities. We can heal these people and give them medications, but then we send them back to the same environments that are at the root cause of the infectious disease. We need to understand these environments as much as possible so as to understand how these infectious processes spread.

Without that knowledge they are very difficult to eradicate.”

“Societal factors link it all together.

That is how we connect the dots. The classic medical perspective is ok, but it is not ideal. It is only treating the 130

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symptoms. It is not preventing the issue. How do we identify our microepidemics? How do we educate our community on the realities of HIV? How do we empower people? It doesn’t have to be perfect and we don’t have to have all the answers but we must start. We must empower the community to help influence their own health outcomes.”

Dr. Franco continued to discuss his beliefs, honed from years of practicing medicine all over the world. “Honestly, the quickest way to improve the lives of people in all countries is to empower women. The only thing that has been shown to be sustainable in fighting disease and poverty is improving maternal education. In all human development the thing that moves progress is the empowerment of women, which is incredible. I want to help our

community connect the dots. I want to see us educate people and thus empower them; women especially because they take care of their children. They will do anything for their children. If the kids do better, then we do better. We break the cycle of poverty.”

“I love the human aspect of medicine,” Dr. Franco said with a small, bright smile. “Science is important, but infectious disease is about connecting with people in a different way to improve prevention. We must ask ourselves about the reality of our situations. We need to know what is really happening. That knowledge is the only thing that will allow us to improve the lives of millions of people. Starting right here, in our own community.” Dr. Franco paused to think. “Women are the key,” he said softy. “They deserve better and need to be empowered.“

At the end of our interview Dr. Franco shyly handed me a few documents, explaining they were articles that might explain some of his thoughts. He thanked me over and over for taking the time to speak with him, despite the fact that it was I who needed to thank him for taking time out of his busy practice to speak with me.

I did not read the articles until I sat down to write about Dr. Franco. One, written with striking beauty by Dr. Franco himself, caused tears to stream down my face at its stark realities and description that lacked the patronizing tone that is so often found in articles about deeply impoverished areas.

Dr. Franco wrote of treating patients in Sudan, and having a mother bring her young son to him for help. They had walked three days to find help for the child whose eye had an ulceration that had become badly infected. He was in immediate danger of losing his eye. However, after treatment with an

antibiotic that in the U.S. would have cost $2.00, the boy was cured.

I end this article in Dr. Franco’s own words, from his article about that little boy and the small thing that saved his eye: Indeed, our goal as physicians in these communities should focus on promoting the best possible health among those forgotten populations and hope that other efforts such as improved schooling opportunities, environmental sustainability, decent housing and clothing, and poverty alleviation programs converge to provide every child with an opportunity to learn from schooling and become productive and self-sustained workers.

Saving a child’s eye was a cheap and wonderful opportunity to prove this point. Politicians and corrupt leaders that impede the achievement of these goals should be held accountable by the international community. I am hopeful that similar and affordable “miracles”

become commonplace and reach many more forgotten children. I don’t want to look back one day and remember this child with wishful regret. I am not ready to give up.

May Dr. Franco and those compassionate enough to dedicate their lives to others never find reason to giveup. Southwest Georgia is truly fortunate to have a physician of Dr. Franco’s caliber working to try to connect all the dots in an attempt to improve the lives of us all.  ALM

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Story by Sherri Martin Photos by David Parks

good things

For David and Melody Goodson, life has a theme: planting and growing. They have a growing family – four children: Hannah, 15; Drew, 11; Emma, 9; and Nathan, 7- that was made complete because, they say, “God planted seeds in our heart for adoption.”

Nathan was brought home from China a little over two years ago to grow up with his family in Leesburg.

The Goodsons have been involved in church planting, and are helping their church, Greenbrier Church in Albany, to grow.

And they also have a new family business that they have planted in the heart of Leesburg; life is very much about growing that business for their future.

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But when David was growing up, he never expected to be back in his hometown, working with pecans. “My dad’s been doing pecans since 1972,” he explains. “He started out with a 20 acre grove in his hometown. I grew up picking up limbs and hated it! I thought, ‘I will never do that!’”

Roy Goodson worked as the county extension agent in Lee County, where his wife, Ruth, also taught but he always worked in pecans on the side as a hobby. His goal was to produce quality pecans, and he became well known for his product. “People would buy his pecans,” David says. “They knew he grew quality pecans when people think of Goodson Pecans they think of quality.”

David, however, went to college and seminary and entered the ministry. He married Melody, the daughter of Rev. Neil Brown, long time pastor of First Baptist 140

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They use a premium pecan for the pecan butter, and toast the pecans for a rich flavor. They make both creamy and crunchy varieties of original, sweetened, and chocolate pecan butter. With the market for nut butters growing, and with the popularity of paleo diets, the Goodsons hope they are finding their niche market. “It is a higher priced nut butter, but while it is higher priced, it is a higher quality,�

David explains.

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Church, Albany, and Cindy, a teacher in Lee County.

David and Melody lived in Valdosta and Atlanta, started their family, and never expected to come back home. God, however, had other plans. He brought them full circle, back to Leesburg, back to family, and back to the pecan business.

“The Lord kind of used some different circumstances in my life to lead me back to it,” David says. “What God taught me is ministry is where you are; it’s about relationships.”

It was while out riding in a truck with his dad and older brother that David had the idea of promoting Goodson Pecans on the internet. That was when the seed for the business today was planted. “We talked about it for two years,” he says.

“We built a simple website and sold just halves and pieces. Then we started going to craft shows, and started adding more products, like chocolate and sugared pecans.

Every year it got bigger. We were operating out of our house, and were very busy at the holidays,” he explains.

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The children are particularly learning about product development and salesmanship. Oldest daughter, Hannah, enjoys experimenting with different recipes using the pecan butter, such as pecan butter vinaigrette and pecan butter energy bites. Oldest son, Drew, is a salesman. “We started taking him to shows,” David says. “People will buy the product just because of him explaining it!”

“I said, ‘We’ve got to do something!’” Melody says.

That something came about from a food show, where they were encouraged to “do one thing well.”

“We had made pecan butter, and the little bit we made would sell out. We didn’t know of anyone else making it, so we thought, ‘What if we began to focus on pecan butter?’” David says.

“We couldn’t do it at our house because of food regulations,” Melody explains. So began the process of praying about and eventually finding a location to promote their products locally. They moved into a former coffee shop in Leesburg, which required little work to make it

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retail ready, and opened for business last October.

“We are amazed with the local business,” Melody says. “People really, really like the pecan butter.”

They use a premium pecan for the pecan butter, and toast the pecans for a rich flavor. They make both creamy and crunchy varieties of original, sweetened, and chocolate pecan butter. With the market for nut butters growing, and with the popularity of paleo diets, the Goodsons hope they are finding their niche market. “It is a higher priced nut butter, but while it is higher priced, it is a higher quality,” David explains. “For someone looking to add nutritional value to their diet, we encourage them to try the pecan butter. It is high in protein, fiber, anti-oxidants, and vitamin E. It is gluten-free and non-GMO. We’re really trying to get out the word about the nutritional benefit.

“Another selling point is if someone has peanut allergies, they can try pecan butter.”

The business is growing; they are expanding to larger machinery to be able to make the butter in larger batches, and are committed to making their product in house to ensure no cross-contamination with peanuts.

“As interest in our pecan butter grows, we hope to expand to wholesale markets throughout Georgia and the Southeast region,” David adds.

This expansion is keeping their family busy, so much so that they had to hire seasonal workers during Christmas, so that David could spend time harvesting their valuable crop, and Melody could spend time homeschooling their children. “The kids have gotten a good business education,” Melody asserts with a laugh.

The children are particularly learning about product development and salesmanship. Oldest daughter, Hannah, enjoys experimenting with different recipes using the pecan butter, such as pecan butter vinaigrette and pecan butter energy bites. Oldest son, Drew, is a salesman. “We started taking him to shows,” David says. “People will buy the product just because of him explaining it!”

Drew also works on the farm with his father and grandfather. They have expanded to having about 225 acres of pecan groves in Lee and Sumter Counties, and hope to expand even more. “I love working with my dad, and my son works with me,” David says, adding that he would love for the business to grow to include all of their children in the future.

He adds that their motto is, “From our family’s orchard to your family’s table.”

“So now, I’m at a place where I’m managing the store, and managing the farm, and still trying to see what that looks like,” David says. “I want to take it one day at a time. I look forward to getting up and putting my feet on the floor and getting to work. I look forward to seeing how God is going to work in our lives.”

The Goodsons look forward to seeing how God will grow the delicious idea He planted in their lives and their family.  ALM

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Looking Forward To Serving Your Family’s Medical Needs!

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For people who feel their pet is a family member. westoveranimalhospital.com 148

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Hometown Happenings Photo Credit: Camyljah Giddens

Dancing with the Albany stars First Annual Darton State College Student Center

T

he first annual Dancing with the Albany Stars was on Saturday, February 13, 2016. Nearly 200 of Albany's finest community members gathered to celebrate Valentine's Day, and support the Darton State College Community Dance Education Program (DSC CDEP). Community partners, Tyshiba Maxie (Uptown Dance Studio, LLC ) and Elizabeth Delancy, PhD (Assistant Professor and Darton State College Dance Program Coordinator) were pleased to offer a night of entertainment, dinner, dancing, and the dance competition. This year's featured local celebrities were Michael Decuir, ASU Director of Bands; State Representative Winfred Dukes; WALB 10 News Anchor, Aaryn Valenzuela; and FOX 31 NEWS anchor and competition winner, Katie Thurber.

The event had dual causes: first, to raise money for the CDEP; second, to provide Albany, Georgia a fun, Valentine's weekend event that did not require travelling to a larger city. Even though the event was literally a stone's throw away from the Albany Museum of Art's fundraiser, the Dancing with the Albany Stars event was sold out. Delancy and Maxie were pleased with the turnout, as well as the demonstration of support from sponsors.

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February

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Hometown Happenings Photo Credit: Albany Technical College

FIRST Robotics Competition Georgia High School Competitors Albany Technical College

M

ore than 30 high schools from across Georgia participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition, often described as half sporting event and half rock concert.

This high-tech event produced excitement and energy for participants and spectators alike, as teams competed for honors and recognition that rewarded design excellence, sportsmanship, teamwork, and more.

In this year's game, STRONGHOLDS, two alliances of three robots each were on a quest to breach their opponents' fortifications, weaken their tower with boulders, and capture the opposing tower. Robots scored points by breaching opponents' defenses and scoring boulders through goals in the opposing tower. During the final 20 seconds of the Quest, robots surrounded and scaled the opposing tower to capture it.

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March

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Hometown Happenings Photo Credit: Robert Edwards

Annual Spring Musical “Anything Goes” Deerfield-Windsor School Ocean Liner S.S. American

D

eerfield-Windsor School presented “Anything Goes” as its annual Spring Musical. The play had fun music, cheesy jokes, tap-dancing and was entertaining to the audience! The DWS spring play began in 1988 and has become a school staple. Cole Porter wrote the music for the play, which features a cast of 54 DWS students from grades five through 12. “Anything Goes” is set aboard the ocean liner S. S. American, where nightclub singer/evangelist Reno Sweeney is en route from New York to England. Her pal, Billy Crocker, has stowed away to be near his love, Hope Harcourt, but the problem is Hope is engaged to the wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Joining this love triangle on board the luxury liner are Public Enemy No. 13, Moonface Martin, and his sidekickin-crime, Erma. With the help of some elaborate disguises, tap-dancing sailors and good oldfashioned blackmail, Reno and Martin join forces to help Billy in his quest to win Hope’s heart.

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April

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Albany is growing and steadily becoming a central marketplace for our area. We offer great retail shopping, restaurants and services. If you haven’t done so lately, take the time to look around your hometown and discover all the wonderful things there are to find.

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index of advertisers Adams Exterminators ............................................………… 98 Albany Air Conditioning & Heating Company ……….......… 157 Albany Area Chamber of Commerce …................……… 34-35 Albany Area Primary Healthcare ....................................... 154 Albany General Tire Service, Inc ……..........................…… 153 Albany Fish Co. ................................................................ 133 Albany Living Magazine Subscription …..................……… 159 Albany Mall ….........................................................……… 122 Albany Motorcars & BMW of Albany …….… Inside Front Cover Albany Technical College …….....................................…… 146 Allen’s Jewelers ...................................................………… 123 Albany Urology ................................................................. 136 Allergy and Asthma Clinics of Georgia, P.C.... 107, Back Cover Angelite Homecare Center, LLC ........................................ 122 Art Sign Company ..................................................………… 55 ASP .................................................................................. 135 Austin’s FireGrill ………....................................................… 69 Bellas ............................................................................... 108 Bliss Nail Salon ................................................................ 157 Breakaway Cycles ............................................................ 135 Capelli Salon .................................................................... 153 Colony Bank …..........................................................……… 54 Custom Interiors …....................................................……..… 9 D & D Kitchen Center ….............................................……… 83 Dare Photography ............................................................ 155 Deerfield-Windsor School ………....................................… 111 DJ’s .................................................................................. 134 Doublegate Country Club ................................................. 149 Dougherty Glass Company ……..................................…… 155 Dr. Annie Edwards Howard ............................................... 137 Dunn’s Business Services …...................................……… 124 Duren Paint & Body ……….............................................… 123 Envy .................................................................................... 95 FarmHouse ...................................................................... 158 First State Bank of Albany ………...................................… 134 Fleming & Riles Insurance ………...................................… 147 Flint Equipment Company …….....................................…… 50 Flint Reformed Baptist Church ........................................... 96 Grand Island Club …..................................................……… 51 Green Envy ....................................................................... 119 Harvest Moon Market, LLC ............................................... 157 Harvey Drilling …….................................................…… 22-23 Hickory Grove Storage at Oakland Plantation ……….....… 133 Hinman Pool Supply …............................................……… 121 Hope City United ................................................................ 82 Huggin’s Outboard ............................................................. 84 Hutchins Clenney Rumsey Huckaby, P.C. ……..........…...… 108 In the Light Massage & Skin Care .................................... 125 Ivey’s ….................................................................……….. 149 John B. Abell M.D. ABIM, FAARFM, ABAARM …...............… 99 Journey Couseling ............................................................ 121 Kay Fuller Interiors ……...............................................…… 120 Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors ….........................……… 155

Lancaster Village ……….........................................… 119-122 Lavish Salon & Boutique .................................................. 155 Live Naturally Health Food Store ...................................... 157 Logic4Design ................................................................... 154 Longleaf Dental …................................................…...…… 109 Love Letter’s Monograms and Gifts .................................. 158 MaeBrey Market ……..................................................…..… 81 Medical Associates of Albany …....................................... 145 Mellow Mushroom ……................................................…… 64 Merry Acres Inn & Event Center …................................…… 85 Millie Mac Photography ……...................................…… 38-39 Modern Gas ……...........................................................…… 67 Newman’s Bar & Grill …............................................……… 69 Oakland Plantation ………...............................................… 65 Oxford Construction Company …….............................…… 146 Pellicano Construction ………........................................… 110 Pheobe Putney Memorial Hospital ..................................... 53 Place on the Pointe Gift Shop ........................................… 111 Plantation Collision Center ……...............................…...… 132 Pro 1 Collision Center ………..........................................… 123 Renasant Bank ………....................................................… 124 Rental Depot .................................................................... 147 Safe Security ...................................................................... 52 SafeAire Heating & Cooling ……….....................................… 1 Sellers Tile ……….............................................................… 19 Seymour Southern Comforts ………..............................…. 151 Shae Foy Photography ………...........................................… 80 SL Sausage Co. …………................................................... 151 Smallcakes ……….........................................................… 155 Southern Point Staffing ……….................… Inside Back Cover Southwest Georgia Farm Credit …………........................... 136 Southwest Georgia Pediatrics, P.C. ……......................…… 110 Southwest Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, LLC ……........…… 7 Stewbos …..............................................................…..…… 85 Sunbelt Ford Lincoln ……...........................................…..… 68 Synergy Sports Academy .............................................. 20-21 The Cookie Shoppe .......................................................... 109 The Flower Basket ……...............................................…… 125 The Kinnebrew Co. ........................................................... 158 The Local Marketplace ……........................................…… 158 The Staffing People ………..........................................… 36-37 Tuff Truckin ....................................................................... 137 U Save It Pharmacy ………..............................................… 148 Vision Source ………........................................................… 66 Ways House of Flowers ..................................................... 158 Westover Animal Hospital ………...................................… 148 Who’s Who ....................................................................... 145 Wildflour Cafe .................................................................. 123 Wild Side Running ………...............................................… 120 Women’s Health Professionals ………............................… 132 World Camp CrossFit …….............................................…… 97 Wynfield Plantation ......................................................... 2-3

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