Sumter County Living Magazine - Fall 2021

Hometown Living at its Best Fall 2021

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

Nydia Ponder faced many challenges, but pressing forward gave her strength

SUMTER COUNTY LIVING

PASSIONATE ABOUT PECANS The Horne family’s perseverance and passion are among the reasons for their farming success

Dreams

TRUE

DO COME

SUMTER COUNTY NATIVE ALLI REID COUNTS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND HER DREAM JOB AMONG HER MANY BLESSINGS

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Sumter County Living

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Hometown Living At Its Best

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Hometown Living at its Best

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The Power of Celebration

CON TENTS /

FALL ISSUE 2021

GSW Professor reflects on four decades of teaching, creating and the power of celebration.

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Passionate about Pecans

The Horne family of Andersonville count providence, perseverance and passion among the reasons for their farming success.

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From Southeast Asia to Southwest Georgia

Dr. Tu’s perspective on life and his job have changed since he became a Christian. A large part of his life now is serving others by taking care of their eye health.

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Overcoming Challenges

Despite the challenges and discouragement Nydia Ponder often faced, pressing forward gave her the strength to accomplish all that she hoped for.

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Dreams do come true

Sumter County native Alli Reid counts family, friends and her dream job among her many blessings.

ON T H E C O V E R Alli Reid >> DAVID PARKS PHOTOGRAPHY 4 FALL 2021 / SUMTER COUNTY LIVING

From Planning to Pregnancy & Toddler to Teen – We are here for you.

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Phoebe Obstetrics & Gynecology of Americus Hindiya Mustafa, MD 229-931-7155 Donna Connors, MD Shariah Solomon, CNM Phoebe Pediatrics of Americus Edwin Taylor, MD 229-931-4940 122 Highway 280 West, Building 3, Suite B Americus, Georgia | phoebehealth.com

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Hometown Living at its Best

C O N T E N T S

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Community Through Neighborliness

Hands of Hope

Providing a safe place for women and families, Hope Center relocates to expand services to Southwest Georgia.

The New Mayor and First Lady of Americus, Lee and Karen Kinnamon, share their vision for the next four years.

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A Good Year for Georgia Baseball Teams

In it for the Long Haul

Sumter County 10 and under All-Stars make like the Braves to win championship.

100 6 FALL 2021 / SUMTER COUNTY LIVING

This family-owned company has been a vital part of industry in this area since 1948, beginning with Jimmy McClinton and continuing since the mid-1960s under the leadership of the Harold Sumerford family.

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Meeting the financial needs of the community, First State Bank has been serving its citizens since 1964

800 East Lamar Street | Americus, Georgia 31709 | (229) 924-3200 | Oncall Banking: (706) 547-4401 | Monday - Friday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

From the Publisher From the Publisher

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sumter P u b l i s h e r With You in mind Publications 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 landon and mandi spivey C r eat i v e | D e s i g n Caffeine Generated Graphics, LLC C r E At i V E | d E S i G n robin harrison

Stacey StaceyNichols nichols mandi spivey Photo by Leslie Hand Photography

o f f i ce M a n age r Nikki Burkhalter o f f i C E m A n AG E r nikki Burkhalter P ro oAfs s riEsAta d Enrt S Gail dixon

June dixon M a n age r June Dixon

A brand new year is here! A fresh opportunity for each of us

to reflect multitude of year, things we each Gearingon upthe for the new school summer has have come be to agrateful close

for! dictionary defines gratitude as:off.

The quality andWebster’s the back-to-school supply list is being checked Oh, the of seasons of life. Learning to ebb and flow with all that life bring being thankful: readiness to show appreciation forcan and to return can evoke so many emotions in us in various ways. I believe learning kindness. to embrace the flowing waters allows us to have peace and joy in all We in a world where kindness and appreciation have not of thelive times.

We been have often said that people our apassion, and learning to make always demonstrated.

Weare have fresh opportunity people’s is what makesaround what weus do by so remembering incredible. We both. a about difference instories the lives of those hear and learn the wisdom, mistakes, lessons and choices that the So much of this life is all about perspective; making good choices fascinating people of Sumter County have and we get to share the onin-depth how we choose to perceive andare react to so thehonored thingstoinglean front of us background and details. We always from day. these pages and hope you enjoy it as much as we do. each Families, the McNeills, the forefront of preserving A new yearlike encourages usare to on reflect and review things we got history intertwined with modern additives and a good healthy dose right and to work on the things we desire to improve on. I tend of old-fashioned hard work! Also included is child music prodigy, toDavid be aBusman, big advocate setting goals and then them in a whose of story will give you chills aboutplacing how he uses his ability to speak to the world through music. andlist histhis visible place so they can be seen daily.

At Sharad the topPatel of my hard working family show such loyalty and passion to the Sumter new year will definitely be keeping a heart full of appreciation and community and truly captivate what a family owned business looks gratitude! like. theseby stories, and soyou, many more, walk you from the gift of LetEach me of begin thanking Sumter County, for your beginning to the present of the different pages of life that each friendship to our family! You guys are the absolute best!have experienced; lessons learned along the way and the journey ahead.

Wishing you a wonderful and productive 2022!

Thank you to all of our readers for sharing in our joy and continuing From ouryour family to open armstoofyours…. friendship. We are so grateful for our clients who continue to make this publication possible and they are listed on page 136. Please thank them and continue to support them.

Blessings,

Jay and Patti Martin Sales: (912) 654-3045 8

Email: jay@wyimpublications.com Sumter county Living

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A S S i S tA n t P h otog r ap h e r s David Parks Photography m A n AG E r S laura mcCullough

M.June Farmer Photography dixon Misty Warren of Sweet Magnolia P h oto G r A P h E r S david Parks Photography Shannan Blanchard Photography leslie hand Photography Smitt Photography samantha rambo shannan blanchard C ov e r P h oto Alli Reid, taken by C oV E r P h oto David mcneill children

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sumter County living© is published semi-annually by With You in mind Publications. www.withyouinmindpublications.com 400-C Adams GA 30474 Sumter CountyStreet• Living© Vidalia, is published (912) 403-3004 semi-annually by With You in Mind Publications. www.withyouinmindpublications.com All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part P.O. Box without 55 •expressed Glennville, 30427from the publisher. is strictly prohibited writtenGA authorization every effort is made to(912) ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein.

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Passionate About Pecans 10

sumter county living

BY MA RY C AT H E R I N E G A S TO N | P H OTO S BY DAV I D PA R K S P H OTO G R A P H Y

t

To hear him tell the story, you just might think

The Horne family of Andersonville count providence, perseverance and passion among the reasons for their farming success.

that Mike Horne’s entrée into pecan farming was, well, nuts. It was 1975 and Mike, fresh out of the Navy and gainfully employed as a middle school teacher, became friends with a beekeeper from Ware County who made what he called “funny money” every fall by shaking pecan trees for local growers. During a visit to his friend’s home, Mike caught sight of the large jar in which the man kept his earnings—all cash, with several large bills in the mix. “He told me he had more business than he could handle and encouraged me to buy

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sumter county living

a shaker,” Mike recalls about the conversation

responsibility—he and his wife Carolyn had

that drastically altered his and his entire

two young children at the time—it was one

family’s trajectory in life.

of the biggest risks he’s ever taken…and it

So, upon returning home to Sumter County,

paid off. Earning $1 per tree, Mike shook

Mike began to gauge local growers’ interest in

enough pecan trees to make a better living

the idea. He had flyers printed, advertising his

that year than he ever had teaching. He called

tree-shaking enterprise. Delivering them by

it quits on the Master’s Degree he was nearly

hand to the front door of any house within sight

finished with at Georgia Southwestern and

of a pecan orchard, he quickly met dozens of

dove full-time into the pecan business. The

pecan farmers. Before harvest time arrived, he

only trouble was, his work only kept him

had commitments from enough of them that

busy a quarter of the year. He needed income

he felt comfortable not only buying his own

year-round to support his growing family and

shaker, but also leaving his teaching job.

pay the bills with which every small business

As a young man with a world of

owner is familiar.

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sumter county living

“Daddy taught us to always have a five-year plan,” Kimberly says. “In pecan farming, you have to think long-term because the crop is a long-term crop.”

What’s in the five-year plan for Horne Pecans? More expansion. In addition to moving their 40-year-old cleaning plant to the newer facility on Southerfield Road, the siblings have plans for a larger, stand-alone retail location, offering not only their pecans and pecan candies, but also a deli-style kitchen where locals can grab a quick, home-cooked lunch without driving all the way into “town.”

Mike will tell you that the good Lord must have meant for him to be a pecan farmer, because the Man Upstairs has opened many a door for a young man who had never driven a tractor before he became a full-time farmer. One of the first of those fortunate doors to open— literally—was that of Mike’s first business partner, Jimmy McClinton.

At the time, Jimmy owned J&M Trucking and also, as fortune would have it, a large pecan orchard in need of management. When Mike knocked on his front door early one morning, Jimmy not only agreed to let Mike help with harvest that fall, but also asked the greenhorn if he’d

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Like any great story, the Horne’s had its ups and downs. There were very good times, like when Carolyn and Phoebe successfully built a retail business, Pecan World, shipping pecans and other delicious, handmade goodies all over the world. There were also very hard times— when crops failed and entire farms were lost,

be interested in renting and managing Jimmy’s orchard. Mike happily accepted.

The two went into business together and enjoyed a pleasant and profitable partnership until Jimmy’s death just five years later. Providence

and when Carolyn’s health forced the difficult

proved once again to be on Mike’s side when he

decision to close Pecan World and end the

learned that his late friend had reserved for Mike

retail portion of their business.

first right of refusal on the sale of the orchard Mike had been managing. Mike bought the

16 sumter county living

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farm—and his first pecan trees—and was finally, officially, in business for himself as a bonafide pecan farmer.

The rest is history, and it’s a story any member of the Horne family will proudly share. And no wonder, because it is a truly remarkable story of hard work, perseverance, and how three generations of a family pulled together to build what would become one of the pecan industry’s most respected operations. They will tell you how Mike and Carolyn were able

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sumter county living

Mike will tell you that the good Lord must have meant for him to be a pecan farmer, because the Man Upstairs has opened many a door for a young man who had never driven a tractor before he became a full-time farmer. One of the first of those fortunate doors to open—literally—was that of Mike’s first business partner, Jimmy McClinton. At the time, Jimmy owned J&M Trucking and also, as fortune would have it, a large pecan orchard in need of management.

to bring both of his parents, T.W. and Phoebe, on board as the farm’s third and fourth full-time employees, and later, how each of the three Horne children, Kimberly, Kelly and Michael, would join the team.

Like any great story, the Horne’s had its ups and downs. There were very good times, like when Carolyn and Phoebe successfully built a retail business, Pecan World, shipping pecans and other delicious, handmade goodies all over the world. There were also very hard times— when crops failed and entire farms were lost, and when Carolyn’s health forced the difficult decision to close Pecan World and end the retail portion of their business.

But this good story didn’t end there. In fact, the best chapter may be the one the Horne’s are collectively writing now. In February of 2020, all five members of two generations of Horne’s were once again employed by the operation they had spent the majority of their lives loving.

While Mike and Carolyn’s youngest child and only son, Michael, returned to

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the farm in 2001 to begin learning

Kelly joined the operation full time in

to lead the operation, it took a little

2019 to help her dad and brother with

more time for daughters Kimberly

planned expansions.

and Kelly to make it back.

“I have always wanted to be part

reincarnated what their mother

of the farm,” Kimberly says. “I just

and grandmother once found great

never knew when it would become a

success in with Pecan World. With

reality.” Kimberly now coordinates

a fully stocked retail store located

the farm’s new retail arm, Horne

inside their future cleaning plant

Pecan Company that her brother

on Southerfield Road, the second

and sister began. In early 2020, after

generation of Horne’s have big goals

nearly 25 years in nursing, Kimberly

for the company they love.

joined sister Kelly, who had been

20

Together, the Horne’s have

“Daddy taught us to always have

keeping the farm’s books, building

a five-year plan,” Kimberly says.

a web presence and operating the

“In pecan farming, you have to

retail business for a couple of years at

think long-term because the crop

that time. A retired dental hygienist,

is a long-term crop.” What’s in the

sumter county living

Hometown Living At Its Best

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sumter county living

five-year plan for Horne Pecans? More expansion. In addition to moving their 40-year-old cleaning plant to the newer facility on Southerfield Road, the siblings have plans for a larger, standalone retail location, offering not only their pecans and pecan candies, but also a deli-style kitchen where locals can grab a quick, home-cooked lunch without driving all the way into “town.”

While increasing pecan consumption is the fundamental goal of every pecan producer, Horne’s included, all five of these pecan nuts agree there is something far more important in their sites.

“Our ultimate goal is to be good stewards of what the Lord has blessed us with and, in doing so, to continue our parents’ legacy,” Michael says, and his sisters agree. SCL

To hear him tell the story, you just might think that Mike Horne’s entrée into pecan farming was, well, nuts. It was 1975 and Mike, fresh out of the Navy and gainfully employed as a middle school teacher, became friends with a beekeeper from Ware County who made what he called “funny money” every fall by shaking pecan trees for local growers. During a visit to his friend’s home, Mike caught sight of the large jar in which the man kept his earnings—all cash, with several large bills in the mix. “He told me he had more business than he could handle and encouraged me to buy a shaker,” Mike recalls about the conversation that drastically altered his and his entire family’s trajectory in life.

Hometown Living At Its Best

23

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THE POWER

of Celebration

A

STORY HODGES STORYBYBYREBEKAH REBEKAHMCLEOD MCLEOD| PHOTOS | PHOTOSBY BYDAVID DAVIDPARKS PARKSPHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY& &JUSTIN PROVIDED

At the intersection of art, history and religion, GSW Professor reflects on four decades of teaching, creating and the power of celebration.

28 sumter county living

A small-town life doesn’t necessarily make a life small. For Laurel Robinson, prolific artist and professor at GSW, her 43-year tenure in Americus has been substantial—influencing hundreds of students through teaching, enjoying rich travel experiences around the globe, and producing a captivating body of work that challenges the basis for human ideas.

Laurel, 69, grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and with primary interests in science and art, thought she might be well-suited for the field of medical illustration. After realizing in high school that the job involved sitting at a drafting table all day long in a hospital setting, she quickly dismissed it as a career path. Laurel pursued her passion for painting instead, earning a BFA in Art and then an MFA in Painting with an academic minor in Paleontology from the University of Cincinnati.

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sumter county living

After graduate school, Laurel was fortunate to find herself at the receiving end of a new government program to employ artists. In 1973, President Richard Nixon signed into law the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), which was an extension of the Works Progress Administration Program (WPA) from the 1930s and was then expanded under President Jimmy Carter to include artists. It offered work in communities around the country to artists who had been unemployed for at least three months, and Laurel landed fresh out of grad school in 1977 teaching in Dare County, NC–commonly known as the Outer Banks. “It wasn’t the most organized idea,” says Laurel. “I think they decided on how many artists per square mile, not per capita, and they put seven artists in a county where nobody lives in winter. It was a great job...we made $4.54 an hour and we lived at the beach.”

Laurel credits her year in the Outer Banks as a “nice introduction to the South,” but her father also had a soft spot for the region as a Duke graduate and a loyal Duke basketball fan. When a former professor told Laurel about an open teaching position at a little college in Americus, GA, Laurel was

Reflecting on her heritage, Laurel comments, “As a cultural group, I think Jews are interesting. We’ve been on the planet a pretty long time...we just celebrated 5782 as the (Jewish) New Year, so if one decides that was the birthday of the world, then for 3000 years or so there has been a Jewish presence on the planet. I don’t think our history is all sad...Jews certainly have experienced great sorrow, but I don’t think you survive in the world on sorrow...I think you survive in the world because you celebrate.”

Hometown Living At Its Best

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Despite COVID still looming, Laurel was determined in the fall of 2021 to safely celebrate the holiday of Sukkot. Sukkot is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles/ Booths and it commemorates the years the Jews spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land and how God protected them along the way.

cautiously optimistic. “Everybody that interviewed me was just a delight...I had a really fun time and I knew that my artist-inresidence job was coming to an end...and the only other job offer I had was at an auto body shop matching paint colors. I thought, ‘Ok, I could be a paint matcher or a college professor.’”

Laurel took the job at GSW in 1978, intent on gaining a few years’ experience and then returning to a major metropolitan area. “I grew up in a city and went to school in a city...I never saw myself as someone who could live in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere.” As fate would have it, Laurel found herself loving her job, appreciating her students and colleagues in the art department, and discovering that the low cost of living in Americus allowed her to travel.

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sumter county living

She also got to teach Jimmy Carter painting lessons.

“I was in my office and his secretary called me and said that Jimmy Carter was interested in painting,” recalls Laurel. “After I asked some initial questions that the secretary was unsure how to answer, she asked me, ‘Will you please hold for the President?’”

In addition to the unique experiences she has enjoyed while teaching, Laurel has traveled extensively, which has served to reconnect her with her Jewish heritage.

Laurel’s religious education as a child was deep and meaningful but, as so often happens with young adults, her Jewish observance was back-burnered for a period of time. And yet, arriving in a small, southern town where the first question most people ask is, “Where do you go to church?” forced Laurel to reconsider her Jewish practice.

In 1986, Laurel took leave for a semester to travel to Australia and ended up teaching in the town of Hobart on the island of Tasmania. There she connected with

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a group of South African medical students, who were escaping to Australia due to the rise of anti-semitism in their country. They introduced Laurel to the Jewish community in Hobart, the location of the oldest synagogue in the Southern Hemisphere. This trip spawned a series of future trips to Israel where Laurel had experiences working as a civilian on a military base with Volunteers for Israel, studying Hebrew and teaching drawing to American and Canadian students at the University of Tel Aviv.

A growing interest in Jewish history led to collaboration with an Atlanta printmaker in 1992 on an exhibition called Mappamundi, which celebrated the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World. Laurel and her friend took a cross-country trip in a minivan with two goals: celebrating their 40th birthdays and studying the events surrounding 1492: the expulsion of the Sephardic Jews from Spain, the acquisitions of the Church looking for gold in overseas explorations and the perspective of

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sumter county living

In 2015, Laurel collaborated with colleagues, Keaton Wynn and Dan Rosenberg on a project called, “Arti-facts: Divorcing the Demons,” which explored the ancient Babylonian ritual of burying under the thresholds of homes ceramic bowls inscribed with incantations. These “magic bowls” were meant to ward off the demons that plague us all—disease, war, dangers in childbirth and famine.

Over 2,000 of these vessels have been discovered since the late 19th century and only a few hundred have been translated.

Indigenous Americans. The trip and the exhibition were a success; Mappamundi was on display in Albany, and then in Pennsylvania and Atlanta.

Laurel’s love for Judaica (ritual objects and historical materials related to Judaism) can be traced back to her childhood and the 20 summers she spent directing art at Ramah Darom, a Jewish summer camp in Clayton, Georgia. Over the span of her career, Robinson has crafted almost 300 yads, or ritual pointers used in synagogue to read the Torah.

The yads are made from exotic woods, precious metals, and even moose antler, and their purpose is to keep any skin oils off the parchment scrolls. Laurel has also used pieces of piano keys in her yads, such as the one crafted as a gift for her rabbi, Aaron Rubinstein in Macon, who is a jazz pianist. The only custom for creating yads is they should not be made out of materials such as steel or iron used for weaponry.

In 2015, Laurel collaborated with colleagues, Keaton Wynn and Dan Rosenberg on a project called, “Artifacts: Divorcing the Demons,” which explored the ancient Babylonian ritual of burying under the thresholds of homes ceramic bowls inscribed with incantations. These “magic bowls” were meant to ward off the demons that plague us all—disease, war, dangers in childbirth and famine. Over 2,000 of these vessels have been discovered since the late 19th century and only a few hundred have been translated. Although a variety of different faith communities participated in this ritual, the primary language used on these inscriptions was Judeo-Aramaic, which would have been

A growing interest in Jewish history led to collaboration with an Atlanta printmaker in 1992 on an exhibition called Mappamundi, which celebrated the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World. Laurel and her friend took a cross-country trip in a minivan with two goals: celebrating their 40th birthdays and studying the events surrounding 1492: the expulsion of the Sephardic Jews from Spain, the acquisitions of the Church looking for gold in overseas explorations and the perspective of Indigenous Americans.

Hometown Living At Its Best

35

In 1986, Laurel took leave for a semester to travel to Australia and ended up teaching in the town of Hobart on the island of Tasmania. There she connected with a group of South African medical students, who were escaping to Australia due to the rise of anti-semitism in their country. They introduced Laurel to the Jewish community in Hobart, the location of the oldest synagogue in the Southern Hemisphere. This trip spawned a series of future trips to Israel where Laurel had experiences working as a civilian on a military base with Volunteers for Israel, studying Hebrew and teaching drawing to American and Canadian students at the University of Tel Aviv.

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sumter county living

written by the most literate Jews in the community.

During the COVID pandemic, Laurel has not been burying magic bowls, but she has been painting thunderstorms. Just before the COVID outbreak she visited the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and noticed a small, beautiful painting of a thunderstorm from 1868 by Martin J. Heade. Realizing she had never painted a rainstorm before, Laurel decided to paint a homage to Heade’s piece, not realizing at the time that it would become a perfect metaphor for the pandemic. Grappling with questions such as, “How do we know anything?” “How do we share ideas?”

“What is real and what is illusion?” have transformed her thunderstorm paintings over time into more abstract presentations. The oil paint and graphite panels incorporate 3D rocks she made from plaster and random treasures she discovered on long walks with her puppy.

In addition to the unique experiences she has enjoyed while teaching, Laurel has traveled extensively, which has served to reconnect her with her Jewish heritage. Laurel’s religious education as a child was deep and meaningful but, as so often happens with young adults, her Jewish observance was back-burnered for a period of time. And yet, arriving in a small, southern town where the first question most people ask is, “Where do you go to church?” forced Laurel to reconsider her Jewish practice.

On the subject of painting and the pandemic, Laurel remarks, “Paintings are things which are very still and silent. Nothing moves. It’s up to the viewer, in conversation with the painting and the artist to come to some understanding of what they’re looking at. As the viewer, you don’t know what’s real...some of the landscapes are ones I invented, sometimes I had a picture of a particular landscape. When you’re driving, you can’t tell from a rainstorm whether it’s coming or going...I kept thinking that it was a pretty profound metaphor for this pandemic. We are either going to get drenched or it goes a different way.”

Despite COVID still looming, Laurel was determined in the fall of 2021 to safely celebrate the holiday of Sukkot. Sukkot is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths and it commemorates the years the Jews spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land and how God protected them along the way. Laurel built her own booth, called a sukkah, in her backyard, artistically fashioned from both natural and artificial materials and accompanied by great friends and good meals.

Reflecting on her heritage, Laurel comments, “As a cultural group, I think Jews are interesting. We’ve been on the planet a pretty long time...we just celebrated 5782 as the (Jewish) New Year, so if one decides that was the birthday of the world, then for 3000 years or so there has been a Jewish presence on the planet. I don’t think our history is all sad...

Jews certainly have experienced great sorrow, but I don’t think you survive in the world on sorrow...I think you survive in the world because you celebrate.”  SCL

Hometown Living At Its Best

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serving Sumter county for 100 years.

Homegrown Grown World Renown

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Providing opportunities and support for the growth and prosperity of local & regional business and industry.

Sumter County Chamber of Commerce

From Southeast Asia to

Southwest

Georgia

BY J U N E B. A N D E R S O N | P H OTO S BY DAV I D PA R K S P H OTO G R A P H Y

H

Dr. Tu’s perspective on life and his job have changed since he became a Christian. A large part of his life now is serving others by taking care of their eye health.

How does a little tyke from the other side of

the world end up an ophthalmologist in Americus,

One can’t get more complimentary than that!

Dr. Tu’s story begins with his birth in South

Georgia? You’re about to discover his story. I

Vietnam. He is one of four children born to

think you will find it as interesting as I did when

his mother, who eventually owned a pharmacy,

I met with Dr. Chanh Tu to interview him for this

and his father, who became a general in the

article.

Vietnamese Air Force. Dr. Tu was able to go

This was hardly my first encounter with Dr. Tu.

to a school for three, four, and five-year-old

We had been in contact through church affiliations,

kindergarteners in Saigon. This school was run

we had taken a meal to his family when one of

by Catholic nuns where students attended chapel

their children was born, our daughter had babysat

daily and where there was a pond that housed a

for them, and each time one of my four books was

large Galapagos turtle! Maybe such an addition

released he would come to the book signing and

to American schools would make education more

purchase one. He seemed to like the books, but his

palatable to some youngsters!

laid-back demeanor and soft-spoken voice never

For first and second grades he attended a

“gushed” his compliments. He simply told me he

Vietnamese school in Saigon. He says the

enjoyed them and returned for the next purchase.

common schedule included classes every

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morning, six days a week (yes, Saturdays!) and then home for a nap at midday and back to school until 6:00 in the evening!

American children and their parents would balk at this!

School six days a week? I can hear the parents now declaring vehemently, “I don’t think so!”

In 1975, Dr. Tu was seven years old and the war in Vietnam was at a point where it became evident that he and his family needed to leave their country. Suddenly they found themselves making their way to a cargo plane on which an American officer had arranged room for them. His father and grandfather would stay behind and join them later. Dr. Tu, his three siblings, his mother, and his grandmother, whom his mother pleaded with to come with them, boarded the plane, made stops in The Philippines and Guam, and finally landed in California. They were given lodging in a refugee camp for three months in a tent at Camp Pendleton on the Southern California coast, not altogether private as they had to share the tent with another family.

A sponsor was required for them to leave the camp and when the time came, an American officer they had known in Vietnam stepped in to fill that position. Most of the few pictures they had of the family were some he had taken when he knew them in Vietnam. His sister’s birthday in July was celebrated with a hamburger that they cut into quarters. They had never tasted one before and Dr. Tu said it was so good!

When they left the refugee camp, they made their way across the country and settled in Midwest City, Oklahoma, where they arrived just in time for him to start third grade with the area children. Dr. Tu stayed there until graduation and then left for college at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, where he majored in zoology, and graduated in 1988. He then attended medical school at the Oklahoma City campus of the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1992. This was followed by a year of internship in Indianapolis and residency at Indiana University in Indianapolis.

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Dr. Tu’s perspective on life and his job have changed since he became a Christian. A large part of his life now is serving others by taking care of their eye health, as well as teaching on the aforementioned subjects about which he is so zealous. He wants to serve others instead of himself. It would make for a better world if we all took this to heart, wouldn’t it?

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Dr. Tu believes Jesus when he says that you have to count the cost to follow Him. Luke 14:26-27 says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple and whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

I was curious as to how Dr. Tu ended up in Americus when he had spent so much time in the Midwest. He says that when the time came for him to search out a place to set up his practice, many pamphlets were being distributed and recruiters were making contacts. One of them was Dr. Russell from Sumter Regional Hospital here in Americus. Dr. Tu felt no connection to this area but put the pamphlet in his growing stack. Later, he was in Atlanta at a meeting (with his stack of pamphlets) and Dr. Russell’s fell out of the stack. He gave it a second look and decided that since he was this close, he would rent a car and drive down.

What did he have to lose?

When he got to Americus, he met with the optometrists at Regional Eye Center, but they already had a doctor coming in soon to join their practice. Dr. Tu left, but sometime later was surprised to receive a call from Regional asking him to come back and talk with them because the doctor they expected to join them had changed his mind. So began the practice of Dr. Chanh Tu, ophthalmologist, in 1996 at Regional Eye Center in Americus, Georgia.

Dr. Tu explained that an ophthalmologist is a doctor who performs examinations and surgeries on the eyes and diagnoses diseases of the eye.

When asked how he chose this profession, he said that he was drawn to it because his family

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has roots in the medical profession since his

that in a hospital setting.” There are five other

mother had owned a pharmacy and his uncle was

optometrists who work with the Regional team

a surgeon.

and together they serve three towns: Americus,

Dr. Tu adds, “In January 2020, we decided to open a surgery center in Americus. After years

Leesburg, and Montezuma.

Remember how I said this wasn’t my first

of deliberation, we decided to offer our patients a

encounter with Dr. Tu? Hardly. A few months

different venue from the hospital to have cataract

ago, I was given the news that I would need

surgeries…one that we hope is more comfortable,

cataract and glaucoma surgery. I didn’t think

more economical, and equally safe. Nationally,

twice about who would take care of me. Dr. Tu’s

90% of cataract surgeries are being performed

reputation precedes him, not only around town,

outside of hospital settings. National studies also

but through my mother-in-law, who lived in north

show that cataract surgery in surgery centers is

Georgia at the time she needed cataract surgery.

just as safe as those performed in hospitals. Our

She wasn’t happy with the first eye surgery she

surgery center is also equipped with the latest

had done near her hometown, so we convinced

technology to provide equal or better quality to

her to see Dr. Tu. When her second eye was

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done, she had fallen in love with the good doctor! She couldn’t believe the process could be so easy and turn out so well!

Recently hubby and I met with Dr. Tu at his office and made appointments for those surgeries. That’s over and I’m without corrective lenses now for the first time since I was 11 years old! I have to have readers for close reading, but I can see road signs from far away now. I annoyed my husband at first when we would go for a ride by reading faroff signs and giggling.

It was here at his work where Dr. Tu met Kim, an operating room nurse at Sumter Regional Hospital. They dated for a year

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Dr. Tu explained that an ophthalmologist is a doctor who performs examinations and surgeries on the eyes and diagnoses diseases of the eye. When asked how he chose this profession, he said that he was drawn to it because his family has roots in the medical profession since his mother had owned a pharmacy and his uncle was a surgeon.

and married and now have five daughters and four grandchildren. All the grandchildren live in Albany and the surrounding area, which makes getting in some play time with them pretty convenient. He says that he and Kim enjoy hiking and that he likes reading history and Christian apologetics, which, according to Wikipedia, is a branch of Christian theology that defends Christianity against objections. The apostle Paul was an early Christian apologist. Dr. Tu now writes and teaches on the subject.

During his early years here in Americus, life took another unexpected turn. During his residency, he had decided that when all of the hoopla of preparing for his career was over, he would look into Christianity. Sure enough, he remembered this decision and started going to church. At some point he became a Christian but wasn’t sure exactly what all that entailed, what it meant to be saved. He continued to study it and after a while he began to understand three truths: (1) You have to know the object of your faith. For the Christian, that is Jesus Christ. (2) You have to know Him enough to KNOW Him. In order to do that, you must spend time with Him. No one gets to know anyone without spending time with them.

(3) You have to obey Him.

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Dr. Tu and his family settled at Central Baptist Church where he teaches Sunday School and uses this three-pronged approach in teaching because

person cannot be my disciple and whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

How can Jesus constantly preach on love and tell us

he thinks it is vital to one’s salvation to understand

to hate our family? The answer is simple and lies in

what it means to be saved and to understand

the fact that the original Greek here means “love less,”

whether they truly are. I can understand this

not actually hate. Jesus knows we can love more than

because at one time I thought I was a Christian

one person at a time. He just says in order to follow

because I had joined a church and tried to be

Him, you must love everyone else less than you love

“good,” which no one can do. God’s standard is

Him. In others words, you must love Him more than

perfection and no one could live up to that except

you love everyone else, including yourself.

Jesus. It’s through Him that we’re saved. It wasn’t until I began to study the Bible that I realized this.

Dr. Tu believes Jesus when he says that you have

Dr. Tu’s perspective on life and his job have changed since he became a Christian. A large part of his life now is serving others by taking care of their eye health,

to count the cost to follow Him. Luke 14:26-27

as well as teaching on the aforementioned subjects

says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate

about which he is so zealous. He wants to serve others

father and mother, wife and children, brothers

instead of himself. It would make for a better world if

and sisters—yes, and even their own life—such a

we all took this to heart, wouldn’t it?  SCL

50 sumter county living

An In Your

Investment

Child’s Future

Southland Academy Building a Strong Mind, Body, and Spirit

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Story by Alexa Tebben | Photos by Blanchard Photography

Overcoming Challenges

N

Despite the challenges and discouragement Nydia Ponder often faced, pressing forward gave her the strength to accomplish all that she hoped for.

No one can hold you back from accomplishing your dreams except yourself. At a young age, Nydia Ponder learned the value of hard work amidst negative surroundings. Having grown up with ADHD, Nydia faced discouragement from the people surrounding her. “Individuals have been telling me for a long time that I wouldn’t ever be able to make it or achieve anything that I wanted,” she tells me. “I had learning disabilities real bad ever since kindergarten.”

Learning did not come as naturally to Nydia as it did to the other children, and they bullied her all throughout her education. Knowing their words could eventually wear her down, Nydia kept her head high and tried to remain unaffected. “I let the bad things that were said of me and the mocking that was done to me go in one ear and out the other,” she recalls.

While maintaining a positive attitude was not always easy, it certainly made a difference in the long run. When discussing this approach toward bullying, Nydia says, “It has benefited me in wonderful ways because now, when people say something about me, I don’t pay it any attention. I

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just go about my day and think about the positives that are ahead of me.”

Following high school, Nydia was determined to further her education. From 2010-2012, she took online classes at the University of Phoenix and earned an associate degree in communications. Next she studied at Albany State University.

From here, Nydia says, “I graduated with my bachelors in mass communication with a concentration in electronic media.”

Nydia reflects on her time in college and remembers the hurdles she had to overcome to succeed. “While I was going to both of those institutions I was told that the communication major was not for me because my writing abilities were not up to standards at the time,” she admits.

Nydia knew she had to do something about this. “The way I improved that was I sat down and practiced writing every day until I became better and better at it,” she says. “That’s when my writing improved at both University of Phoenix and Albany State University.”

Throughout her education, Nydia challenged herself to reach higher and

Throughout her education, Nydia challenged herself to reach higher and perform better to prove that she was capable. She encourages others to keep hustling to achieve their dreams. “When you give up you get stuck,” she says. “So when things don’t go the way you want it, keep on pressing. Keep it going.”

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perform better to prove that she was capable. She encourages others to keep hustling to achieve their dreams. “When you give up you get stuck,” she says.

“So when things don’t go the way you want it, keep on pressing. Keep it going.”

During school, Nydia spent a semester serving as a volunteer in the media center at South Dodge Elementary School in Eastman, Georgia and fell in love with the work. Prior to this, she says, “I had decided to graduate and become a television news reporter or news anchor because I love to tell stories and keep the world informed with what’s going on.”

However, volunteering in a library brought her a new level of joy she had never experienced. “I love to

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read, it’s very therapeutic,” she says. A self-identified book worm, Nydia has experienced the relief and solace found in the escape of a book. Volunteering at the library allows her to share this same experience with others. “I love the public library because I will be able to elevate and motivate people in a variety of ways whether it’s through books or technology or other trends that occur in the library through a day-to-day base.”

With a shift in interests, Nydia decided to forgo her plans of a journalism career to pursue opportunities in the library. After college, Nydia accepted a job as a library assistant at South Georgia Technical College where she worked for four years. During this time,

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she also volunteered at Sumter County Elementary School.

Nydia loved working in libraries and felt truly in her element for the first time in her life. “I was honored at the Sumter County school board meeting for the strong work ethics and enthusiasm that I brought in the media center,” she says beaming. They appreciated her positive attitude as a volunteer and she reveled in the opportunity to prove herself in this role.

To further her education even more, Nydia enrolled with North Carolina Central University to earn a master’s degree in library science. Proving herself beyond the limitations people have set for her since childhood, she has set out to accomplish achievements of great height.

Nydia attributes her success to the guidance of her mom, Dr. Ruby Ponder. “My mother prayed for me every day,” Nydia recalls. “Prayers for peace and prayers for protection.” The spiritual guidance her mom offered her encouraged Nydia through all the years she was bullied. “Even though things may not be the way you want it to be, dependence on God is the way out. You just have to trust His timing.”

Having grown through the tough times, Nydia wishes to inspire young children in school. “Giving up is not an option,” she states. Determination has carried her through the years beautifully and is a testament that hard work can improve any situation.

With enthusiasm for seeing other children succeed, Nydia is driven to encourage and assist the students she interacts with every day. While COVID-19 caused the closing of South Georgia Technical College and Nydia was let go from her position there, she has since been volunteering at De Soto Trail Regional Library in Camilla,

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Georgia. She says of her new position, “It gives me a chance to lend a helping hand to individuals in order for them to become successful readers, learners, critical thinkers, decision makers and most of all leaders.”

Nydia’s story is an inspiring example of hard work paid off. Despite the challenges and discouragement she often faced, pressing forward gave her the strength to accomplish all that she hoped for.

In addition, Nydia advises children to tell a teacher,

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principle or parent when they are being bullied. She also says that seeking the Lord’s help can equip you with the spirit and energy to persist every day. “He will make a way when there seems to be no way,” she says.

With the help of a strong support system and the knowledge that it will be worth the work, you can do anything. When the going gets tough, remember that on the other side of each challenge is a stronger, better you.  SCL

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STORY BY MARY CATHERINE GASTON | PHOTOS BY DAVID PARKS PHOTOGRAPHY

Dreams Do

Come True

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Sumter County native Alli Reid counts family, friends and her dream job among her many blessings.

I

If there’s one thing Dr. Alli Reid can’t stand, it’s being cooped up indoors.

That’s one reason the 29-year-old Sumter County native chose a career in veterinary medicine in the first place. But in early 2020, practicing in a clinic that primarily treated companion animals in an indoor setting, Dr. Reid found herself at a crossroads. When her work hours were drastically reduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Reid had a choice to make: continue work that she loved in a setting she wasn’t crazy about or take a leap of faith and follow a long-held dream of launching her own, completely mobile vet service.

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and what Dr. Reid needed at the time was more reliable work.

Drawing on experiences she collected from her externships and colleagues, Dr. Reid decided to make her dream come true. With a little legal work, Muckalee Equine & Agri-Health Services, LLC was born. She purchased a truck and converted it to a mobile vet clinic complete with everything necessary to provide routine and emergency care to the horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, llamas and alpacas of southwest Georgia. Dr. Reid’s practice officially opened for business on April 15, 2020.

Just over a year later, her schedule is full, and her cup runneth over. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude that the Man Upstairs and this community have not allowed me to fail,” she says, adding that,

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though starting a business at the peak of a global pandemic was a risky move, it has turned out to be one of the best she’s ever made.

Raised on a farm in rural Sumter County, Dr. Reid knew from an early age that she wanted to be a veterinarian someday. She recalls happily tagging along any time the veterinarian visited the farm. “I loved getting to work with my daddy,” she says, “Everything I was exposed to on the farm as a little girl solidified my desire to someday be a vet.”

When Dr. Reid graduated from Southland Academy in 2010, she wasted no time beginning her career path. She started the University of Georgia’s Food Animal Veterinary Incentive Program soon after graduation. Four years later, in 2014, she graduated from UGA but wasn’t finished with school yet. Finally, in 2018, Dr. Reid was awarded her doctor of veterinary medicine degree, passed the national and state board exams and proudly earned her license to practice veterinary medicine.

Working in a clinic setting for a few years after graduation helped confirm her desire to be outdoors, but it also prepared her for the relief work she now does at Harper’s Animal Clinic in Americus. In addition to her

For a large animal vet like Dr. Reid, that balance can be even more complicated. Today, veterinarians who focus their practices solely on the care of large animals—like Dr. Reid does—make up less than 10% of all veterinarians in the US. That means longer hours, more weekends on call, faster burnout and a host of other potential issues for those who do choose to care for large animals.

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When Dr. Reid graduated from Southland Academy in 2010, she wasted no time beginning her career path. She started the University of Georgia’s Food Animal Veterinary Incentive Program soon after graduation.

own practice, Dr. Reid spends a few hours each week performing spays, neuters and other routine surgeries to help Dr. Harper with his clinic’s ever-growing case load.

Like most vets, Dr. Reid’s jobs keep her extremely busy. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a challenge she deals with constantly, and it can be difficult to do so with so many people and animals depending on her. It’s something she wants the public to understand: even though most vets love their jobs, veterinary medicine is a job, not a vet’s whole life.

“We can’t physically, emotionally or mentally endure a 16-hour work day seven days a week,” she explains. “As badly as every vet wants to take care of every need, as much as we sincerely love what we do, it is still our job. We still need to be present with our families and friends. We have to set boundaries so that we can fully be present at home and recharge. So that when we are at work, we can be the best doctors possible.”

For a large animal vet like Dr. Reid, that balance can be even more complicated. Today, veterinarians who focus their practices solely on the care of large animals—like Dr. Reid does—make up less than 10% of all veterinarians in the US. That means longer hours, more weekends on

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call, faster burnout and a host of other potential issues for those who do choose to care for large animals.

This is why Dr. Reid is careful to guard her personal time and invest it in her family, friends and a few simple pleasures. “I love to hunt and fish,” she says, explaining that her childhood friends introduced her to both hobbies. “I was always kind of ‘one of the guys’ growing up, and I loved it when they’d take me hunting or fishing.”

Nowadays, when she wants to relax, she often heads to the water, where bass fishing is her absolute favorite way to unwind. Although she’s no novice, she hasn’t hooked the big one yet.

“I’m just waiting to get a 10-pounder that I can hang on my wall!” Dr. Reid says.

And while catching a trophy bass is just a dream at this point, it’s another one she’ll work at until it comes true. That’s something she learned from starting her business and something she hopes to share with others who have similar goals.

“Don’t turn away from your dream because it seems too big or too intimidating,” Dr. Reid says. “Take a leap of faith and do it. Don’t let the fear of the unknown or the fear of failure stop you.”  SCL

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Of Hope

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Story By Rebekah McLeod | Photos by David Parks Photography

Providing a safe place for women and families, Hope Center relocates to expand services to Southwest Georgia.

W

Walking into the Hope Center in Americus, Georgia, feels like visiting the southern home of a friend or neighbor…warm, modern wood floors meet comfortable, neutral-toned furniture with perfectly matched accent pillows and coastal blue walls provide the backdrop for handmade, wooden signs with sayings like, “Come as you are.” I almost expect to be served a glass of sweet tea and a slice of homemade zucchini bread.

I’m greeted by the kind, welcoming smile of Center Director, Amanda Anderson.

Together with Jessica Woolsey (Client Program Director) and Brandy Shutters (Administrative Assistant), this dream team has—in the midst of a pandemic—coordinated a center relocation, a new branding and website, and a concert event that raised over $31,000 in funds for the nonprofit.

We meander through the almost 2200 square foot space, each room decorated with elegance and attention to detail. We pass intake rooms, offices, a kitchen and a lovely dining room area with assorted wicker and wooden bowls on the wall, where I’m told they hold Pastor’s Brunches to facilitate networking in the community.

When we get to the baby room, I gasp. My eye travels around the room where neatly hung racks of infant clothing line both outer walls and handcrafted wooden shelving along the back

As for the future of Hands of Hope, the dream team is planning to continue building on the momentum of their recent success. They will be hosting booths at local festivals, walking in the local Christmas parades, and most importantly, continuing to make themselves available to support women who are facing difficult circumstances.

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wall hold organized stacks of blankets, formula, and assorted baby toiletries. Stuffed animals line the top of the shelves, one by one, and I notice the room even has a theme—outdoor adventure.

The organization is astounding. When asked how she found her way into the work of crisis pregnancy centers, Amanda says it was her husband who got involved first. “Our center is run by an eight-member board,” Amanda explains, “and my husband was on the board. After we had a miscarriage seven years

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into our marriage, I really struggled. I saw a pamphlet come home with him about dealing with loss through miscarriage, and I didn’t realize that Hands of Hope cared not just for women with unplanned pregnancies, but for women in all types of difficult situations. I didn’t know what the rest of my journey would look like, but I knew I had to be a part of this.”

The history of Hands of Hope Pregnancy and Resource Center can be traced back 34 years to what was initially a “baby closet” located in a small, old

Amanda’s idea was to invite Sean Curran, a well-known worship leader from Passion City Church, Atlanta, to come to Americus and lead a night of worship. When Amanda reached out via email, she received several automated responses that led her to believe it was a dead end. She began to move on to another artist, but the reply from the booking agency was that the second artist was already booked for the date...but they had several other artists on their roster that might be available. When Amanda looked at the list, her eye landed on Sean Curran as one of the “other” artists. “I couldn’t believe it,” Amanda recalls. “I immediately wrote back that Sean was the artist I had originally wanted!”

Since the opening of their new space, The Hope Center’s team has been heavily focused on community outreach bringing awareness to the services they offer Sumter County and six additional surrounding counties in Southwest Georgia. Amanda and her team meet with local schools, churches, doctors, and urgent care centers to get the word out.

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house on US Highway 19 in Americus.

There were no program offerings; it was a place to hand out free baby items a couple of days a week to women in need. In 2016, the center began taking shape into what it would become in an office space on Habitat Street. However, the location was difficult for clients to find and offered limited square footage for the medical services they dreamed of offering—in particular, an ultrasound machine and a registered nurse on site.

What seemed financially and logistically impossible became within reach when Hands of Hope applied for a grant in 2018 from the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation. They were granted $130,000 to buy a new space for the center—and the place they ended up buying needed significant remodeling.

Volunteers from the community donated their services to move walls, put in new flooring, light fixtures, and overhaul the space.

Then Covid hit. Work was halted for a few months, and the health and parenting classes offered to clients, which builds points redeemable for baby items, was moved online.

When they began working on the renovations again, the new center’s space was evaluated again, and it was estimated they needed $10,000 to finish it. A local church, Central Baptist Church of Americus, heard about the need and donated the money, allowing the building

to be completed in March of 2021. Another grant from Sumter EMC Foundation provided funds to furnish most of the building, which required a little travel and a lot of creativity on the part of the team.

“We really wanted a washer and dryer so we could clean the donated clothing on site, and a donor came by at Christmas and gave us $600 to buy the washer. With God’s help we were able to get a washer, dryer, microwave, refrigerator and toaster oven.” Everything about the Hope Center has been a community effort—local churches and skilled individuals coming together to create a safe place for women in need.

Studies show that 45% of the six million pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, meaning the woman did not want to become pregnant or wanted to become pregnant later in life. That means nearly half of pregnant women are at risk for delayed health care and unhealthy behaviors, which may affect the health of their babies.

Hands of Hope provides a safe place for a woman to process her feelings and explore her options before making a life-changing decision about the future of her child. The Hope Center provides counseling, education and a referral for a free ultrasound to confirm the viability of the pregnancy and to allow the new mom to see her developing baby.

Since the opening of their new space, The Hope Center’s team has been heavily

Studies show that 45% of the six million pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, meaning the woman did not want to become pregnant or wanted to become pregnant later in life. That means nearly half of pregnant women are at risk for delayed health care and unhealthy behaviors, which may affect the health of their babies.

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focused on community outreach bringing awareness to the services they offer Sumter County and six additional surrounding counties in Southwest Georgia. Amanda and her team meet with local schools, churches, doctors, and urgent care centers to get the word out.

In addition to outreach, the nonprofit has traditionally hosted a fundraising banquet each year, but in 2021, Amanda caught a vision to do something different. “The banquet has always been a success, but it hasn’t necessarily been a cross-generational event. We wanted to bring something fun to our community and reach a younger generation, because that’s who we serve.”

When they began working on the renovations again, the new center’s space was evaluated again, and it was estimated they needed $10,000 to finish it. A local church, Central Baptist Church of Americus, heard about the need and donated the money, allowing the building to be completed in March of 2021

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Amanda’s idea was to invite Sean Curran, a wellknown worship leader from Passion City Church, Atlanta, to come to Americus and lead a night of worship. When Amanda reached out via email, she received several automated responses that led her to believe it was a dead end. She began to move on to another artist, but the reply from the booking agency was that the second artist was already booked for the date... but they had several other artists on their roster that might be available. When Amanda looked at the list, her eye landed on Sean Curran as one of the “other” artists.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Amanda recalls. “I immediately wrote back that Sean was the artist I had originally wanted!”

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Sean Curran performed at the Hope Loud benefit concert on September 9th, 2021, and together with sponsors from around the community, the event raised over $31,000, superseding all fundraising endeavors in the history of the nonprofit. “It was such a group effort,” says Amanda. “Central Baptist of Americus hosted us, and many of the same local businesses who had helped us remodel the Hope Center—Wayne’s Electric, New Providence Baptist Church of Buena Vista, Shiver Lumber Co.—were our top sponsors for the event.”

As for the future of Hands of Hope, the dream team is planning to continue building on the momentum of their recent success. They will be hosting booths at local festivals, walking in the local Christmas parades, and

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most importantly, continuing to make themselves available to support women who are facing difficult circumstances. “At Hands of Hope we aim to educate, encourage and empower our clients to make the best decisions for themselves and their babies,” says Amanda, “and most of all we want our clients to know that God loves them and so do we; this is a safe place with no judgement.”  SCL

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The history of Hands of Hope Pregnancy and Resource Center can be traced back 34 years to what was initially a “baby closet” located in a small, old house on US Highway 19 in Americus. There were no program offerings; it was a place to hand out free baby items a couple of days a week to women in need. In 2016, the center began taking shape into what it would become in an office space on Habitat Street. However, the location was difficult for clients to find and offered limited square footage for the medical services they dreamed of offering—in particular, an ultrasound machine and a registered nurse on site.

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E X P L O R I N G

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Story By Stephen Prudhomme | Photos by Blanchard Photography

A good year for

GEORGIA BASEBALL TEAMS

Sumter County 10 and under All-Stars make like the Braves to win championship!

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In November 2021, the Atlanta Braves ended a 26-year streak of near-misses and wait until next season cries by winning the World Series. Earlier in the year and several hundred miles southwest of Atlanta, an all-star recreation team ended an even longer championship draught.

The rallying call, as it turns out, was the mooing of a cow.

The Sumter County 10 and under Machine Pitch All-Stars won the state tournament in the pitching machine division after defeating Wayne County in the title game. It was the second consecutive win against Wayne County, which had beaten Sumter earlier in the double elimination tournament and was undefeated before losing to Sumter in the second-to-last game and setting up the third and deciding contest.

The all-star team was comprised of 12 players chosen from five teams in the Sumter recreation league. It played 15 to 16 games in three tournaments: local, district and state. Mike Reeves was the coach of the all-stars. He played on the Sumter County All-Stars that won a state title in 1990, and his father, David, who had won a state championship with an all-star team in 1960, served as assistant coach. Continuing the family theme, Mike’s son, Drew, 9, played on the 2021 all-star team.

“The irony is unbelievable,” Mike said.

“When I played on the all-star team in 1990, we had to beat Wayne County twice to win the state tournament.” David said he had a great group of kids who hit the ball well and played good defense at every position. They also possessed important intangibles.

“The players didn’t give up,” Mike said.

“They focused on the play in front of them and remained calm. They knew how to play the game of baseball and were ready to practice and play all the time. They got along and had good chemistry.”

Mason Dowdey, 10, played left field.

He described Mike as a nice coach who was detail oriented. The youngster also cited the team’s chemistry as a key to its success. “We came together, worked

The community also played a role in rooting the home team on to victory. “Everybody became a family for the summer,” said Clay Hicks’ father, Josh. “They had their spot at the game. It was a very fun time. The players provided a lot of excitement for the parents, community and coaches.”

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together and pumped each other up,” Mason said. “We didn’t worry about the score. We just had a good time.”

Mason said baseball is his favorite sport because he enjoys running and throwing. He plans on trying out for a travel team and wants to play baseball at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Malik Paul, 11, made the all-star team in his first year of playing organized baseball. He played third, first and centerfield before breaking his ankle in practice while sliding into second base. Mike describes him as an outstanding athlete who excels at the game. Malik said he loves running and throwing and appreciated the way the community supported the team. He also plays football and basketball, noting the latter is his favorite sport, but wants to play

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Winning the state tournament was no easy feat for Sumter County after it lost to Wayne County early on and was placed in the loser’s bracket. “They won six or seven in a row,” Burt said. “That’s tough to face an elimination game that many times. They didn’t know how to give up.” His son said he’s glad they won a state championship and cited the players’ habit of picking someone up when they were down as key to their success.

shortstop like his favorite player, Fernando Tatis, Jr. Malik’s ambitious career goals include pro sports, making video games and building robots.

Malik’s mother, Lakesha Jones, said every game was so exciting and the season was amazing.

“The boys played hard and they played as a team,” Lakesha said. “It was like watching the Atlanta Braves win the World Series. We didn’t get to finish the season because of Malik’s injury, but we still went to all the games and cheered on the other players.”

Her first year of being a baseball mom was just as exciting as in the other sports Malik plays, according to Lakesha. She said Mike and the other coaches really cared about the players and looked beyond winning and baseball. That caring feeling extended to the fans. “The community showed so much love,” Lakesha said. “We are ready for next season and hope it’s as eventful as this past season.”

Clay Hicks played first and third, with the latter being his favorite position. “I can make a pretty cool play when the ball’s hit down the line,” he said. “It’s a little scary - the hot corner. It’s not too bad.” Clay said it felt pretty good to win the state tournament.

He noted the players were all friends and bonded together. He also reveled in his coach following through on a promise to have his head shaved if the team won it all. “We shaved his head bald,” Clay said. “Everyone on the team and family members got a cut.” Clay wants to pitch in the majors for the San Diego Padres. “I like their uniforms,” he said.

David Guest, 10, played shortstop. His father, Burt, played on the 1990 state title team.

“Anytime you win a state championship, it’s a big deal,” Burt said. “It was really unbelievable how we beat Wayne County two games in a row (in 1990) and they did the same thing.” Burt attributed the team’s success to talent, heart and good coaching. “Mike plays to win and doesn’t put up with attitudes,” Burt said. “He puts them at the positions they need to be playing.”

Winning the state tournament was no easy feat for

Sumter County after it lost to Wayne County early on and was placed in the loser’s bracket. “They won six or seven in a row,” Burt said. “That’s tough to face an elimination game that many times. They didn’t know how to give up.” His son said he’s glad they won a state championship and cited the players’ habit of picking someone up when they were down as key to their success.

The players further bonded by wearing Bomb squad t-shirts featuring a figure on front with a baseball/hand grenade for a head and a cow on back. “That was pretty cool,” said David, who also applied the cool description to the community support they received and he and Drew Reeves sharing state titles with their fathers. David said he’ll keep playing baseball and get better and better. “It would be real cool to get really good,” he said.

The community also played a role in rooting the home team on to victory. “Everybody became

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a family for the summer,” said Clay Hicks’ father, Josh. “They had their spot at the game. It was a very fun time. The players provided a lot of excitement for the parents, community and coaches.”

Not to be left out was the mooing cow, or at least the sound of a cow mooing over the PA system. In the local tournament, Sumter County was trailing in a game when a song was slated to come on. Instead, a mooing cow took the mic. “That kind of got them going,” Josh said. “They came back to win the game. From that point on, the mooing cow became the rallying call and t-shirts were printed up showing a mooing cow.”

One of the team’s biggest fans was Alan Carson, a former coach who drove people in a golf cart from the parking lot to the field and back again as a volunteer. “It was really special,” Alan

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said. “It was a great defensive team that hit the ball well. They had a winning attitude that starts with the coach.” “Although winning’s nice,” Alan said, “It’s not the only thing. It’s watching young men and women grow up and become solid citizens. We had seven or eight former players coaching this year. It’s great they bring their kids and grandkids to the rec. department.”

Other members of the team include Luke Lamberth, Gage Norman, Noah Hosley, Asher Bishop, Christian Blanchard, VJ Keats, Matthew Owens, coaches Matt Owens and Steve Norman. SCL

Mason Dowdey, 10, played left field. He described Mike as a nice coach who was detail oriented. The youngster also cited the team’s chemistry as a key to its success.

“We came together, worked together and pumped each other up,” Mason said. “We didn’t worry about the score. We just had a good time.” Mason said baseball is his favorite sport because he enjoys running and throwing. He plans on trying out for a travel team and wants to play baseball at Louisiana State University (LSU).

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a life changing difference

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Story By Alexa Tebben

Unbearable pain is something no one should have to live with. Southwest Georgia Center of Medicine (SWGCM) treats patients with a variety of injuries, nerve damage and general pain to give them back the ease of mobility they once knew.

Mother and daughter Priscilla Pappas and Dorothy Sichelstiel received stem cell rich allograft therapy from the medical team at SWGCM with astounding results. Dorothy says of her mother, Priscilla, “Her knee was bothering her to the point where she’d have to sit after about 10 or 20 minutes of walking.”

Dorothy was having excruciating shoulder pain as well, and together they underwent this new kind of regenerative medicine.

At SWGCM, an allograft, which is a tissue transplant, is collected exclusively from donated umbilical cords of healthy, full-term babies. They draw your own blood, process it and filter out everything except the platelet rich plasma. The PRP is then

injected into the same area as the allograft. This allows even more healing potential than using just one therapy. It creates a healing environment that allows the body to heal itself with virtually no side effects.

Dorothy speaks highly of Dr. Codner and his staff.

She says, “[He is] very personable and easy to talk to.”

Even when she has an appointment with the medical team, Dorothy says, “Dr. Codner always makes sure he sees me.”

Priscilla and Dorothy were told to expect improvement in the next six months. “We had it done the week before Thanksgiving and by January I had forgotten about my shoulder,” Dorothy states incredulously. “I have no pain.”

Dr. Codner’s patients have many success stories like these. With dedication to the practice and commitment to improving patient’s health and well-being, he makes a life changing difference with each person that enters his care.

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ANDERSONVILLE E N C A M P M E N T

O C TOB E R

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The Andersonville Encampment October 1 and 2, 2022.

Food, sutlers, vendors, mock battles on Saturday and Sunday. Living History at its best.

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Community

Through Neighborliness

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By Rebekah McLeod | Photos by David Parks Photography

The New Mayor and First Lady of Americus, Lee and Karen Kinnamon, Share their Vision for the Next Four Years

Walking into the home of the newly-elected Mayor of Americus on a crisp, cool autumn morning, I am surrounded by generations of family heirlooms. Intricate watercolor paintings line the walls; an old library of books in an equally old glass bookcase hold his greatgrandmother’s collection, still in exact order; Victorian furniture, in deep shades of teal green, also lovingly preserved, are situated for comfortable conversation; and in the corner by the windows, a stunning, ornate parlor grand piano sits bathed in morning sunlight.

I am guided in short order into the study, where a stately portrait hangs over the fireplace of the Mayor’s great-great-grandfather, Major Moses Speer, a stern-faced, long-bearded fellow who I’m told led the group of Americus investors that built the Windsor Hotel.

The Mayor and First Lady, Lee and Karen Kinnamon, are both from Atlanta, but as children Lee and his sister would visit Americus every summer to spend time with their grandmother. Lee and Karen met while attending Sewanee, a private Episcopal liberal arts

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college in Tennessee. They married in June of 1990 and came back to settle in Americus to live, teach and raise a family. They are both retired school teachers who have each spent over three decades investing in the families of Americus and Sumter County.

We settle in near the piano for an engaging conversation about faith, community and their common vision for Americus in this new season.

SCL: This home certainly has a story all its own.

Did you raise your family here?

Lee: Yes, our sons are the sixth generation to have grown up on this street and the seventh to reside in Sumter County. This home was built by my greatgrandparents as a wedding gift for my grandparents and was completed in June of 1915, just in time for my grandmother to give birth to my Uncle Charles.

Charles Monroe Hale, Jr. was a civil engineer and

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served the City of Americus for many years. The Speer residence, built shortly after the Civil War, was the first brick house constructed in Americus and stood on the northwest corner of West Church Street and South Jackson Street, one block east of our home. Major Speer was among the founders and charter board members of the City of Americus Public Schools. He was active in business and civic life here. What I learn from my family’s long history in this place is their unflagging commitment to service and civic duty and their faith in our community’s enormous potential. They believed in that potential then. I believe in it now.

SCL: I have to ask about the paintings. Were there artists in the family as well?

Lee: The watercolor paintings lining the staircase were painted by my grandmother, who

Children are the most unheard in any community’s population. One of the things I hope to do is to engage young people in the political process. Our Boys and Girls Club closed and so we’ve got a lot of holes that need to be shored up.

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What we need in this town, and everywhere for that matter, is a restoration of good, old-fashioned neighborliness. You can’t say you love your neighbor if you don’t know your neighbor. When we talk about the racial divide, the gender divide, the generational divide, or the socioeconomic divide in communities, I think the first step in working to bridge those divides is through neighborliness. There will be other steps of course, but we first need to have a neighborly relationship with people before beginning those more difficult discussions.

started painting at around age twelve, and once she married, she never painted again. When you see her work, you’ll say, “Why did she quit?” But the roles of women at that time were very limited.

Yes, she was in that transitional period of the “New Woman,” being born in 1894, and she enjoyed some freedoms that her mother and grandmother certainly did not have. Her mother, May, was actually a pretty progressive woman herself. She founded the Ladies Literary Club in Americus, which is still in existence. It’s the oldest civic club still in operation in Sumter County. But despite their education and somewhat more progressive views, both my great-grandmother and grandmother were shaped by a traditional Southern culture.

SCL: Your piano reminds me of an era gone by, when young women were expected to entertain party guests with classical music.

Lee: It was somewhat of an expectation for women of their class during that era to be accomplished—in art, music and literature.

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There is a word used in talking about the environment...ecosystem. If there are people at the top of our ecosystem in Americus using drugs, for example, it contributes to what I see when I go to teach art lessons to peers at New Life Recovery. It’s aiding and abetting and feeding the drug culture in this ecosystem. And while the people of privilege can eek by with highfunctioning addiction, people in lower socioeconomic groups can’t. They are the ones who get arrested, and they do jail time.

All of the women in my family were avid readers; my grandmother, great-grandmother and most of the women in my family were college educated back into the nineteenth century, but that was a benefit of the privileged world they came from, which supported all of that.

Karen: What’s so interesting as a woman from a completely different world coming into this world, is when I look at that piano, I think of how we had to move it to do the renovations on the house. Women are in such a different place now. We wouldn’t necessarily give up our art when we get married, but we might give it up because we’re trying to have a career and be a mother.

We do have a lot more conveniences now, but I also think technology has created the expectation that we can squeeze more activity into a day. I’m reading a book called The Hunter and Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century (Heying and Weinstein), and the premise is that technology is advancing at a rate that our human brains cannot process.

Lee: If I look back at my students and consider the differences between those I taught back in the early 1990s and those I worked with most recently, the issue becomes very clear. The current student is bombarded by constant and rapidly changing screen stimulation.

Most struggle to focus on one idea or passage of text for any length of time. Many are so attached to their electronic devices that they have difficulty engaging productively with others beyond the virtual world. Of course this is a problem affecting all of us today.

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I find it overwhelming even on social media when I read about the pain of the people in my circle; for example, just this morning one of my friends was asking for prayer for a close friend dying of COVID; another friend had just discovered she had a brain tumor. I couldn’t process it.

Lee: Uh, they’re both in prison. (Lee and Karen let the awkward silence fall and then break out into bellowing laughter...while I almost fall off my Victorian rocker...)

Lee: And the expectation is for you to respond perfectly and immediately. And so now you have guilt because you can’t respond and if you do respond, it seems grossly inadequate.

Karen: Thomas is a junior majoring in history and political science at Mercer University. Charles is 24, married, a U.S. Marine reservist currently on active duty, and a police officer with the Albany police department. He will finish his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at GSW in May.

SCL:Yes, a broken heart emoji or prayer hands...what is that, really?

SCL: You are both in a place now where you’re going to be expected to care for people at a new level. Do you feel prepared?

Lee: I’m right there with you. Our sons, Thomas, who was born in 2001, and Charles, born in 1997, are both digital natives. They complain that my texts are too long, too many words. I have to remind them that their mother and I wrote letters to each other when we were dating. We didn’t grow up texting.

Karen: It’s not that very much different from being educators in the classroom. I do think we have been prepared for it.

SCL:Where are they now?

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Lee: We have spent over half of our lives taking care of young people. Here is what I mean when I say that we are prepared to ”take care of people.” I mean respecting them, listening to them, encouraging them, giving them hope,

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empowering them to grow and to develop into their best selves. I think that much of what we did in the classroom for thirty years will work well in our new roles.

SCL: Lee, I understand you taught Social Studies for several years at the Performance Learning Center, which was a program for students who struggled in the traditional school setting. How did that affect you personally and professionally?

Lee: It changed me...and humbled me. It made me aware of a level of reality [and] suffering that I hadn’t been directly in touch with. It helped me to understand more fully that the relationship with a student, with anyone really, is what matters most of all. As a wise principal once told me, “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

SCL:You got attached to those kids, didn’t you?

Lee: Yes (tears). I’m the person I am today because of that, and that was a gift from God. I don’t believe in accidental things—I think there’s a purpose and a plan—and we just have to be receptive and in tune. But I do think that in every new stage of our life there’s a tendency to resist change.

SCL:What was it you resisted when it came to running for Mayor?

Lee: When it came to running for mayor, I was resistant for a good reason. I didn’t want to be the “white mayor.” We’re in a town that has a declining white population - actually both African Americans and whites have been leaving Americus. We had a series of industry closures, the tornado of 2007, the recession—lots of things happened that caused an exodus. In this shifting

demographic, now 29.5% white and 67% African American, I was resistant to the idea of running without a diverse base of support. But when I had members of the African-American community come to me telling me they would support me...

Karen: ...and significant numbers. Many former colleagues, former students and their parents, lots of people Lee and I have worked with over the years who know us and know our hearts...it was actually during coffee with one of those friends on our porch this summer that convinced Lee to run.

Lee: Yes, she’s a prominent community leader.

When she came by, at the end of our conversation I said, “Well, I guess you hear they’re trying to get me to run for mayor.” “Listen,” she said, “I’m not going to nag you to do that, but I will support you.”

That helped me to see that I had broader support and would not just be the “white mayor.” I could be accepted as a mayor with diverse support who will work for the best interests of everyone in Americus.

SCL:Were there other plans you had previously for your retirement?

Lee: Oh yes. We wanted to go to Italy for a month, rent a house in Tuscany or Umbria and kick up our heels and relax. There was this desire to disengage… to take a break…

Karen: Retreat, retreat! I mean, the way the world is, it’s tempting to do that. And oddly, all of this coincides with a forced isolation. I think most people found out with COVID that they actually do need people. We need this engagement with others. We need to be called out of our own heads to reach out to someone else.

SCL: Karen, were you on board from the beginning on Lee’s decision to run for mayor?

We have spent over half of our lives taking care of young people. Here is what I mean when I say that we are prepared to ”take care of people.” I mean respecting them, listening to them, encouraging them, giving them hope, empowering them to grow and to develop into their best selves. I think that much of what we did in the classroom for thirty years will work well in our new roles.

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Karen: I think so, yes. It was his decision all along.

I wasn’t going to put any pressure on him. I was a bit surprised when I got the text message from him [that he would run]; I was away on a bike trip riding the Great Allegheny Passage Trail and the C&O Canal Towpath with some friends…

Lee: Some strong, powerful women...these women are incredible!

SCL: How many miles is that?

Karen: It was 333 miles. We biked 60 miles a day and stayed in motels along the way. I read Lee’s text to my friend from Wisconsin and her mother, who turned 77 the last day of our trip. I was not surprised. And at one point I think I said, “We can be co-mayors.”

Lee: Yes. She’ll be the Eleanor Roosevelt to my Franklin. Our marriage is much better though. [laughs] SCL:What is one of the most pressing challenges facing Americus?

Lee: When I started engaging in the idea and the process of running for mayor, I began opening my eyes more widely to the issues that are mostly symptoms of poverty. We have a high poverty rate. (30.3%).

Karen: Poverty is a reality in Atlanta or Savannah as well, but living here you’re in much closer proximity to it, whereas in Atlanta you could live in certain suburbs and rarely see it...

Lee: ...because you shop at different Walmarts. The way I gauge it is this: we have a small community that encompasses all races, age groups, sexual orientations and socioeconomic statuses. The difference is we all shop at the same grocery stores; we have one Walmart here. It brings the entire community together in common spaces. Of course, we have segregated ourselves in this community, as all Southern communities did, through the establishment of private schools, for example. And we tend to segregate ourselves, of course, on Sunday mornings at church more than any other time of the week.

Nevertheless, in a small town, we have no choice but to work together and shop together and to occupy the same spaces. If we are not able to begin a dialogue in which we

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address the past honestly, in which we address the issues openly but also work toward a consensus of understanding of what the common good is, then we are doomed. It will not end well for anyone. To move forward we must work together. For the white or African-American populations to think they can somehow live in isolation or that the sufferings of others or community issues will not touch them...we are all touched by it, whether we realize it or not. So we must engage. All of us must engage. Of course, Karen and I have been engaged in the community through our careers as educators. This next phase of our lives will simply be an extension of that in a new arena.

Karen: There is a word used in talking about the environment...ecosystem. If there are people at the top of our ecosystem in Americus using drugs, for example, it contributes to what I see when I go to teach art lessons to peers at New Life Recovery. It’s aiding and abetting and feeding the drug culture in this ecosystem. And while the people of privilege can eek by with high-functioning addiction, people in lower socioeconomic groups can’t.

They are the ones who get arrested, and they do jail time.

SCL: So how do you have a healthy ecosystem?

Lee: We have to cultivate it and model it. I’m reminded of the passage in the Gospel of Luke that says, “For those to whom much is given, much is expected.” We are called to be honest and vulnerable, to love people, to do the right thing, and when we fall short, admit it and make amends.

When we get older, we begin to see the utter fragility of all of it—of civilization itself. All that really matters in life is loving God and loving people—your neighbors. I talked a lot about neighborliness in my campaign. What we need

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in this town, and everywhere for that matter, is a restoration of good, old-fashioned neighborliness. You can’t say you love your neighbor if you don’t know your neighbor. When we talk about the racial divide, the gender divide, the generational divide, or the socioeconomic divide in communities, I think the first step in working to bridge those divides is through neighborliness. There will be other steps of course, but we first need to have a neighborly relationship with people before beginning those more difficult discussions.

Karen: And I think to help our young people, as we see anxiety and mental health problems on the rise in younger children, we need to extend that same kind of care and sense of belonging. They need to feel seen and heard by everybody in their lives.

Lee: Children are the most unheard in any community’s population. One of the things I hope to do is to engage young people in the political process. Our Boys and Girls Club closed and so we’ve got a lot of holes that need to be shored up. And then, for grown people, I just say, “Break bread with folks.”

No launching into difficult topics, no philosophical or political discourse, just get together around the table and get to know one another as human beings first. Put the electronic devices down, build a relationship based on what we have in common, build some trust, then talk. That is step one!

Karen: And music. Food and music. And dancing.

There’s a really great song by the Highwomen called “Crowded Table” and the lyrics are: I want a house with a crowded table/ And a place by the fire for everyone/ Let us take on the world while we’re young and able And bring us back together when the day is done/ The door is always open/ Your picture’s on my wall/ Everyone’s a little bit broken/ But everyone belongs.  SCL

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OVER SIXTY YEARS IN BUSINESS

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1 2 5 U S H I G H W AY 2 8 0 W, A M E R I C U S , G A 3 1 7 1 9 | ( 2 2 9 ) 9 2 4 - 0 3 0 6 | W W W. P E R R Y B R O T H E R S O I L . C O M

1011 OAK AVENUE | AMERICUS , GA 31709 | 229.924.6101

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In It For the

Long Haul 118

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This family-owned company have been a vital part of industry in this area since 1948, beginning with Jimmy McClinton and continuing since the mid-1960s under the leadership of the Harold Sumerford family.

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Most people living around the Americus area are familiar with the “big orange trucks” at the intersection of Rucker Street and Highway 19 North, trademark of J&M Tank Lines. These trucks and this family-owned company have been a vital part of industry in this area since 1948, beginning with Jimmy McClinton and continuing since the mid-1960s under the leadership of the Harold Sumerford Family.

I sat down with Harold Sumerford, Jr. at his family farm in rural Sumter County to discuss his success in an industry that is a huge part of the backbone of American economy.

As the owner and CEO of J&M Tank Lines, Harold has dedicated his life to making the company one of the best in

S t o r y b y L i s a H o l l o w ay | P h o t o s b y M i s t y W a r r e n o f S w e e t M a g n o l i a P h o t o g r a p h y & J & M C o r p o r at e o f f i c e Hometown Living At Its Best

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the industry while also realizing the importance of being active in the community.

Harold has had a positive impact in various communities including Sumter County, residing here for many years leading J&M Tank Lines, supporting Georgia Sheriff Boy’s Ranch through fundraising efforts, and serving in various leadership roles including board chair at Southland Academy, just to name a few! “Giving back to the communities in which J&M is located is very important to my success,” he stated. And successful he is! When the Sumerford family became the sole owners of J&M in 1982, there were 92 trucks and 110 employees housed in Americus. Currently, they have 400 trucks and 525 employees spanning South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, and Alabama.

I asked Harold how he got involved in the trucking industry. “I began working in and learning the

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Harold also knows it is important to use the resources of J&M to give back to our nation. One way this is accomplished is by ongoing participation in Wreaths Across America, a program that chooses trucking companies to deliver wreaths to America’s national cemeteries during the Christmas season. In December of 2021, J&M Trucking was honored to be able to deliver wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery which were placed on the graves of our nation’s heroes.

shop duties as a young boy when my father, Harold Sumerford, Sr., bought into J&M,” he said. Being a part of the daily operations led to a desire to move to the business side of the company. When asked what he feels has made him stand out as a leader, he explained, “I try to instill that the key is treating people like we want to be treated, both employees and the businesses we serve. I tell our employees to make sure everything they do is something they wouldn’t mind if their mama knew about.” He credits his family and his faith as the basis of his beliefs and I find this to be good advice no matter what field you are in!

During our conversation, Harold repeatedly gave much of the credit for his success to those around him, including both former and current leaders of J&M like his brother, Peter, who has been a part of the company for over 20 years and currently serves as President. He also gave credit to his wife, Shannon, who he called “the director of fun”. She works tirelessly to make sure all the activities to benefit the extended J&M family are carried out without a hitch.

She is always on the go, putting those “special touches” on events related to J&M. Harold believes in recognizing and appreciating those who work to make the company successful, so the calendar fills up quickly with opportunities for him and Shannon to work as a team! One example is each fall when customers of J&M are invited to spend a few days at Sumerford Farms in Americus. These business owners can get away from the daily demands of their jobs by hunting and enjoying home-cooked meals, while also networking in a friendly, stressfree environment. Harold, Shannon, and Peter are “hands on” with this event to show their appreciation for the business relationships that foster success for everyone.

Harold also makes sure the company goes the extra mile to let employees and their families know they are valued team members of J&M

through events like annual company picnics complete with good food, games, and door prizes ranging from flashlights and gift cards to gaming systems and big screen TVs and all-expense paid cruises for employees at each 10-year anniversary. Anyone attending these events can see the mutual respect between employer and employees, which is a testament to Harold’s leadership and commitment, not only to the company, but to the individuals who help make J&M successful.

When asked about his goals, Harold stated that raising a successful family, building a great company, and surrounding him with good people who share his vision have been his top priorities. He spoke with pride about the accomplishments of his children and their families.

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He is also proud of the reputation of excellence J&M has in the industry, especially regarding the recognition that driver Darrien Henderson of Mobile terminal has obtained.

Darrien is one of 30 finalists to become a part of America’s Road Team, a group of 12 truckers who will travel the country speaking to students and organizations, as well as participating in service projects to further awareness and appreciation of the trucking industry in America. Even being named a finalist is a huge honor and a testament to the success of J&M in hiring and maintaining excellent drivers.

Harold also knows it is important to use the resources of J&M to give back to our nation. One way this is accomplished is by ongoing participation in Wreaths Across America, a program that chooses trucking companies to deliver wreaths to America’s national cemeteries during the Christmas season. In December of 2021, J&M Trucking was honored to be able to deliver wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery which were placed on the graves of our nation’s heroes.

Harold noted that his goal is not only to run a successful company, but also to be a leader in improving the trucking industry worldwide. Harold has been an active member

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of the trucking industry both at the state and national level for several years, previously leading the Georgia Motor Trucking Association and currently serving as the Chairman of America Trucking Association.

“It’s an honor to be able to advocate for the industry in this way,” Harold stated. His goal is to advocate for laws and regulations which improve the industry while also helping the public understand the importance of trucking for our economy. “During the pandemic, America was able to keep going because truckers didn’t stop. Products were transported and that is because the trucking companies, including J&M, kept running.”

Harold will also use his tenure to improve his leadership of J&M. “While I travel to promote the industry, I will also be able to learn from others in the business about ways to be more successful professionally.” With many employees, from drivers to management to office staff and executives, who have over 20 years of continual employment under Harold’s leadership, I’d say he has proven he has what it takes to be a successful leader for the long haul. SCL

Harold also makes sure the company goes the extra mile to let employees and their families know they are valued team members of J&M through events like annual company picnics complete with good food, games, and door prizes ranging from flashlights and gift cards to gaming systems and big screen TVs and all-expense paid cruises for employees at each 10year anniversary. Anyone attending these events can see the mutual respect between employer and employees, which is a testament to Harold’s leadership and commitment, not only to the company, but to the individuals who help make J&M successful.

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Index of Advertisers Arnold & Hooks, LLC Attorneys at Law ……......……… 127

Mossy Pond Retrievers ……….............................…… 113

A Cut Above Salon ………….........................................… 9

Nutrien ………......................................................…… 117

Accelerated Physical Therapy …………......................… 87

Parker’s Heating & Air Conditioning ………............…… 76

Adams Exterminators .................................…………… 88

Paul Anderson Youth Home ………......................…… 126

Americus Apartment Homes ……….....................…… 124

Perfect Care, Inc …….......................................……… 116

Americus Dental ………….................… Inside Front Cover

Perry Brothers ………...........................................…… 117

Andersonville Encampment …………........................… 99

Phoebe ….........................................................………… 5

Blanchard Photography ………........................…… 52-53

Plains Historic Inn & Antique Mall …….........……… 24-25

Chandler Morgan Eyeworks ….......................………… 2-3

Promise of Hope …….......................................……… 114

Citizens Bank of Americus ……….....…… 115, Back Cover

Pro-Tech Security Group, Inc. …....................………… 124

City of Andersonville ……...................................……… 89

Roberts Jewelers ……......................................……… 127

Cooper Lighting Solutions ………...…… Inside Back Cover

Rylander Theatre ……….........................................…… 77

David Parks Photography ………......................…… 38-39

Scott’s Jewelry …..........................................………… 127

Decorating Unlimited ……....................................……… 1

South Georgia Technical College …………..............… 125

Firstate Bank ……................................................……… 7

Southland Academy ……...................................……… 51

Friends of Jimmy Carter ……...............................……… 74

Southwest Georgia Center of Medicine …………......… 98

Gatewood, Skipper, and Rambo, PC ………….........… 125

Strickland Accounting LLC ……........................……… 126

Georgia Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center ………… 126

Sumter County Chamber of Commerce ……….…… 40-41

GNN Radio ……................................................……… 116

Sumter County Living ……............................……… 64-65

Harvey Drilling ….......................................………… 26-27

Sunbelt Ford of Americus ……...........................……… 75

Hooks Simmons Insurance ….......................………… 126

The Local Marketplace ….............................………… 127

Louis A. Riccardi, DDS, PC ……..........................……… 63

Turton Properties ………......................................…… 124

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