THE
INBOX Delivering the latest news to Henry County employees
January 16 Published by Henry County Communications Department & Henry County Board of Commissioners Editors Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Graphic Designer Samantha Watson Contributors Meredith Butler Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Kevin Williams Chyah Williams-Thompson
Please contribute to the monthly employee newsletter! Email Communications Specialist, Samantha Watson at swatson@co.henry.ga.us. Contributions can include: original artwork, comics, pictures, announcements, classifieds or columns.
More than a just a promise
By: Samantha Watson
This year will be different. This is your year, your opportunity to be your best you. Just forget about last year… no sense in bringing up the past. You’re older and wiser now. You’re motivated now. You’re a beast and you’re going to full out “win” 2016. We are all familiar with preNew Year’s pep talks and we all know what it’s like to be a grumpy cat when it comes to confronting ourselves and re-evaluating our lives. New Year’s resolutions are consistently the worst kept promises, but sometimes they are the motivation that changes lives. Why would you not keep a promise you made to yourself, all the while keeping promises to others? Don’t you matter more? Aren’t you who you are accountable to? Haven’t you a responsibility to yourself? Only you can give yourself what you want. A resolution is a way for you to promise yourself you’ll do what you want. A promise you’ll never break because you’ll just be “breaking” yourself. Be stubborn, be staunch, be unwavering with your promise because you owe it to yourself. Resolutions should never be about change; change insinuates a
negative present tense and thus a more promising future. Basing your new year off a negative self-image will ultimately leave you disappointed and defeated. You can’t convince yourself you can do it, all the while remembering how you couldn’t do it last year. You’ll eventually end up convincing yourself you’ll just do it next year. This is the cyclic nature of promises, promises, promises. Resolutions should be about empowerment. Try to build off of the person you were last year, imagining yourself adding to a vivacious collage of a person, not tearing off what you don’t like and starting from scratch. Vibrancy is the spice of life and with a pinch of hopefulness and dash of dedication, a “new you” will organically emerge from the ashes of 2015. Positive self-image, bravery and self-belief are the ticket to 2016.
January 16 Happy 25th Anniversary to the Henry County Police Department! The pictured department members have been serving the citizens of Henry County and the Henry County Police Department since its inception in 1991.
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Left to Right: Field Training Officer George Padgett Field Training Officer Joe Hencely Retired Major Mac Nale Detective Sergeant James Peaden Major Robbie Savage Field Training Officer Roger Pike Detective Tom Stott Police Chief Keith Nichols Sergeant Roger Stubbs
The Inbox
in leaders hip class...
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January Health Observances
American Red Cross Blood Drives
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, Thyroid Awareness Month, National Birth Defects Prevention Month, National Blood Donor Month, National Glaucoma Awareness Month and National Stalking Awareness Month.
1/18 McDonough Presbyterian Church 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 1/21 First Baptist Church 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm.
Cervical Cancer Facts • 12,000 women a year will contract cervical cancer. • Over 70% of cervical cancer is caused by two types of the HPV virus. • Cervical cancer is the 2nd most common type of cancer among women. • Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. • Over the last 30 years, the cervical cancer death rate has gone down by more than 50 %. • Screenings, like the Pap Smear, can find changes in the cervix before cancer developes. • Cervical cancer developes very slowly, sometimes over decades. • To prevent cervical cancer, get screened every 3 to 5 years and ask your doctor about being vaccinated against HPV.
How to Prevent Thyroid Disease • • • • • • • • •
Stop smoking. Test for and treat thyroid antibodies. Stay away from genetically modified foods and soy. Take supplements like Selenium. Take Potassium Iodide after exposure to toxins and radiation. Stay away from fluoride as much as you can. Avoid Perchlorate, a common water and food contaminant. Be aware of your local levels of contamination. Get tested for Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance as these are causes of Thyroid Disease. Relax. High stress levels overwork your Thyroid.
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January 16 County Manager Corner with Mr. Lyndon L. Bonner With January well under way, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year and let you know that we are coming into a busy time in Henry County Government. The proposed budgets have been submitted and we take on the task of thinking ahead on how to best prepare for Henry County’s bright future. I look forward to working with Department heads and Staff during this process in crafting a budget that is responsive to the County’s needs while being good stewards of the public’s trust and money. I’m also looking to tackle the challenges that we face regarding our aging infrastructure, as well as other county-wide needs. The New Year often means a fresh start, which can be both personally and professionally. There are hundreds, if not thousands of articles, stories and programs about how to have your “best year ever,” and here in Henry County, I too, am looking toward the “best year ever.” I like to look at every New Year, every beginning, as an opportunity to grow, change, renew and refresh. Stay with what is working, change what isn’t and be fearless in setting and reaching goals. And I would like to challenge you, as members of our Henry County family, to challenge yourselves this year in reaching new heights, whether personally or professionally. Perhaps you want to be more organized, earn accreditations in your professional field, make health a priority or something else entirely. Whatever it takes to make 2016 your “best year ever” I urge you to find what is important to you and take that first step in making it a reality. Thank you in advance for what I expect to be an outstanding 2016 and I look forward to seeing the great things we will accomplish here in Henry County this coming year! The Inbox
SAFETY FIRST Claim reporting with Chyah Williams-Thompson
Why the rush? Why stop in the middle of a work day to report something as minor as a pricked finger to your supervisor? Yes, claim reporting can be a hassle for those involved, but timely reporting could save a limb or a life. It is very important to report an injury, malfunctioning equipment or general dangers within the office as promptly as they happen or are recognized. Timely reporting can eliminate future hazards and save another employee from getting hurt. Machinery or processes that cause injuries or damage must be fixed immediately. This can only occur if management, staff and all others involved are made aware of all hazardous conditions or situations as they arise. Additionally, timely reporting helps reduce cost. Immediate medical attention usually costs far less than unreported injuries that have worsened over time. Immediate medical attention also ensures that injuries don’t get worse. It’s better for you and more cost effective to walk away with a few stiches than end up contracting an infection a couple weeks after the incident because of neglect. Timely reporting also expresses to the employee that their well-being is important and taken seriously. For more information on claim reporting and how to keep yourself and others safe, log on to The Henry Communicator, or employee intranet, at http://www.henrycommunicator.com.
Classifieds BEACHBODY COACH You’re ready to take charge of your life and finally commit to your health. As a Beachbody Coach and personal trainer I can help you lose weight, get your nutrition in line and feel better. You will succeed with the right tools: 30 minute at-home workouts tailored to your fitness level, personalized nutritional plans, health-first supplements and uplifting support. Explore your options online at www.teambeachbody. com/samwatson, give me a call at 770-312-1156, or email me at samanthawatsons@aol.com. I specialize in body-positive and health-first fitness and am ready to help you be the healthiest you! DONE BY US Handmade gifts, monogrammed Christmas ornaments, wine glasses, shot glasses, tumblers, car decals, t-shirts and more! Check us out at https://www.etsy.com/shop/donebyus?ref=search_ shop_redirect or https://www.facebook.com/ DoneByUsMcDonough/?fref=ts. We do special requests and can customize to order. Call Terry at 678-763-3395 or email at TerryDavi@aol.com. SELL YOUR STUFF Have a classified ad you’d like to see in The Inbox? We’ve got room! Email Communications Specialist, Samantha Watson at swatson@co.henry.ga.us if you have items or services to sell or give away. Advertisments and items sold by non-county employees are not permitted. No “lost pet” or free animal postings please.
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January 16
Office Notes
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& name that meme Who hosted the 2015 Academy Awards?
Who was the last guest on the “Late Show with David Letterman?”
Massage Therapy • Onsite massage therapy takes place every Thursday with licensed massage therapist, Lauren Mullennix. Massages last for 10 minutes and cost $10; cash only. For upcoming times and locations please contact Onsite Health Coach, Melodi Ford, at 770-288-6804.
County Vehicles • Car washing services for county vehicles will take place every Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. For more information contact Arthur Weems, Director of Code Enforcement/Community Services.
Job Openings • • • • • • • • • • •
Basic Support Firefighter/Paramedic Certified Police Officer Department of Transportation Director Equipment Operator II Executive Assistant II Fire Chief Firefighter/EMT GIS Stormwater Inspector Director of Human Resources Personal Property Appraiser Substance Abuse Counselor
Where did Super Bowl XLIX take place?
Who is the breakout star who played Stella Carlin on the third season of Orange is the New Black on Netflix? Which singer left the band “One Direction?”
Who became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy in the Best Actress in a Drama category? What film had the biggest opening weekend of 2015? Which artist won Album of the Year at the 2015 Grammys? Who was the most Googled person of 2015?
Caitlyn Jenner made her first appearance to the world via what magazine? Answers are listed on the employee intranet.
The Inbox
Happy New year wordsearch the 58th us presidential election takes place
Russia says it will launch the worlds first space hotel
X N I H K H M R S N G Y S W V D O S V F J G U I E
P R Z Q Q G Z I J B H U C P D A O T R A R P U Z I
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S O E A O G R A H X L D V U A N A E P R L U L T Q
C G C V I A A Z A H J E P V Q Q R D T M S I B U U
S C A N T N W N M H H G E Z Z S H T I L J C H G Q
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O O V Z G F W E G E B B J T Z J O P T S B D P W B
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C X K J S C C R D C R B G J A K I R I Y S M B P B
NASA’s Juno spacecraft will arrive at Jupiter in July
Rio de Janeiro hosts Olympic summer games in august
bubbly, celebrate, champagne, cheers, dancing, festivities, happy, holiday, kiss, merry, midnight, extravaganza, party, resolution, sparklers, toast, tradition.
Virtual Reality Gaming glasses, Oculus Rift, Launches Sales
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