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VALDOSTA magazine COOKING WITH FRIENDS RANDY DeCOUDRES & CHARLES BARCLAY

DOWNTOWN VALDOSTA

REVITALIZED

INTO THE WOODS

CLAIRE SHELTON LEE

PROFILES / WEDDINGS / ARTS & CULTURE / HOME

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Photography by Sarah Kathryn Photography

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FEATURES

27 HOME

GARDEN

C o o k i n g Wi t h Fr i e n d s

Rooms Reimagined

Chef Randy DeCoudres, Charles Barclay, and a Taste of Merry Old England

Tin Lily Design Brings Cohesion to a Refresh

In t o t h e Wo o d s Claire Shelton Lee Finds Meaning and Purpose in Forestry

Ma i n S t r e e t G e t s a G l ow - u p Downtown Valdosta Is Booming 2 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

Fi n d i n g t h e Bright Side 828 Collective Transforms Hurricane Helene Damage Into a Custom Space

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55 Years of The Nutcracker

ARTS & CULTURE ON THE COVER Chef Randy DeCoudres shares the recipe and a brief history of the Pimm’s Cup, which traces its origins to a London restaurateur, to accompany the British inspired cuisine featured in Cooking With Friends (page 27).

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A r t i s t He a t h e r C h a m b e r s

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Mov e m e n t Is f o r E v e r y o n e Southern Pediatric Center’s Tips for Staying Active

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Back: Pate Hogan, Client Service Associate, Jack Barclay, Investment Strategist; Lawton Lyons, Client Relationship Consultant, Justin Martin, Financial Advisor; Front: Lee M. Smothers, Marketing Director; Jodi Myddelton, Registered Sales Assistant; Alyssa Hewett, Client Service Associate

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CRAFTING A FINANCIAL PLAN THAT EVOLVES WITH YOU LIFE CHANGES. YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN SHOULD TOO. building their financial future, but fewer spend time updating that MANY years plan as life evolves. Whether you're approaching retirement, raising a caring for aging parents, or simply entering a new stage of life, PEOPLE family, regular financial checkups can help ensure your plans still reflect your SPEND goals, values, and priorities. REVIEW WHAT YOU'VE BUILT

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from the

PUBLISHER EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS John F. Riddle & Connie K. Riddle Showcase Publications, Inc. ART DIRECTOR Robin Harrison AD DESIGNER Russ Hutto ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amy Faeskorn EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Marlana Hufstetler OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER AND COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Wes Sewell Photography

Photographer Wes Sewell, John F. Riddle, Randy DeCoudres, Charles & Rena Barclay, Connie Riddle at the photo shoot for “Cooking With Friends” at the Barclay residence

t’s a wonderful time of year in South Georgia as the air begins to cool, leaves begin to turn, football stadiums fill with cheering fans, and the fall issue of Valdosta Magazine arrives with a mix of stories that has a little something for everyone. This issue highlights the good work being done in and around Lowndes County by people truly invested in their community: Claire Shelton Lee’s lifelong love of forestry; the expansion of downtown Valdosta’s live, work, and play options; and a special “across the pond” Cooking With Friends featuring the story and favorite recipes of Charles Barclay. Our regular departments include a beautiful wedding, two stunning home redesigns, the art of Heather Lee Chambers, stories of local business leaders, philanthropy, and 55 years of Valdosta’s timeless classic, The Nutcracker. Our next issue will publish in December and will feature “Love & Marriage” as the special section, while February will focus on “Spring Fashions.” Next May will showcase “Home & Garden.” We look forward to continuing to bring you the best stories of the people you know in the community you love by local writers and photographers who bring them to life. We hope you enjoy the changing of the seasons. Hopefully you and your loved ones can cozy up to a warm fire, enjoy meaningful conversations, and have have quiet times of reflection as the leaves turn and fall. And for great reading, relax with a copy of Valdosta Magazine or bring an extra with you to share with friends. As always, we’re thankful for all those who make this publication so special—especially our advertisers, who make it all possible! Sincerely, John & Connie Riddle

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Charlene Blache Narci Drossos Amy Faeskorn Marlana Hufstetler John F. Riddle Madison Thornhill CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Annelise Branham Captured by Colson Photography Sharon Coleman The Haven Valdosta Heather Lee Chambers Javon Longieliere Carmen Simpson Photography DESIGNERS Robin Harrison Russ Hutto PROOFREADERS Amy Faeskorn Marlana Hufstetler ADVISING CONSULTANT Lamb Lastinger PUBLISHER EMERITUS Johnny B. Lastinger

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S a r a h K at e C a l l & C a d e R o b e rt s

A Long Time Coming

May 16, 2026 May 16, 2026 May 23, 2026 May 23, 2026 May 23, 2026 May 29, 2026 May 30, 2026 May 30, 2026 May 30, 2026 May 30, 2026 Stokes May 30, 2026 June 6, 2026 nzalez June 13, 2026 son June 13, 2026 June 20, 2026 k June 27, 2026 idge July 18, 2026 lk July 25, 2026 n September 4, 2026 enson September 5, 2026 ster September 12, 2026 ey September 12, 2026 right September 26, 2026 s ael Coggins II September 26, 2026 October 3, 2026 h October 10, 2026 avas October 10, 2026 October 24, 2026 October 24, 2026 Paulk October 24, 2026 er October 24, 2026 orge November 6, 2026 ndson November 14, 2026 November 21, 2026 November 28, 2026 den December 5, 2026 Dickens December 12, 2026 March 6, 2027 er Exum avis April 2, 2027 ygier April 17, 2027

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V O L . 32 • NO . 2 • 20 26

Wedding Registries

CO OKING with friends

“Our families began hanging out together almost every day eating oysters on the back porch. Now I consider him one of my closest friends.”

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Grilling Tip

Randy DeCoudres

“The important thing is to establish a hot and a cool zone.”

“Thank you for one of the best area magazines ever published!” – Barbara J. Moore

Above The friendship between Randy and Justin started when their sons Chase Purvis, Franklin DeCoudres, and Luke Purvis began playing together in their neighborhood. Left Cooking with friends is a real past-time for Randy and his wife, Katie (not pictured) and Lindsey & Justin. Though Lindsey and Justin now live in the Stone Creek neighborhood, the couples and their families still enjoy meals together and the long sit after every meal.

Justin agrees that their families’ relationship is one of “the greatest things to come out of the pandemic.” It started with their kids playing outside together and the adults sharing afternoon drinks on the patio. “Randy and Katie invited us over for the ﬁrst time to celebrate my wife Lindsey’s 35th birthday that April. They celebrated with us like we had been close friends for years,” Justin says. “That’s the way they make everyone feel…welcomed, loved, and appreciated.” One afternoon Justin was grilling chicken breasts when Randy stopped by, so Justin invited him to stay for dinner. “Suddenly, I realized I was grilling for a chef,” Justin laughs. They both agreed the chicken was dry, but knowing his way around a kitchen, Randy found the Heinz 57 sauce and never missed a beat. Justin has learned a lot from him about grilling since then. “Whenever he and I get together, food is usually involved,” Justin says. “Typically, there’s meat on the grill and oysters on the half shell.” The best cooking tip Justin has learned from Randy is how to pair foods in a way that brings out the best ﬂavors in each dish. Perhaps more importantly, he’s come to realize that every aspect of a mealtime is to be enjoyed. “From meal preparation to the ‘long-sit’ (as Randy refers to it) after eating and up until clearing the table, mealtime should be a time of fellowship between family and friends,” Justin says. “The dinner table is where life happens.”

Story by AMY FAESKORN | Photography by WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Possibilities Welcome to Your

“Mealtime should be a time of fellowship between family and friends.” Justin Purvis

SUMMER 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

cquaintances but not close friends, Sarah Kate Call and Cade Roberts had always been familiar with each other. Both of their families are from Valdosta. Sarah Kate is the daughter of Tom and Kelly Call while Cade’s parents are Jerry and Darla Roberts. Cade grew up close to Sarah Kate’s grandparents, and she would often hear them referring to his family, their neighbors. Even though they went to different high schools, they had mutual friends but never developed a strong relationship. Eventually, Sarah Kate went to the University of Georgia (UGA) for college in 2020, and Cade began working in his family’s construction business Valdosta. Story by JOHN F. RIDDLE | Photography by JENNA LINDSEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Six years in the making, the Meta Shaw Coleman Children’s Imagination Station is on track to broaden the horizons of young people throughout South Georgia— and honor the enduring legacy of its namesake

“Love these segments with Randy. He is a talented chef and great sharing with others. Thanks!” – Donna Miller

com

Home & Garden COOKING WITH FRIENDS / BRIDAL / PROFILES / ARTS & CULTURE

“This is an awesome place… helping to make Valdosta great!” – Karen Puckett Suttles

assing through the doors of the Meta Shaw Coleman Children’s Imagination Station (the Imagination Station) for the first time, visitors can’t help but notice the rainbow of colors greeting them at every turn. A red display in the entryway beckons a climb aboard the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Train, where video touchscreens broadcast a rotation of local professionals like pediatrician Charlene Blache and painter Steven S. Walker telling the stories of their career paths. Toward the back on the right, a yellow Music Makers destination features the Sound Studio, offering a lineup of acoustic guitars and other instruments, and the Lyric Lab, which stands ready for recording sessions. Flanked by images of Georgia pines and the Okefenokee Swamp, a ramp along the back wall precedes the Sky Walk, ending among the clouds, where the properties of airflow make themselves known from miniature parachutes bobbing high above a trio of pneumatic blowers down below. On the ground floor, in the green-themed Georgia Grown destination, farmers like State Senator Russ Goodman share what it’s like to work the land, while a video microscope in the Ag Lab magnifies seed pods and other natural materials to an almost comical size.

HOME & GARDEN

46 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE SUMMER 2026

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The Denham Residence Story by ANNELISE BRANHAM / Photography by WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

SUMMER 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

A Makeover for Empty Neﬆers

“Very pretty!” – Karen Puckett Suttles

Designs by CALLIE SHAW, OWNER, TIN LILY DESIGN Story by JOHN F. RIDDLE / Photography by WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Before

hen the youngest of their five sons finished high school, the owners of this home in Stone Creek decided it was time to upgrade their home’s décor. The rustic touches that had once served them well, like the large farmhouse dining room table, have now made way for more modern furniture and artwork along with custom drapes and pillows that add color and texture to spaces throughout the house. The owner has a flair for design herself and had already selected many of the basic elements of the look she was going for, but she turned to Callie Shaw, owner of Tin Lily Design, to help pull it all together. “You don’t have to hire a full-time designer and start from scratch when you’re interested in updating your home,” Shaw says. “Maybe you just need help finalizing a room with custom draperies, pillows, and ideas on how to make the space cohesive. I like to work with a client’s personal items and refine rooms with new elements.” The new finishes and fabrics have provided these empty nesters with custom interior upgrades that make their home feel new again.

“Callie Shaw is talented.” – Amy Smith CALLIE SHAW

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dining room The transformation in this space was dramatic. The farmhouse table was swapped out for a for a modern round table with a built-in Lazy Susan and is surrounded by upholstered chairs on casters. Shaw started with custom drapes that set the color palette for the other accents in the room including the rug, artwork, and two accent chairs with custom pillows.

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Make checks payable to Showcase Publications and mail to P.O. Box 391 Jesup, GA 31598 Foyer A series of six miniature watercolor landscape prints framed over a bench with custom pillows now greets visitors. Once black, the buffet was repainted a shade of kelly green in the same color family as the drapes in the home office and is now adorned with family photos.

Before

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INTO THE

Decades into her unanticipated career in forestry and as an award-winning steward to her family’s land, Claire Shelton Lee ﬁnds meaning among the trees

n a typical workday during the peak of summer at Shelton Land Company’s headquarters, a modest 100-year-old building that once served as her father’s office and retains its original wiring, Claire Shelton Lee sits behind her desk and gets busy. She fields a phone call from a member of her crew about whether they’ve used the best spacing to plant pine trees for “chip ’n saw,” wonders if it’s hot enough to turn on the window-unit air conditioner, and laments that her beloved tractor is still in the shop. Although her cousin, Dick Shelton, oversees the financial and legal aspects of the business, the operation is very much a one-woman show—a configuration she wouldn’t have any other way. “I don’t spend a lot of time in the office. I’m usually outside, where I love to be,” says Lee, who’s been at the helm of her family’s company since 1990. A passionate advocate for her fellow foresters, she’s been recognized for outstanding contributions to her field twice in the past three years: She was named the 2023 Tree Farmer of the Year by the Georgia Tree Farm Association, and she’s the Forest Landowner Association’s Forest Landowner of the Year for 2026.

STORY BY AMY FAESKORN PHOTO BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

A portrait of Lee’s grandfather, George Shelton Sr., taken by legendary Depression-era photographer Dorothea Lange in the ‘30s. A Shelton cousin discovered it several years ago at the National Archives in Washington, DC.

Born and raised in Valdosta, Lee grew up visiting the parcels of land in northeast Lowndes County that her great-grandfather, C.I. Shelton, began purchasing in the late 1890s. Once it reached the fourth generation of Sheltons, it had expanded to a total of 6,000 acres. “My granddaddy lived oﬀ the land. He had cows roaming free, started leasing some of it to deer hunters, and started a quail hunting operation to help cover his taxes, but it was otherwise untouched,” she recalls. The youngest of three girls, Lee preferred climbing trees to fussing with dolls. “I used to beg my daddy, ‘Take me to the country!’” she says. “The outdoors was always my happy place.” Lee’s father, George Shelton Jr., owned Shelton Naval Stores Processing Company, so he wasn’t directly involved in managing the land until it fell into his, his sister Joy’s, and his brother Tom’s hands in the ’60s. By then, a portion of the property had also been leased to timber companies who signed agreements to cut wood whenever they wanted, the last of which expired in the early ’70s. What had been privately owned family property became Shelton Land Company Incorporated in 1974. “It was tremendous foresight on their part,” Lee notes. Meanwhile, Lee had graduated from high school and began studying criminal justice at what was then Valdosta State College. The ﬁrst woman to complete a degree in

Above Lee on her family’s land while she was still learning the ropes in the early ’90s. From left: C.H. Robinson, Lee, Tom Shelton, Dick Shelton and his daughter Sally Shelton

that major, she went off to Atlanta and began a successful career, first for a law firm and then in Macy’s retail security. The thought of pursuing a career in forestry never entered her mind. Everything changed for Lee in an instant when her father passed away unexpectedly in July of 1987. “All I could think about was what would happen to the property. My uncle wasn’t in the best health. My sisters and some cousins didn’t have any interest,” she recalls. “It felt like God was telling me, ‘Someone has to come up behind

“ I don’t just grow trees...The real work is being a steward of the environment.”

Uncle Tom and take it over one day.’” Lee hemmed and hawed for months, uncertain what step to take, if any. Back then, forestry was an industry dominated by men, and she had no formal know-how to help her manage the land. “I finally made a list of things that had to happen in order for me to make that move. I needed to get into forestry school, pay off all my debts, and sell my house in Atlanta,” she explains. Sure enough, she was accepted at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), became debt-free, and rented her house to a friend and his fiancée. “In a matter of weeks, everything was settled,” says Lee. “I’m convinced God handled all of that.” The only woman in her two-year forestry program in a class of men a generation her junior, Lee thrived in her professors’ hands-on, team-oriented approach. Days spent out in the woods as she had in her youth on “timber cruises”—woodland area surveys to estimate volume and value of forest products—helped her realize she’d found her true calling. “That first quarter I said, ‘I love this. I don’t want to go back to Atlanta,’” she remembers. “I learned right quick that it was my passion.” After graduating from ABAC in 1989, Lee worked for the Georgia Forestry Commission, wary of offering to take over the family property without first gaining some experience. “I wanted to respect Tom’s expertise. He was still running operations, and I didn’t know all that much about the inner workings of the company.” She joined Shelton Land Company in 1990 at Tom’s request. After getting to know

Above Lee’s first ever ride on a tractor during her time as a forestry student at ABAC in 1989 Top Right Lee with her two taxidermy projects undertaken as a requirement for her ABAC wildlife degree Right The Shelton Land Company’s office as it originally looked on Lee’s father’s property. She moved it to its current location in 2001. Bottom Right The Shelton family land was the third tree farm granted membership in the Georgia Tree Farm Program.

FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Claire with her husband, Hank Lee, accepting her 2026 Forest Landowner of the Year award at the Forest Landowners’ Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana in June

16 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

the tract acquisition history, layout, and borders, her uncle asked her to step into a leadership role, and she’s been in charge ever since. The partnership with her cousin has proved invaluable over the years, enabling Lee to apply her understanding of best forestry practice as he handles legal issues and other executive duties. “It feels like Dick and I co-manage,” she says. “I get to do all the fun stuff in the woods—things I was trained to do and wanted to do. I can’t be who I am here without him.” The company has weathered the ups and downs of the timber industry, from the decline in demand for pulp due to digitization of record keeping to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene. Through it all, Lee has prioritized her relationship to, and reverence for, the precious piece of land that has done so much for her family and her profession—as well as spending time with her loved ones. Currently on the board of the Georgia Forestry Association, she remains one of the few female tree farmers in the state. She and her husband, Hank, are parents to daughter Anna, a captain in the United States Army; and son Jeff, a radiation oncologist, and his wife, Gretchen; they’re also grandparents to Jeff and Gretchen’s three children. Lee could join her husband in retirement at any time, but she has no intention of slowing down—at least, not yet. She views her role as vital to maintaining the health not only of the property but of the biodiversity it supports, along with the resources the ecosystem provides for both humans and animals. “I don’t just grow trees,” she says. “They’re a small part of it. The real work is being a steward of the environment.” One day the Shelton legacy will carry forward to future generations, but until then—once it’s back in service—she’ll be out riding her tractor again. “No one can mow like I do,” she smiles. “Our old hay field is counting on me!” -VM

All Fired Up Sharing the importance of controlled burns, reforestation, and civic engagement with the forest industry

arly on in her forestry career, Lee made education and outreach a top priority— particularly helping people understand the significance of prescribed fire as a management tool, because in her experience misconceptions abound. “Controlled burns have been around for thousands of years,” she explains. “They do so many things. They eliminate understory vegetation that competes with the pine trees. They put minerals and nutrients back into the ground. After about 10 days, you can go back and find all these tiny new leaves growing. Rabbits and gopher tortoises—among countless other wildlife species— go in and eat those tender greens. It reduces the risk of wildfires, controls insect growth, halts the spread of disease—the advantages are immeasurable.” When Lee went through an audit by the American Tree Association in 2023, she learned that Shelton Land Company is the oldest privately owned tree farm in the state, a distinction she doesn’t take lightly. “We were the third in Georgia to enroll as a member back in 1948,” she says. “Seventy-eight years later, we still adhere to a management plan that requires the Association’s approval.” She also wants people to know that 60 million acres of land are privately owned by timber farmers— more than are publicly managed—and that Georgia is the number one forestry state in the country. “The southeast is the wood basket of our nation. We plant more trees than we cut,” she says. “Our approach produces clean air and water and prevents erosion. I see us private owners as public servants. We’re truly doing all we can so that everyone benefits.” Photo by Wes Sewell Photography ISSUE THEME FALL 2026 2024 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Celebrating 40 Years!

3338-I Country Club Rd. | Summit Pointe Valdosta | 229.244.3369 | @ SteelsJewelry

We are honored that you choose us to be a part of your special milestones...engagements, holidays and celebrations. From the trust you show in allowing us to repair your family heirloom to the joy of opening a Steel's box, we are thankful and humbled to have served our community for the past 40 years!

FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Main Street GETS A GLOW-UP STORY BY AMY FAESKORN / PHOTO BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

DOWNTOWN VALDOSTA

welcomes new businesses, real estate partnerships, and a communal zeal for a revitalization that keeps Winnersville on top

ver the past 18 months, Valdosta’s historic district has undergone a rapid transformation. “For Lease” signs adorn once abandoned storefronts down Patterson Street. The Bleu Pub (a reboot of an old favorite) and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore— complete with a mural painted by Valdosta State University Art and Design students—brighten both ends of Hill Avenue. Within a four-block radius, new dining options like Fortify Pizza & Burger Bar, Mother’s Soup Company, and Three Crazy Bakers add to the already diverse restaurant scene. In a word, downtown is hopping—to the tune of over $24 million in total private investment. Why so much at once, and why now? “We’re experiencing tremendous growth in the region along I-75 in industrial parks,” explains Valdosta Main Street Manager Patrick Pearson. “Large employers like to see a vibrant town center. A mix of entrepreneurs and investors has seen the potential and are willing to take a chance on us.” As former Vice President of Marketing at Wild Adventures, Pearson brings expertise in the theme park industry to his new role, emphasizing the importance of sharing what Valdosta has to oﬀer Valdosta Main Street Manager Patrick Pearson, CVDA Board Chair Susan Mullis, and Winnersville Investment Partners Developer and CVDA Board Member Daniel Bayman in front of Fortify Pizza & Burger Bare, one of several new dining options in downtown

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with potential investors and elevating the city’s attractiveness to tourists. The strategy has worked wonders so far: Jacksonville’s Intercoastal Fisheries Hospitality Group saw one of the promotional videos Pearson shared online, flew in to see 128-130 North Ashley Street, and put in an offer a few days later. “Restaurants and bars are the first building blocks in developing a town center,” he says. “People come to eat and drink, and while they’re here, they shop.” Peach & Palm co-owners Jill Clark and Kasandra Hasenauer felt this spring was finally the right time to launch their candle bar and clothing boutique. Since opening in August, they’ve seen a steady stream of customers and hosted several candle-pouring parties for book clubs and girls’ groups. “Our clients can order a glass of wine next door at Southern Cellars, my other business, and then enjoy a relaxing time together. The walkability and location make it an ideal set-up for our business model,” notes Hasenauer. Amanda and James Davis bought the building at 132 North Patterson Street— former home to legendary restaurant Steel Magnolias—with the vision of creating a combined bookstore, café, and event space. The design of Society House, slated to open this fall, is inspired by retailers the couple grew to love when they lived in metro areas of the northeast. “Boston’s Beacon Hill Books & Café is a favorite of ours,” Amanda says. “We’re thrilled to bring some of that big city feel to downtown while providing a place to gather that feels cozy and inviting.” The Davises have also committed to preserving interior historical details such as the original hardwood flooring on all three interior levels of the space and downtown’s only rooftop bar with a view. Winnersville Investment Partners Developer Daniel Bayman led revitalization efforts with the renovation of the McKey hotel and event space in 2021, with work completed in 2023, as well as the founding of GUD Coffee/

Photo by Wes Sewell Photography

“WE’RE THRILLED TO BRING SOME OF THAT BIG CITY FEEL TO DOWNTOWN WHILE PROVIDING A PLACE TO GATHER THAT FEELS COZY AND INVITING.” Amanda Davis

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Society House, a café, bookstore, and event space owned by Amanda and James Davis, is slated to open this fall at 132 North Patterson Street—former home to Steel Magnolias restaurant.

Main Street “WE’RE EXCITED TO BRING QUALITY HOUSING AND RETAIL SPACE TO CONTINUE THE AMAZING MOMENTUM DOWNTOWN VALDOSTA IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING.” Daniel Bayman

The McKey Hotel renovation led the revitalization efforts in 2021 with work completed in 2023. Special event space is available for rent. GUD Coffee and Oak & Olive, an elevated bourbon and martini bar, occupy the bottom floor.

Oak & Olive. His company broke ground in early September on the site of its latest undertaking, the Union Apartments on West Hill Avenue. A $14.3 million project with a footprint of 18,000 square feet, the building will feature 51 modern, state-of-the-art units and is scheduled to open in late 2027. “We’re excited to bring quality housing and retail space to our community and to continue the amazing momentum downtown Valdosta is currently experiencing,” he says. “We’re grateful to our local leadership, our lenders, and our future tenants for believing in us.” Like Pearson, Bayman is banking on young professionals finding the new downtown an attractive destination to live, work, and play. The city of Valdosta has done its best to make the process of renovating buildings— some over 100 years old—as efficient as possible. “We try to advocate for these investors by helping them find creative solutions when code or permitting issues arise,” he says. “We also mediate with applicable departments to see if there can be flexibility in FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Main Street technical areas without compromising safety.” Hasenauer found the process of updating the space her store now occupies to be a smooth one. “We were able to infuse our modern aesthetic into the existing architectural elements to create something that feels truly unique,” she says. “That’s the beauty of doing business in a historic downtown.” Pearson continues to market ongoing investment opportunities via the Downtown Valdosta Property Pipeline Facebook page and is hopeful that Valdosta will regain its Georgia Exceptional Main Street (GEM) status, the highest awarded by the Georgia Department of Community Aﬀairs in partnership with Main Street America, within three years. The Central Valdosta Development Authority (CVDA) is also re-upping its commitment to downtown. “We’re proud to support this growth, and we’re just getting started,” says CVDA Board Chair Susan Mullis, who’s owned and operated The Flower Gallery at 127 North Ashley Street for 27 years. “Established businesses downtown work together and are like family. We can’t wait for more people to come shop and eat here.” Winnersville has always taken pride in the prowess of its team athletics and football superstars; its emerging conﬁdence as a magnet for investors and visitors, and a city that can once again showcase its charm, has sparked the kind of energy that only has one outcome: victory. “Everyone wants a downtown that feels safe and welcoming,” Pearson notes. “I think we’re achieving that.”

“LARGE EMPLOYERS LIKE TO SEE A VIBRANT TOWN CENTER.” Patrick Pearson

Right Several murals painted by local artists are becoming downtown attractions that make beautiful backdrops. Below New restaurants, retail

shops, and professional offices are attracting more people to the downtown area.

Photo provided by Main Street Valdosta

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Photo provided by Main Street Valdosta

A DOMINO EFFECT Poised for a refresh, Valdosta’s South Side looks forward to beautifying its properties and reviving its heritage Lifelong Valdosta resident and City Councilwoman Sandra Tooley has high hopes for the impact current revitalization efforts will have on her district. “The South Side once had a lot of successful businesses,” she recalls. “We’re excited to bring back that feeling we used to have as a neighborhood.” The Southside Redevelopment Project is a collaborative effort focused on leveraging the flow of capital into downtown to simultaneously improve the area south of Hill Avenue, the South Patterson Street corridor, and Madison Highway. “This part of town needs some love,” notes Pearson. “Our objective is to do some outreach around incentives that are available to property owners, such as low interest loans and grants. Bringing those spaces up to marketability is crucial.” Main Street Valdosta plans to host a town hall this fall with South Side building owners and residents to hear their vision for the neighborhood. “We’re also converting strategic goals into action plans that identify sources of funds, budgets, and timelines,” she adds. Tooley believes that progress will take root once residents experience its effects for themselves. “The domino effect is contagious. Once the city contributes its productivity, other businesses will follow,” she says. “The collaboration among private partners, organizations, governmental departments, and the community will bring capital and economic growth to our area. We all just need to get involved.” -VM

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Story by JOHN F. RIDDLE Photography by WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

with CHEF RANDY DeCOUDRES and CHARLES BARCLAY

A British Chap and an American Chef

SHARE A LOVE OF COOKING

harles Barclay learned to cook out of necessity “as an extremely humble and impoverished young man with aspirations of becoming a property tycoon” when he ﬁrst started his professional career in London. “My income was so miserable that eating out was impossible and cooking at home became a survival technique,” he says. “This often involved friends joining together to share a bowl of something meager, but the whole social vibe was enormous fun as we were pretty much in the same boat.” FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Charles grew up on a family estate in Oxfordshire, a rural part of England, and he would often bring back wild game to London from weekend visits home. “Pheasant, partridge, and mallard were always in plentiful supply, so only a few roasted vegetables were required to create a delicious supper,” he explains. “Cooking game and sharing recipes became an enormous source of entertainment.” In 1996, Charles met Rena Dasher, a Valdosta native who was studying decorative arts at Sotheby’s in London; they married a year later in Valdosta. “My English friends still talk about the overwhelming hospitality they received from her family,” Charles says. “They also distinctly remember the crab cakes and mint julips.” After ﬁnishing agriculture studies and working for 15 years in commercial and residential real estate in London, Charles returned to Oxfordshire to run his family’s property and agricultural enterprise. Charles and Rena moved to Valdosta in 2018 so their children could attend universities in America and to be closer to Rena’s family. Teaming up with Randy DeCoudres for our “Cooking With Friends” segment took Charles back to those years of being in the kitchen with his mates in London as a young man—albeit with a more substantial and intricate menu. “For someone who doesn’t cook professionally, Charles is very comfortable in and around the kitchen,” says Randy. “He shares our love of traditional southern grilling with other ways of cooking, like sauteing vegetables on the stovetop or baking in the oven— that truly makes him a well-rounded cook. I think we used every pan we had preparing this food! Gathering with Howard and Lee, both of whom I’ve known for a long time, for a toast was the icing on the cake.” 28 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

& Q A

Though he’s lived in South Georgia for quite a while, Charles hasn’t lost his passion for the cuisine of his homeland. We asked him about the differences in American and British cooking, and he shared some of his favorite English dishes.

Q: What are the fundamentals of your cooking? A: Simplicity. Seasonal ingredients, whenever available. Having grown up in the countryside, I suppose I’ve always been attuned to the changing cycles of the growing year. Q: What are some observations you’ve made about British and American cooking? A: The world is now a much smaller place, and sadly a great deal of national identity that was previously forged in the kitchen is no longer quite so obvious. Nevertheless, there remains a huge diversity of international

cuisine on both sides of the Atlantic, usually influenced by the immediate geographical or historical neighbors. Just driving around the countryside here, I can observe fields of melon, ground nuts, cotton, and acres of beautiful pecan orchards. You see none of this produce where I come from, but you will find fields of wheat, barley, vibrant yellow oilseed rape, and, unquestionably, a wider diversity of livestock. Q: What’s one stand-out meal in British culture that you’re most fond of? A: Sunday lunch. This is an immovable feature of English family and friends’ entertainment

“I enjoy the more traditional dishes and recipes that are to be found in the older southern cookbooks.” Charles Barclay

and is quite an occasion. It’s most definitely not “pop in for a quick bite,” but it’s rather a gastro/socio experience that can tend toward overenthusiasm. The occasion centers around the Sunday roast, which can be any joint or cut of meat that the host prefers to serve. Typically, this is a leg of lamb, rib of beef, or leg of pork accompanied by an array of steamed, roasted, or blanched vegetables with traditional sauces. A completely unnecessary but highly delicious selection of puddings and cheeses usually follows. Q: Describe what you like most about Southern cooking in America. A: I enjoy the more traditional dishes and recipes that are to be found in the older southern cookbooks and on visits to my mother-in-law, Laura Dasher’s, cooking library. As an extremely accomplished cook, she produced dishes that were absolutely delicious. Often the recipe would have herbs

or vegetables and descriptions that I was unfamiliar with—except a can of chicken or mushroom soup and a cup of mayonnaise, both vital staples of the southern pantry and irreplaceable ingredients. I’m always entertained by the descriptions and accreditations of the recipes to previous writers. They’re so personal and charming and doubtless have an interesting story behind each one. Of course, a favorite has to be fried chicken, original or crispy. Both are wonderful. In a fit of loyal enthusiasm, I tried cooking this myself 30 years ago, and I haven’t attempted it since! Q: What’s one iconic American dish you’ve attempted to master? A: Over here the weather and climate are much more conducive to grilling, despite the evening mosquito swarm. Simple meat or chicken dishes and of course ribs are great. I especially enjoy the challenge of the Brit taking on the local—a very daunting prospect

when one appreciates the endless writing, advice, armchair opinions and much revered lore on the subject. However, I do have a recipe that has foxed a few guests. Q: Who is a chef you attempt to emulate? A: As much as we deferred to the recipes of the inimitable and charming Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa in the UK for entertaining our friends, I brought several publications by other famous chefs with me. Mary Berry is an equal favorite and extremely dependable. She’s always been revered as a wonderful and traditional chef, but in her twilight years, she hit super stardom on the Great British Bake Off. She makes recipes sound so appealing and more importantly, achievable. Her publications also have a picture of what your endeavors should look like. Crucial stuff. Our children were at school with her grandchildren, and we remain neighbors and friends with her son and daughter-in-law in Oxfordshire.

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Howard Dasher, Rena Dasher Barclay, Howard Cregger & Lalee Dasher Cregger, Charles Barclay, and Randy DeCoudres gather for dinner and a toast.

Q: You and Rena’s sister, Lalee Dasher Cregger, have an ongoing cooking challenge. How and when did this begin? A: It started in 2024 as a meeting of the minds with differing interpretations of how to accompany a Thanksgiving turkey with “stuffing” or “dressing.” I maintain that “stuffing” for a turkey should be liberally shoehorned into each cavity of the bird, preferably with chestnuts at one end and sage and onion at the other—the time-honored Christmas tradition in England for centuries! If I had my way, there’d be none of the homogenized dried packet stuff or “dressing” that I’ve endured for the last 30 years, served in a casserole dish that certainly never enjoyed intimate proximity to a festive turkey. I’m repeatedly advised that store purchased dried goods are safer than risking terminal food poisoning from eating the “stuffing” from inside a bird. So began the challenge that they maintain as a form or good-natured rivalry. 30 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

RECIPES Olive Tapenade and Egg Cups Ingredients 1.5 cups pitted kalamata and green olives 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp. capers ½ tbsp. lemon juice 1 clove garlic A blob of egg mayonnaise with a pinch of curry powder adds a delicious and unexpected twist. Combine and pulse together in small food processor. Add 1/3 cups fresh parsley or basil. Pulse a little more. Place a spoonful of the tapenade in the base of a shell with egg salad and a small head of lettuce or an asparagus spear (pickled or fresh). The tapenade can be served on any preferred cracker or in a cup or shell.

Serves 4

Fish Pie Serves 6-8 A very traditional dish with easy-to-find ingredients and not too much trouble to make. It can be as exotic or simple as you wish, depending on whether you add scallops and shrimp with the fish of your choice. Presentation can be enhanced by color, and adding salmon makes for an interesting contribution. Green vegetables—again of personal preference and to add a color dimension—helps make the dish look a little less pale and insipid. Baby spinach leaves, blanched broccoli, and/or peas are all perfectly acceptable, but not necessarily all together. Try mixing it up a bit. The top is traditionally mashed potato or store-bought short crust. A final blast of oven heat or broiler can add an appealing finish to the mashed potato. Try to use cold water or Atlantic fish which tends to have a bit more structure and flavor. Cod is the original and traditional choice. This particular recipe is cod, halibut, and salmon with little bay scallops and raw, deveined shrimp. Don’t be shy of seasoning. The dish can be “liquidy,” and you don’t want to dilute the flavors of the fish. Parsley is essential, along with bay leaves, and a sprig of thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Absolutely no crab boil or any such alternative.

Ingredients 1 lb. cod fillet 1¼ cups milk 1 bay leaf 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced 6 oz. broccoli, cut in florets 6 oz. cooked peeled shrimp ½ oz. butter

½ oz. plain flour Salt and black pepper to taste 8 oz. ready-made short crust pastry, well chilled 1 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated 4-pint pie dish

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French Peas Serves 4-6 On this occasion I’ve left the peas out of the main dish, and broccoli too, and just used a few pansoftened leeks and young spinach leaves. The side dish of French peas adds a colorful and bright counterbalance on the plate and consists of young peas, preferably petit pois, with round lettuce leaves—a variety like Butter, Boston, Bibb, or Little Gem will do. I avoid shredding or cutting the leaves too small as they will reduce and soften in the cooking process, and you want to be able to identify them in the dish. They’re an interesting visual enhancement. Ingredients 1 small round lettuce, shredded 6 spring onions, chopped 2 oz. butter 1 tbsp. chopped parsley 1 tsp. superfine sugar 1 lb. shelled fresh peas (must be young) 4 tbsp. water Salt and black pepper to taste Place sliced green onions, lettuce, and peas in a pan with a cup of water. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes. It’s a pretty side dish complimented by serving from a glass or clear bowl. Young, defrosted, previously frozen peas only take minutes to cook and make this a quick and easy recipe.

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake Serves 8 It’s a very straightforward and absolutely delicious sponge cake with lots of whipped cream, homemade or very good strawberry jam, and strawberries—a traditional teatime or nursery tea dish, much loved by and hence named after Queen Victoria. It’s easy to embellish with alternative or preferred fruits, and a good blob of ice cream just adds to the excess. Strawberries are traditional, but raspberries and blackberries would be good too. Remember to use the accompanying fruit jam. Also, these fruits “bleed.” This can be a rather messy assembly process, but you can hide the structural disasters with liberally applied whipped cream and a generous dusting of confectioner’s sugar. 32 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

Directions Add the cucumber, strawberries, orange, mint, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a tall Collins or highball glass. Gently muddle the fruit and herbs to release their juices and aromas without completely breaking them down. Fill the glass with ice. Add the Pimm’s No. 1 and Jam Jam Gin and stir well. Top with ginger ale and soda water, then give a final, gentle stir. Garnish generously with a baby cucumber spear, strawberry, lemon wheel, orange slice and fresh mint.

Pimm’s Cup with Jam Jam Gin Ingredients • butter for greasing • 2 eggs • 3 oz. superfine sugar • 3 oz. self-rising flour Filling and topping • 1¼ cup whipping cream, whipped until thick • 4 oz. strawberries, sliced • 1 passion fruit, mashed • strawberries, halved, to decorate • 7 in. round cake pans Directions 1. Lightly grease cake pans. Line the bottoms with baking parchment, then grease parchment. 2. Place eggs and sugar into a large bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer at high speed until mixture is pale and thick enough to leave a trail when the whisk is lifted out. 3. Sift in half of the flour and fold in gently. Repeat with remaining flour. 4. Divide batter between the pans. Tilt to spread evenly. 5. Preheat oven to 375°F and bake for 2025 minutes until well risen, golden, and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the pans. Turn out onto a wire rack, peel off parchment, and let cool. 6. Spread half of whipped cream over one of the sponges. Top with sliced strawberries and passionfruit pulp. Place other sponge on top of the filling and press gently. 7. Spread remaining cream on top of the cake, smoothing it neatly with a palette knife. Decorate with strawberry halves.

Chef’s Note The combination of Pimm’s No. 1 and Jam Jam Gin keeps this drink rooted in the classic Pimm’s Cup with a distinctly Southern twist. For entertaining, the recipe can easily be multiplied and served from a pitcher or beverage dispenser with plenty of fresh cucumber, strawberries, citrus, and mint. -VM

by Chef Randy DeCoudres Makes 1 cocktail

A Brief History of the Pimm’s Cup

The classic English Pimm’s Cup gets a Georgia touch with the addition of Jam Jam Gin from Murrells Row Gin in Decatur, Georgia creating a small but fitting bridge between England and the American South. Pimm’s No. 1 provides the traditional character of the cocktail, while the gin adds extra botanical depth and structure. Fresh baby cucumber, strawberries, lemon, orange, and mint make this a bright, refreshing drink that pairs beautifully with the flavors of fall. It was the perfect cocktail to serve while cooking with Charles and preparing some of his favorite English dishes—a little bit of his homeland in the glass, with a taste of the South mixed in.

The Pimm’s Cup traces its origins to James Pimm, a London restaurateur who created Pimm’s No. 1 in the 19th century as a gin-based drink to accompany food at his oyster bar. Pimm’s No. 1 eventually became the foundation for the cocktail that bears its name. The drink became closely associated with British summertime and is traditionally served tall over ice with lemonade and an abundance of fresh fruit, cucumber, and herbs. Over time, the Pimm’s Cup became particularly associated with English garden parties, cricket and Wimbledon. Although the traditional recipe relies on Pimm’s No. 1, adding gin brings the cocktail back toward its original gin-based roots.

Ingredients • 1½ oz. Pimm’s No. 1 • 1 oz. Murrells Row Jam Jam Gin • ½ oz. fresh lemon juice • ½ oz. simple syrup • 2 thin slices baby cucumber • 2 strawberries, sliced • 1 orange wedge, cut into pieces • 6–8 fresh mint leaves • 2 oz. ginger ale • 1 oz. soda water • ice Garnish • baby cucumber spear • strawberry • lemon wedge • orange slice • fresh mint sprig FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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Photo by Wes Sewell Photography

hen fall finally arrives in South Georgia, options for living and entertaining come with it. In the absence of stifling heat, a backyard grilling session or drinks on a covered patio suddenly seem more inviting, while a bowl of soup at the kitchen island beckons on darker, cooler nights. From a multipleroom refresh to a complete indoor/outdoor renovation, Tin Lily Design and 828 Collective showcase flexible yet cohesive ideas for home makeovers suitable for this transitional season—or all year round. FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

T fabrics, wallpapers, furniIN LILY DESIGN carries

ture, and accessories from various vendors. Callie uses the majority of what she buys for her design projects but is also open on select days for in-store customers. To allow customers even more ways to shop furniture and accessories, Callie has a booth at another local store, Chez What Collective. In addition to wallpaper, Callie uses fabric in many ways for clients and customers. She works with local seamstresses to create beautiful custom draperies, window treatments, pillows and bedding. Callie can help you decide which fabrics are best for

your space and see it all the way to completion. If you’re interested in a design consultation and/or in any of the products that she sells, Callie will be happy to assist you! Her days are typically busy, but she’s always up for a new project and meeting a new client. Callie can help you with new construction and even drawing plans or consulting on floor plan layouts. She can also help you with remodels of all sizes, single room redesigns or even just for paint colors and ideas. You can see her previous and current design work on her social media pages, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

229-563-1689 4 4 7 6 Va l N o r t h R d S u i t e B | Va l d o s t a , G e o r g i a 3 1 6 0 2 Tin Lily Design tinlilydesign_callieshaw

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Rooms Reimagined

allie Shaw, owner of Tin Lily Design, recently redesigned several areas of a home for Valdosta clients who wanted to refresh some spaces and totally renovate others. The kitchen and master bathroom received a complete makeover while the dining room only needed a fresh coat of paint and the removal of a doorway to the kitchen. Callie’s approach goes beyond matching color schemes and fabrics. “I sketched the new bathroom and kitchen designs to show the clients my vision and to ensure it matched theirs,” she says. “You have to be able to see past what is in a home, envision what can be, and then share those ideas with the client—it’s the most important aspect of the process.” These clients embraced Callie’s creativity, and the results are stunning. D E S I G N S B Y C A L L I E S H A W , T I N L I LY D E S I G N

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

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Kitchen

“They wanted an open concept but in a classic style.” HOME

Callie started by drawing a plan to close the doorway that led to the dining room and expand the opening between the kitchen and living area. She also designed the kitchen around a large island and added a pantry to ﬁll in a void between the breakfast room and the kitchen. She chose both painted and stained cabinetry, which the client loved. New ﬂooring was installed to tie together the newly opened spaces.

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Before

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Before

Master Bathroom

“The layout of the master bathroom wasn’t working for the clients. They wanted a different design and a whole new look.” The clients didn’t use their garden tub and preferred a more spacious shower. Callie drew a new plan to accommodate those wishes, which transformed the old shower space into added storage. The same two-tone stain and painted cabinet combination from the kitchen was repeated here. This plan also required the windows that were above the garden tub to be removed. To avoid having to ﬁll in the window space and to match brick, Callie suggested building faux shutters on the exterior to cover the spaces.

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Dining Room “Having to repaint a wall in the dining room gave us an opportunity to change the palette.” Because the opening from the kitchen to the dining room was closed to accommodate the kitchen redesign, that wall in the dining room needed a refresh. “It was the perfect opportunity to try a bold new color,” Callie says. “We chose a bold green to replace the blue/gray and used accents of the same green throughout the downstairs area to create a ﬂow. The mantle in the living room that was oﬀ-white now stands out in a softer shade of that green.” To help bring more of the green tones into other common areas, she used them in accessories as well as other paint choices. -VM

“Your home doesn’t need to match exact colors in each room. A blending of shades in the same color family can lend cohesion throughout.” 40 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

Callie Shaw, owner, Tin Lily Design tinlilydesignllc

levate your outdoor living at The Pool Store—your destination for exceptional pool and spa products, luxury outdoor furnishings, and distinctive décor from premier brands like Summer Classics, Seaside Casual, Frankford Umbrellas, and more. Visit us today and discover everything

you need to transform your outdoor space into a beautiful, relaxing retreat. We offer full-service pool and spa maintenance, cleaning, and repairs and our retail store has everything you need to create an outdoor space for connection, relaxation, and fun.

VOTED #1 POOL STORE IN VALDOSTA 3363 North Valdosta Road Valdosta, GA 31602 (229) 247-6440 thepoolstore.net

Celebrating 50 Years!

DESIGNING, BUILDING, AND INSTALLING CUSTOM, QUALITY CABINETS SINCE 1976

229.686.3894 joinerscabinetshop@gmailcom joinerscabinetshop.com

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Ashlee & Laura Ashlee McRae

Reimagine Your Home Whether you’re building a new home or breathing fresh life into your current space, we specialize in blending timeless design with modern functionality. Our goal is to create a home that feels eﬀortlessly collected, lived-in, and uniquely yours. Ready to elevate your space? Let’s do it! 828designcollective.com

WE CARE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR PROJECT Athletics | Hospitality | Institutional | Medical & Offices | Worship 1321 West Hill Avenue, Valdosta, GA

229-244-4642 cauthanconstruction.com

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Finding the Bright Side DESIGNS BY ASHLEE AND LAURA ASHLEE MCRAE OF 828 COLLECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

hen Hurricane Helene stormed across Valdosta two years ago, 828 Collective’s client, along with many other people in the area, faced repairs and home renovations in its aftermath. Turning the damage into an opportunity for change, they completely redesigned one portion of their home. With Ashlee and Laura Ashlee’s help, they replaced a small, screened back porch with a large, covered living area that includes an outdoor kitchen attached to a comfortable den on the back of the house. “The house has great bones. It was fun working with them to create a space the family could enjoy all year long,” says Ashlee. “The client has traditional, classic taste, so we incorporated many of her antiques into the design.”

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Covered Porch

The covered porch has an outdoor kitchen with a bar and dining table. A ﬁreplace provides a central focus for the sitting area.

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Den This new spaces allows for dining and relaxing and is a perfect spot for Mahjong. A neutral palette stuns with a herringbone brick ﬂoor design, and the coﬀered pecky cypress ceiling with white painted beams adorned with brass chandeliers adds an elegant touch.

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Before

Bathroom Two bathrooms were re-invisioned using wallpapers by Thibaut which adds textured visual interest.

Garden

Three garden beds were added and surrounded by pea gravel to provide a place for the client to grow her beloved zinnias and other ﬂowers and vegetables. FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Wedding Registries

Alexis Lyle & Will Wilson October 3, 2026 Ivy Kendrick & Jake Mathis October 3, 2026 Lauren Voyles & Cody Smith October 10, 2026 Olivia Warren & Jonathan Navas October 10, 2026 Lakyn Stubbs & Will Parrish October 24, 2026 Maggie Smallwood & Buck Paulk October 24, 2026 Mary Claire Griner & Ian Viner October 24, 2026 Taylor Slocumb & Colby George October 24, 2026 Reyn Boling & Lucas Denny November 6, 2026 Emilee Betts & Jonathan Struck November 7, 2026 Jarrett Broome & Alex Burandt November 7, 2026 Sarabeth Adams & Logan Neely November 14, 2026 Sara Taylor & Tillman Edmondson November 14, 2026 Lily Baldree & Kaden Cowart November 20, 2026 Lauren Plair & Mark Felton November 21, 2026 Savannah-Jane Gilchrist & Grayson Thomas November 21, 2026 Anna Lee & Clint Vanderlinden November 28, 2026 Stephanie Sabia & Cadden Dickens December 5, 2026 Rymi Rho & Jonah Reyes December 12, 2026 Loy Lane & Chad Jones January 16, 2027 Elle Perryman & Aryn Herndon March 6, 2027 Mary Alex Carter & John Tyler Exum March 6, 2027 Golianna Thomas & Caleb Watson March 13, 2027 McKenzie Barfiled & Tyler Lamon March 13, 2027 Aspen Thompson & Cole Posey March 20, 2027 Taylor McCormick & Trey Davis April 2, 2027 Kate Craven & Caleb Singley April 3, 2027 Lauren Vickers & Ben Trancygier April 17, 2027 Mikaela Schwenke & Benton McReynolds April 17, 2027 Maylee McLeod & Austin Akins April 24, 2027 Hannah Hall & Zack Allen May 1, 2027 Maggie Griffis & David Cook May 1, 2027 Berkley Clay & Brandon McDade May 15, 2027 Sally Hubner & Liam Barry May 15, 2027 Elena Gregory & Warthen Evans June 12, 2027 Emma Pruett & Tayte Barry June 12, 2027 Natalie Dean & Drew Abbott June 19, 2027 Abi King & Landon Godwin September 25, 2027 Adrian Howell & Pate Leonard October 9, 2027 Maggie Tarpley & Austin Winningham December 18, 2027

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Maggie Davis & Craig Harrill A SUMMER CAMP ROMANCE GOES THE DISTANCE Story by MARLANA HUFSTETLER Photography by CAPTURED BY COLSON PHOTOGRAPHY

or Maggie Davis and Craig Harrill, it was only a matter of time before their paths would cross and spark a love story that would defy state lines. Maggie, born and raised in Valdosta, met Craig, a Columbia, South Carolina native, when they were both camp counselors at Camp Cherokee in Kings Mountain, North Carolina back in 2015. “We were 15 years old,” says Maggie. “My brother Jake worked at the camp as the high adventure director and was holding a training session to certify counselors in the high ropes course. At the same time, I was a counselor there.” Lucky for the future love birds, so was Craig.

FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Due to the seven-hour drive from Valdosta to Camp Cherokee, Maggie often stayed nearby with close friends on the weekends between camp sessions. In fact, it was this mutual friend group that brought the two together. “We saw each other once in the mess hall but didn’t speak until we met again at a friend’s lake house after the high ropes course and first timers’ session,” Maggie explains. “After meeting that second time, we were inseparable.” Maggie and Craig went on to spend the following three summers together as counselors at Camp Cherokee, but their relationship wasn’t without its challenges. Out of their 10 years together, the first eight were long distance. Even when they were states apart, their connection never wavered. “He never asked me to be his girlfriend—we pretty much had a mutual understanding that we would be together from there on out,” Maggie says. The couple’s adventurous spirit didn’t fade when the distance did. Craig’s proposal was led by a scavenger hunt that took Maggie through their favorite places in Greenville, South Carolina, the city they now call home. The excursion spanned Swamp Rabbit Café, the spot that sells Maggie’s favorite stecca bread; their home with beloved cats, Louis and Pete; their favorite local rooftop bar, SIP; and Liberty Bridge on the Reedy River in Falls Park, where Craig met his fiancée-to-be with a heartwarming proposal. “I walked down some steps, saw Craig’s mom, and immediately burst into tears,” Maggie recalls. “I hugged her, and she led me down some more steps approaching the bridge where Craig’s dad and stepmom were waiting. Afterwards, they led me further down where I finally saw my parents. I could see Craig sitting on a bench near the river. It was truly a day I’ll never forget.”

“OUR WEDDING DAY FELT JOYFUL, INTIMATE—ALMOST SURREAL.”

50 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

When it came to wedding planning, picking the location was a nobrainer. “Valdosta is part of our story as a couple—from early dates at Wild Adventures to the places where I came of age,” she says. “Getting married here felt like uniting where I came from with the life Craig and I are building.” The couple was married on May 16 at Hallabrook Hill in Valdosta, surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones. With Maggie and Craig hailing from different states, it’s no surprise their 15 bridesmaids and groomsmen came from places ranging from Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Denver, Maryland, and Ontario. “Our wedding day felt joyful, intimate—almost surreal. I remember being aware of how loved we were. Everywhere I looked, there was someone who had played a meaningful part in our story, and having all those people gathered in one place was incredibly special,” Maggie adds. Maggie’s favorite part of the wedding was a special moment that Craig created during the reception. “I was in the middle of dancing when he pulled me away for a few minutes so we could step outside of the celebration and take it all in. With our closest friends and family standing just a few feet away, it gave us a chance to slow down, look at each other, and fully feel the joy of what was happening,” she recalls. Aside from the well-curated parts of the event captured by Maggie’s childhood family camcorder, there were funny moments as well, from Maggie’s makeshift bustle to the pair placing each other’s rings on the wrong hands. “It was such a funny, perfectly imperfect moment that felt very ‘us,’” she says. When asked what advice she would give to future brides, Maggie recommends taking off the pressure to remember all the details and just living the day. “While you’re in one moment, dozens of others are unfolding around you. Later, through photographs, videos, and stories, you get to discover the quiet exchanges, laughter, tears, and little interactions you never knew were happening,” she says. Ten years into their relationship and less than a year into marriage, Maggie and Craig are only at the beginning of their adventure together. “I can’t wait to send our future children to Camp Cherokee and show them where mom and dad met for the first time,” Maggie laughs. -VM

WEDDING DETAILS Family Heirlooms: Maggie had a piece of lace from her mother’s wedding dress wrapped around the stems of her bouquet. She also ﬁlmed with the same camcorder her parents had used throughout her childhood to capture the wedding party’s special moments. Venue: Hallabrook Hill, Valdosta Date: May 16, 2026 Florist: Lynn Volloton

FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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Profiles YOUR GUIDE TO VALDOSTA’S PEOPLE, PLACES, AND BUSINESSES

Blanton & Griffin’s next generation of leaders

(seated) Wade Henry, Steven Hall, (standing) Zac Henry, Rob Blanton, Carter Coleman

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN Story by JOHN F. RIDDLE Photography by WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Naming new leaders and merging with a national partner, Blanton & Griffin Insurance Agency finds the way forward The old proverb, “The more things change, the more they stay the same,” observes that what appears new is often just a re-packaged version of the old — which can be interpreted positively or negatively. In the case of Blanton & Griﬃn Insurance Agency (B&G), the goal was to use change to preserve what had made the agency strong. The Valdosta-based agency recently joined forces with Higginbotham, a Texas-based insurance and ﬁnancial services company, while also expanding ownership to bring a new generation of local leaders more fully into the business. These strategic moves will ensure that B&G continues doing business the way it has since the ‘80’s with an unwavering commitment to its customers, employees, and community. FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

B&G

began as a small, family-run business when Lou Blanton and Archie Griffin merged their insurance agencies in 1985 and has experienced continued growth over the years. In addition to Lou and Archie, Jamie McAllister, Ed Willis, and Bubba Thomas, who all joined the firm in the ’80s, were instrumental in guiding it through the past four decades. The agency is currently led by President Ben Blanton, Lou’s son, who joined his father’s agency in 1982; Secretary Jack Henry, who came on board in 1992; and Vice President Kevin Eppes, who’s been on the team since 2000. Regardless of who’s been at the helm, B&G’s leaders have always worked to maintain a close-knit culture where everyone matters. “There are a lot of people who helped build this company, and many of them are still with us,” says Ben. “Our entire support staff, including service teams, administrative support, bookkeepers, and others who’ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure client needs are met are as important as anyone here.” Jack agrees, “We’ve been very blessed. Our predecessors left us with a great team that has supported our growth since the ’80s.” While B&G’s core values and way of doing business haven’t changed over the decades, the insurance industry has. To position themselves to compete with the crop of “mega” agencies that have come on the scene in recent years, 16 smaller agencies, including B&G, banded together in 1994 to form Georgia Agency Partners. As mergers and acquisitions by larger agencies continued, that group eventually dwindled to six members, reducing the collective’s clout and posing a strategic problem for the smaller agencies committed to maintaining their independence. B&G discovered an additional internal challenge when a consulting group, hired in 2011 to help the agency navigate the changing environment, pointed out that the average age of B&G’s leadership was “old and getting older”—too senior for B&G to depend on them taking the agency into the future. Leadership immediately started mapping out a strategy to recruit young, local talent committed to perpetuating B&G into the next generation while maintaining its independence and preserving its culture. Wade Henry, Jack’s son, joined B&G in 2011 as the first of five young producers who were hired to build out the agency’s future leadership team. Carter Coleman was second in 2013. Rob Blanton, Ben’s son, and Zac Henry, Jack’s other son, both joined in 2017. Rounding out the group several years later was Steven Hall, who joined in 2024. 56 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

Above Left Blanton & Griffin was born of a merger between Archie Griffin and Lou Blanton in 1985. Above Right Kevin Eppes, Ben Blanton, Jack

Henry navigated a way forward for B&G by offering ownership to the next generation of leaders and seeking a national partner to provide even better customer service and an equity stake for all employees.

WADE HENRY

Commercial Insurance Advisor

“

Valdosta was a great place to grow up, and it’s still a wonderful place to raise a family. Knowing the rich history of our agency and being able to continue it brings me great joy and excitement.”

Though Wade laughs that he was “determined not to work at B&G,” the importance of being responsible for B&G’s legacy was not lost on him. “They took an opportunity when they took over. Now we have that same chance to lead,” he says. Zac was in the banking industry in Atlanta when he was recruited to help beef up B&G’s commercial markets. “Picking up the mantle of leadership is an honor and a privilege,” he says. “We strive to continue that legacy every day by continuing to be good stewards to our clients, carrier partners, employees, and the community.” “I’m passionate about building something great and unique and am grateful for the opportunity to lead B&G into the future,” Rob adds. While Wade, Zac, and Rob are “legacy” leaders, they’re quick to point out that there is no favoritism shown—and none expected—because of their family ties. Instead, they emphasize that everyone is part of the family at B&G. Carter joined B&G because of its reputation and family-oriented culture. “A large portion of our staff has been here for decades,” he explains. “That doesn’t just happen. It’s a testament to the quality of the leadership, and it’s something I wanted to be a part of.” Steven joined B&G in 2024 and concurs that the agency has always been highly respected in South Georgia. He felt joining B&G was a natural fit for him due to the longstanding relationships he had with many of the people there. “It’s an honor, but it also comes with great responsibility,” he says. “Blanton and Griffin’s name has represented trust in this community for generations going back to 1920. I see our role as building on that foundation

ZAC HENRY

Culturally, there couldn’t be a better partner for us than Higginbotham. Now, we have the capabilities of a national broker but are still firmly rooted in South Georgia and the Southeast.”

Risk Advisor

“

Our industry can be challenging. Through it all, I believe we have genuine people here with strong faith and who care about others—something hard to find today. That’s the foundation of our organization.”

CARTER COLEMAN

Commercial Markets Manager and Operations

“

ROB BLANTON

STEVEN HALL

Agent/Producer

“

The culture at Blanton & Griffin is very family oriented. A large portion of our staff has been here for decades, and that doesn’t just happen by accident. It’s a testament to the leadership here, and it’s something I wanted to be a part of.”

Commercial Insurance Producer

“

Our partnership with Higginbotham gives us long-term stability and room to grow. Most importantly, we can keep investing in our people and clients without giving up the local relationships that define this agency.”

FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

profile

/ B L A N TO N & G R I F F I N I N SU R A N C E AG E N CY

LOGAN JASINSKI

Associate producer Logan Jasinski is an example of one of the bright young professionals being mentored to join the leadership at Blanton & Griﬃn.

Carolyn Howell, 83, is B&G’s Administrative

Coordinator and one of the longest tenured employees on the staﬀ. She’s been with the agency since a merger with the Langdale-Willis agency in the late ’80s. When asked why she’s still there, she quips, “Because I’m crazy!” B&G leaders say her work is still vital to their success. “I love the people here and I like the work I do,” she says. “B&G has been good to me. It’s always been a wonderful place to work.” Carolyn is also excited about the way forward. “I’ve watched Wade, Zac, and Rob grow up, so when they told me they were moving into leadership positions, I was so excited. They’re some of the ﬁnest young men anywhere,” she insists. “That’s what I wanted to see in my lifetime— these wonderful people do great things for a great place.”

58 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

of serving people well and ensuring the agency remains strong for the next generation.” With these five young professionals poised to take the helm, it’s easy to see why Ben, Jack, and Kevin were eager and willing to share ownership of the firm with their colleagues—and to seek a partnership with Higginbotham to provide a stronger competitive advantage in the future. “Jack, Kevin, and I realized that they all deserved a significant equity stake to help perpetuate the transition and to incentivize them to step up and lead,” explains Ben. Jack adds, “Now, that we’ve got our next generation of leaders, we’re in a great spot to continue moving forward. This partnership gives us resources to grow and reach a broader market while providing even better options for our current customers.” “In the insurance industry, scale translates directly to better resources and broader services for our clients,” explains Kevin. Higginbotham consists of many agencies across the country working together, which provides B&G with a more competitive posture than they’ve had in the past. Still, B&G went into the partnership with much thought, research, and due diligence. “The decision to partner with Higginbotham started and ended with our young leaders,” says Ben. “If anyone had been opposed to it, we would have stopped the process.” Wade, who represented the younger leaders throughout the process, emphasizes that “everybody was on board.” Zac observes that some big partnerships have left people without their jobs and offices closed with no concern for the local presence. “We’re going to continue operating how we always have,” he says. “Higginbotham understands and supports how we do things and that’s why they’re such a good fit for us.” Rob agrees. “Higginbotham is a family to our employees,” he says. “They’re accountable to our clients, collaborative with our carriers, and generous to our community.” Jack believes that the new partnership will cement customers’ trust in what B&G is and will continue to be. “The sign reads, ‘Blanton & Griffin / A Higginbotham Partner’ and that’s what it means,” he says. “You want to look your customers in the eye and know you’re giving them the best you can. The relationships are the joy in this business.” Ben looks forward to providing customers with even greater personalized service and a wider range of options to meet their needs. “So far, our customers are happy,” he says. “They’re growing too, and they need the best and most comprehensive opportunities available to them.” B&G’s employees will also benefit by having an equity stake in Higginbotham, which is an employee-owned company. “When we came into ownership, we wanted to continue to grow and expand. This gives us a way to grow much more quickly,” Zac says. “For our employees, there’s no limit on their goals. The opportunity everyone has is greater.” Community support is one of the pillars that B&G was built on and it’s something that they insist won’t change. With twelve children among them, the next generation of leadership at B&G is deeply invested in the community—a testament to the place they call home. “We’re trying to transform what we do and how we do it so the next generation and the one after that can continue the B&G legacy from a place of strength and unity,” Kevin says. “We want to continue to be known as a truly local agency that gives back to our community.” The new team at B&G welcomes the challenge of growing their business, continuing to value their employees, and being a trusted community partner. “In the past, others took an opportunity to lead when they took over,” Wade says. “Now we have that same opportunity.” -VM

GUIDANCE FOR WHAT MATTERS

Bart Shiver – Operations Manager, Todd Shiver – Financial Advisor, Jordan Califf – Branch Operations Manager, Annie Heiderscheit – Administrative Associate, Shannon Player – Client Services Assistant, Jo Pate – Financial Advisor, Jimmy Shiver – Financial Advisor, William Langdale – Financial Advisor

P O R T FO LI O MAN AG EM ENT | FINA NCIA L PLA NNI N G RET I REMENT S TRA TEGIES

3321 North Valdosta Road, Suite A | Valdosta, GA 31602 | 229.245.6022 Securities oﬀered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services oﬀered through NewEdge Advisors, LLC, a registered investment advisor. NewEdge Advisors, LLC and Southern Point Investment Partners are separate entities from LPL Financial. FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Experience gracious living with THE FREEDOM TO BE YOURSELF At Presbyterian Home Quitman, you’ll find a welcoming community built on fellowship and timeless hospitality. Our scenic, 60-acre campus invites you to move at your own pace—whether that means embracing the quaint allure of front-porch living, joining a fitness class, fishing at the pond, or expanding your mind through lifelong learning opportunities. You’ll have peace of mind in knowing our devoted team is here to provide support with care options that include Short-Term Rehabilitation, Personal Care, Memory Support, and Skilled Nursing care, should you ever need them.

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Hope Hathcock, Judy Hathcock, Joyce Aigen, Hailee Wilkes, Heather Bohannon

profile

Gift for Generations

or Joyce Aigen, family has always been at the heart of everything. A devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she’s spent her life celebrating the people she loves and giving back to the community around her. Now, her legacy will be part of countless new beginnings. Through a gift led by Joyce’s daughter, Judy Hathcock, the SGMC Health Foundation has honored her family’s generosity. The Joyce Aigen Labor and Delivery Unit will be part of the new Stalvey Women & Infants Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed to care for mothers, newborns, and families during some of life’s most meaningful moments. The connection between Joyce and the unit became even more meaningful when the gift was revealed during her 95th birthday party. What began as a family celebration became the surprise recognition of a lifetime of family,

/ JOYCE AIGEN

SGMC HEALTH’S JOYCE AIGEN LABOR AND DELIVERY UNIT HONORS A FAMILY’S LEGACY OF GIVING

generosity, and service. “We’re deeply grateful to Judy Hathcock and her family for this meaningful gift,” says Hilary Willis, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the SGMC Foundation. “Joyce Aigen is a true ambassador for SGMC Health and a passionate advocate for preventative medicine. She has always shown her support by attending community events and championing our mission. It’s especially fitting to honor her in this space, as she cherishes her role as a grandmother and great-grandmother, loving nothing more than celebrating the joy of new life. It’s a privilege to recognize her in this way,” she says. Scheduled to open in January 2027, the design of the new Stalvey Women & Infants Center centers around mothers, newborns, and families. The facility will bring together prenatal care, labor and delivery, neonatal

Story by MADISON THORNHILL / Photo Provided

services, and postpartum recovery in a modern, patient-centered environment. Expanded clinical space and advanced technology will allow the center to accommodate up to 3,000 births each year. More than 2,000 babies were born at SGMC Health in 2025, making the expansion an important investment in the future of healthcare for families throughout South Georgia. SGMC Health is also upgrading its neonatal intensive care services to a Level III NICU, giving families access to a higher level of specialized care while remaining closer to home. “Every baby that’s born here will walk through Joyce’s legacy,” says Willis. For families who choose to deliver their babies at SGMC Health in the years ahead, Joyce Aigen’s name will be part of those first moments—a reminder that generous gestures made today reach far into Valdosta’s future. -VM FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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62 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

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FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Photo by Carmen Simpson Photography

Valdosta’s

Timeless

Classic

55 YEARS OF THE NUTCRACKER

Story by JOHN R. RIDDLE

t’s Christmas Eve, and young Clara receives a magical nutcracker as an early present from her mysterious uncle Drosselmeyer. But chaos ensues when her brother, Fritz, smashes the nutcracker on the floor. As partygoers dance the night away, Clara finally falls asleep under the Christmas tree, but she awakens to a house full of magic, dancing soldiers, a sugar plum fairy, an evil mouse king, and more. That will be the scene when the curtain rises on Dance Arts Valdosta’s annual production of The Nutcracker this season, a treasured experience for more than half a century. One of Valdosta’s most beloved Christmas traditions began in 1971 under the direction of Linda C. Chase, who led the production for over 40 years. The current director, Allison Shenton, took over in 2016. “The Nutcracker is so much more than a ballet,” says Shenton. “It’s a tradition that families have shared for generations. There are people who danced in our production as children who now bring their own kids to experience the same magic. That’s what makes

celebrating our 55th anniversary so special.” For many families, attending The Nutcracker is as much of a part of the holiday as decorating the tree, opening presents, and gathering for Christmas dinner. It brings enchantment into the season and awakens childhood memories of Christmas Eve as the longest night of the year, of dreaming of the next day that seemed like it would never come. That sense of continuity is part of what makes the Dance Art production so unique. Few local events can claim such a deep connection to their community. Former dancers return as parents. Audience members who once watched from theater seats now see their children or grandchildren performing on stage. Every year adds another chapter to the story of shared memories and tradition. With spectacular dancing, elaborate sets, beloved music, and special effects including falling snow, this production offers something for everyone and continues to inspire new generations of audiences. It’s the perfect way to begin the Christmas season. -VM

profile

Photo by Carmen Simpson Photography

/ DANCE ART VALDOSTA

The Nutcracker WHERE

Valdosta Performing Arts Center

WHEN

Friday, December 4 @ 7 pm Saturday, December 5 @ 1 pm ( featuring children’s narrated performance) Saturday, December 5 @ 7 pm Sunday, December 6 @ 2:30 pm

TICKETS

On sale October 15. $20 and up. All seats reserved. Unsold tickets will be available at the theater box oﬃce one hour before each performance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Call Dance Arts (229) 563-6681 or visit www.danceartsvaldosta.com.

“It’s a tradition that families have shared for generations.” OPPOSITE The 2025 cast of The Nutcracker ABOVE Nova Claire Graham and Annabelle Johnson will play the role of Clara in the 2026 production. RIGHT Allison Shenton, current artistic director, as the Sugar Plum Fairy in 2005

Photo provided

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FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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veryone knows that movement is better than inactivity. But are you aware that the greatest reduction in mortality risk occurs when we move from very low step counts (less than 3,000-4,000/day) to moderate ones (6,000-8,000/day)? Benefits continue to add up with even higher step counts, but gains diminish at higher volumes. Typical findings in cohort studies which observe groups of people over time show the following: • 6,000-8,000 steps/day lead to substantial mortality risk reduction in older adults • 8,000-10,000 steps/day bring continued benefit in younger and middle-aged adults •Risk reduction benefit flattens out for many individuals beyond 10,00012,000 steps/day Steps matter for mortality because higher step counts reflect: • Greater total daily physical activity and energy expenditure • More frequent skeletal muscle contractions, leading to increase in glucose uptake and metabolic function • Improved lipid (cholesterol and triglyceride) metabolism • Increased insulin sensitivity (when the body’s cells are responding well to insulin) • Enhanced function of endothelium (lining inside blood and lymphatic vessels) and vascular health • Reduced systemic inflammation • Together, all of the above lower the risk of premature death in adults. Higher daily step counts are consistently associated with improved health outcomes and lowered risk of death. Major health benefits include reduction in cardio-

by Dr. Charlene Blache

vascular disease, type 2 diabetes, risk of hypertension, risk of obesity, and risk of depression. There’s also improvement in blood pressure control, mental well-being, functional capacity, and mobility with aging. The “10,000 steps/day” goal originated with a ’60s Japanese pedometer marketing campaign for a device named “Manpo-kei,” which means “10,000 step meter.” It was a commercial slogan and was not evidence based. However, modern scientific data show health benefits well below 10,000 steps/day. Walking is great, but there are limitations to only walking when the intensity is too low and doesn’t reach the moderate to vigorous level. The recommendation is to move more (steps) and exercise with purpose (intensity and resistance) as much as possible. Increasing intensity by pushing the pace during segments of faster walking can lead to even greater benefits. To maximize the health benefits, consider combining steps with structured exercise: •Aerobic Activity: at least 150 minutes/ week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise or at least 75 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise or an equivalent combination •Resistance training or strength training: at least two days a week, covering all muscle groups to improve strength, muscle mass, metabolic health, and bone density Any activity, no matter how minimal, is better than none, and more activity is better than less.

CHARLENE BLACHE, MD Southern Pediatric Clinic Owner and Lead Pediatriciansouthernpediatricclinic.com FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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Health & Wellness Care for the Entire Family

At Valdosta Chiropractic & Rehab, we're able to diagnose and treat your condition while also making you feel at home and offering each patient personalized attention. Our office is equipped with the most evidenced-based tools to get you

Better Faster! 70 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

Celebrating 16 Years!

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FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

JANUARY 28, 2027

FEBRUARY 23, 2027

MARCH 9, 2027

Early Bird Season Pass - $120/season pass — On Sale November 2 - 30, 2026 Regular Season Pass - $155/season pass — December 1, 2026 - January 22, 2027 Individual Shows - $60/ea ticket — Available December 15, 2026 For tickets and more info on shows call 229.247.2787, visit turnercenter.org, or scan the code. All performances begin at 7:30 PM at the Performing Arts Center, 3101 Barack Obama Blvd, Valdosta, GA

Scan code for more show info and online tickets

THANK YOU TO OUR 2027 PRESENTING SPONSORS

THANK YOU TO OUR 2027 PREMIER SPONSORS

Dr. Edward Fricker Family

72 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALLRISE 2026| Sutherland PT | The Pool Store | Turner's Fine Furniture | Valdosta Magazine

ARTS & Culture

Heather Lee Chambers Seeing and Painting— a Life Well Lived

Story by Narci Drossos Photo by Javon Longieliere

aldosta artist Heather Lee Chambers enjoys depicting meaningful subjects: still lifes, custom portraits of people and pets, and southern landscapes. “Art has always been woven into my family story,” she says. Born in Columbus, Georgia, Chambers moved all over South Georgia and North Florida when she was growing up, sometimes attending a diﬀerent school every year. Even with the upheavals, art was always there for her. Although she couldn’t aﬀord expensive art supplies and lessons, her aunt and great uncle—both self-taught artists—inspired her early on and throughout those childhood years. They encouraged her to see and love the land around her, something she does today outside her cabin in Omaha, Georgia, a property near to the Chattahoochee River in Stewart County. Chambers recalls walking through the the woods with her aunt who taught her that by simply looking closely, she could see pottery, arrowheads, and even shark teeth in the dry creek bed. FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

ARTS & Culture Photography by Heather Lee Chambers

Looking back, Chambers has always marveled at nature’s beauty “right there at her feet.” She always had pencil and paper, calling those her first medium. As a child, she’d draw whatever surroundings captured her imagination, from her little sisters to old trucks and found artifacts. “I was really learning how to see,” she reflects. As her aunt and great uncle exemplified, she didn’t need permission or formal training to be an artist. She also spent countless hours studying art books, fascinated by the works of the old masters and dreaming of going to art school and becoming an artist herself. Like many people, she set that dream aside to build a life: marrying, raising four boys, and helping build the family business, Austin’s Cattle Company. During these busy times, she’d only paint one or two pieces a year. “Those paintings weren’t my best work, but they reminded me that the artist inside was still there, waiting patiently,” Chambers says. Time passed, and as the restaurant grew and the boys became young men, she saw a window of time open. It was then that a good friend and mentor advised her to make the time to pursue her passion again. This advice led her to the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts. At the time, she was told that there was only one painting class being offered, but it was at an advanced level. After an informal interview with its teacher, Dean Little of Thomasville, Chambers was accepted. “Little is not only a fantastic artist and teacher, but he became a great friend and influence on my evolving painting style,” she notes. “He showed me that I could truly begin again.” Chambers enjoys the richly supportive community of artists and cohorts at the Turner Center, 74 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

where she says the fellowship of creative minds over a period of years has been invaluable, forming enduring friendships. Chambers’ artwork has also made its way to the family restaurant. The diﬀerent dining rooms at Austin’s Cattle Company are like an art gallery of their own, featuring 20 of Little’s large pieces as well as a few by Todd Wessel, all installed by fellow artists Bill Shenton and Jason Little. Chambers believes an artist should never stop learning, and she currently also enjoys pottery, having taken classes from local ceramicist Julie Smith. She’s embracing the medium and has crafted several bowls. She says the practice of making art is both joyful and calming. Chambers is excited about her current advanced oils study with Fay Bridges Hyatt at the Turner Center, and credits Hyatt with teaching everything from the best ways to set up live models and still life to using cold wax to create texture. Hyatt’s expertise in mixing colors and using “unexpected” hues in original ways has been exciting. While oil painting on linen or wood remains her favorite medium, Chambers is exploring new techniques and materials. She might layer up a board or canvas with paint, then begin to sketch in charcoal. Recently, she began working with pastels and continues studying the work of the artistic greats. Each new experience, Chambers observes, “teaches me something I can bring back to the easel.” She calls her style a blending of realism and impressionism, depending on the story she wants to tell. An avid admirer of John Singer Sargent, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Rembrandt, and Vincent Van Gogh, Chambers shares that seeing their works in person on

“It’s never too late to follow the dream that has been calling to you.”

her recent travels to Paris, London, and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. was emotional and inspiring. She recalls the awe of standing before the actual masterpieces she’d grown up admiring in books. Back at Austin’s, she points to an equestrian portrait of her great-grandfather painted by her great-uncle, George Salter Lee, in 1972—the year of her birth. “Creative works become part of a family’s legacy, passed from one generation to the next,” she observes. “For many years, I never imagined that I would sell my artwork. I thought that I would keep it or give it away, but eventually, I’ve realized that sharing my work allows it to become part of someone else’s story.” Chambers takes pride that her work is on the walls of homes and businesses throughout this area, and she’s grateful that others have invited her work into their lives. She paints in several studios, including at the Turner Center, but says inspiration ﬁnds her wherever she happens to be. Chambers adds that en plein aire is also a favorite site to work. Her paintings can be found at Curate in downtown Valdosta, Bella’s Cottage in Lake Park, Austin’s Cattle Company, and The Mercantile in Albany, under her business name, Diamonds & Dirt Roads. Reﬂecting on her body of work and the paintings yet to come, Chambers smiles and says, “It’s never too late to follow the dream that has been calling to you.” To learn more about Chambers’ art, visit Heather Lee Chambers on Facebook, Heather Lee Artist on Instagram, or Diamonds & Dirt Roads on both Facebook and Instagram. -VM Self Portrait, oil on wood FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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Valdosta Magazine

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FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

OOK B REVIEWS

People say, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” Sometimes it seems that fiction is actually full of truth. Mark Twain, and later Ernest Hemingway, advised aspiring writers to write what they knew. By its very definition, the word “novel” implies something new, yet an author’s life experiences may appear in a novel as well as in a memoir. hilarious motif in the story. The eccentric characters cast a spell and the pages ﬂy by. You will want to reread passages as you go, not because they’re obtuse, but because the prose is so smart and laugh-out-loud funny. Also, you might just want to move to Vermont.

existence as a military spouse. Beanland’s previous novels, The House Is on Fire and Florence Adler Swims Forever, also feature female characters confronting tough choices during pivotal moments in history.

CONTEMPORARY FICTION HISTORICAL FICTION

THE HALF LIFE by Rachel Beanland (2026) 480 pgs.

LITERARY FICTION

COUNTRY PEOPLE by Daniel Mason (2026) 320 pgs.

Pulitzer Prize nominee, Mason may be familiar to you. His striking 2024 North Woods was not only a bestseller, but it was also a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Lush and verdant Vermont is the storied setting for Country People, which cleverly satirizes such cultural darlings as literary academics, childhood education, landed gentry, eccentric New Englanders, and legendary folktales. A Californian, Miles Krzewski has been floundering on his PhD in Russian Folklore for years. He’s easily sidetracked, so when his wife, a renown John Milton (Paradise Lost) scholar, is offered a prestigious post at a liberal arts college in Vermont, they head east with their two children and their dog, Giuseppe. The dog is an Italian breed called “Lagotto Romagnolo”—an expensive, supposedly hypoallergenic, truffle-hunting expert. The dog, named for Verdi, becomes a

78 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

Virginia resident, Beanland is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth University. Her third novel opens in 1970s Charleston. A college dropout, Eileen O’Malley is 23 and working retail when she meets handsome naval oﬃcer Paul Archer. They’re soon married and move across the Atlantic to the remote, idyllic Mediterranean island of La Maddalena. Paul is on the “promotion track” toward being a naval commander as he assumes responsibility of the “radiological controls” aboard a nuclear submarine’s tender. The American mindset of “stopping communism at all costs” pervades the plot, and Eileen begins to question the cold war ideology that cost her brother his life in Vietnam. Navigating “Navy wife life” doesn’t come easily to her, and soon she embarks on her own education, learning Italian and embracing anti-nuclear activism. “Half life” in the title refers to the term for the length of time it takes leaked radiation to decrease by half as well as Eileen’s unfulﬁlled

THE GULF OF LIONS by Caitlin Shetterly (2026) 336 pgs.

Maine native and Brown University graduate, Shetterly has been a published writer in major media for years. Her first novel, Pete and Alice in Maine, was a big hit. The Gulf of Lions is its “stand-alone” sequel. Alice is a 40-something mom who has recovered from a grueling battle with breast cancer, but she’s still grappling with the infidelity of her husband, Pete. Part of her healing celebration involves writing a travelogue as she takes her teenage daughters on a “once-in-a-lifetime” camping trip across France. The title comes from the rough waters in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, where storms can be violent and unexpected along France’s coastal border with Spain. “Rough water” is an appropriate metaphor for the geographic beauty as well as personal hardship Alice faces: plot twists, dangerous encounters, romantic entanglements, and of course, delicious food and wine. In a surprising twist of fate, six months after Shetterly sent this novel off to her

editor, she herself was diagnosed with the same breast cancer in the same location as her ﬁctional character. To learn more about Shetterly’s books and her journey as both writer and cancer survivor, visit caitlinshetterly.com.

ARTS & Culture

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

NO WAY OUT BUT THROUGH by Susan Beckham Zurenda (2026) 260 pgs.

HISTORICAL FICTION

LIAR’S DICE by Juliet Faithfull (2025) 384 pgs.

aithfull’s atmospheric novel takes its title from the classic bluffing and bidding game in which players roll five dice, keeping them hidden under a cup and guessing the numbers’ values as stakes go progressively higher. Set in 1970s Brazil, adolescent Delores narrates the story in present tense. Delores and Mita are inseparable twins, born to a British father and a native mother. Mita suffers from a mysterious illness, revealed in the first pages as the girls dance in a parade. Not long after their family moves from a rural village to Rio de Janeiro, Mita “disappears” to a hospital in London. Delores is lost without her sister. Her parents tell her only that sending Mita away was the best decision they could make for Mita. Delores attends the snobby British school in Rio where caning is commonplace. She’s mostly alone until she befriends an expelled student, Angela, who’s from the wrong side of Rio. Delores’s parents are too busy hosting cocktail parties to notice how much she misses her twin or the danger she’s in. Delores’s wise voice captivates, and she’s a character you won’t soon forget. On her website, julietfaithfull.com, the author shares that this is a deeply personal story, echoing her own experiences as “the healthy twin” who grew up in Brazil, while her sister was “erased.” It’s a powerful narrative, the fifth book published under Jenna Bush Hager’s imprint at Random House.

partanburg novelist Zurenda was inspired by a true story to write about surviving the harsh realities of parental coercion and marital abuse. A guest attending one of Zurenda’s readings shared that she knew a girl who was barely 15 when her own mother signed her into marriage to a 40-year-old man. Zurenda began researching the prevalence of child marriage in America. What would be sexual assault outside of marriage ironically becomes legal within it. Zurenda wondered whether the story of one such victim, framed in a novel, could impact such heartbreaking realities. The story opens with Shannon, an author, meeting Mrs. Stevenson, a well-to-do lady whose housecleaner, Grace, survived child marriage and wants to tell her story to help others. Shannon and Grace meet on Pawley’s Island at Mrs. Stevenson’s beach cottage. From this idyllic location, Grace ﬂashes back to share her saga. Grace was a typical middle schooler but grew up poor and in an unstable home. Her mother considered her a burden and was complicit in Grace being groomed by Rafe, as detestable a character as could be imagined. She becomes his wife and the family breadwinner by working minimum wage jobs. Through hard work and common sense, Grace survives her horrible reality, living to share her journey with Shannon, who confronts past demons of her own as they bond through their shared pasts. The narrative alternates throughout between past and present. It’s a story of sheer determination and characters that inspire. Zurenda’s previous novels are also set in the south and tell relatable stories. Check out Bells for Eli and The Girl From the Red Rose Motel.

BUZZ BOOK TO PREORDER HISTORICAL FICTION

MUSIC AGAINST THE NIGHT: A NOVEL (THE NOCTURNE TRILOGY) by Yiyun Li (Release date October 13, 2026) 356 pgs.

hinese-born Yiyun Li is the winner of numerous prestigious awards, such as the PEN/Faulkner, PEN/Hemingway, and the Pulitzer Prize. She’s also a Guggenheim and a MacArthur Fellow. A professor in the humanities at Princeton University, Li writes both nonfiction and fiction. Music Against the Night has been touted by Ann Patchett as “the best novel” she’s ever read. Its publisher calls it “magisterial” and “polyphonic,” polyphonic referring to “two simultaneous, independent melodic lines or voices sounding together.” The narrative opens in the Romantic Era of the 1790s with two piano prodigies (taken from real life). John Field grows up in Dublin, Ireland. He’s awkward, small, and stutters. Across oceans, Adelaide Percheron grows up with the disadvantage of being orphaned and not quite white in Pondicherry, French India. Her grandmother teaches her to practice the art of charm, learning what people want and giving it to them. Their destinies take them to England, France, and Russia. It’s a fascinating and compelling story, especially if you love piano and composers. A line near the end refers to the profound effect of music, “which no mortal could capture or subjugate.” Among Li’s previous bestsellers are The Book of Goose, Things in Nature Merely Grow, and Wednesday’s Child.

Narci Drossos describes herself as a compulsive reader, saved in her youth by a summer bookmobile librarian who ignored the bi-weekly limit of five books, thus allowing her, in one summer, to go from Harriet the Spy and Nancy Drew to David Copperfield and Jane Eyre. She holds three degrees from Valdosta State University and has been teaching English at Valdosta High School for over 30 years. She’s published book reviews in ELLE and online on Instagram @novels_with_narci, where she’d appreciate a follow and your feedback on this feature using #VMbookreview. FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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JACK OLIVER TOURNAMENT

he 85th Annual Jack Oliver Tournament at Valdosta Country Club (VCC) was held August 21–23. Congratulations to VSU golfer Adam Waller, who captured the 2026 Jack Oliver Championship. On the tennis courts, champions also shined: Katherine Ross was the 4.0 title with Lee Dickey as runner-up; Gretchen Elliott took home the 3.5 title, followed by Tina Folsom; Lee Smothers earned the 3.0 White title with Jennie Alvarez as runner-up; Brooke Boruﬀ claimed the 3.0 Green title with Annelise Branham ﬁnishing runner-up; and Hannah Baker earned top honors in the 2.5 division with Elizabeth Holley as runner-up. The competition was only part of the fun! Members and guests came together Saturday evening to celebrate the Jack Oliver tradition with great food, good drinks, and live music. VCC thanks all players, members, guests, and supporters for making it such a memorable weekend. VCC looks forward to carrying on this wonderful tradition for many years to come!

Derrick Ho, Kaley Howard, Emily Sirmans, Jennifer Williams, LeeAnna Peebles, Julia Goff

David & Lalee Cregger

Bubba Highsmith, Hayden Bledsoe, Mac Mackey, Parker Highsmith, Jeff Brown, Gabe Heiderscheit

James Allen & Taylor Bryant, Hannah & Cam Baker

Jake & Tara Purvis, Julee & Parker Lincoln

FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

SEEN

Lee & Justin Smothers

Susan Steel, Cyndi Chancy

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Elizabeth Vickers, Lauren Vickers

Cassie & Patrick O’Neal

Jason Shaw, Bubba Highsmith, Greg Hunter, Justin Womack

SEEN

Kerri & JD Dean

Alina Rountree, Jesslyn Oliver, Leigh Anne Corbett

Julia Goff, Kaley Howard, Derrick Ho

Ryan & Brandy Johnson

Travis, Alyssa, and Mason Pate FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Come visit the Pumpkin Patch Animal Petting Farm Call to inquire about photo sessions, field trips, and parties.

2 2 9 - 4 1 3 - 3 2 4 2 | 5732 Clyattville Nankin Road | Valdosta, GA 31601 f i f t h d a y f a r m l l c . c o m | Owners: Steve & Janet Hendley

Hours: Saturday 10 am to 5 pm Sunday 11 am to 5 pm Closed Monday to Friday Open during the week by appointment

Oktoberfest C E L E B R AT I O N

October 22-25, 2026 LIVE MUSIC & GAMES AUTHENTIC GERMAN FOOD & BEER 109 S. Briggs Street | Valdosta, GA

84 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

SEEN

Ansley DeCenzo, Michael Smith, Susan Nebel, Meredith Crum, Pam Hernandez, Tia Meyes with Dale Murphy

SIXTH ANNUAL UNITE DINNER BRINGS COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO OFFER HELP AND HOPE TO THOSE IN NEED

Susan Mullis, Mikki Hudson, Meagan Griffin, Tammie Mitchell

ore than 500 guests gathered at the Rainwater Conference Center for the sixth annual Unite Dinner, co-sponsored by The Haven and Greater Valdosta United Way. Featuring Atlanta Braves legend Dale Murphy as the guest speaker, the evening raised support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and programs supported by Greater Valdosta United Way. By bringing supporters together, the dinner raises both funds and awareness, reminding the community that safety, healing, and stability require an ongoing commitment. Every auction bid and donation helps sustain the services people rely on during some of the most diﬃcult moments of their lives. The Haven and Greater Valdosta United Way extend their heartfelt thanks to Dale Murphy, event sponsors, auction donors, volunteers, and everyone who attended or contributed. Their generosity helps ensure that more neighbors have somewhere to turn when they need support.

Kim Newman, Lindsey Browning, Jessica Lane, Lynn Browning, Wendi Evans

Mona Mounts, Joan Emery, Marie Bennett, Laurie Scruggs

Carla Holmes, Jeani Snyard, Dale Flythe FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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77TH ANNUAL COTILLION DANCE

Kristin Tanner, Aprile Steel, Whitney Monetti, Nicole Steel

otillion members gathered for the 77th Annual Cotillion Dance, enjoying a fun evening with live music from the Tasteful Tea Band. The 2026 Cotillion Board includes President Sarah Kathryn Garland, Vice President Leigh Anne Corbett, Past President and CAM Chair Sarah Varnedoe, Treasurer Molly Ferrier, Recording Secretary Casey Colson, and Corresponding Secretary Amanda Miller. A special thank you to Dance Chairs Davis Lastinger and Katie Hawthorne for their hard work in making this year’s event such a memorable success. Cotillion was also pleased to welcome ten new members this year: Kayla Becton, Brooke Boruﬀ, Annelise Branham, Andrea Brantley, Emily Corbett, Emily Courson, Lauren Duncan, Alina Rountree, Mary Beth Smotherman, and Brooke White. We look forward to another wonderful year of fellowship and continuing this longstanding Valdosta tradition.

Justin & Devan Martin FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Stephen & Kacie Sandbach, Tanner & Lauren Darby, Andrew & Shelby McNeal, Blake & Olivia Summers, Tullis & Jamie Beasley

Jake & Tara Purvis

Olivia Vickers, Lauren Jovovic, Alina Rountree, Lauren Maixner, Kayla Becton

Anna Rowe, Makenzie Shea

Jordan & Emily Lee, Charles & Brooke White

88 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FALL 2026

SEEN

Devan Martin, Lacey Duggan, Sarah Kathryn Garland, Annelise Branham, Jesslyn Oliver, Leigh Anne Corbett

Nicole & Adam Steel

Jennifer Williams, Missy Sherwood, Emily Sirmans, Rebecca Carter, Mandi McNamara, Kaley Howard

Cam & Hannah Baker, James Allen & Taylor Bryant, Pate Leonard, Adrian Howell

Lauren Darby, Amanda Hall, Mandi McNamara, Brooke Boruff, Sarah Hutchinson

Kenzi Little and Gary Cannon FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Tune in weekday mornings from 6am-9am

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Serving South Georgia for over 30 Years!

We’re back at 416 North Ashley Street! The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce has returned to the historic Barber House. Stop by, reconnect with our team, tour the space, and discover how chamber membership can help your business grow.

Not a chamber member yet? Contact our Vice President of Membership Relations, Olivia Summers at osummers@valdostachamber.com, for more information.

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Todd Hatcher, Gerald Tyson

24TH BIANNUAL WILDCAT REUNION

he 2026 Bazemore Era Wildcat Football Reunion marked the 24th biannual gathering of these former high school football players! Held once again at Ocean Pond Clubhouse, it was a fun evening of fellowship, memory-swapping, laughter, and delicious food. Photos by Sharon Coleman

Ray Parr, George Carter, Robert Daniels with Billy Yeomans and Harry Harnage in the background

Wayne Simpson, Ralph Hendry, Kenny Moore, Jimmy LeFiles FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

Roger Rome, Sydney Earnest

Hank Lee, Jimmy Miller, Roy Mason, Roy Mason, Jr.

Billy Yeomans, Jerry Baker, Jimmy Scruggs

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Stan Coppage, Robert Strom, Cecil Dubberly, Vic Ledbetter, Gary Rowe

Jerry Brooks, Ray Parr, Mike Flail

Bill DeCoudres, Dave McCracken, Rusty Brannen, Richard Vann, Clem Brannen, Buddy Coleman

FOR YOUR FAMILY AND BUSINESS INSURANCE NEEDS

229-247-6500 www.blantongriffin.com 2314 N. Patterson Street Valdosta, GA Across from South Georgia Medical Center

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FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF VALDOSTA MAGAZINE FEATURING THE

Love &

Marriage SECTION

Showcasing real weddings, advice from top, local wedding vendors, and local couples sharing their secrets to love and marriage To advertise, contact Connie Riddle at 912-424-8772 or criddle@showcasepublicationsga.com

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Discover

Valdosta Country Club

convenient | private | traditional The Valdosta Country Club is a private, member-owned club, offering exceptional golf, tennis, pickleball, swimming, fitness, dining and events. The VCC has been an integral part of the community for over 100 years and prides itself on outstanding service in a welcoming atmosphere. Located in the heart of our city, the VCC is just minutes from most neighborhoods. We invite you to explore all the amenities, athletic programs, social events and Southern hospitality that Valdosta Country Club has to offer! For membership opportunities, contact Annelise Branham at 229-242-3706, option 6

www.valdostacc.com | 229-242-3706 | 3500 Country Club Road | Valdosta, GA 31605 FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

index

OF ADVERTISERS 42 IFC 26 80 93 93 42 20 86 86 80 77 11 84 84 66 52 66 62 41 5 54 77 70 63 1 52 48 60 86 93 6, 7 9 68 59 12 18, 19 BC 90 53 76 76 IFC 41 63 36 72 70 90 93 3 34

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Walker, a Jack Russell Terrier, relaxes in his newly designed home (page 43). Photo by Wes Sewell Photography

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STANDING

Brad Skinner, Financial Advisor Bob Langdale, Associate Vice President/Investments Robert A. Goddard III, AIF®, CFP®, Senior Vice President/Investments Zach Hageman, CFP®, First Vice President/Investments John Lastinger, AIF®, Senior Vice President/Investments John Williams, CFP®, Senior Vice President/Investments Richard S. Campbell, CIMA®, Senior Vice President/Investments Alston Barr, Operations Coordinator SEATED

Maria Reynolds, Registered Client Service Associate Beverly Avera, Senior Registered Client Service Associate Barry Barr, Vice President/Investments, Branch Manager Michelle Taylor, Senior Registered Client Service Associate

(229) 293-1125 | (877) 635-9524 3555 North Crossing Circle | Valdosta, Georgia 31602 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com FALL 2026 VALDOSTA MAGAZINE

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