Spring 2015

Preserving the South |

Historical Market Placed: WPAX Radio Station | A Stunning Look

WINTER/SPRING 2015

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The First & Finest Volume 12, Issue 1

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

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• PUBLISHER, EDITOR- IN-CHIEF Jack Kelly | jkelly@rose.net 229.224.4569 • ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Christy S. Layfield | crlayfield@gmail.com 229.224.5691 • ADVERTISING MANAGER Christy S. Layfield • ADVERTISING SALES J. Perry Fielding • CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chuck Bowen | Sanford Giemza | Ann R. Harrison | Mary Lawrence Lang | Amy Maison | Kimberly Mitchell | Bob Parrish | Andrew Sawyer | Erin Smeltzer | Ed Williams • CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS J. Perry Fielding | Christy Layfield | • LAYOUT & DESIGN Cynthia Henry

Thomasville Magazine is published quarterly by Thomasville Magazine, Inc. (Jack Kelly) All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Subscription rates in the U.S. are $15.00 annually.

Please send address changes along with mailing label from past issue to: Thomasville Magazine, P.O.Box 1855, Thomasville, GA 31799-1855 or email us at subscriptions@ thomasvillemagazine.com.

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36 Vol. 12 No. 1 Winter/Spring 2015

10

Father & Daughter Dance

14

Five Weeks of the Strawhat Circuit

18

A Tradition of Giving The Salvation Army

23

BOB BALFOUR III Writer – Magnate – Humanitarian

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Archbold Ranked Top Hospital in Southwest Georgia

36

Preserving the South One Jar at a Time

40

A Stunning Look

In Every Issue 24

SWGTC Awarded $2.3 Million 6

Education: Tiny Tots

26

Historical Marker Placed WPAX Radio Station

44

Landscaping

28

30

Thomasville Junior Service League

46

Calendar of Events

Flowers Foods’ Deese – A 50+ Year Career

50 Ledger

COVER

George E. Deese, chairman of the board of Flowers Foods and former president and chief executive officer of the company, reflects back on his 50-year career with Flowers Foods.

www.thomasvillemagazine.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thomasville-Magazine

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Tiny Tots Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

WRITTEN BY ERIN SMELTZER

6

Preventing POWER Struggles You see it in their face.

The moment is coming.

What will you do? Why won’t they wait until they’re home and there is no audience? Deep breaths… Here we go… the power struggle has begun. It is a battle of wits.

Nothing you say is working. Kind words, threatening words, nothing is working. People are looking on, judging, smirking. You feel your credibility as a parent slowly draining. Why does this happen?

Have you ever been there? If you are being honest, every parent has. While it might not have been in public, power struggles are all around us. Road rage is a great way to see this in modern era. Yet, why do they happen? Is there a way to decrease their frequency?

First, let’s take a look at what a power struggle is - a struggle for power. It seems likely that we can assume that someone struggling for power feels powerless. If this is the case, it seems empowering children would decrease the frequency of power struggles while also making them a bit more manageable. However, the problem we face in these moments is that we are trying to stop the behavior instead of changing it. How can we teach a powerless child to ask for power instead of demanding it?

There are few things you can do to prevent power struggles from ever occurring. First, connect with you child. Have you ever been sitting on the couch with your significant other, thinking of how much you love them?

Then, they ask for a sandwich and your response is “Sure, honey, ham or turkey?”

Flash forward to the day that you have laundry piled everywhere. You had an awful day at work. Your significant other asks for a sandwich and what is your response? “Your legs are working just fine. Mine are too busy doing your laundry!” It seems that the more connected with are with someone the more likely we are to cooperate.

Statistics say that ten minutes of undivided attention with your child can decrease your power struggles by fifty percent. Undivided means no phone, e-mail, or television.

Nothing else in the world exists in that moment but your

child. If you have multiples, this can be tricky. Ask for help if you have a significant other. If you do not have help, find any moment that you can to give your full attention to the child, even if just for a moment. Special handshakes and catchphrases are good rituals to add to your day so that only your child(ren) feel that unique connection to you.

Adding jobs to your daily routine is another way to prevent power struggles. When you go to the grocery store, everyone has a list to check off as items are put in the cart.

In the car, someone a job to announce when it is time to take off seatbelts. Get creative. Children are so capable of doing helpful tasks and love being a part of the reason the family is so successful. It gives them confidence and helps them to feel powerful.

Next, prepare for difficult transitions. If you know that there are certain moments that seem to invite a power struggle, set them up with tools for the transition.

Sand timers are a great tool for teaching time management and preparing for changes in the day. A five-minute sand timer can show the time before a turn is ending or it is time

someone tells them to do.

Empathy is another great tool in stressful moments.

Thinking the best in the child and trying to figure out what they were trying to accomplish is the first step. Discuss this with your child so that they understand their own feelings and can move forward in processing them. My two yearold kicked and screamed the first time she couldn’t go to dance class. Instead of changing the moment, I understood her disappointment and explained it to her. I helped her calm and walked her through what to do when you feel disappointment. It was one of my favorite moments with her. Now, as a four year-old, when things do not go as she hoped, she processes them well. She feels powerful enough to regulate her own disappointment instead of letting disappointment take control of her.

If you find the moment comes that was just not preventable, breathe. You can handle this. Offer empathy to yourself and your child. You are everything you need to be to handle to moment. Take deep breaths and, as the child calms, be assertive. When it finishes, take time to heal. Vulnerability and connection are sacrificed when you engage in a power struggle. These must be mended in order to continue on in a connected relationship.

Now that you are an expert, the best thing you can do is offer it to others. The mom that is struggling in front of you needs you to breathe for her and wish her well. The dad that is about to pull his hair out at soccer practice needs empathy.

Suspend your judgment while we all learn. If we do

this, we will all feel empowered, therefore decreasing the power struggles throughout the world.

Erin Smeltzer is the Program Supervisor in the School Readiness Unit for the Office of Early learning within the Florida Department of Education

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

to leave the activity. The child holding the sand timer can also use it to see how long they must wait for the turn and empower the assertiveness to ask for the transition. Discuss the upcoming transition, as well. If your boss came and in and made you leave your office immediately to go to a meeting and you had no time to prepare, you would feel frazzled and powerless. This is the same for children. The time of leaving does not change, but you give them a heads up that it is coming.

Choices are another option for preventing power struggles. If a child feels like they have choices within a situation, they feel empowered. Think about your own life. There are choices in most situations. You may have to stop at a stop sign, but you can stop slowly or come to a screeching halt. You stopped but had a choice in how you got to that end result. This is the same for children. If it is time to get in the car, they may walk or hop to the car.

Getting in the car does not change as the goal. If it is time to sit down they can choose the chair in which they would like to sit. If you want them to walk beside you, they can put their hands in their pockets or swing them by their side. Choices within an expectation allow a child to make decisions for accomplishing the goal and decrease their likelihood of fighting it. This also creates children that can think and process instead of always doing or fighting what

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE YMCA OF THOMASVILLE The Thomasville’s YMCA assists thousands of men, women, and children in reaching their potential by inspiring them to do more and be more.

Creating lasting personal and social change through programs that promote youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility is at the core of the YMCA’s mission. Visit us today to see how you can be a part of the Thomasville YMCA.

www.ymca-thomasville.org

WE FINANCE MORE LAND THAN ANY OTHER LENDER. AND THERE’S A REASON WHY. Farmers and land owners know. They know

there’s only one lender in southwest Georgia that operates strictly for the benefit of its customers—Southwest Georgia Farm Credit. We distribute our profits to our borrowers, who are our owners. Over the past 20 years, our patronage program has lowered the average cost of borrowing—your interest rate—by about 1 percent annually.

Returning our profits is how we invest in agriculture, and the rural communities we serve.

So, if you’re considering purchasing land, give us a call or drop by our office in downtown Thomasville. FOR YOUR FARM. FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE. FOR YOUR AGRIBUSINESS.

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 10

WRITTEN BY ED WILLIAMS

Barry Evans’ daughter is Aaliyah Evans.

I

t just keeps getting better and better!

This year’s second annual Father & Daughter Dance to benefit the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society (TTCHS) was a huge success with just over 500 in attendance on February 7, 2015.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

Learning from last year’s successes and challenges, this year’s dance was relocated to a larger venue –Thomasville Exchange Club Fairgrounds. D.J. Jimmy Smith was back for a second year spinning the tunes with a great mix of music.

Dorothy Whitman, aka Photography by D.J., was on hand to capture the memories. Raffle prizes were awarded, and event T-shirts and horse-drawn carriage rides were even available.

Literally hundreds of dolled-up little girls filed into the dance hall beaming from ear to ear with their daddies in tow. There was, of course, a Valentine’s Day theme as they entered under arches of red, white, turquoise, and pink balloons. The Junior Service League was kind enough to leave up many of their decorations from the night before which gave us alternating red and white fabric draped up the walls and across the ceiling. The ladies on the dance committee, with help from Thomas University volunteer athletes, toiled all day adding to the décor so it would be just right when our guests arrived. Some of those ladies, as well as a few local businesses (see sponsor list), also provided desserts and refreshments for the attendees.

The horse-drawn carriage rides seemed to be a big hit, and the weather was pleasantly cooperative. It was a white, two-seated chariot worthy of mention in a fairy tale and pulled by a pair of beautiful horses. Its royal occupants were casually pulled around the grassy field in front of the buildings. Inside meanwhile, the music was non-stop as daddies and their little princesses danced the night away.

Many danced toe-to-toe for hours while others, particularly the younger ones, quickly wound up in their father’s loving arms. ‘Twas certainly a night to remember for all.

In spite of all the modern distractions of the digital age like cell phones, emails, texts, televisions, and internet, it sure was great to see all those fathers and their dressed up little girls spending quality time together! From the humane society’s perspective we were hoping for a successful new event that would grow in popularity for years to come and help us fund some of the projects on our “wish list”. We have been blown away, and at times a little overwhelmed, by the community’s response with just over 300 attending in our very first year and about 200 more this year. It seems as though we have stumbled upon a fun and exciting event for what most feel is a very worthy cause.

As I am sure Chris Marsh, director of Halcyon Home and dance committee chairwoman, would agree, times like these spent with their fathers is invaluable. It not only promotes good family values, but it also encourages for these little girls healthy self-esteem and more positive relations with the men in their lives. Watching the laughs, heartfelt hugs, and whispers as daddies bent over to listen, I couldn’t help thinking, as the humane society’s executive director, that this event’s benefits would FAR exceed the monies raised for our non-profit animal welfare organization. Needless to say, it was all in all a pretty rewarding experience.

Profits from last year’s dance went towards the development of a new exercise yard / dog park adjacent to the shelter. Surveying and engineered plans have since

11

Charlie Ward’s daughter is Isabella Ward.

been drawn to take a previously underutilized portion of our existing property, correct some stormwater drainage issues, and install the necessary fencing, landscaping, and other amenities needed to turn it into a valuable asset for our animals. This will become an inviting space where staff, volunteers, and potential adopters can spend quality time with our adoptable dogs. Sunshine, fresh air, exercise, obedience classes, agility work, and even children’s birthday parties are just some of the exciting possibilities all of which will help further our mission as a humane society.

Daily exercise and one-on-one interaction with staff & volunteers definitely improves the health and temperament of our dogs and makes their stay at the shelter less stressful.

Groundbreaking on this project, which is highly dependent on fair weather, should happen soon!

Proceeds from this year’s event will go towards our operational needs allowing us to continue caring for the lost, homeless, abused, and abandoned animals of our community as we’ve done since 1970. We run an openadmission shelter and contract with local government to provide animal control services to Thomas County and the 7 municipalities therein. Our present facility has been located at 180 Big Star Drive for more than 20 years and can now shelter over 300 animals at a time. Like all humane societies and SPCAs we are independent and are

Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

not affiliated with, nor do we receive regular funding from, any national animal welfare organizations or advocacy groups. The aforementioned animal control contract provides about 40% of our yearly income. Memberships, donations, grants, and fundraising efforts, therefore, make up the majority of our annual revenue. For more information, please visit www.thomasvillehumane.org, and be sure to follow the TTCHS on Facebook at facebook. com/thomasvillehumane.

education projects with the long-term goal

12

of eliminating unwarranted euthanasia.

The Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society is a charitable organization committed to promoting the

Father & Daughter Dance February 7, 2015

humane treatment of animals through a variety of means, including adoption programs, foster care programs, spay and neuter services, and community

Mr. & Mrs. Harold Jackson Halcyon Home Mr. & Mrs. Edward Davis Battery Source Embellish Interiors C.B. Grubbs - New York Life Insurance Company Mr. & Mrs. Gates Kirkham Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Lanigan Ms. Lauren Matthews Odum Telecommunications Mr. & Mrs. Robert Roller Taylor’s Barber Shop Mr. & Mrs. John Wagner White’s Fence Company D.J. Jimmy Smith Jones Welding Lowe’s Photography by D.J. Prestige Ice Rite Aid Singletary’s Flowers & Gifts Skyline Graphics SunTrust Bank It is with sincere thanks that we acknowledge our sponsors!

We also wish to thank the following businesses who have so generously supported this year’s event by providing desserts & refreshments!

Chick-fil-A Dunkin’ Donuts Flowers Foods Harvey’s Lewis Produce Nanee’s Donut Hole Special thanks are also extended to the Junior Service League for graciously allowing us use of their decorations.

OUR EXPERTISE in your best interest

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015 13

Contact Us Main Office 131 S. Dawson Street | Thomasville, Georgia

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

Five Weeks on the

14

WRITTEN BY CHUCK BOWEN

O

ne of the many time-consuming chores that were an essential part of our recent move from Pelham to Thomasville was the sorting through of countless old papers and making those horrible keep-ortoss decisions. Suddenly, there it was!

It’s nothing special as photographs go, but, to me, it’s a 3x4-inch piece of pure, magical nostalgia. The faces of the budding young Thespians in the photo, lined up and smiling in front of the old playhouse on the edge of Cape Cod, are as familiar now as they were more than a halfcentury ago. In the background I can read the sign “Priscilla Beach Theatre,” and in smaller letters: “Actors Colony.”

(There’s something still smaller that even my magnifying glass can’t reveal.)

I could not remember how long it had been since I last held that most prized of all memorabilia in my hand, but the year of its creation is stamped indelibly in my memory

bank: 1949.

It all came rushing back.

Since the age of 10 I had found a way to be part of every minstrel show, stage play, and “stunt night” that I could hear of or dream up. Now, at last, I would be part of something big-time and legitimate. My junior college drama coach had managed my acceptance to what was termed a “Drama Festival” at a summer stock theatre in Massachusetts—a place that seemed at least as far away as China. Aware of my blatant ambitions to be the next great American actor, my parents had scraped together train fare from our small South Georgia town to Boston. I then caught a bus down to Plymouth where I rendezvoused with the theatre’s station wagon.

During those five glorious weeks, we followed the usual summer stock procedure of performing each evening while rehearsing daily for the following week’s production. We

“One of Life’s greatest joys: The sweet-fever pleasures of recollection” –Anonymous inside. Our schedule wouldn’t allow me to walk around or even take a quick peek beyond the playhouse doors, and there was no one in sight to answer the questions that were burning in my brain: The owners in ’49, Dr. and Mrs. Trask, are they still around? Does the ancient playhouse still come alive each evening with novice energy and the electricity of the great old plays? Do kids from all over— some, like me, with only a modicum of talent, but all with flaming ambition—still make a pilgrimage to this place each summer?

Looking back, I’m sure the two minutes that I stood transfixed, breathless, and staring at the antiquated structure were somehow carved out of the vastness of all the minutes that will ever exist to be the most savored, most inexplicable moments of my life. In that brief, indescribable span, my body throbbed with an unnatural kinship to youth and enchantment; I was friends again with impossible dreams. Those five weeks, that brief sojourn in what I perceived to be the way of the wonderful couldn’t have been that perfect—but they were.

I joined in no conversation on the frenzied trip back to the Providence airport. I had been privy to a reclamation of the spirit, and mere words would only be a dilution.

Flying home, I painfully recalled the reason why I did not persist in my quest. Every role had been portrayed with all the gusto I could muster, and I had great hopes of being asked to remain—as some were—as a permanent member of the troupe. I overheard my most vocal protagonist, a British director hired for the summer, discussing my plight with Mrs. Trask. He spoke (perhaps due to my having purchased him a bottle of port on a trip into Plymouth) of “real promise” and encouraged an affirmative decision, but she had doubts about my being able to eliminate (something I thought I had already accomplished) the remnants of my southern drawl. The final week came to an end. A beautiful young actress friend from Baltimore—tears slipping down her cheeks—sewed a button on my jacket and I went home to Georgia.

There would be employment in radio and television before I settled down to a permanent job in education, but the bittersweet memories of 1949—the lights, the make-up, the camaraderie, the applause—remain.

EPILOG I would learn many years later that Paul Newman was a member of the Priscilla Beach Theatre troupe in the summer of ’48. And you are likely already aware that his wife, Joanne Woodward, was born in Thomasville where her family remained until she was in the second grade. Her father, Wade, was principal of what was then the Eastside School, currently housing the Thomasville Center for the Arts.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

sat on the rocks overlooking the ocean to study our lines, and gathered in the cafeteria on Saturday mornings to “paper the house”—the preparation of reduced-price tickets for mailing to local patrons.

The plays in which I appeared shall always be my plays.

Among them: “I Remember Mama” (my role was Nels, acted on Broadway by a young Marlon Brandon), “Chicken Every Sunday” (we worked out a realistic “sock on the jaw” that made the audiences groan); and “The Winslow Boy” (mine was the title role). I can still feel the crowds, and you never forget the thrill of the applause after a piece of “business” well-turned.

We used the rare free afternoons to sightsee and explore.

On one of those occasions, five friends joined me for a hike down the beach to a resort hotel. We arrived just as the orchestra was tuning-up in the main ballroom. When the musicians learned of our purpose on the cape, we were asked to entertain the crowd that had already started to file in. The others obliged with a few jokes and sketches, then it was my turn. While my comrades performed, I had scrounged up a piece of burnt cork to smear my face, and then proceeded to do my infamous imitation of Al Jolson. I had been doing “Mammy” for as long as I could remember, but never with the transcending excitement of a full orchestra. I pressed on to “Sonny Boy,” “Swannee” and “Toot,, Toot, Tootsie”—and would have tried “California, Here I Come,” but the applause was obviously diminishing, and I knew it was time for a gracious exit.

Since 1949, I have returned to the scene of my ‘great adventure” only once. In 1974, while producing a film series for the University of Georgia, I found myself in northeast Rhode Island, no more than 50 miles from Priscilla Beach.

The plane was waiting to return us South at 2:30, and it was nearly noon when I realized our nearness to the theatre.

My crew reminded me that we still had to return the rental car and time was critically short, but I had to see the old playhouse—had to.

Memory did not serve me well as to the specific location, but a couple of quick stops to ask directions resulted in our arriving in record time. “So what’s the big deal? You mean we drove all the way for this?” I stood beside the car paying no heed to the sarcastic comments from the three guys

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 16

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A

tradition of

giving WRITTEN BY T. SANFORD GIEMZA

Throughout the year you will find Salvation Army’s around the United States helping serve their local communities. That service continues here in Thomasville.

The Salvation Army of Thomasville located at 514 Madison Street, supports our local community throughout the year whether it is through emergency services, family services programs or transitional shelters for children and women.

A number of national and local programs are based around the season of giving and Christmas.

Christmas Red Kettle Campaign In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome – funding the project.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015 19 Floyd Green

Where the money would come from, he wondered. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, and praying about how he could find the funds to fulfill his commitment of feeding 1,000 of the city’s poorest individuals on Christmas Day. As he pondered the issue, his thoughts drifted back to his sailor days in Liverpool, England. He remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.

The next day Captain McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.”

He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.

Six years later, the kettle idea spread from the west coast to the Boston area. That year, the combined effort nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy. In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the first mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden, a custom that continued for many years. Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods.

Captain McFee’s kettle idea launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but all across the world. Kettles are now used in such distant

lands as Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries.

Everywhere, public contributions to Salvation Army kettles enable the organization to continue its year-round efforts at helping those who would otherwise be forgotten.

A local tradition.

This tradition continues here in Thomas County.

Major Thomas Taylor, Corp Officer, Pastor and Executive Director of the local branch of Salvation Army says “About one third of our annual operational budget comes from the Red Kettle Campaign. 100% of those donations collected stay right here and help families in Thomas County. The Red kettles go to various locations November 19. The Campaign ends December 24. “ “Volunteers are at the heart of the bell ringing. Civic Clubs like Kiwanis and Rotary, Churches, School volunteers typically man the kettles and ring the bells. For every hour we have to pay someone to ring the bell we lose eight dollars. For every day we have to pay someone to ring the bell we lose $70.00. “Said Taylor.

Major Taylor’s wife, Major Christina Taylor, Corp Officer, pastor and Co-Executive Director stated “We are looking for musicians to play at bell ringing sites. A volunteer could sing, play a musical instrument. It doesn’t matter if the volunteer is any good or not. Even bad music makes a difference in the donations given.”

Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 20

Along with the familiar Red Kettles, the Angel Tree program is one of The Salvation Army’s highest profile Christmas efforts. Angel Tree was created by The Salvation Army in 1979 by Majors Charles and Shirley White when they worked with a Lynchburg, Virginia, shopping mall to provide clothing and toys for children at Christmas time.

The program got its name because the Whites identified the wishes of local children by writing their gift needs on Hallmark greeting cards that featured pictures of angels.

They placed the cards on a Christmas tree at the mall to allow shoppers to select children to help. Thanks to the Whites, who were assigned by The Army to the Lynchburg area at the time, more than 700 children had a brighter Christmas that first year.

Three years later, when the Whites were transferred to Nashville, Tennessee, Angel Tree was launched in the Music City. WSM radio, which airs the Grand Ol’ Opry, came on board that year as the first Angel Tree co-sponsor in the U.S. Because of the on-air promotion on WSM in Nashville, as well as national publicity on CNN and the Larry King Show, news of Angel Tree spread across the country like wildfire.

Christmas is a time of giving. Where children and adults alike experience the joy of the season and learn that

giving is better than receiving. Nationally The Angel Tree Program of the Salvation Army help millions of parents and children in need of help to celebrate Christmas.

Unfortunately there are children right here in Thomas County who may go without any gifts on Christmas Day. The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program provides new clothing or toys for children who need such through the support of donations. Angel Trees are decorated with paper tags with the first name, age, and gender of a child in need of presents.

Contributors remove one or more tags from the tree and purchase gifts listed, and then drop the gifts off with The Salvation Army.

Thomas Counties Angels.

According to Major C. Taylor “We have signed up 470 angels under the age of 12. Each angel’s family must demonstrate that they are at or below the federal poverty line. Once the family is approved we ask for the child’s age, sizes, and a gift the child might enjoy. This year we have had corporate sponsors adopt 200 angels but sadly the number of corporate adoptions are down. We are also facing less businesses who are allowing us put up an angel tree. “ We are still signing up families for the Angel Tree Program however they are put on a waiting list. If we have enough donations for the original 470 angels we will then go to the waiting list. “Stated Taylor.

Working together.

Toys for Tots and the Thomas County Salvation Army are working together to help serve the underprivileged children of Thomasville and Thomas County.

“The Toys for Tots boxes are going out to local businesses, churches, schools and more. We work with local Marines and our Georgia State Patrol Office where donations can also be made. These donated toys will help supply gifts for our Angel Tree Program. Some of the toys will also be used for fire victim’s families.” said Christina.

Stuff a Stocking Program

The Stuff a Stocking Program is unique to Thomas County and supports 250 seniors who could potentially be forgotten. “Items for the stockings can be hygiene items, small gifts, anything that would fit into a stocking. This program is part of our Community Care Ministry where we visit nursing homes and assisted living facilities.” stated Taylor.

The Core of Service.

“Volunteers are at the core of what we do. It takes an army, an army of volunteers to serve our community.

We couldn’t do it without the generosity and support of the community.” said Major Thomas Taylor. “We need volunteers to ring our bells, make donations to Toys for Tots, and Angel Tree as well as coordinate all these programs. If someone would like to give their time please contact the Thomas County Salvation Army at 229-226-3772.

The mission of the Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Volunteers Needed

William Booth embarked upon his ministerial career in 1852, desiring to win the lost multitudes of England to Christ. He walked the streets of London to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the poor, the homeless, the hungry, and the destitute.

Booth abandoned the conventional concept of a church and a pulpit, instead taking his message to the people. His fervor led to disagreement with church leaders in London, who preferred traditional methods. As a result, he withdrew from the church and traveled throughout England, conducting evangelistic meetings. His wife, Catherine, could accurately be called a cofounder of The Salvation Army.

In 1865, William Booth was invited to hold a series of evangelistic meetings in the East End of London. He set up a tent in a Quaker graveyard, and his services became an instant success. This proved to be the end of his wanderings as an independent traveling evangelist. His renown as a religious leader spread throughout London, and he attracted followers who were dedicated to fight for the souls of men and women. Thieves, prostitutes, gamblers, and drunkards were among Booth’s first converts to Christianity. To congregations who were desperately poor, he preached hope and salvation. His aim was to lead people

Meet the Thomasville Corps Officers Thomas T. Taylor and Christina D.B. Taylor

Thomas T. Taylor Thomas was born in Mobile, Alabama. He was first introduced to The Salvation Army as a young child when his parents were going through a rehabilitation program for alcoholics. Through youth programs, The Salvation Army became his church. As an adult, Thomas joined the U.S.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

In 1947 Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR founded Toys for Tots in Los Angeles, California. 5,000 toys were collected during a campaign before Christmas 1947. The next year The United States Marine Corps adopts Toys for Tots, and expands it into a nationwide community action project as the U. S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots Program.

to Christ and link them to a church for further spiritual guidance.

Many churches, however, did not accept Booth’s followers because of their past. So Booth continued giving his new converts spiritual direction, challenging them to save others like themselves. Soon, they too were preaching and singing in the streets as a living testimony to the power of God. In 1867, Booth had only 10 full-time workers, but by 1874, the number had grown to 1,000 volunteers and 42 evangelists, all serving under the name “The Christian Mission.” Booth assumed the title of general superintendent, with his followers calling him “General.” Known as the “Hallelujah Army,” the converts spread out of the East End of London into neighboring areas and then to other cities.

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

COMPASSION.

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Air Force and later the U.S. Army. He spent 28 years in the military service and retired in 1999. Thomas’s college education includes a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Administration and with emphasis in Accounting and Information Systems from Brenau University. He also holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Software Engineering from the New York Board of Reagents.

Thomas is also a private pilot, Emergency First Response Instructor and Instructor Trainer, PADI Master Scuba instructor and a musician. He is currently a member of the Rose City Symphonic Band.

Christina D.B. Taylor

Taught here daily.

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Christina was born in Naples, Florida. Her first experience with The Salvation Army was with the Disaster Services after Hurricane Donna. The Salvation Army was the first on the scene and provided water, food and clothing to her family when they lost their home. She joined the U.S. Army to see the world. After almost 7 years of service, Christina left the military and earned a degree in education at Georgia Southern University. She was an educator for over 10 years.

The Salvation Army Assignments Thomas and Christina arrived in Honolulu in January 1996 while Thomas was still on active duty with the United States Army. They became officers (pastors) in The Salvation Army after Thomas retired from the military in 1999 and were appointed to The Salvation Army in Maui, HI. They were assigned as Corps Officers for the Kahului Corps with Thomas as the Island Coordinator for the Maui Salvation Army. In 2002, Thomas and Christina also became the Corps Officers for the Lahaina Outpost.

In 2004 additional officers were assigned to the Kahului Corps, Lahaina Outpost, and the Molokai Outpost with Thomas and Christina as the Maui County Administrators.

In June 2007, Thomas and Christina were moved to the US Territory of Guam and assigned as the Corps Officers for the Guam Corps with Thomas also assigned as the Micronesian Island Coordinator, responsible to oversee the ministry in the Federated States of Micronesia and Saipan. They became the Corps Officers of the Jonesboro Corps Citadel in Jonesboro, Georgia in July 2012. Their next move, and hopefully the last, was to Thomasville Corps as the Corps Officers in September 2013.

Personal

229.225.4096 • www.southwestgatech.edu A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia Equal Opportunity Institution

Thomas and Christina have been married for 37 years.

They have traveled around the world. Some of their military overseas assignments include Thailand, Viet Nam, South Korea, Germany and Panama. They are a blended family with 4 children between them. They have 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.Thomas loves to cook, especially outdoor cooking. Christina is an amateur birder.

BOB BALFOUR III

Writer – Magnate – Humanitarian WRITTEN BY CHUCK BOWEN

Whoever contrived that whimsical statement, might very well have had Thomasville’s R.C. “Bob” Balfour in mind.

An adroit business executive for most of his 87 years, he did not discover his writing skills until his retirement as president of the innovative Balfour Lumber Company.

Finding himself with a plethora of idle time, Bob asked himself an almost frightening question: “What do I do now?”

He admits the answer was elusive. “That’s an awful fix to be in. When you’ve always been hyperactive and you’ve suddenly got virtually nothing to do, it’s a dilemma.

I looked into woodworking and lots of other things, but none of it really interested me.

So-o-o we bought a computer and I used it to write a short story that turned out pretty good. That convinced me that writing was something I could continue and enjoy.”

The new writer’s first book, In Search of the Aucilla, modeled to some degree after a book, This Land I have Loved, that his father had written many years earlier, found a sizable audience and even went into a second printing. The earnings were substantial and his natural bent toward philanthropy immediately came to the fore; he gave the proceeds to the hospital and the YMCA. Bob has kept that computer humming. His seventh book, The Persian Prince and the Man of God - - an account of the contrasting lives of Cyrus the Great and the prophet Daniel – is only weeks off the press. This book – a historical novella – is a departure from the author’s previous works. “Cyrus loved to fight,” he reported with a smile, “and he always had his sword at the ready. I think my readers will enjoy this fast-moving adventure story.

Reflecting on his boyhood years, Bob spoke of his father with pronounced admiration. “My father was my hero.

He was an outstanding hunter and fisherman – a great sportsman and pioneer forester – and he taught me those skills. He could “yelp” up wild turkeys better than anyone

I ever knew, and he was the best shot of all our hunting companions. Bill Flowers was also a great shot and he and my father were close friends and were constantly trying to outdo each other when it came to quail hunting.”

“I should hasten to add that my mother was a special lady. She graduated from Brenau College with honors and was an accomplished musician. She was employed by St. Thomas Episcopal Church as organist and choir director, and that’s where she met my father. He was singing in the choir. Perhaps I should also mention that she was a member of a relatively famous piano quartet. Many times at night I would go to sleep listening to her play. In fact, I’m convinced that’s what gave me an appreciation of classical music.”

This inquisitive interviewer asked about Bob’s courtship of his lovely wife, the former Virginia French. “Virginia was a voice major at FSU. Our church paid her to come up and sing in the choir. I fell in love with her, but it got a little complicated. She had in mind that she wanted to be a professional singer so she went to New York. I travelled up to the big city to try to bring her back – (chuckle) which I was eventually able to do.”

Christianity and service are the thread that runs so true throughout Bob Balfour’s life and career. In fact, book number eight, The Jesus I Know, is in the editing stage and will be submitted to the publisher early next year.

It should be mentioned that he regards writing as neither work nor drudgery. “For me, writing is fun. I just love the whole business – making up sentences and paragraphs – grammar, spelling, the whole thing.”

Business and writing aside, the busy and versatile Mr. Balfour also found time to serve the Diocese of Georgia as chairman of the Evangelism and Stewardship Commission, and was later elected deputy to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. In addition to these substantial duties, he also served as a City Commissioner and as Chairman of the Board of Archbold Medical Center and the Red Cross, all while teaching Sunday School and singing in the choir.

He joyously reports that his five children, three boys and two girls, are successful and happy. If you would like to bring an additional twinkle to the eyes and a smile to the lips of this great Thomasvillian, just mention his eight grandchildren– and one great-grandchild.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

“He’s done it all – twice.”

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

awarded $2.3 Million in Federal Grant Funds

Funds will go towards job training in multiple health related programs

S

WRITTEN BY AMY MAISON

outhwest Georgia Technical College (SWGTC) has been selected as an awardee and will receive a portion of a $450 million federal community college grant to expand job training through local employer partnerships.

These grants are the third installment of a $2 billion, 4-year initiative. The total amount awarded to SWGTC is $2.3 million.

On September 29, 2014, Vice President Biden, Secretary Thomas E. Perez, and Secretary Arne Duncan announced 24 the winners of $450 million in job-driven training grants going to nearly 270 community colleges across the country.

The funding is part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) competitive grant program, which is co-administered by the Department of Labor and Department of Education. The purpose of the grant is to provide community colleges and other eligible institutions of higher education with funds to partner with employers to expand and improve their ability to deliver education and career training programs that will help job seekers get the skills they need for in-demand jobs in industries like information technology, health care, energy, and advanced manufacturing.

“These investments in will help prepare workers with the skills needed for in-demand careers and advance the role of community colleges as engines of economic growth,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez.

“The award is part of a long-term commitment to ensure that American workers have access to training for the specific skills needed to stay competitive in the ever-changing job market.”

SWGTC will be expanding its Healthcare Careers Work!

(HCW) program through the awarded grant. HCW is an employer-driven, technology-infused sector strategy project that will link 525 TAA-eligible, unemployed and dislocated workers and veterans with quickly earned certificates and degrees in high-demand, high wage health care careers.

Opportunities for stacking and latticed credentials will be offered in order to meet employer and student needs.

The funding will help SWGTC meet the on-going regional

demand for qualified healthcare professionals within nursing, health sciences, health information technology and medical billing/coding.

“We are honored to be the only individual college recipient of this grant in the state of Georgia. SWGTC staff worked tirelessly to develop a program worthy of recognition and the award of $2.3 million to train and place into employment those unemployed and underemployed in our region. We are very excited to be a part of this initiative,” said Dr. Craig Wentworth, SWGTC President.

The initiative complements President Obama’s broader goals to help ensure that every American has at least one year of postsecondary education and the U.S. has the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Through this initiative, each state plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will receive at least $2.5 million in dedicated funding for community college career training programs.

The 71 grantees in the fourth and final round of funding build on nearly $1.5 billion in TAACCCT grant funds that have gone over the past three years to strengthen and expand job-driven training partnerships in communities across the country.

“Community colleges play a vital role in equipping our nation’s students with the skills they need to meet the demands of today’s careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “This program is not about tinkering — it’s about transformation. This is not about getting more students to enroll — it’s about getting more students to graduation day and into good jobs.”

These grants emphasize evidence-based program design.

Each grantee is required to collect rigorous student outcome data annually and conduct final evaluations at the end of the grant period to build knowledge about which strategies are most effective in placing graduates in jobs.

Learn more about the grant program at http://www. dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20141865.htm.

There you will find a list of grantees by state, including project descriptions.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

Hampton Inn of Thomasville

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WRITTEN BY BOB PARRISH

Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

Historical Marker Placed

WPAX Radio Station O

n Wednesday morning, 12 November 2014, at 10:00 AM, the John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, National Society Colonial Dames 17th Century, placed a historical marker at WPAX Radio Station, Thomasville, Georgia. The station was marked because of its historical significance to the Thomasville community and the State of Georgia. WPAX was the first radio station in Thomasville and has been in continuous operation since 26 1922. It has also been proven to be the third oldest in Georgia. Rumor has it that WPAX is the twentieth oldest station in the nation. The author is continuing her search for proof of this.

An industrious young U. S. Army veteran, Hoyt Wimpy, born in Lumpkin County, Georgia, in 1895, came to Thomasville after World War I and began experimenting, making and selling radio receivers, having been a dispatcher in the war. Mr. Wimpy, who died in 1982, at the age of 86, obviously knew what he was doing early on, having built his own transmitter at the age of 15.

Thomasville was a small town with a population of 8,196, according to the 1920 U. S. Census. In this southwest section of the state, most people did not know what a radio was. Mr. Wimpy needed to create a market for his radios so he applied for and received a license for his own radio station, WPAX, approved 27 December 1922, by the Secretary of Commerce. Some citizens believe the call letters, PAX, were chosen because that is the Latin word for peace. It stands to reason that this could be correct because of the timing of the founding of the station shortly after World War I, the “War to End All Wars”. However, we shall never know for sure.

The programs were broadcast, using ten watts of power generated from batteries feeding a “birdcage” antenna.

The newspaper was read over the air, musical selections were played from phonograph records picked up from a Victrola through the microphone held close by, some advertising spots were heard and local talent performed live. The programs were received around the nation and the world. Mr. Wimpy received fan mail from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and as far away as New Zealand. The current

Len Robinson speaking on history of WPAX Radio Station after dedication of historical marker.

owner is in possession of these letters as well as the original license. Some of the songs you would have heard on the radio were “Ain’t She Sweet”, Blue Skies”, “Let Me Call You Sweetheart”, “Toot, Toot, Tootsie”, and “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans”. You might have even heard an advertisement for Rudolph Valentino’s newest movie, “The Sheik”, playing at the Rose Theater in Thomasville. It was a time of speakeasies, bootleggers, prohibition, Model T Fords, ragtime, and a new industry, radio.

In 1934, WPAX was relocated from its original garage building on Stevens Street to 117 Remington Avenue and is in the same location today. The 302 feet tower used today, emitting 1,000 watts, was installed in 1934.

Some notables who have performed live from WPAX through the years have been the Blackwood Brothers, Statesmen Quartet, and J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who sang backup for Elvis Presley. Jimmy Carter broadcast from the station when he was Governor of Georgia, prior to becoming the 39th President of the United States. The antique microphone used by these people is still on display in the front office of the station.

WHEREAS, Hoyt Wimpy was a true pioneer on the frontiers of his time in radio, the early automobile era, and in aviation, he having learned to fly in 1925; and WHEREAS, among many positions held by Mr. Wimpy was City Commissioner and State Commander of the American Legion; and WHEREAS, Hoyt Wimpy with WPAX was a force in the young and growing Thomasville and environ; and WHEREAS, among many commendatory personal reminiscences of his friends and acquaintances one hears “man of his word”, “leader in the community”, “dedicated to his profession”, “committed to anything he believed in”, “backed up very strongly”, and other fine remembrances.

The current owner, Len Robinson, is following very closely in his mentor’s footsteps, giving back to the community he loves. You can still take a stroll down memory land and tune in to WPAX, 1240 AM Stereo, seven days a week. You can hear the famous DJ and fourth owner, “Lazy Len” Robinson, who has been “in love” with WPAX since he started working there part-time when he was just a boy of fifteen. Len says, “Radio is all about music! What tune is playing in your head today?”

The John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, NSCDXVIIC, was pleased to have at the marking of the station Dianne Brown Cannestra, State President, Georgia Society Colonial Dames 17th Century, and Stephen Andrews, grandson of the founder of the station, Hoyt Wimpy.

Following the impressive marking ceremony, the members of the John Lee of Nansemond Chapter and their distinguished guests adjourned to The Plaza Restaurant

Stephen Andrews, grandson of Hoyt Wimpy, founder of WPAX Radio Station and Jinanne B. Parrish, President, John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, Colonial Dames 17th Century

for a luncheon. Those invited to this auspicious occasion were the state and national officers of the National Society Colonial Dames 17th Century, Thomasville Mayor and City Council members, Thomasville Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, John B. Gordon Chapter 383, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Thomasville Landmarks, Inc., and Thomas County Genealogical Society.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

For 92 years, Thomasvillians have been able to hear world-changing news as soon as it occurred, such as the stock market crash of 1929, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, December, 1941, the dropping of the atomic bomb, and the end of World War II. WPAX remains an integral and significant part of the Thomasville community, broadcasting national news, state news, local news, interviews with local citizens, Atlanta Braves baseball games, University of Georgia football games and local high school football games. It is a daily source of community happenings and music for everyone, including jazz, easy listening, bluegrass, rock and roll, and gospel.

Mr. Wimpy maintained ownership of the station until the 1960’s and was inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame, posthumously, in 2007.

In 1982, Mayor Tom Faircloth issued a proclamation on the 60th anniversary of the founding of WPAX. Included in the proclamation were appropriate words to honor the memory of Hoyt Wimpy. Some portions of the proclamation read as follows:

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 28

The 2014/2015 year is in full swing, and the members of Thomasville Junior Service League are working hard to ensure that the children of Thomas County are taken care of.

So far they have been able to volunteer at events such as FLAUNT, Hands on Thomas County Day, The Covey Film Festival, and Plantation Wildlife. On December 13th, Thomas University hosted the Red Nose Run where over 200 runners braved the cold weather to show their support. RNR alone raised over $5,000 for the children in our area.

In February they held their biggest fundraiser, the 20th annual Bargain Bazaar and preview party. The theme this year was, Under the Big Top. “It was an amazing night from the incredible decorations that made you feel like you were truly at the circus, to our amazing auction that raised over $12,000� said Kimberly hand. This year was a huge success with over $35,000 raised!

Their next event will be Project Rosebud, which will be held on Saturday, March 21st. Gold Sponsors, Blush Salon and Spa will be hosting for the second year. Ten ladies are identified by their guidance counselors and given a day of pampering. They are taken shopping, to Blush Salon and Spa for spa services, as well as provided lunch and a motivational speaker will also be present. For more information on upcoming events and how you can support the Junior service league visit their website at jlsthomasville.com or email them at jslthomasville.com.

Success Story Mary Hayes is described as the perfect pastor’s wife, a great mother and a real lady.

She has touched so many lives, as shown by the flood of visitors who traveled great distances to show their love for her during her stay. Our hearts were blessed in a big way to have Mrs. Hayes as our patient and friend.

Mrs. Hayes came to Camellia Gardens of Life Care for therapy following a stroke that left her barely able to speak. She was unable to move her right hand or leg, and her physician believed she would never use either of them again. But, as her husband stated, “She is the most determined person I’ve ever known. She won’t be defeated.”

And he was right!

Before her stroke, Mrs. Hayes began writing an inspirational book about young women, raising

children and home life. She vowed to finish that book. She loves to sing and promised she would sing again. And a month after her stroke, with the help of our speech therapist, she began gracing our facility with her beautiful voice.

“Working with her has honestly been the highlight of my professional career,” said Samantha King, physical therapist.

Mrs. Hayes is now in the process of finishing her book. And amazingly, not only is she finishing it, she’s typing it using the hand her physician thought she’d never use again.

“It’s not just the expertise, it’s also the compassion,” Mrs. Hayes stated. “Sometimes there’s more healing in love than even in medicine. I love all of them, every one. All the glory I give to God, but these people are to be recognized and honored for their gifts and abilities.”

We are so very proud of Mrs. Hayes. She has inspired us to be better people, to love more and to have faith to move mountains.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

Mary Hayes

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Joint Commission accredited

229-226-0076 | LCCA.com

50424

804 S. Broad St. | Thomasville, GA 31792

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’

George E. Deese

A 50+ Year Career

WRITTEN BY KIMBERLY MITCHELL

Thomasville ThomasvilleMagazine Magazine/WINTER/SPRING / WINTER/SPRING2015 2015

H

e grew up on a farm in

southern Alabama. Even in

Glenda and George Deese

already had a vision for his future. Just out of high school in the early 1960s, George knew he wanted a career in business. A good student and athlete, he understood he would have to work hard to achieve success. Just prior to graduation, an acquaintance offered him a job as a route salesman with Flowers Baking Company, and he seized the opportunity. The next 50 years of achievement for George Deese are evidence that his youthful vision was achievable.

Thomasville, Georgia has always been home to Flowers Foods, ever since the Flowers family opened its first bakery in 1919. Today, the company is the second largest baker in the U.S., operating 46 bakeries from California to Maine with annual sales of $3.7 billion, but Thomasville is still home to Flowers Foods’ headquarters and to its original bakery on South Madison Street.

“At first, I was pleased just to have a job,” Deese said of joining Flowers. “But within the first few months, I had the opportunity to hear Mr. Langdon S. Flowers speak about the company and what it stood for. Mr. Flowers stressed the importance of ethics, integrity and always doing the right thing. Later, he spoke of prioritizing our lives to put faith in God first, our families second, and our work next.

It was then I realized that Flowers was the company for me.

The rest is history.”

Deese rose through the ranks at Flowers to serve as vice president of sales, bakery president, regional vice president, president of the bakery division, and for much of the last decade, president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board. Today, Deese continues as chairman of the board for Flowers Foods.

This year, Deese has been inducted into the Baking Hall of Fame. This distinguished honor is given by the American Society of Baking to recognize a select few leaders of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of the

U.S. baking industry.

“While I thank the Society of Baking for this honor, I must accept it on behalf of the men and women at Flowers Foods with whom I have had the privilege to work,” said Deese.

During his tenure as CEO, Mr. Deese’s support of operating strategies to invest in bakeries and people, develop brands, provide quality products, and offer extraordinary customer service, enabled the company to double annual sales of $1.5 billion in 2004 to more than $3.7 billion in annual revenue, reaching 80 percent of the U.S. population. The company has created well over $3 billion for shareholders in increased market capitalization and dividends.

Deese has also given his time and energy to serve in leadership roles in the baking industry, serving on the boards of the American Bakers Association, Quality Bakers of America, and Southern Bakers Association.

While many individuals have inspired him and influenced his career in the baking industry, Mr. Deese recognizes former Flowers executives W.H. Flowers, Langdon Flowers, Amos McMullian, and Heeth Varnedoe.

“From Amos, I learned the finance side of the business, how to be a good CEO, and that ‘growth for growth’s sake’ should never be a goal of the company,” said Deese, “and from Heeth, I learned the fundamentals of operations.

He also taught me that humility is a big part of being an effective leader.”

For Deese, success ultimately comes from constantly striving – and encouraging others – to be the best.

He attributes much of his success to the Flowers employees and a unique

organizational culture

known as “The Flowers Way” which stresses the value of every employee and is supported by the guiding principles of integrity, service, quality and commitment.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

his early years, George Deese

“The culture of teamwork, support and personal commitment that exists at Flowers is special and has allowed the accomplishments and successes that have made my career with Flowers so enjoyable.”

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 32

TOP: George Deese, chairman of the board of Flowers Foods, meets with several of the employees at Flowers Baking Co. of Miami.

LEFT: Steve Kinsey (left), executive vice president and chief financial officer, George Deese and Allen Shiver, president and chief executive officer, ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

He believes that for Flowers Foods, part of being the best means giving back and making a positive difference in the communities they operate. He led Flowers in this effort by focusing on three areas: helping children in need through support for more than 70 programs across the country, feeding the hungry by donating more than $6 million in bakery foods annual to Feeding America and local food banks, soup kitchens, and organizations; and recruiting veterans through working with organizations like Hero2Hired and Hiring Our Heroes.

Deese’s successor, Allen Shiver, president and CEO of Flowers Foods, noted the baking industry has benefited greatly from George Deese’s high ethical standards, strong leadership and deep knowledge and passion for the baking

industry. “In his daily life, George Deese demonstrates wise judgment and serves as a trusted advisor to all who know him – not only just on the job and with his family but also in wider circles of church, community, state and industry,” said Shiver.

As Chairman of the Board, Deese will continue to be involved in the company’s strategic direction. “I have tremendous confidence in Allen Shiver’s leadership and I know the entire Flowers team will work together and achieve great things in the years ahead.” Deese also intends to spend a lot more time with his children and grandchildren in the community where he has made so many significant contributions.

“George Deese is a natural leader with deep insight and the highest level of integrity. He helped shape our strategies and led the team to deliver outstanding sales and earnings results. Flowers Foods –Allen Shiver and our shareholders benefited greatly from George’s leadership.”

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

Archbold

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Ranked Top Hospital in Southwest Georgia Again For the fourth consecutive year, Georgia Trend Magazine has named Archbold Memorial Hospital a Top Georgia Hospital, and in 2014, the highest ranked medium-sized hospital in Southwest Georgia.

The information used to compile the rankings was based on publicly reported data acquired from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), which administers the nation’s Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The data analyzed specifically relates to quality of care, patient satisfaction, mortality, readmission statistics and data on hospital acquired infections and conditions.

“We understand patients put a lot of trust in us, and they expect us to provide the right care at the right time, every time,” said Amy Griffin, Vice President of Patient

“

Care at Archbold. “I think we’ve been so successful because we proactively look for ways we can improve care.”

That sustained focus on quality earned Archbold recent statewide recognition as a Top Hospital, but additionally national attention in 2014.

Earlier this year, Archbold’s Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) protocols were named the only evidencebased national “blueprint” for how to avoid the condition in hospitals. Simply put, methods developed at Archbold to avoid VAP were named a Leading Practice Blueprint®, an endorsed model hospitals across the country are encouraged to adopt. Also in 2014, Archbold was named to the Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) Quality Honor Roll, a designation also based on clinical data provided by CMS.

Our community can be confident that Archbold’s number one priority remains to provide our patients high quality, patient-focused healthcare,” said Perry Mustian, Archbold President and CEO. “I’m very proud of our team and what we’ve accomplished It’s very rewarding for our staff to be recognized for continuously taking initiative to provide the best care possible for our patients and to again be named a Top Hospital in the state.”

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

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36 Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

{ One Jar at a Time } WRITTEN BY KIMBERLY MITCHELL

Hey, good lookin’what ya’ got cookin’…

How’s about cookin’ somethin’ up with me? This classic Hank Williams song is one that Lauri Jo Bennett and her husband, Mike, enjoy singing in the kitchen – and cookin’ up something special is exactly what they’ve done.

Since 2009 Lauri Jo has been making tasty pepper jellies and more using her great-grandmother’s recipes, combined with a few of her husband’s and her own. What started as a hobby for the former special education teacher using the canning plant at Colquitt County High School has turned into a successful business, Lauri Jo’s Southern Style Canning, located in Norman Park where she was raised. Together, she and Mike create Southern favorites now sold across the country to grocery store chains, specialty shops, the Food Network Café

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

PRESERVING the South

37

Lauri Jo is affectionately known by many as

“The Pepper Jelly Queen”

Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 38

inside the Atlanta Airport and the United States Naval Bases.

“It still amazes me,” says Lauri Jo about their success. “I’ve enjoyed canning since I was a little girl,” she said. “I’ll never forget the first time I saw our products in a big brand grocery store on the shelf next to the Vlasic Pickles. I was so excited, I almost wet my pants!”

Lauri Jo grew up near the family farm picking fresh fruits and vegetables, and helping her grandmother and mother preserve them. “It’s something that Southern women on a farm do and do well,” said Lauri Jo with her endearing Southern drawl. “I can just smell all of those aromas now … fresh tomatoes steaming in the kettles, lady finger peas being washed in the vats and feeling the spray of silver queen corn as we cut it off the cob. To me, life just doesn’t get any better than that.”

It’s her love for the farm, her family, faith and Southern heritage that drives Lauri Jo to share and “preserve” it. In their family-owned and operated business, they grow some of the produce for their products – pick it, process it and label it by hand. They work with area farmers to provide the remainder of the produce.

Their award-winning products include: Lauri Jo’s Pineapple and Blueberry Pepper Jellies, Salsa, Muscadine Jelly, Green Tomato Pickles and Southern Dill Cucumber Pickles. Additional favorites include: Strawberry, Peach, Southern Pecan & Jalepeno, Green, Red, Mayhaw and Southern Corn Whiskey Pepper Jellies, and a kickin’ Redneck Pepper Sauce. Lauri Jo has her own recipe book for using her products to prepare delicious dishes and meals.

In a recent collard green cook-off with longtime family friend, Mary Lee Kinsey, Lauri Jo accepted the challenge to see if the traditional way of cooking collards with sugar and hog jowl could match her new recipe using her candied jalapeños and green pepper jelly in place of sugar. The cook-off was filmed as part of a pilot for a possible new TV show, From Farm to Table with Lauri Jo, a project she is working on with some very influential people in the film industry. While it’s still in the preliminary stages, Lauri Jo is

very excited about the show’s potential.

For each show, they will visit a different kind of farm, talk with the families and provide educational recipes using their produce. The show will feature farms in Georgia and across the country.

While filming the pilot, they visited Baker Farms in Norman Park where they grow collard greens among many other types of produce and distribute them up the east coast, west coast and down to Miami. “As I stood in that collard green field, I could just feel God’s bounty all around,” said Lauri Jo. “I told them that God had blessed that farmer and his family with the knowledge to grow and toil the land to grow greens that will be enjoyed by people all over America.

“That’s one thing I’ve always known,” Lauri Jo continued. “God blesses and he has a plan. While nothing in life is easy, he gives us gifts to use for a special purpose. I want people to enjoy their lives, to use their gifts and know that God has a plan for them,” said Lauri Jo. “I want to look everyone I meet in the eyes and say, ‘Honey, God did it for me and he can do it for you.’” She quotes a favorite Bible Verse, Jeremiah 29:11 … “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

It’s important to Lauri Jo to share and “preserve” her love for the farm, her family, faith and Southern heritage.

She enjoys motivational speaking and gladly accepts every opportunity possible.

“I have every reason to share my story and preserve my Southern heritage,” said Lauri Jo. “I’ve been blessed with a loving husband and supportive family. I’ll always cherish

“ From Farm to Table with Lauri Jo

will be all about the American farmer and farm family so people can see where their food comes from.

–Lauri Jo

”

For more information about Lauri Jo’s, to schedule a speaking engagement or to order products, please call 229-769-3391, email laurijo@laurijos.com or go to www. laurijos.com website. Lauri Jo’s products can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. and are available in Thomasville at Sweet Grass Dairy, Lewis Produce, and Butlers On Broad.

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Photos by Bobby Lacey, Andrew Eccles, and Katharyn Havens

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

the wise words of my grandfather, Rev. Garnie Brand, when he told me “Remember who you are and where you came from.”

“Well, I grew up on the farm, and I come from a long line of Southern men and women who encouraged me,” said Lauri Jo. “There’s no tellin’ what this Southern girl will be cookin’ up next.”

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 40

A Stunning Look!

WRITTEN BY ANN R. HARRISON and MARY LAWRENCE LANG

This year’s must-have gift for anyone who loves Thomasville is undoubtedly the stunning new book, Thomasville: History, Homes, and Southern Hospitality. Published by The Thomas County Historical Society and Thomasville Landmarks, the book features color photographs of interiors and exteriors of fifty-one of the beautiful historic homes and plantations in our area; exteriors of an additional one hundred homes or businesses; and many of Thomasville’s distinctive neighborhoods and landscapes. Commissioned to celebrate the history and architecture of Thomasville

and its environs, it combines a fresh, entertaining, and scholarly text with hundreds of archival and contemporary photographs. Thomasville is the product of nearly five years of collaboration, research and fundraising.

Thomasville was authored by acclaimed architectural historian William R. Mitchell Jr., whose first book, Landmarks: The Architecture of Thomasville and Thomas County, was published by Thomasville Landmarks in the fall of 1980. Thirty-four years and 18 books later, the newly released Thomasville is a fitting capstone to Mitchell’s career.

Pool at Box Hall Plantation

Home of Howell Ferguson and Sharon Maxwell-Ferguson

and historic places that define Thomasville and Thomas County.

The Thomas County Historical Society, founded in 1952 to collect, preserve and interpret the history of Thomas County, holds more than 350,000 images in its collections and had previously published six books on the history of Thomas County. Landmarks, founded in 1966 to protect, preserve, and promote the heritage and architecture of the Thomas County area, maintains records from decades of documenting properties for the National Register of Historic Places, Thomas County’s twelve Historic Districts and numerous highly successful neighborhood revitalization projects.

With commitments from the Boards of the Historical Society and Landmarks, a Joint Book Committee, chaired

by Margaret F. (Peggy) Rich and including representatives from both organizations, was established in 2010 to plan the contents and funding of the proposed book. Among those serving on the Joint Book Committee that guided the project were: W. Clay Campbell, Mark A. Cobb, John S. Hand, Ann R. Harrison, G. Thomas Harrison, Robert R. Jinright, Jr., Melinda M. Katz, Ben W. McCollum, Charles B. Olson, C. Brent Runyon, and Stanley F. Smith. Lee A. Webb, as Executive Director of Landmarks, joined the team in January 2014.

Although release of the book was initially envisioned for 2012, photography required more than two years due to the number of places selected, scheduling for interior shots, and intervening weather.

A fundraising campaign was conducted throughout production. Through the generosity of numerous Underwriters,

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

Van Jones Martin of Savannah and James R. Lockhart, each of whom has more than thirty years of experience in photographing the architectural treasures of Georgia, photographed the outstanding homes and plantations included in the book. Martin’s Golden Coast Publishing Co. designed and produced the book.

Although other organizations had discussed publication of a pictorial book on Thomasville, Brent Runyon, then Executive Director of Thomasville Landmarks, and Ann Harrison, Executive Director of the Thomas County Historical Society, proposed that Landmarks and the Historical Society, working together, would be uniquely positioned to produce an exceptional illustrated history that would include scholarly research, archival images, and contemporary color photographs of the beautiful

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

All Saints Episcopal Church

Historic Courthouse

42

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filled in over time so we present this book as a collection of neighborhoods . . . .”

Special slipcase editions of Thomasville: History, Homes and Southern Hospitality were presented to Underwriters at a book-signing reception on October 11, 2014, with a public release the following day. The book is now available for purchase at Landmarks, Thomas County Museum of History and the following locations: C. H. Whitney Antiques, Coffee Interiors, The Bookshelf, Firefly, The Gift Shop, Kevin’s Fine Outdoor Gear and Apparel, Pebble Hill Plantation, Philmore Antiques, Stafford’s, and Toscoga in Thomasville and at Downtown Books & Purl in Apalachicola. It is also available online at www.thomascountyhistory.org.

EXCERPT FROM THE DUST JACKET: Thomasville and Thomas County continue the traditions born and developed in the aftermath of a terrible war. The broad cotton fields of the past have been transformed into beautiful quail habitats and innovative timber plantations. The indigenous longleaf pines that once dominated southern coastal forests have been successfully reintroduced and managed on a grand scale.

In the countryside, magnificent antebellum planters’ homes have been restored to their former glory, but they also share distinction with more modern designs developed by architects from the hometowns of their northern patrons. In town, classical homes from the 1850s stand proudly in an eclectic streetscape with their Victorian and Neoclassical neighbors. On Gordon Avenue, a world-class hospital serves regional patients as the fragrant aromas from baking bread at Flowers Foods mixes with those of magnolia blossoms and pine resin.

Through the efforts of the Thomas County Historical Society and Thomasville Landmarks, Thomasville has become recognized as a leader in state and national preservation efforts. The publication of Thomasville: History, Homes, and Southern Hospitality is a landmark event in the ongoing effort to document, restore, and preserve the historic and historical environments of a unique southern town.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

both local and from around the country, the book was fully funded when printed. Proceeds from sale of the book will benefit the Historical Society and Landmarks for a number of years. Acknowledgment of all Underwriters, who made the project a success, appears prominently in the first pages of the book.

Brent Runyon, Ann Harrison, and Peggy Rich worked closely with Van Jones Martin in structuring the framework of the book. They found either a strict chronology or Historic Districts too limiting. As noted by Runyon: “In our effort to narrow the list and organize the material, we discovered that our community has good architecture from all eras of our history. The community developed less as pockets with definite time periods. Rather, each area was

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Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent

|

UGA Cooperative Extension – Thomas County

Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

WRITTEN BY ANDREW SAWYER

44

Cedar-Quince Rust on Mayhaws Mayhaw prices are up right now and many questions are coming to me about their production. My background is pest management and one of the significant pests of mayhaws is a disease called Cedar-Quince Rust.

Since antebellum times, mayhaw fruit has been treasured in the Deep South for its culinary uses. They are valued for making jelly, sauces and wine. UGA conducted research on mayhaws at the Attapulgus Research Farm near Bainbridge many years ago and found that the trees would be well adapted to the Southeast. Lots of residents in Thomas County have mayhaw trees and I get questions about certain issues.

The principal question I receive on mayhaws concerns a disease called Cedar-Quince Rust. Cedar-Quince Rust is

caused by a fungal pathogen, Gymnosporangium claviceps.

The disease must have an alternate host to complete its cycle. Cedar-quince rust is the most damaging to rosaceous plants such as quince, pears, hawthorn and crabapples.

This fungus must spend part of its life cycle on junipers, particularly Eastern red cedars. It alternates between junipers and a wide range of rosaceous host. Orange, jellylike growths on juniper, called galls, have an elongated swollen appearance. Infected juniper twigs often die.

Infectious cankers on cedar are perennial, which means yearly re-infection of cedar is not necessary to keep the disease active.

Fungal spores infecting mayhaw come from galls on the cedar. These spores are windblown up to a mile away.

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

Mayhaw fruit is more susceptible than young twigs and leaves are seldom infected. After settling on mayhaw fruit, the fungus breaks through the epidermis forming tubular structures which are full of spores. Later in the season you may see fruit covered in orange-reddish spore horns (submitted photo). Heavily infected mayhaw fruit does not ripen properly and is of no value.

Because Quince-Apple Rust must have an alternate host to complete its lifecycle, removing juniper trees can mitigate the problem. You may be able to remove cedar trees within a quarter of a mile; however, if many cedar trees are present, this is not practical. In this case, managing rust with a fungicide program is the best option. Fungicide protection up to four weeks after bloom or until fungal eruptions on cedar stops is essential for control.

UGA Extension Pathologist, Dr. Elizabeth Little, says that myclobutanil is labeled for this disease and can be applied starting at bloom if this disease has been a problem. Resistance is common with myclobutanil so the further apart your sprays the better. It is recommended to have sprays at least 10 days apart, and do not treat with myclobuntanil more than two times in a growing season.

Information for this article was taken from UGA Publication, “Experiments and Observations on Growing Mayhaws as a Crop in South Georgia and North Florida” and Texas Plant Disease handbook, “Mayhaw.”

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46 Thomasville ThomasvilleMagazine Magazine/WINTER/SPRING / WINTER/SPRING2015 2015

Thomasville ThomasvilleMagazine Magazine/WINTER/SPRING / WINTER/SPRING2015 2015

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Thomasville ThomasvilleMagazine Magazine/WINTER/SPRING / WINTER/SPRING2015 2015

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

Listed events are subject to change; please verify event dates and times prior to scheduling activities.

50

Visit www.thomasvillega.com for the current Thomasville area calendar of events.

Call 229-228-7977 or toll free at 1-866-577-3600, with questions, comments, or submissions. Stop in the Thomasville Visitors Center (144 East Jackson Street, Thomasville, GA 31799) for the most up to the minute information.

Weekly Visual Art Classes for K-8th graders Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, 3:30pm-5:00pm, Thomas County Middle School- The program provides bus service, a snack, and imaginative projects. Classes are $35/month, and feature rotating project schedules for various age groups. Students may sign up for one or more sessions through their school or online at: http://www.thomas. k12.ga.us/school_NewsArticle.aspx?artID=486&schoolID=2#sthash.Rgw4eZen.dpbs Info: Thomas County Middle School, 229-225-4394 Every Monday Rose City Toastmaster Club Every Monday the Rose City Toastmaster Club members and those desiring to become Toastmasters, will be meeting at Southwest Georgia Technical College. The college is located at 15689 U.S. 19 North; the meeting time is 6:30PM in building A, room 132. Rose City Toastmasters Club is a nonprofit club open to all. Cost is free to attend.

Memberships are available. “The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.� Contact: Benjamin Paramore, VP Public Relations, 229-225-6527, rosecitytoastmastersclub@gmail.com Every Monday Kiwanis Club Mondays, 12:30pm-1:00pm. The Plaza Restaurant, 217 South Broad Street. All members are welcome. www. thomasvillekiwanis.net Every Tuesday Career Center 10:00am-11:00am, Thomas County Public Library- The Thomas University Career Center will be on-site every Tuesday from 10-11am to help you apply for jobs, including help with writing resumes, interviews, and more.

229-225-5252 Every Tuesday Self Defense Training 6:15pm, 109 Crawford Street, Thomasville, GA- Practical Self Defense training with both lecture and hands on training, you will learn how and why something works, and will practice the application. This will be an every Tuesday night event (unless posted otherwise) and will include a four part series. One part may consist of how to handle gun and knife attacks, another might be how to handle a situation where someone walks up and grabs you, etc. Attend one night or several. Learn and practice once or keep going for practice and increased skill. If you think you would like to attend four classes you can pay $75 up front and take the four classes as you are able. Or, just pay $20 dollars per class. These classes are for anyone that wants to build confidence in defending themselves during an unexpected attack including men, women, and/or children. Info: Andrew Smith, 229-403-4619 Every Tuesday Open Mic Night 8:30pm, Bacchus Wine Bar, 229 West Jackson Street, Thomasville, GA 31792- Join us on Tuesdays for Open Mic Night. A place for our future poets, musicians, and spoken word artists. Pre-register online or arrive by 8pm on Tuesday. No a capella performances will be permitted. Performers age 16-20 must be accompanied by an adult.

Info: 229-236-9463 Every Tuesday & Thursday Bingo 11:00am-12:00pm, Francis F. Weston Center YMCA, 416 West Clay Street, Thomasville, GA- The Weston YMCA will be holding bingo on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am-noon, beginning August 26th. The fee is $1/per day to play. Info: 229-226-7510.

Every Wednesday PAWS for Reading 4:00pm, Thomas County Public Library- PAWS for Reading is a program that allows children to read aloud to a therapy dog to improve reading and communication skills. Children read individually to trained therapy pets (and their handlers) in the story room every Wednesday at 4:00pm. FREE. Info: Amanda Redker, 229-225-5252, Amanda@ tcpls.org

Thomsville-Thomas County Visitors Center Historic Thomasville, Georgia

Every Wednesday Free Lung Cancer Screenings 8:30am-11:30am, Lewis Hall Singletary Oncology Center, 919 South Broad Street, Thomasville, GA 31792- Our providers will offer free low dose CT scans to screen for lung cancer. Screenings are available to individuals ages 55-74 who are current smokers or who have quit smoking within the last 15 years. Screenings are by appointment only. Please call 229-584-5454 to schedule your appointment today. Sponsored by Archbold Medical Center.

Every Thursday Kouncil Club BINGO Join the Kouncil Club for BINGO every Thursday evening! Everyone is welcome! Come have fun, play, WIN, and above all HELP contribute to local charities. Jackpot Prizes up to $500!! Doors Open at 5:00 P.M., Snack Bar Opens at 5:30 P.M., Early Bird Bingo Starts at 5:45 P.M, Regular Bingo Starts at 6:45 P.M. at St. Augustine Catholic Church Social Hall.

Kouncil Club of Thomasville, an independent non-profit organization, raises money for local charities. Contact: Betty Kress, 229-221-8406, billscopyshop@yahoo.com.

Every Thursday Taste of Thomasville After Hours 5:30pm, Downtown Thomasville, GA- Join us for a night tour of Downtown Thomasville! This tour will include 5 different stops to sample cocktails, beer, and wine, as well as snacks, from local restaurants. Tours are $50 for everything, or $40 if you choose not to drink. Info: dsmith@tasteofthomasville.com Every Thursday Rotary Club Thursdays, 12:15p,-1:15pm. The Plaza Restaurant, 217 South Broad Street. All members are welcome. www. thomasvillerotary.org Every Thursday Weight Watchers 11:00am & 5:30pm, 94 Commercial Drive, Thomasville, GA 31757- Weight Watchers meets weekly. Weigh-in starts 30 minutes before each meeting.

Every Friday Friends Getting Together Fridays, 2:30 p.m., Rose Bowl Lanes, 1650 Colonial Drive, Thomasville, GA – This is a fun social event for youth and adults with special needs and their families. Often family members and young adults share information about services and community activities. Whether you bowl or not, come out and enjoy an hour or two with friends. Cost is $2 per person, per game. Don’t forget your socks! Contact: Liz Chasson (229) 377-9032 or Charles Kifer (229) 377-4258 Every Friday & Saturday Taste of Thomasville Food Tour Downtown Thomasville, 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM, A food tour with Taste of Thomasville is a walking and tasting tour where you will enjoy a fun one of a kind, culinary experience while strolling through Thomasville. You will enjoy tasting award winning foods and learn what makes Thomasville’s history unique. Our tour is approximately 1.4 miles which will take 3 hours. It is suitable for all ages and fitness levels, but more suitable for children 13 and up. The tour will be given rain or shine. By the tour’s end you will have a satisfied appetite and genuine understanding of why Thomasville is “worth the trip”. Tours are scheduled every Friday & Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. Tours are $40 pp (plus handling fee.)

Visit www.TasteOfThomasvilleFoodTour.com for more information and to purchase tickets. Advance purchase required.

Contact: Debra Smith, 800-979-3370, dsmith@tasteofthomasvillefoodtour.com.

Every Saturday Saturday Story Time at The Bookshelf The Bookshelf, 11:00 AM, 126 S. Broad St. - Bring the kids to enjoy exciting story times in the Children’s section of The Bookshelf every Saturday morning in Downtown Thomasville! Info: 229-228-7767, annie@bookshelfthomasville.com Every Saturday Saturday Night Dance 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., American Legion Post 31, 722 N. Madison St. – Country/Oldies, Large Dance Floor, No Smoking, No Alcohol. Public Welcome. American Legion, DAV, VFW & Auxiliary Members Free. Free coffee, ice tea, water, dessert. Sodas $1. $7 first and second Saturday. $5 third and fourth Saturday. First and Third Saturday dinner (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) $3. Info: American Legion Post 31, (229) 221-7978, alpost31@rose.net Every Saturday Rose City Symphonic Band Rehearsal Saturday, 10:00am-noon- Thomas County Middle School band room- 200 North Pinetree Boulevard- Membership is open to any musician 16 and older that plays a band instrument. No audition required. For information, contact Chuck

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

Every Wednesday GriefShare Group 6:45pm, New Covenant Church, 48 Patterson Still Spur, Thomasville, GA- A Christian based recovery group for adults, meets every Wednesday. Open to anyone who has lost a loved one. Info: 229-498-6954 or 229-226-3246.

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

Guerrero at 229-377-1165 or email him at chuckgue@windstream.net. www.facebook.com/rosecitysymphonicband

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Every Saturday XBOX Day at the Library 9:30am-3:00pm, Thomas County Public Library, 201 North Madison Street, Thomasville, GA 31792- The XBOX 360 will be available all day on Saturdays for play. Come check out new games and sign up for one-hour blocks of time.

First come, first served. Be sure to bring your library card and get ready for an awesome time! Info: 229-225-5252 Every Sunday Power of the Past Aviation Museum The Power of the Past Aviation Museum at the Thomasville Regional Airport, featuring numerous historically significant aircraft engines and other artifacts, is open each Sunday from 1-6pm, and other time by appointment, Appointments can be made by calling 229-226-3010. Admission is free.

2nd Monday Each Month HOPE Meeting 6:30pm, Northwood’s Church of God Social Hall- HOPE, a traumatic brain injury support group, meets the second Monday of each month. Info: 224-1680 3rd Monday Each Month Rose City Coin Club Monday, 6:00pm, Thomas County Public Library, 201 North Madison Street- As the state numismatic organization, the Georgia Numismatic Association publishes the award winning GNA Journal, runs an annual coin show, conducts numismatic seminars, sponsors YN activities, funds scholarships and promotes numismatics in the state and region.

Contact Paul Puskar for more information. 229-226-3272.

Last Monday of Each Month Alzheimer’s Family Caregiver Support Group 11:00am, Plantation Manor- Sponsored by Plantation Manor and Archbold Medical Center. Family members and loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s or other dementias are welcome to attend. This local support group is the largest of its kind in South Georgia, and features guest speakers to share valuable information and support with group members. Participation is free and membership is not limited to Thomas County. Info: Plantation Manor, 229-227-0880.

1st and 3rd Tuesday of Each Month Christian Writers Club Tuesdays, 6:00pm, Dawson Street United Methodist Church, 1132 North Dawson Street- For information call 229-226-3013.

1st and 3rd Tuesday Each Month The Pilot Club 6:30pm, The Plaza restaurant, Thomasville, GA- The Pilot Club holds their meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month. Attend a meeting for more information.

1st Tuesday Each Month Thomasville Beer Club Tuesday, 6:30 PM, Liam’s of Thomasville, 113 E. Jackson St. - Near Thomasville and interested in beer? Then this is the place to be. Meet people with the same interest: craft beer, brewing, beer education, and tasting. The Club meets the first Tuesday of each month at Liam’s of Thomasville. Info: Vherold@hotmail.com Follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThomasvilleBeerClub.

2nd Tuesday Each Month VOOM - Voice of Our Members at Thomas County Chamber Tuesday, 7:45 AM, 401 S. Broad St. - VOOM offers Chamber members and guests an opportunity to network, hear the latest business news, meet new members, and enjoy a continental breakfast the 2nd Tuesday of each month.

Contact: 229-226-9600, www.thomasvillechamber.com.

2nd Tuesday Each Month Women’s Forum at SWGTC Tuesday, 11:45 AM, SWGTC - A networking luncheon meeting (with guest speaker) for women in business that meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Southwest GA Technical College, Bldg. A, Rm 132. (Fee for Lunch) Info: 229-226-9600, www.thomasvillechamber.com.

2nd and 4th Tuesday of Each Month Thomasville Lions Club Tuesday, 12:00pm, The Plaza Restaurant, 217 South Broad Street- All members are welcome.

3rd Tuesday Each Month Thomasville MS Self-Help Group 6:00pm, The Plaza Restaurant, 217 South Broad Street, Thomasville- The Thomasville Multiple Sclerosis self-help group meets at 6pm the third Tuesday of each month at The Plaza. The meeting is to bring area people together to

Thomsville-Thomas County Visitors Center Historic Thomasville, Georgia

1st Wednesday Each Month Focus Forum at Thomas County Chamber Wednesday, 8:15am, 401 S. Broad St. - Come by for a breakfast bite, introduce yourself, meet someone new and sign up for a door prize! Focus Forum is a small group networking event at the Thomasville Chamber the first Wednesday of each month. Coffee and breakfast bites start at 8:15 am and Biz to Biz starts at 8:30 am. Info: 229-226-9600, www.thomasvillechamber.com.

1st Thursday of Each Month Thomas County Alzheimer’s Support Group 12:00pm-1:00pm, Thomas County Public Library in the Henry O. Flipper room- Open to all caregivers and families suffering from Alzheimer’s and memory loss related disease. This support group is designed to bring together similarly situated families and caregivers, who have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia, to share their experiences and advice. Many find it helpful to talk and listen to others in the same or similar situation. Lunch will be provided by the Law Offices of Dale S. Davidson. Hopewell In-Home Senior Care will be providing free respite care.

Space is limited- to RSVP, please call 229-226-8183 or email Melinda at: melinda@ddavidsonlaw.com 2nd Thursday Each Month Healthcare Marketing Group Meeting Thursday, 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., The Plaza Restaurant, 217 S. Broad St. - Representing South Georgia and north Florida, the Healthcare Marketing Group is a diverse group of professionals with backgrounds in both public and private organizations. At each networking meeting, you can share your organization’s upcoming events, champion a cause, and distribute marketing materials. They meet at The Plaza Restaurant the 2nd Thursday of every month from 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch is dutch treat. No advance notice or reservations are required. Info: Dale Davidson, dale@ddavidsonlaw.com 3rd Thursday Each Month Newcomers Club Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Thomasville Center for the Arts, 600 E. Washington St. – The Newcomers Club meets the 3rd Thursday of each month. New residents and neighbors should come for coffee and doughnuts. RSVP 229-2260588. Info: Thomasville Center for the Arts, 229-226-0588, info@thomasvillearts.org 3rd Thursday Each Month Whet Your Palette 6:30pm-8:30pm, Studio 209, Remington Avenue, Thomasville, GA- Whet Your Palette features Artist Collective Members teaching a new technique each month. Bring your friends, your favorite beverage, and prepare for a memorable night out! Reservations are a must, as seats are limited. Be sure to arrive 15 minutes before class starts for set-up. $25/per class includes supplies. Info: 229-226-0588 3rd Thursday of Each Month Rose City Aeromodelers 7:00pm, Granddaddy’s Barbecue, 2128 Smith Avenue, Thomasville, GA 31792- The group has contracted with the City of Thomasville to supervise a model airport at the Thomasville Municipal Airport and a chartered club under the auspices of the Academy of Model Aeronautics. The club promotes and assists members in learning to fly radio controlled model aircraft and will be holding monthly meetings on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Info: Tom Robbins, 229-221-7589 2nd and 4th Friday Each Month Cuddle Time 10:30am, Thomas County Public Library- Join Mrs. Connie for Cuddle Time stories, finger-plays, music, and more!

Ages 0-2 years in the Storyroom. FREE. Info: Amanda Redker, 229-225-5252, Amanda@tcpls.org 2nd Saturday Each Month South Georgia Genealogical Society Saturday, 10:30am, Thomas County Public Library, 201 North Madison Street. For more information, call Cheryl Wilson at 229-226-2714 or Vera Hagan-Mitchell at 229-551-9627.

2nd Saturday Each Month Mothers of Military Servicemen/women 9:30am, Relish, 107 Broad Street, Thomasville- A support group called MOMS (Mothers of Military Servicemen/ women) meets on the second Saturday of each month. Info: 228-4553 4th Saturday of Each Month Letter Writing Club 10:00am, The Bookshelf, 126 South Broad Street, Thomasville, GA- One of Annie’s resolutions for 2014 was to stay in touch with long-distance friends, and it hit her: Why not start a letter writing club at The Bookshelf? It’s the

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

discuss their issues in coping with disease and the organization. Family members and caregivers can attend. I nfo: Dianna Ernst, 229-377-6554 or Leigh Ross, 229-228-5223

53

Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

perfect fit; so many of us love the written word, why not the handwritten word? Join us in the store for an hour of oldfashioned letter writing each month. The Bookshelf provides stationery, pens, and stamps -- all you need to bring is your address book! Info: Annie Jones, 229-228-7767 January 8-April 30, 2015 A Sportsman en plein air: C.D. Clarke Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10:00am-5:00pm and Sundays, 12:00pm-5:00pm (first house tour begins at 10:30am, last tour begins at 3:45pm), Pebble Hill Plantation (Main House), 1251 US 319, Thomasville, GA 31792- The exhibition includes selected paintings by C.D. Clarke on display in the Elisabeth Ireland Poe Gallery, located on the upper floor of the Main House at Pebble Hill Plantation. Born in Rochester, New York, C. D. Clarke received his BFA in painting from Syracuse University in 1981. He has traveled extensively painting in the Caribbean, Russia, Scotland, England, Hawaii, The Bahamas, Canada, Alaska, Montana and South America. C. D. Clarke’s work has been exhibited and published widely including: Adirondack National Watercolor Exhibition, American Museum of Fly Fishing, Gold Room at the Easton Waterfowl Festival, Holland & Holland London, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, The Book of the Tarpon, Sporting Classics magazine, Fly Rod & Reel magazine, Shooting Sportsman, Wildlife Art News, Gray’s Sporting Journal, U.S. Art magazine and Field and Stream. Cost: No extra fee for the exhibition. Regular House/Grounds tour tickets are $15/adult and $6/children 6 years of age and older – fees subject to 7% sales tax. More info: 229-226-2344, info@pebblehill.com MARCH March 10, 2015 Thomas County Historical Society 2015 Spring Lecture Series

54 Julie Bryan Owner/Broker, CRS, GRI 229.403.9990

Sam Bryan Realtor/Owner, ABR, SRES 229.977.1211

Steve Barronton Property Manager 229.224.1398

Griff Beaty Realtor 229.850.0195

Marcianne Benton Associate Broker 229.224.7373

Luretta Bliek Realtor 229.224.4360

Lynn P. Conoley Realtor 404.483.3173

Lynn Corbin Realtor 229.977.3829

Josephine Davis Associate Broker, GRI 229.221.1614

Teri Gainey Associate Broker, GRI 229.224.4434

Pam Hoveland Realtor 352.427.2394

Lisa Jones Realtor 229.403.6270

Lisa Taylor Associate Broker 229.221.5980

Jay Lattay Realtor 229.977.3000

Chris Meares Realtor 229.221.5762

Marilyn McRee Realtor, CRS, GRI, ABR 229.227.8078

AJ Taheri Associate Broker 229.516.5426

Sarah Thompson Associate Broker, CRS, GRI 229.403.0745

Scottie Thompson Realtor 229.221.2761

Dot Titus Associate Broker 229.224.7374

Paige Vaughan Realtor 229.224.3179

401 E. Jackson St. Thomasville, GA 31792

229.226.3911

Eugene Witherspoon Realtor 229.224.7814

Russ Taylor Realtor 229.224.6858

Pam Wright Realtor 229.227.7760

7:30pm, Thomas County Museum of History, 725 North Dawson Street, Thomasville, GA 31792- The Thomas County Historical Society presents the 2015 Spring Lecture series the first four Tuesdays in March at 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas County Museum of History. Will Watt will share the story of his aunt, professional golfer Mary Lena Faulk, whose career spanned more than three decades and several national championships. Lectures are free and open to the public. Info: 229-226-7664 March 12, 2015 Senior Living Expo 10:00am-1:00pm, Southwest Georgia Technical College, 15689 US Highway 19 North, Thomasville, GA- This is your opportunity to learn about resources and services in our community available for seniors, caregivers, and families.

The Expo will be located in Building D, rooms 106-108. The Expo is free and will feature door prizes, snacks, seminars, screenings, and more! Open to the public. To RSVP or for more info, please call 229-226-8183.

March 12, 2015 Business After Hours 5:00-7:00pm, Blush Salon and Spa, 1482 East Jackson Street, Thomasville, GA 31792- Join us for an evening of networking and professional development at Blush Salon and Spa. Info: 229-226-9600

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

55

Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

Allen & Allen

56

Donna Harvard Sept 22, 1942 - Nov 1, 2014 Chan Hammond Gaddy July 15, 1926 - Oct 31, 2014 Maxie Arnold Aug 4, 1945 - Nov 2, 2014 George E. Carmen Oct 24, 1922 - Nov 2, 2014 Lucille Waite July 12, 1922 - Nov 4, 2014 Jewel Smith Nov 3, 1930 - Nov 5, 2014 Donny Watson July 19, 1956 - Nov 1, 2014 Thelma Duren June 1, 1923 - Oct 23, 2014 Grady Bonner Oct 26, 1928 - Nov 7, 2014 Thomas Emmet, Jr. July 29, 1930 - Nov 5, 2014 Lucy Samples Sept 3, 1950 - Nov 7, 2014 Jerry Mallett, Jr. Aug 21, 1956 - Nov 8, 2014

David Waldron April 4, 1983 - Nov 9, 2014

Burnice Turner Feb 9, 1920 - Nov 23, 2014

George Owens, Jr. June 21, 1928 - Dec 6, 2014

Catherine O’Connor Roth April 15, 1936 - Nov 11, 2014

Lee Kelly, Jr. Sept 27, 1925 - Nov 23, 2014

Jerry Hand Aug 2, 1943 - Dec 17, 2014

James Pelham Nov 7, 1926 - Nov 11, 2014

Joy Dodge Feb 20, 1927 - Nov 22, 2014

Charlotte Childs Nov 8, 1927 - Dec 16, 2014

Teresita Blardony March 7, 1928 - Nov 11, 2014

Isolde Mayes Aug 14, 1923 - Nov 21, 2014

Betty Strickland Aug 28, 1927 - Dec 21, 2014

Robert Howell Jan 10, 1932 - Nov 12, 2014

Louis Rayburn July 8, 1937 - Nov 26, 2014

Tammy Simpson Oct 9, 1964 - Dec 20, 2014

Mildred Ricks May 18, 1945 - Nov 31, 2014

Barbara Morgan Jan 28, 1933 - Nov 30, 2014

William Haman Oct 10, 1928 - Dec 22, 2014

Bobbie Crosby Jan 30, 1922 - Nov 16, 2014

James Thomas, III June 1, 1929 - Nov 29, 2014

Dawn Wheeler Oct 24, 1962 - Dec 23, 2014

William Hopkins Sept 23, 1951 - Nov 16, 2014

Hazel Barwick March 31, 1931 - Nov 30, 2014

Claude Carroll March 31, 1923 - Dec 26, 2014

Lamont Redfearn Oct 8, 1927 - Nov 14, 2014

Steven Merlock Jan 7, 1937 - Dec 3, 2014

David Kennedy Jan 5, 1933 - Dec 27, 2014

Victor Chavez April 14, 1983 - Oct 31, 2014

Hattie Graham May 31, 1931 - Dec 4, 2014

Helen Craigmiles Jan 22, 1921 - Dec 28, 2014

Virginia Dement Feb 20, 1922 - Nov 22, 2014

Claud Goff Jan 25, 1930 - Dec 6, 2014

Sylvia Pyle Oct 10, 1947 - Dec 30, 2014

James Heaton Feb 5, 1923 - Nov 23, 2014

Deuel McElreath Jan 7, 1935 - Dec 8, 2014

Tammy Swanson July 16, 1963 - Dec 28, 2014 David Hines June 1, 1952 - Dec 31, 2014 Arthur Dunham, Jr Feb 12, 1928 - Dec 31, 2014 Mary Owen Dec 31, 1924 - Jan 2, 2015 Braxton Beckham April 18, 1937 - Jan 8, 2015 Nannette Silvia June 29, 1932 - Jan 11, 2015

A Listing of Local Deaths in Our Community.

Provided by Allen & Allen Funeral Home & Whiddon-Shiver Funeral Home Clifford Martin Peck July 3, 1958 - June 23, 2014

Robert Lee Russell March 3, 1937 - Oct. 3, 2014

Charles Henry Clark, Sr. Sept. 11,1943 - Oct. 30, 2014

James McKay July 10, 1960 - Jan 12, 2015

Clifton F. West March 15, 1936 - June 26, 2014

Jewwldene Brightwell (King) Feb. 5, 1921 - Oct.10, 2014

Harry E. Stout Oct. 28,1926 - Oct. 30, 2014

Wyman Weldon Lastinger March 20, 1938 - June 27, 2014

Douglas Braxton West Nov.17,1950 - Oct 23, 2014

Sandy Gail Wiggins Wiggins Nov.10,1962 - Nov. 1, 2014

John David Shropshire Nov. 11, 1943 - June 29, 2014

Robert Lee Roberson Sept. 18, 1923 - Oct. 28, 2014

Ricks James, Jr. Douglas Nov. 4, 2014 April 18, 1941

Timothy Joe Palmer July 9, 1969 - June 30, 2014

Joanne Bryne (Van Steenberg) 7/9/1940 - Oct. 28/2014

Mary Hershey (Morris) Nov. 24, 1925 - Nov. 20,2014

Verna Roberts March 2, 1923 - Jan 17, 2015 Marion Drake July 8, 1940 - Jan 19, 2015 Monteen Odom Dec 19, 1925 - Jan 20, 2015 Lonnie Perkins Dec 23, 1921 - Jan 19, 2015 Lois Fribiczer Aug 19, 1931 - Jan 20, 2015

Mary Deane Chason Smith June 15, 1922 - July 2, 2014 Jane Emilie Lillie Bass Oct. 1, 1958 - July 4, 2014 Katherine Green (Pyles) March 23,1926 - July 5, 2014

Wandell Shirley July 24, 1932 - Jan 22, 2015

Evelyn Adeline Koenneker Zima Oct. 5, 1914 - July 8, 2014

Ted Sampson Aug 5, 1935 - Jan 23, 2015

Larry, Jr. Joe Hill Feb. 13, 1971 - July 11, 2014

Phillip Godwin March 10, 1951 - Jan 24, 2015

John Reid Ellis March 31, 1942 - July 23, 2014

Edward Long Oct 3, 1933 - Jan 27, 2015

Whiddon-Shiver Margaret Collins (Smith) May 18, 1937 - June 1, 2014 Myrtle Louise Adams Laster April 15,1925 - June 5, 2014 Betty Claire Cooper Neill May 1, 1930 - June 6, 2014 Lillian Louise Barnes Thomas June 28, 1924 - June 7, 2014 Deborah Kaufmann (Wurst) Aug. 25, 1949 - June15, 2014 Francis Hansell Watt May 4, 1955 - June 15, 2014

Dallas, Sr. Eugene Hagan Dec. 9, 1924 - July 23, 2014 Anne Arnold (Slater) May 12, 1925 - July 23, 2014 McCann Cecil Joshua July 29, 1938 - Aug 2, 2014 Jewell Wood (Parrish) Feb. 19,1927 - Aug. 9, 2014 Marjorie Rosa Smith March 3, 1959 - Sept. 2, 2014 Maria Kozyra (Krzyszofek) March 23, 1924 - Sept. 8, 2014 Elizabeth Carter (Zeigler) March 28,1922 - Sept.11, 2014 Margaret Patricia Glisson Avery April 12, 1942 - Sept. 18, 2014

Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015

Margaret Wingate May 19, 1953 - Jan 7, 2015

57

LIST OF ADVERTISERS Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015 58

Allen and Allen Funeral Home...........................page 56 Ameris Bank....................................................page 25 Astro.................................................................page 3 Best Western/Holiday Inn Express....................page 45 Big Oak Tree Rug Gallery.................................page 47 BloughTech.....................................................page 31 Bobby Dollar...................................................page 16 Camellia Gardens Nursing Home.....................page 29 C.B. Grubbs III Financial Services.....................page 55 CNS TV.......................................................back cover Commercial Bank...............................inside back cover Country Oaks..................................................page 12 Downtown Thomasville....................................page 46 Farm Bureau.....................................................page 4 Farm Credit Southwest Georgia ........................page 9 Fielding Law Firm.............................................page 49 Flowers Nissan................................................page 35 Fuzzy Goat......................................................page 48 Hampton Inn...................................................page 25 J. Smith Lanier & Co........................................page 45 Kathy’s............................................................page 47 Key South.......................................................page 54

Pelicanno Construction....................................page 16 Robin Wise.....................................................page 17 Savannah Court of Camilla...............................page 42 Singletary Tire Service .....................................page 58 Southern Heritage...........................................page 49 Southwest Georgia Technical College...............page 22 Spence...........................................................page 27 Taste of Thomasville.........................................page 48 Taylor Benefit Resource...................................page 43 The Gift Shop..................................................page 25 The New Image...............................................page 47 The Plaza Restaurant & Lounge .......................page 47 Thomas County Federal...................................page 13 Thomasville Dental Center................... inside front cover Thomasville National Bank................................page 55 Thomasville Physical Therapy ..........................page 55 Trolly’s ............................................................page 47 Valdosta’s Symphony Orchestra.......................page 39 Wells Fargo.....................................................page 48 Whiddon-Shiver Funeral Home.........................page 57 YMCA...............................................................page 8

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Thomasville Magazine /WINTER/SPRING 2015 59

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Thomasville Magazine / WINTER/SPRING 2015

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