Toombs COUNTY MAGAZINE
UVALDA, GA 30473
P : 912-594-1812
Fax: 912-594-1817
Doctor's Appointments
Cancer Treatments
Dialysis
Clinics/Hospitals
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Rehabilitation Centers
Special Engagements
Holiday Home Visits
And Many Other Transportation
Wheelchair
Ambulatory Stretcher
Emergency Evacuations
Non-Emergency Transports
Pet Transport
www.johnsonandjohnsontransport.com
Past hardships didn’t deter Jimmie Nell Ford from her true calling as an author, educator, artist and musician.
Diane McBride celebrates 50 years of directing choirs and fostering relationships through music.
Zane Williams turned a fascination with trains into a full time career with a hobby on the side.
Marsha Mosley combines old books and antiques into a quaint downtown store full of unique finds.
Faced with her mother’s terminal illness, Amy Hobbs writes a touching journal of finding hope, joy and peace through love and a bucket list.
Storms can be scary, but friends and neighbors will help you get through them.
A struggling single mom shows her two sons the value of character, accountability and hard work, and they are still living by those guidelines.
LIFE –
THE LEGACY
Planning for the future by organizing your legacy now allows loved ones to move forward after you’re gone. 98
The Martin family is large and diverse, but they honor their parents through planned reunions that keep the family strong. 106
Tina Peebles didn’t follow a conventional life plan, but she gave her best in every circumstance, which ultimately led to her success.
Summer dishes that are sure to please for the warm months ahead.
Remodeling can be tedious, but we’ve got tips to keep you sane.
Understand what it means to be
When Vidalia native Amy Smith Hobbs found out her mom had terminal cancer, she embarked on a journey to make her mom’s last days more meaningful. A bucket list of items they created and completed together crafts a story of mending relationships, finding hope, enjoying laughter and moving forward. The Bucket List Journey Home, written by Amy, details this mother-daughter journey of healing, love and God’s faithfulness.
Life is pretty amazing
Science tells us that the universe is at least 13 billion years old with the most distant object measuring 47 billion light years away. Mind boggling, I know. And then there’s this: somewhere in this great, big universe of things that God created, is a tiny little blip on the radar called my life.
Life is an amazing thing. Within the confines of time, it comes and goes, ebbs and flows, starts and stops. It’s a gift we each receive with birth. No instructions included. You just face it each day trying to do the best you can and thanking the good Lord for grace. If you live long enough, you get to experience life from different perspectives–child, teen, adult, grandparent, sage–and boy, is that interesting. If only my older self could have had a nice long chat with my younger self. Along the way you realize two things: good choices really are important, and everything your mama said was true.
Life also has lots of tangents–triumph and trauma, friends and foe, love and hate, peace and discord. Each day we choose what to embrace and what to leave behind. Pretty soon it becomes abundantly clear that the choices we make and our reaction to circumstances can leave us weaker or stronger.
But the most interesting thing about life is the connection it creates. My blip is forever connected to past blips of family I once knew and future blips of family I can only dream of. This connection gives life meaning and purpose. It’s a thread that, if you go back far enough, we all share.
We never really set out to have themes in the magazine, but somehow it always happens. This issue really does have a thread of family and creating legacy in the short amount of time we have. By legacy, I mean what is my life leaving behind for those that follow after me? Am I making choices that show the next generation how to overcome, love and prosper? Am I living in the present? We’ve got great stories in this issue of healing, redemption, and faith that inspire true legacy living.
As a child summer vacation seemed like an eternity away. As an adult it feels like we just did this. Life and time are marching on. One day my blip will start to fade on the radar, but hopefully the legacy I am leaving never will. And that is truly what life is about.
Make life amazing and keep the stories alive,
Stephanie Williams Executive Editor
To discover more that Toombs County has to offer, see our business index on page 127!
To share a story, send a note, or just get information: toombscountymagazine@gmail.com • (912) 293-0063
For more stories, visit us at www.toombscountymagazine.com
Follow us on:
Toombs County MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER
Red Door Design & Publishing, LLC
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Stephanie Williams
CREATIVE | DESIGN
Elizabeth Beasley
Stephanie Williams
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Nikki Guzman
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND MEDIA RELATIONS
Madison Beverly
SALES
Jennifer Crutchfield
Dottie Hicks
Daphne Walker
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Renée Martin
Ann Owens
Azure Rountree
Teri R. Williams
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ruth English
Evan Riekhof, EZ-E Photography
The Fuller Effect Photography
Daphne Walker
PROOFING
Megan Morris
COVER PHOTO
The Fuller Effect Photography
Toombs County Magazine© is published bi-annually by Red Door Design & Publishing, LLC 148 Williams Avenue • Lyons, GA 30436 (912) 526-4195
All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice.
Leaving a legacy for Hagan and Wrenna
Experienced Legal Advice For Families And Small Businesses
Take care of your heart
Caring for our hearts is an important part of our overall well-being. When our hearts are performing well, we’re able to show up for the ones we love and enjoy our favorite activities. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but it’s preventable with a healthy diet and lifestyle changes. Let’s explore what a heart-healthy lifestyle could look like for you.
Who is at risk for heart disease?
When it comes to understanding our potential for heart disease, there are some risk factors we can’t change, like age, sex and family history. Other risk factors can be managed, including:
• High blood pressure or high blood cholesterol
• Prediabetes or diabetes
• Smoking tobacco products
• Not getting enough exercise
Because these risk factors for heart disease are manageable, we can choose to make small, sustainable changes to our lifestyle to prevent heart disease and other serious, chronic conditions.
Choose a heart-healthy diet
Diet is one of the most important risk factors associated with heart disease. Our dietary choices, over time, gradually impact multiple aspects of our health. A heart-healthy diet can significantly decrease the likelihood of experiencing heart disease, heart attack and stroke. When it comes to what we eat, here are some heart-healthy choices:
• Choose healthy proteins from plant sources, nuts, fish, seafood, low-fat or nonfat dairy, and lean, unprocessed meats and poultry
• Reduce or eliminate added sources of fat, like fried foods and oils
• Choose plant vegetable oils instead of tropical oils
• Eat five servings of vegetables daily
• Eat whole fruits
• Limit sugary beverages, like juices and soda
• Limit refined carbohydrates and processed foods
• Limit full-fat dairy
• Quit smoking
Moderate alcohol intake
As is the case with most things in life, balance is key. We don’t want to restrict ourselves in such a way that we miss out on meals with friends or skip dessert at a wedding (especially if we’re craving that cupcake). The goal with these everyday choices is not weight loss, but to positively influence our hearts for years to come.
Don’t forget to stay active
Regular exercise plays a crucial role in our overall cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.
Starting and maintaining a consistent exercise routine can be daunting if you’re out of practice, or even challenging if you’re juggling a hectic schedule. We encourage you to start small and find movement you actually enjoy.
Incorporating reasonable additions — like a 10-minute walk on your lunch break — into your daily routine can help these changes last.
Check in on your heart
Keeping your heart health top-of-mind doesn’t have to be complicated or timeconsuming. We’ve pulled together some resources to help you take charge of your heart health.
Know your numbers
American Heart Association tells us that four key numbers can change our lives:
• Total cholesterol
• Blood pressure
• Blood sugar
• Body mass index (BMI)
You can manage your heart health by knowing your numbers and taking steps to reduce any controllable risk factors you may have. Talk to your doctor about the best heart-healthy strategies based on your risk factors and lifestyle.
When it comes to caring for our hearts, every choice matters. That gives us the opportunity, every day, to do better by our hearts. Making small changes over time can have a large impact on the rest of our lives.
THE EXPERTS IN HEART CARE
For more than 20 years, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital has offered advanced cardiology services close to home for patients in Toombs County and the surrounding region. Our cardiac catheterization lab is staffed by cardiologists who perform both diagnostic and interventional procedures and is available 24/7 to provide emergency treatment for heart attacks. In 2022, Meadows Hospital added two electrophysiologists to provide care for patients who have issues with their heart’s electrical system (atrial fibrillation, abnormal heartbeats or arrhythmia). The electrophysiologists are also performing ablation procedures in our cardiac catheterization lab.
Learn more about Memorial Health Meadows Hospital’s cardiology services at MemorialHealthMeadows.com/Heart.
Scan the QR code to learn more about our advanced cardiovascular services.
fresh and delightful
Summer always provides an assortment of seasonal fresh fruit and produce. These easy recipes make perfect use of some of our favorites. Enjoy them with your family or guests!
SALAD
BROCCOLI SALAD
The sweet, vinegary dressing in this recipe makes it easy to enjoy raw broccoli, and it’s even better the next day.
Salad
11 cups Broccoli Florets (3 large bunches)
1 (8-ounce) block Sharp Cheddar Cheese (grated)
2/3 cup Bacon Bits or Crumbled Bacon
1/2 cup minced Yellow Onion
Instructions
1 Chop the broccoli into smaller pieces, then add to a large mixing bowl along with the grated cheddar cheese, bacon bits and minced onion.
2 Toss together and make the dressing.
Dressing
2 cups Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
Instructions
1 Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing and toss with the salad.
2 Place in the fridge for a few hours to chill, then remove from the fridge, stir together and serve.
SAVORY
CHICKEN & RED PEPPER SPAGHETTI
Creamy and delicious, this twist on spaghetti will thrill the whole family.
Ingredients
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper (to season)
2/3 of a 1 pound box Thin Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/3 cup finely diced Vidalia® Onion
1/3 cup finely diced Red Bell Pepper
1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
4 ounces Cream Cheese (cubed)
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon bottled Minced Garlic
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub each chicken breast with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2 Bake on the 3rd (middle) rack for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and let cool, then shred 2 cups of chicken and set aside.
3 In a 3 quart pot, bring water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
4 In a large heavy pot and over medium heat, add the butter. Once hot, add the onion and red bell pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, milk, chicken broth, cream cheese, salt, pepper, minced garlic and cheddar cheese. Cook while stirring until cream cheese and cheddar cheese are melted and creamy. Add in the cooked spaghetti and stir until combined, then add the shredded chicken and stir in.
STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
Enjoy this refreshing treat on a hot summer day!
Ingredients
6 cups Water
2 ¼ cups Strawberries (stems removed & halved)
2 cups Sugar
1 ½ cups fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions
1 Place a wire mesh strainer on top of a pitcher, then set aside.
2 In a large heavy saucepan and over medium-high heat, combine the water, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, then remove from the stove and let sit at room temperature until completely cooled.
3 Using a ladle, remove the mixture from the pan and pour into the pitcher through the mesh strainer. Discard the solids, then place the lemonade in the fridge until chilled.
SWEET
COOKIES & CREAM ICEBOX CAKE
This scrumptious make-ahead dessert is sure to impress your summer guests.
Ingredients
3 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 (11-ounce) packages Thin Oreo’s Maraschino Cherries (for garnish)
Instructions
1 Line a loaf pan with cling wrap long ways and leave excess hanging over the sides.
2 In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream while adding the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until it has soft peaks and looks like whipped topping, then spread a thin layer of the whipped topping in the bottom of the loaf pan.
3 Cut some of the Oreo’s in half and into small pieces. Add a layer of the Oreo’s making sure to fill in any gaps with the halved cookies and the cookie pieces. Carefully spread a layer of whipped topping over the cookies, then repeat the layers with cookies and whipped topping until the pan is full. Finish with a layer of the cookies, then carefully cover with the hanging cling wrap.
4 Place in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight to firm up. Reserve the leftover whipped topping and place it in the fridge.
5 Remove the icebox cake from the fridge and turn over onto a serving platter. Spread a layer of the leftover whipped topping, then chop small pieces of the cookies and sprinkle on top. Garnish with the maraschino cherries.
Azure Rountree is the wife and mother to four beautiful children. She is a business owner, Autism & Women’s Health Advocate and Public Speaker. She has published two cookbooks, “Family Favorites”, which was published in 2013 and “Kid Friendly Recipes”, which was published in 2015. Her recipes are featured on the Pottery Barn Blog Website and are in ten publications throughout Southeast Georgia. Her famous, “Derby Hat Cake Pops”, have been shared by Southern Living, and she has even been approached by Shark Tank about her business. Azure has a love for cooking and sharing recipes, which is why she our food contributor for the Toombs County Magazine.
Planning your remodel
Kitchens top the list when it comes to remodeling because homeowners want this space to be perfect.
the kitchen is the heart of a home where families gather and memories are made. Modern home designs often center around a kitchen that expands into living and dining areas with more private areas like bedrooms and bathrooms further away. This type of floor plan is ideal for entertaining guests and family.
To accommodate the demands of this multi-use space, owners of older homes often look for ways to make their kitchens more functional, efficient, and inviting by carefully curating the space to fit their individual needs. A well-planned, thoughtfully designed kitchen can make the heart of the home really beat.
Remodel or Refresh?
Kitchen remodels can require a great deal of time, energy and money, so before you start it’s important to establish long term goals and determine how you will actually use your kitchen. A full remodel is worth it if your current kitchen isn’t functional for your needs or meeting your storage demands.
On the other hand, if your layout is working but the kitchen is no longer bringing you joy, you might consider simple aesthetic updates like painting the cabinets, replacing hardware or adding a tile backsplash. Simple changes can make a huge difference and are a cost effective way to get a good return on your investment.
How to Budget for a Kitchen
Remodel
If you are doing a full remodel, the kitchen is one area of the home that you can’t leave half-finished. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’ve covered all the bases with your budget. The large ticket items like appliances and cabinets are easy to include, but smaller things like
hardware are often forgotten about and these are the things that add up.
Start by determining exactly the style of kitchen you want from cabinets and tile to flooring and lighting. With a clear vision in mind, it’s easier to get comparable quotes from different vendors.
If you are hiring a design pro, look for someone whose portfolio matches your desired aesthetic. This will prevent miscommunication and ensure that your finished remodel accomplishes your goals.
In some cases, a kitchen remodel requires reconfiguring your home’s layout. This is why kitchen remodels can range from $25,000 to $200,000. If
walls come down or new windows need to be installed, construction costs will add to your budget. Any pre-planning you do now, will save you headaches and surprises in the long run.
Kitchen Remodel Design Tips
A beautiful kitchen is at the top of most homeowners’ lists, but a functional kitchen should supersede looks. Create a design based on how you use your kitchen, what works with your lifestyle and what storage needs you have. You might also think about accessibility if you plan to stay in the same house for years to come.
Here are a few functional design tips to consider for a kitchen remodel:
• Place dishes and glasses storage near the dishwasher.
• Countertops come in a variety of materials, so make sure you choose the type that best suits your lifestyle. If your kitchen receives a lot of wear and tear, durable surfaces, like Quartz, are a must.
• Place the trash and dishwasher near the sink.
• Include enough prep space between the range and the refrigerator.
• Place pantry storage next to the refrigerator.
• Include enough work space on both sides of the range.
• Include pullout storage behind base
cabinet doors.
• Tall, narrow storage for cookie sheets and cooling racks allow easy access.
• Explore options for specialty cabinets that might keep you more organized like pull out spice racks and drawer dividers for pots and pans.
• When incorporating an island, make sure you have enough space for multiple people to move around the kitchen at once.
• Strategically place lighting so that it lights up your work surfaces first. Then add layered lighting for beauty and ambiance.
Final Thoughts
Hiring the right team is crucial to a kitchen remodel. The many options available can often feel overwhelming, but
Need help from a pro?
If you need help with your kitchen remodel, we have local experts right here in Toombs County. From design on paper to finishing touches, an expert’s knowledge and experience can help you create the kitchen you’ve been dreaming of.
good team members will guide you in the right direction and help you stay within budget. Also make sure you order your appliances months ahead of time. Once you have a firm delivery date, you can create a work schedule based on that. And finally, if you are living through a remodel, it’s a good idea to set up a temporary kitchen area somewhere else in the house to cover basic needs. This will help prevent chaos and frustration.
• 1001-02 Second Street, Vidalia
telling her story
LDespite the challenges of injustice in her youth, Jimmie Nell Ford rose to the top of her field becoming a successful educator, writer and photographer and proving that the past doesn't have to define us.
Lillie’s eyes hungrily drank in the smallest details of the beautiful baby in her arms. She had not recovered from giving birth to her eighth child and knew full well that she had little time left. With that knowing, Lillie determined to do everything possible to secure the care of her newborn Cathy and fifteen-month-old daughter Jimmie Nell as her final act of love.
Lillie carefully chose the two families in the community. Both were childless and also financially secure. When T.J. Mincey, owner of Mincey’s Café in Lyons, and his wife, Sadie, were called to Lillie’s bedside, she told them, “If anything happens to me, I want you to take Jimmie Nell and raise her as your own.” The same request was made to a prominent farmer and his wife on behalf of her newborn.
Many years later, T.J. Mincey would share these memories with his adoptive daughter, Jimmie Nell. She said, “I assume this was something my birth mother and father agreed on. I am certain my mother was hoping to give my sister and me the chance to have a better life.”
T. J. Mincey adopted Jimmie Nell in June 1952. She would only see her birth father, for whom she’d been named, once more when he came to visit. “I heard he moved to Florida and remarried. Some years later, I heard he passed.”
After Lillie’s funeral, relatives took in the six older children from her first marriage. “My mother’s sisters each took one of the two girls,” said Jimmie Nell, “and her brother took the four boys. We were spread from Miami to Washington, D.C.”
Years later, Jimmie Nell learned from one of her brothers that the boys all moved to Tampa and became plasterers. “They didn’t return to school, but they were in their teens by then,” said Jimmie Nell. “He said they were making $150 a week, which seemed a fortune after getting paid pennies for picking cotton back in Lyons.”
At the age of five, Jimmie Nell’s adoptive parents divorced. She never saw her adoptive mother again, but her adoptive father, T.J. Mincey, continued to be an essential part of her life. “He was a good father to me,” she said. “He took me to live with his mother, Bertha Dixon. She had raised
Jimmie Nell as Miss Lyons Industrial School in 1968.
“I remember talk in the fields about integration,” said Jimmie Nell. “No one believed we would ever go to school together.”
three boys, no girls. I had long hair. ‘Big Mama’ had never had to braid hair before.” Bertha Dixon never missed a beat. She not only learned to braid Jimmie’s long hair but loved her as her own. “Everything I am today, I owe to her,” she said with genuine affection.
Following her adoptive parent’s divorce, Mincey’s Café closed. “Money was scarce,” said Jimmie Nell. “Big Mama was a fieldhand worker, and every summer, I went to the fields with her to work. I grew up picking cotton, tobacco, and onions, making $2.50 a day to have enough money to buy school clothes. I did that until my senior year of high school.”
In the summertime, Jimmie Nell was rewarded with a trip to the Pal Theatre in Lyons (now known as the Blue Marquee) for the Saturday Matinee after a week of work in the fields. This past March, Jimmie Nell and I met for this interview in this same theatre in Lyons. She pointed to the upstairs seating area and said, “That’s where we sat.” “We” were the black children. Tickets and concessions for blacks and whites were purchased at separate windows. “One time, we got to sit downstairs,” said Jimmie Nell. “The school took us to see The Ten Commandments. I remember thinking, ‘The seats and the walls down here are just the same as the upstairs,” she smiled. “I remember talk in the fields about integration,” said Jimmie Nell. “No one believed we would ever go to school together.”
Jimmie Nell started first grade in 1956, which was also the inaugural year for the Lyons Industrial School built specifically to serve black children. Although the Supreme Court outlawed segregation in schools in 1954 in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, change was slow in coming to the South. “At the time, we knew that white kids had more opportunities than we did. I remember the ‘colored water fountain’ at Piggly Wiggly. I distinctly remember that because, one day, I said, ‘I'm gonna drink some of this whiteonly water,” she laughed. “I was probably in the seventh grade. And I did. I went to Piggly Wiggly and drank some of that ‘white-only” water. My immediate thought was, ‘It tastes just the same!” Of course, the water was the same. Just like people with different colored skin tones. No more of an anomaly than different eye or hair color.
Jimmie Nell graduated with honors from Lyons Industrial School in 1968. When some of her friends turned in applications for college, she mailed one in, too, but promptly moved to New York with a friend. “We got a job at a factory making baby dolls. I didn’t expect to hear anything from the application. We certainly didn’t have money for college. I figured I’d make dolls for the rest of my
ABOVE Jimmie Nell attended Lyons Industrial School where she was in the band and was top of her class.
life.” When she got a letter from her Big Mama saying that she had been accepted to Fort Valley State College, Jimmie Nell was stunned.
Knowing nothing about student loans or the Pell Grant, Jimmie Nell worked all summer in New York at the doll factory and saved $500, barely enough to cover the first quarter of school. “I didn’t know what I was going to do after that,” she said. “But I just packed what I had in a trunk, and my dad took me to Fort Valley.” At the end of the first quarter, the college administration took notice of the girl with a 4.0 average and worked to keep her there with grants and student loans.
Jimmie Nell sat under her first white teacher in college. Change was now certain, even if it had to be mandated by the government. The May 6, 1970 edition of the Macon Telegraph reported, “The integration plans of 21 Georgia school districts which had not previously complied with a statewide integration order have now been approved by a three-panel judge federal panel.” Under court order, these Georgia schools, which included Toombs County, had until September 1, 1970, to implement integration.
In 1972, Jimmie Nell graduated from college with a B.S. in English. At that time, the Toombs County schools had only been integrated for two years. “My certification was for
LEFT T. J. Mincey and his wife Sadie adopted Jimmie Nell as a young child. "He was a good father to me," said Jimmie Nell. Eventually, Jimmie Nell went to live with T.J.'s mother, Bertha Dixon, who Jimmie Nell affectionately referred to as "Big Mama."
ABOVE Jimmie Nell's children's books have earned her recognition on state and local levels. She was featured at the Georgia State Capitol in 2019 and recently honored at the Dr. Mark and Tonya Spivey Public Library African American Author's Fest. Her books can be found at the Main Street office in downtown Lyons.
9th-12th grades, but the only opening back home was for a second-grade teacher at Toombs Central,” she said. So, Jimmie Nell taught second grade for two years until an opening for a remedial English teacher at the Lyons High School became available.
In 1986, Jimmie Nell spoke with the principal about putting together a Black History Program. “Students may hear something in school about famous African Americans like Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth,” said Jimmie Nell. “But there are so many important contributions made by black Americans that are left out of the history books.”
Jimmie Nell wrote the parts for a program presented by students that highlighted the lives of Black American inventors like Garrett Morgan, who invented the three-way traffic light; Augustus Jackson, who invented the modern method of manufacturing ice cream; and Granville T. Woods, who was called the “Black Edison” of his day and held more than 60 patents before his death.
Of course, the list would not be complete without the names of some wonderful black women innovators as well. Women like modern-day inventor Marian Croak who has more than 200 patents to her name. Croak's videoconferencing technologies “allowed donations by text after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and enabled textbased voting for the popular TV show American Idol.” (https://ge.usembassy.gov)
When the high school SPED teacher, Ms. Virginia Collins, made plans to retire, she asked Jimmie Nell if she would consider the position. All it took was one week of observation in the classroom for Jimmie Nell to fall in love with these kids. Still, the financial cost of pursuing more education for the certification had to be considered. “Mr. Collins, who was Superintendent at
In 2010 Jimmie Nell turned to a new season of writing and published her first children's book, The Doodle Bug Story. followed by two more Doodle Bug books. Fans will be thrilled to know the series isn't over.
that time, said, ‘I think you'd make a great special ed teacher. The school can help with the costs.”
Jimmie Nell completed her Special Education Certification from Georgia Southern University in 1989 while continuing to teach full-time. That same year, she entered the “World of Poetry Contest” and won the Silver Poet Award for her poem “The Cloud.” In 1993, she received the Teacher of the Year award at Toombs County High School. (Lyons High School was renamed Toombs County High School in 1987.)
Jimmie Nell moved to Brunswick, Georgia, in 1996 to teach special education at Glynn Academy High School and serve as Black History Coordinator. Meanwhile, she continued her education by earning a master’s in education (M. Ed.) at Cambridge College in 2000 and an education specialist in 2002. In 2003, she was selected as Woman of the Year for the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority in Glynn County. No less importantly, Jimmie Nell has served as an usher at the First African Baptist Church in Lyons for forty years.
After teaching school for thirtythree years, she retired in 2005. That same year, she published her first novel, No Wooden Nickels. Even though she retired from teaching, she was not quite finished with her career in education. From 2005-2007, Jimmie Nell served as a College Transition Facilitator at Southside Performance Learning Center in Brunswick. From 2007-2010, she filled the position of Assistant Principal at Ridgeland Elementary School in Ridgeland, South Carolina.
In 2010, Jimmie Nell turned to
a new season of writing. She wrote, directed, and produced her first stage play, Ain’t No Sonshine, which was performed at Southeastern Technical Institute (now STC) and the Roxy Theatre in Brunswick. That year, she also published her first children’s book, The Doodle Bug Story
In 2012, Jimmie Nell learned that the Ombudsman Alternative School in Brunswick was in need of a principal to help close out the school in its final year of operation. She applied for the position and was hired on the spot. After helping facilitate the school’s closure, she once again turned her attention to writing. She has since
published A Visit to Doodle Bird Island (2018), Champ: Our Neighborhood Dog (2018), and A Doodle Bug Surprise (2020).
Jimmie Nell’s children’s books were among those featured at the Georgia State Capitol in 2019 on Children’s Day, and, more recently, during the African American Author Fest held on February 17, 2024, at the Dr. Mark and Tonya Spivey Public Library in Vidalia. Fans of her Doodle Bug children’s books will be thrilled to learn that the series is not over. In addition, Jimmie Nell is also working on a new novel that will feature a young, impoverished African American
girl named Henrietta and her challenges in school with a learning disability.
In addition to writing, Jimmie Nell is also a successful photographer. “Photography was actually my first love,” she said. Her landscape photographs have been displayed in schools and public libraries. In 1998, Jimmie Nell won the Vidalia Area Photo Contest. More recently, her
ABOVE In addition to writing and teaching, Jimmie Nell loves photography. Her landscape pictures have been featured at various schools and public libraries. OPPOSITE Jimmie Nell has also written a novel, No Wooden Nickels, and is currently working on another one.
photography was featured at the Pal Theatre in Vidalia.
The educator, writer, and photographer is also an accomplished musician. Jimmie Nell has played clarinet with the Golden Isles Community Band for the past ten years. When she played in the band at Lyons Industrial School, she said, “I remember having to be the last group in the Christmas parades. It wasn’t
until my senior year in high school that I realized it was because we were from the black school. As kids, we didn’t want trouble. We just wanted to play music and make our parents proud.”
Jimmie Nell heard about the marches and arrests while at college. But when she returned home, it was not to stand at the back of the Christmas parade but at the front of an integrated classroom. The young girl
from the cotton fields with dreams of a better life continues to teach us all with her life and work.
Change did not happen overnight. The Civil Rights Movement was the culmination of many acts of courage over a long period of time. For every one act of discrimination, a hundred more could be told of those righteous souls who worked for change.
As our interview ended, we both subconsciously glanced toward the upper level of the theatre. Turning back, we embraced. Before we left, we shared stories of our children. “My son, Demetrius, is DOT Foreman for the Toombs County area,” she said proudly.
Yes, the failures of the past are many. But it would be an injustice to those who worked for change to tell only of the wrongs without telling testimonies of triumphs that brought sociological change for our children and future generations. As Jimmie Nell continues to write her stories, it is my honor to tell her own.
Online Banking and Mobile Deposit
24/7 service from the palm of your hand.
Autobooks
Optimize your everyday cash flow.
Personal and Small Business Lending
Access a loan that’s as local as your business.
We’ll always be on your side on the path to financial success.
Altamaha Bank is rooted in the Southeast, so we are always rooting for success in our communities. Our tailored financial solutions and personalized guidance, help make success more attainable. We believe in the power of community, the impact of collaboration, and turning dreams into reality.
Most Insurance Accepted
Medicaid/Wellcare • Amerigroup
PeachState • PeachCare
United Healthcare
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
PPO & HMO
Top row, left to right: Kelli Sharpton, FNP-C, Callie Wilkes, PA-C, Anglia Dailey, FNP-C, Shayla Sellers, FNP-C
Bottom row, left to right: Carlie Poppell, PA-C, Etta Boss-Cole, MD, Erica Woods, FNP-C
Monday-Friday: 8 AM–5 PM and Saturday (seasonal): 9 AM–12 PM
HEAVENLY SOUND
In her 50 years directing music and performing in local musicals, Diane McBride has learned one thing: singing with a group is less about talent and more about service and relationship.
BY
TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER
THIS JANUARY MADE FIFTY YEARS
since Diane (O’Neal) McBride took over as Music Director at the United Methodist Church in Lyons. Year after year, song after song, she has given us the sound of music and the beauty of song. Through worship services, plays, cantatas, and countless community events, Diane has helped guide and give voice to our beliefs, our stories, and who we are as a community.
If her life were made into a movie, the soundtrack would be an eclectic mix of traditional hymns, southern gospel, black gospel, and contemporary worship, with a good dose of rock and roll thrown in for good measure. The loving home she grew up in might seem an anomaly today. Diane’s father, Bobby O’Neal, served in the Navy in WWII. When it ended, he completed his business degree at Mercer University. In 1947, he moved his wife, Rosalie, and daughter, Diane, to Uvalda to help with the family business, O’Neal Hardware Company, that his father, Lester O’Neal, had built in 1910. Four years after the move to
Uvalda, Diane’s sister, Denise, was born. “My mom was a stay-at-home mom but also helped with the hardware business by keeping books and doing office work. We were the traditional family of four,” she smiled. “I grew up in the ‘happy days’ of the ’50s and ’60s.”
Music filled her home. “My mother played piano,” said Diane, “and my daddy was a singer. But I think God just put music in my heart and soul.” And what God gave her parents then helped develop with piano lessons and, later, voice lessons. Diane’s first vocal performance was at Vacation Bible School at age five. Her love for music was not limited to a hymn book and church songs. “I’m a product of the fifties and sixties, so I love rock and roll, too.”
At thirteen, Diane joined the church choir. The blend of voices and shared friendship had a lasting impact. Group singing was more than a performance for entertainment. It was a return to something ancient, tribal even. Group singing was reminiscent of a time when people gathered and sang their stories to one another, and the criterion for joining was not so much about talent as about a love of music. Even so, Diane had both the talent and the love.
After graduating from Montgomery High School in 1965, she studied classical music at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. Diane’s days were filled with voice, theory, and piano lessons. “At that time, the Metropolitan Opera came
to the Fox Theatre in Atlanta in the spring,” she said. “One of the highlights of my time at college was attending those performances. I've still got some of the playbills and programs from operas I saw during that time.”
Diane was in her second year at Wesleyan when she decided to come home for the weekend. Between Uvalda and Vidalia, as she was driving through the little town of Alston, she pulled up to the town’s one-stop sign. That brief stop was all it took to catch the eye of Melvin McBride. Since their families knew one another, it wasn’t
LEFT Diane with her parents Bobby and Rosalie and sister Denise. OPPOSITE Diane has led choir groups at the United Methodist Church in Lyons for fifty years. She began serving as music director not long after she and her husband Melvin were married.
too difficult for him to find a way to meet the “cute girl” who had come through his town.
Melvin worked at the Toombs County Stockyard with Billy Benton and Betty Martin. His job was to receive, tag, and ready the livestock for the Friday auctions. At that time, as many as 1,200 to 1,400 cows and just as many hogs were moving through the stockyard at any given time. The work was hard and the hours long, but Melvin was dedicated to it. Since Sunday was his only day off, the O’Neal and the McBride families gathered on a Sunday afternoon in 1967 for his and Diane’s wedding. (Whether divine timing or pure chance, both of their children were also born on Sundays.)
When the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Lyons, where the McBrides attended, needed a music director, Diane was asked to fill in as interim director. In 1974, she was asked to take the position
permanently. Her extensive musical training and natural talent made her the perfect choice. But Diane brought more than talent to the table. She brought a passion for music and a heart for people. For her, singing together in the choir was about a love for music. Being a gifted singer was extra, not required. Her criteria for potential choir members still stands: “If you love the Lord and want to sing praises, come on.”
In 1989, Diane took a job with The Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS). “My children were getting older, and the hours didn’t conflict with my job at UMC,” she said. She passed the state test, was hired by Toombs County DFCS Director Sylvia Dennis, and underwent an intensive twomonth training process. For nearly twenty-five years, Diane served in numerous positions, including Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Resource Development, and
Foster Care and Adoptions. Before her retirement in 2013, she was appointed a Region 9 Social Services Supervisor (foster care & adoptions).
Most times, work and music commitments were compatible. But occasionally, the lines would cross. One time in particular, a call came just as she was preparing to sing at a funeral. “I was on call that weekend,” said Diane, “and I got an emergency call just as the family was about to come down the aisle. The funeral director was U.S. Jones. I was supposed to sing later in the program, but I said, ‘U.S., tell the family I need to sing now.” And that’s just what she did.
Social work is not the kind of job you do for the money. The work can take an emotional and mental toll. “Nothing is more heartbreaking than to see children and families torn apart by substance abuse, alcohol abuse, and poverty,” said Diane. “Conversely, nothing can be
Performing in Tales from the Altamaha is another highlight of Diane's career. She has been in every performance since its beginning. Through the years she has worked alongside cast mates of all ages and backgrounds.
more rewarding than seeing children safe and families reunited.” It was an opportunity to “witness the love of God” in situations and circumstances where she might otherwise have never been given the chance.
Still, it might have been too much to witness the pain of broken families and the work to help heal them again had it not been for the music. No matter what the day held, there were still Wednesday night rehearsals, cantatas, Easter Sundays, and Christmas concerts. Beyond the choir at UMC, there were community plays and musicals with the Franklinia Playhouse, Memorial Day services, and, of course, Tales
from the Altamaha, which Diane has performed in every year since the inaugural play in 2005.
But of all her many performances, one stands out above them all. “One summer, UMC did the entire production of The Sound of Music,” said Diane. She played the part of Maria. Victor Wolf was the Captain. “My son was ten years old, and my daughter was five. They got to be Fred and Greta. I got to have my children with me for the practices and performances,” she smiled.
When Diane and Melvin unexpectedly lost their son in June 2020, these memories helped carry
her through the weight of loss. “Sometimes there are no words for what I feel,” said Diane. “Losing a child is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. He was fifty years old, but he was still my firstborn child. Then, I’ll hear a beautiful melody or words of comfort in a song. And even in the deepest pain, my heart can
ABOVE In the 1980s, the United Methodist Church of Lyons hosted a multi-night production of The Sound of Music for the public. Diane has fond memories of playing the part of Maria alongside her two young children.
“I didn’t set out to set a record,” said Diane. “I just love what I do.”
hear that. That’s the comfort of Jesus in the beauty of a song.”
The modern-day hymn “On Eagles Wings” by Michael Joncas holds special significance to Diane.
“Mel played football while in college at Georgia Southern University,” she said. The song comforts and connects Diane to her son who played for the Eagles under Coach Erk Russell on the 1989 and 1990 NCAA Division I National Championship teams.
Comfort also comes from her five grandchildren. Diane spoke about each one with pride. “They are all athletic, and they love music and dancing.” How could they not with surnames like O’Neal and McBride in the family tree? I thought.
“Mel and his wife, Sunshine, had three children,” said Diane. “Their son, Luke, plays football at Cartersville High School,” meaning the McBrides spend weekends traveling to see him play during football season. “Their oldest daughter, Mackenzie, played school basketball. She graduated from GSU and lives in Colorado. And their daughter, Sydney, played soccer and lacrosse in school. She’s a junior at GSU now.” Diane raised a fist and said, “Go Eagles!”
Melvin and Diane’s daughter, Lea Anne (Foster), and her husband, Wes, live in Virginia. “They have two daughters,” she said. “Layne is in the 8th grade and plays trumpet. Molly is in the sixth grade and plays upright bass
and is in the handbell choir.”
Molly’s handbell choir recently played the National Anthem at a Nationals baseball game in Washington, D.C. Both girls play school basketball, softball, and volleyball.
The 50th anniversary of Diane’s service as music director at UMC was not lost on her daughter, Lea Anne. “Maybe I've taken her gifts and willingness to share them for granted because she's been doing it all my life,” she said. “But as we approach this 50thyear milestone, I realize how unique she is and how blessed our county is that she's shared this gift with us.”
Diane summed up the hows and whys of her service with this: “I didn’t set out to set a record,” she said. “I just love what I do.” Perhaps that’s what is missing—the thing we’ve lost in all the competing and comparing that has divided us into winners and losers. Maybe we should ask ourselves, Have we surrendered our individual and collective sound to the one voice judged better than all others? I’ve often wondered if unique voices like those of Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, and Janis Joplin would have made it past the first round of America’s Got Talent or The Voice. Truly, what a void there would be in the absence of their songs.
No one enjoys a great performance or gifted singer any more than Diane McBride. But for fifty years, she has loved something even more: bringing together people in song. The song is in the heart
and not just for those with skill. “Let everything that has breath, praise…” means the prerequisite for joining the UMC choir is breathing and loving Jesus. (Ref. Psalms 150)
“Praise” is the English word translators used for seven different Hebrew words in the original text. In Psalm 150, the Hebrew word for praise is “hālal.” The first meaning given by the Strong’s Concordance for praise in this scripture is “to shine.” There’s no better description of Diane’s fifty years of service in this community than this. With her voice, her guidance, and her love for this community, Diane shines.
It only seems right to end Diane’s article with a song. “Shine” was written and released in 1993 by the American alternative rock band Collective Soul. (Personally, I prefer Dolly Parton’s cover of the song, which won her a Grammy.) When songwriter Ed Roland was asked the song's meaning, he said, “…it’s about ‘finding oneself and finding one’s place in the world.’” Identity and purpose are quintessential subjects for this generation. But not for Diane, and for good reason. Roland put this reason in his one-line chorus, saying, “Whoa, Heaven let your light shine down.” Heaven shined down, and Diane stood in its light. Finding her path and knowing her purpose was as simple as following her heart, a heart full of love, light, and song.
The Hope House Ministry
The Hope House Ministry was formed to offer men and women the opportunity to live a life free from addiction. Our goals are to provide lifelong recovery skills and to see individuals and their families fully restored.
SPA ON FIRST
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGES FOR WELLNESS
Tess Vann
Massage Therapist, LMT MT 014448 Wendy
Massage Therapist, LMT MT001876
Massage Therapist, LMT MT12653
Life on the Rails
Zane Williams turned a fascination with trains into a full time career with a hobby on the side.
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
Like many young children, Zane Williams played with and collected model trains. It’s a hobby shared by many well-known innovators and artists from the past and the present. In an article for the October 1965 issue of Railroad Magazine, Walt Disney wrote, “I suppose I’ve always been in love with trains.” Rock stars like Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Ringo Starr have model train setups that would not even fit in most of our homes, according to a March 23, 2022, article for theguardian.com.
Zane also enjoyed children’s shows centered around trains. Today, Thomas and Friends is joined by shows that depict transformer-style Robot Trains and magical adventures with an Infinity Train reminiscent of Alice’s rabbit hole adventures. But while other children were packing away their train sets for the attic, Zane’s interest grew stronger. Looking back, a series of documentaries about trains he watched on VHS tapes with his grandparents solidified his path.
For his seventeenth birthday, Zane’s parents sent him to the Rising Railroad Professionals Rail Camp in Chattanooga, Tennessee, held by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. “This camp
“The railroad is very important for keeping cargo moving and the American economy growing,” said Zane.
teaches you the basics of railroads and, of course, railroad preservation, restoring and maintaining old rare equipment like steam engines and early diesel engines,” said Zane.
While Zane’s focus was on trains, some of his classmates were focused on not being focused on much of anything. In typical bully fashion, a few made Zane’s interest a target of harassment, calling him “Thomas the Train” and other childish names. A move to Rome, Georgia, gave him a reprieve and led to a season of home-schooling. A short time later, his family returned to Lyons, and Zane continued his learning from home and graduated from an Abeka home-school program in 2022.
From friends who shared his interests, Zane learned about job openings with the Georgia Central Railroad. “The Georgia Central Railway operates 211 miles of former Seaboard Coast Line mainline from Macon, Georgia, eastward through Dublin and Vidalia, to the port city of Savannah, Georgia,” according to hawkinsrails.net
Some railroad companies require applicants to complete a five to six-week training program. Others consider on-site training the best teacher. “For the most part, hands-on experience in the railroad industry is considered the strongest preparation for a job,” said Zane. He applied and started work with the railroad on April 12, 2023.
products, fertilizers, forest products, metals, minerals and stone, plastics, and pulp and paper”
At age twenty, Zane is the Railway Conductor of the rails that run from Vidalia to Savannah. He is responsible for everything from coupling the cars to knocking off the hand breaks. He’s the Engineer’s eyes on the ground while directing a train crew of three other employees with the railroad.
“Our section of rails transports a lot of heavy cargo such as rock to Ellabell and telephone poles to CSX in Savannah, where poles continue to other destinations,” said Zane. According to hawkinsrails.net, “Taking advantage of port traffic in Savannah, commodities moved on the GC include chemicals, farm and food
“Different freight cars are built for certain cargo,” Zane explained. “The big rectangular boxes might carry food products. Some carry machinery. Others carry coal and other ores. Then, you have tanker cars that haul liquids. Some cars haul containers, and other cars with auto racks to carry vehicles from factories. Our train cars will soon be transporting vehicles from the new Hyundai plant in Ellabell.”
The impact of the railway throughout history cannot be overstated. According to the Library of Congress website, “The railroad opened the way for the settlement of the West, provided new economic opportunities, stimulated the development of town and communities, and generally tied the country together.”
From a local perspective, Lyons and Vidalia owe their existence to the railway.
The city of Lyons originated when a railroad, the SAM (Savannah, Americus, Montgomery) later known as the Seaboard, reached the area in 1891, and a station was established by H.C. Bragley (lyonsga.org).
Vidalia, incorporated in 1890, was originally called Jenkins Station for its railroad depot, which was named after local landowner Warren T. Jenkins (toombsconnect.com).
The railway system changed the way we traveled and viewed the world. Even with
the introduction of cars and airplanes, trains remain an essential part of our economy today. “The railroad is very important for keeping cargo moving and the American economy growing,” said Zane. “Railway tracks have been cut through massive mountains in the Midwest, West Coast, and Northeast areas, allowing trains to go where trucks just can’t go. Some big railroad companies like Norfolk Southern and CSX can carry three hundred car trains.”
According to Zane, two or three trains run through our area during weekdays. “Our trains run between Macon and Savannah, and schedules vary depending on the shift,” he said. Of course, if a train gets behind schedule–whatever the reason–it creates a ripple effect on the day’s schedule.
We all learned to stop, look, and listen at a railway crossing in school. And yet, accidents continue to occur because of the failure to follow this critical rule. “In the past few months, we’ve had three cars get hit by trains,” said Zane. “Most of the time, it’s because no one pays attention when they come to a rail crossing. They don’t look both ways before crossing. Sometimes, they have the radio all the way up and don’t hear the horn.”
Those who live in Toombs County have all
heard the train blow its horn while approaching a crossing. According to Zane, there is a procedure for how many and how long the horn blows. “When a train comes to a rail crossing, you blow two long horns, a short blow, and a third longer blow. When a stationary train begins to move again, two short blasts are blown to let people know you’re moving again. When going in reverse, you have to do three short blasts.”
The leading cause of accidents at train crossings is distracted drivers. “People just don’t pay attention,” said Zane. “Others think they can outrun a train and cross the tracks right before the moving train. They think it can stop on a dime, and it can’t.” Far too many people learn this lesson the hard way. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “8 people or vehicles are hit by a train daily.”
In addition to his job as Train Conductor, the twenty-one-year-old is also the sole caretaker of Old Nine, a 1912 steam engine at the Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross. “When I first learned that the engine was in Waycross, I went to see it. Old steam engines are my passion,” said Zane. “It was owned by Woodward Iron Company in Birmingham, Alabama, and mostly pulled freight trains filled
with pig iron, a crude iron made at steel mills along the tracks. Old Nine served that line into the 1950s when it was retired. In 1962, it was sold to a railroad in Waynesboro, South Carolina, and hauled granite trains until 1967.” After a few visits, he volunteered to help care for Old Nine. His help was gratefully accepted.
Zane's knowledge of the mechanical workings of a steam engine was gained from other rail enthusiasts at the Tennessee Valley Road Museum, who have also become his good friends. He was recently contacted by the Museum about Old Nine’s whistle. “They’ve got an operating steam engine there and want to put Old Nine’s whistle on it for an event. It will be the first time it’s been blown since 1967. I’m doing some work on it now to get it ready.”
In May, Zane participated in a reenactment at the Okefenokee Folk Festival as a crew member on Old Nine. To keep the old steam engine in the best shape possible, constant washings are a necessity, especially during pollen season. When the engine was due for a complete repaint, Zane did the work himself. He also performs any mechanical work on Old 9 when needed, just in case the engine is one day selected for restoration.
Restoration and preservation of our railways are especially important to him. A recent restoration project on a line north of Vidalia towards Midville holds particular significance to Zane. “It used to be called the Georgia & Florida Railway and trains traveled on it from Vidalia to Midville. My grandma, Helen Williams, used to ride the passenger trains on that line. So, it’s pretty special for me to see that rail line used again.”
Recently, our publication learned another of Zane’s many talents: photography— specifically photos of trains. His pictures have appeared on railroad websites and in various magazines. Several of his images accompany this article. His talent is obvious. To see more of his photography, visit Zanewilliams_ photography on Instagram and Facebook.
In addition to photography, Zane is in the final stages of production for a documentary called The Story of Old Nine. At present, the film is about 30 minutes long. “There are already
plans in place for a smaller film that will focus on the whistle of Old Nine,” said Zane. “Once it's finished, I will combine both films into one for the 50th anniversary of the Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross next year.”
Zane’s work with the railroad supports a vital part of our local economy. His work ethic and character define the kind of person that makes for a strong community. He’s already making plans to train in the coming months to become a Locomotive Engineer.
It’s all too easy to stereotype today’s youth by a label placed on an entire generation. No matter how many lack work ethic and values, Zane is proof that every person has a choice to be a productive part of society or fall into the preferences and mindsets of the crowd.
Zane enjoys photography as a hobby and is very talented. His photography collection of trains (some are seen on these pages) has appeared on railroad websites and in various magazines.
I can’t help but wonder where those bullies from school are now. But that’s just me. Zane is too busy conducting trains, making documentaries, and taking spectacular photographs to be distracted by such ruminations. Sooner or later, bullies get what’s coming to them. Karma’s a – well, you know. As for Zane, he just keeps moving forward. Like the trains. And I’m certain he’ll arrive right on schedule exactly where his heart wants to be.
A Broad Street Story
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS | PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER
Selling books was not part of Marsha Mosley's retirement plan, but a love of antiques was.
Combining both, she offers a unique store that adds to the charm of downtown Lyons.
A print book never has to be charged. There is no battery to die at a critical point in the story. No worry about damage to an expensive electronic device while relaxing with a good read on the beach. There is no download to remember before boarding a plane.
For these and many other reasons, computers, smartphones, and reading tablets have not replaced print books as some predicted. As long as there are those of us who would rather flip the pages of a book than swipe a screen, there will always be a place for brick-and-mortar bookstores. And as long as there are used bookstores like Marsha Mosley’s Broad Street Bound in downtown Lyons, we can continue to satisfy our need to read without going broke.
It may seem logical for a retired schoolteacher to run a bookstore, but it was not in this teacher’s retirement plan. It began with antiques. Marsha and her three sisters, all four retired schoolteachers, enjoyed nothing more than going to the auction in Pembroke on a Thursday night together. Of course, when a good deal presented itself, as it often did, they took advantage of the opportunity. Eventually, the good deals added up and Marsha and her sister Sherry decided to turn their hobby into a business.
In June 2008, the two sisters rented the building adjacent to Prince Books from Margie Prince. “Our sister, Cathy, was also involved for a short time,” said Marsha, which was why the youngest sister, Peggy, named the business venture “Sister’s Act Three.” However, “Cathy was only involved for a short time because she needed to focus on caring for Seth, her son with a disability. But we stayed with the name to keep her a part of what we were doing in a way.”
The business took off in its first year. However, the recession proved too much by the second year for the new start-up. “Finally, Sherry and I looked at each other and said, ‘We're not taking money out of our pocket to do this. We decided not to renew our lease.”
At the same time, Margie Prince, the bookstore owner, was going through a transition of her own. “Margie wanted to go to nursing school but needed help with the bookstore,” said Marsha. “So, I suggested that Sherry and I move our antiques and collectibles out of the adjacent building and into the bookstore. That way, I could run the store.”
With a new career ahead of her, Margie decided to sell Prince Books—both the building and business. Of course, she brought the offer to Marsha first. The investment was no small decision. It had been only seven years since Marsha retired after thirty-one years of teaching school. Even so, the bookstore had given her purpose and connection with people in the community. And with her husband, Glenn, at work all day and their daughter, Marenn, and son, Quinn, grown and on their own, the “empty nest” was just a bit too, well, empty.
Marsha and Glenn discussed it and agreed on an amount. Ironically, or divinely, whichever way you look at it, the amount Margie asked was the exact amount the couple had decided on. For the Mosleys, it was Divine confirmation. In 2012, Marsha became the owner of Prince Books. Her first course of action was to change the name from Prince Books to Broad Street Bound. It was, after all, on Broad Street, and what better way to describe a store full of used books than “bound.” By this time, Sister’s Act Three had taken a back seat to other responsibilities for both sisters. Marsha bought out Sherry’s part and gave her full attention to organizing and ordering the layout of the bookstore in true schoolteacher form.
For the first few years, the store was open five days a week as Marsha continued to bring order and organization to books of fiction, nonfiction, romance, sci-fi, and the paranormal, to both historical and contemporary documentaries, Christian fiction and non-fiction, children’s books, travel books, large print books, books by local authors, trade paperbacks and large prints, and a section dedicated to African-American writers, just to name a few. Eventually, Marsha closed on Mondays so she and her husband could travel out of town over the weekends and visit their children. Then, in July 2018, Marsha’s entire family went through an unimaginable tragedy that nearly caused her to close the bookstore for
good. Two of Marsha’s sisters, Sherry (71) and Peggy (59) were killed in an automobile accident while traveling together in Pooler, Georgia.
In dealing with the trauma of such a sudden loss and navigating through the harsh demands of grief, Marsha said, “I just kept thinking, ‘Do I want to sell the shop and sell out?'” It took some time, but by November, Marsha had decided to remain open two days a week, Friday and Saturday, to give more time to family. “I told my customers, ‘As long as I can make enough to still pay the bills, I’ll be here.”
As Marsha led me through aisle after aisle of meticulously organized books, I thought about the four sisters who grew up in such a different way than our children today. Marsha was the third of Eugene and Irene Knights’ six children. Shortly after her father returned from serving in WWII, the family moved from Tattnall County to Shellman’s Bluff. Two years later, they returned to Tattnall County to help her mother’s father with the family farm. The house in which they lived would not have an indoor bathroom for several years. “I loved Shellman’s Bluff,” said Marsha. “But I wouldn’t trade the lessons I learned from work on a farm.”
Six-year-old Marsha picked cotton along with all the other field hands even though she had to do so with a flour sack since the burlap sack typically used was too big for her. During tobacco season, she said, “I handed leaves to the lady who strung tobacco at the barn. I counted three leaves and handed them to her so she could put them on the stick.”
Things have changed greatly today, even for farming families. “I had to devise ways to teach my children what it means to work hard around the home,” said Marsha. “They didn’t have the opportunity I had to work on a farm.” She paused. “I’ll never regret that and the life lessons it taught me.”
Instead of seeing herself as limited by circumstance, she developed character, and character gave her vision. When she graduated from Collins High School in 1967, she did so with honors and a scholarship
to Georgia Southern University. When Tattnall County High School needed a Girl’s P.E. Coach, Marsha was asked to work on a provisional basis. After one year, Marsha returned to Georgia Southern to finish her degree and majored in Health and PE.
After college, she coached the girls’ Varsity Basketball Coach and girl’s track and field team at Glennville High School. The following year, the girls’ B-team basketball was
“I had to devise ways to teach my children what it means to work hard around the home,” said Marsha. “They didn’t have the opportunity I had to work on a farm.”
added to her responsibilities. Marsha, an exceptional basketball player herself in High School, had a gift for coaching and led the girls from one victory to the next. The secret to her success was simple. “I played to the girls' strengths,” said Marsha. “I had one girl who could score three points but couldn’t manage the ball well. So, we set her up to make throws. I had another girl who was really good at a jump shot. She could catch the ball in the air and hit the basket before the other team knew what had happened.”
Later in her teaching career, Marsha furthered her education with the certification needed to teach middle school and took a position in Reidsville. “I mostly taught reading, language arts, social sciences, and once in a while, math,” said Marsha. Near the end of her career, she worked as a P.E. coach for kindergarten through fifth graders,
which she especially enjoyed. Marsha smiled. “Young kids like to play.”
Today, there are many distorted ideas about good pedagogy practices. Current ideas on child-raising are frightening. Perhaps this is the lesson, the secret—not only to learning but also to a life well-lived: Work and play are not separate. Some things will be difficult. Even joy and sorrow are intertwined throughout our lives. As a child, Marsha learned from the field what she brought to the school as a coach and teacher. Work hard and play hard. In everything, there is a lesson to learn and a game to play. Both are important. Paraphrasing the Psalmist, “Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (ref. Psalms 30:5).
As essential as church services, community events, and recreational programs, the health of a community depends on local businesses like Broad Street Bound. In the home and in the workplace, a town's true testimony is not in its lengthy sermons but in its work ethic and home life. Marsha’s life and work are a worthy testament to both.
After retirement, Marsha began her entrepreneurial venture with antiques. This eventually led to selling used books, but she still carries a variety of collectible pieces in the store.
If you have tried the shots, pills, potions, and hard workouts at the gym, and they are not working for you, maybe you just haven’t tried A Health Revival.... YET!
After 7 years of coaching over 2,000 people to a new body and a new life, here is what I’ve noticed. The people who have a strong WHY are the most successful.
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
A JOURNEY OFHope
AMY SMITH HOBBS WRITES A TOUCHING JOURNAL OF FINDING
HOPE, JOY AND PEACE IN HER MOM'S FINAL DAYS WITH THE HELP OF LOVE AND A BUCKET LIST.
“I just got these in,”
said Terri Humphrey, owner of Peppy’s Gift Shop. “Everyone has been coming in to get one.”
I glanced at the book— The Bucket List Journey Home by Amy S. Hobbs, then picked it up and read the first line of the book blurb on the back cover: “When Amy’s mother received a terminal cancer diagnosis, the entire family was devastated.”
“It’s about the bucket list of adventures Amy helped her mother complete before she died of pancreatic cancer,” said Terri. I nodded politely. The last thing I wanted was to read about losing a mother to cancer having lost my own mother to that horrible disease only two months earlier. I did not buy the book that day. In truth, I never planned to buy the book or read it. After all, how good could a book be that’s about losing your mother? My cynicism knew no end.
The following February, the editor put it on my list of potential articles for the upcoming spring/summer issue. This was the second time she’d done so. She had mentioned it to me when the book first came out. After all, Amy grew up in Vidalia. Her mother, Pamela J. Smith, taught fifth grade at Sally D. Meadows for more than twenty-five years. Her father, Dr. Ronnie R. Smith, M.D., had
practiced medicine in Toombs County for the past forty-five years.
“We should do an article,” the editor had said.
Of course, we should. But not me. At least, not yet. Now, with a deadline looming, I purchased a copy of The Bucket List Journey Home, determined to skim through it just enough to write an article. Not very professional, but then, I really didn’t care. I didn’t want to read details of events I wished to forget.
Still, there was no way to write an article without an interview. Since Amy lived in Cumming, Georgia, she agreed to speak with me via Zoom. Her father, Dr. Smith, also agreed to join us later in the interview. Amy’s mother and Dr. Smith had been divorced for many years, but Amy explained that he was an essential part of her story.
3 Beach trip with Amy and her family
Honesty is the best policy, right? So, I told Amy upfront that I had avoided her book like the plague and why. She understood. She smiled kindly and said, “You are actually the person this book was written for.”
Amy was not the stereotypical lawyer. I couldn’t help but appreciate her down-to-earth manner. The interview went well. But I still had to read the book. A few weeks later, I barely gave it a glance as I threw it in my suitcase and headed down to St. Augustine for a short break. As I settled into my beach chair, I sighed
3
“If there’s one thing Mama’s story taught me,” Amy writes, “forgiveness is not optional but is mandatory to live life abundantly.”
and opened Amy’s book. Back in my room, I couldn’t stop reading. I finished Amy’s book around midnight. Yes, I’d cried. Several times. But each time, I felt better for it. Without reservation, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Amy’s story is about family in all its messy glory. Forgiveness without assigning blame. Cake and coffee (and a bit of champagne). The love of Jesus amid loss. And so much more. The
story is extraordinary on many levels and for many reasons.
I learned from the interview that Amy’s parents divorced when she was five. “For whatever reason, they both decided to stay in the small community of Vidalia and try to co-parent me and my older brother, Rusty,” she said.
After graduating from Vidalia High School in 1995, Amy attended Georgia Southern University for two years, then transferred to the University of Georgia. “I met my husband Kerry the first month there,” said Amy. “Our first date was a Georgia game.” Amy and Kerry celebrated twenty-three years of marriage in June. I’ve never met Kerry other than as
One last trip to Athens and treat Kerry to a craft beer at an actual brewery
a character in Amy’s story. And from the little I learned, I would call him a Saint.
In 1999, Amy graduated from Terry College of Business at UGA and then attended Mercer’s Walter F. George School of Law in Macon on a scholarship. In 2006, she joined Constangy, Brooks & Smith, a labor and employment law boutique in Macon. When Amy and Kerry began their family, she said, “I left them to open up my own law practice from home so I could be at home with my children.” Amy and Kerry have three children: Mary Katherine (20), Caroline (18), and Jack (15).
Amy’s work focused on labor and employment law and child advocacy as she represented abused and neglected children. As a child advocate and guardian ad litem, she always represented at-risk children and encouraged reunification when appropriate.
In 2019, Amy turned her focus to work in ministry. On August 30, 2019, everything in her life was shaken by a call
from her mother. “We were walking into the opening game for the Georgia Bulldogs in Nashville, Tennessee, when my cell phone rang. My mom said, ‘Amy, I’m in the Vidalia ER, and it looks bad.’” The fear in her mother’s voice was tangible. “My call to ministry was about to be solidified in a way I never expected nor imagined,” Amy later wrote in her book.
The ER doctor in Vidalia had discovered a mass obstructing the bile duct and two lesions on the liver. Amy arranged for her mother to be transported to Emory in Atlanta, and she immediately left her family in Nashville and drove to Atlanta. “Walking into Room E-703 of Emory Hospital at 3:30 a.m., I was shocked by how yellow my mama’s skin was,” said Amy.
Her words took me back to June 30, 2023, when my mama called me from Memorial Hospital in Savannah. I had left my family on vacation in St. Augustine, Florida. When I walked into my mom’s hospital room, my first
“I asked [God] to give us a story of hope. I wanted my mom to be healed. But I heard Him say in my heart, ‘I’m not going to give you a story of hope. The journey through this will be a story of hope.”
thought was how yellow she had looked.
A stent was placed in Amy’s mother’s bile duct to alleviate the blockage caused by the mass in her pancreas. By September 4, 2019, the results of all the tests and procedures were complete. Amy’s Facebook post to friends and family was direct: “Stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer. Not a surgical candidate.”
From the test results, doctors estimated that Amy’s mother might have anywhere from six weeks to three months to live, and six months would be nothing short of a miracle. She cried out to God for a miracle. “I asked Him to give us a story of hope. I wanted my mom to be healed. But I heard Him say in my heart, ‘I’m not going to give you a story of hope. The journey through this will be a story of hope.”
Amy would not fully understand this until she began writing her book.
In the meantime, she said, “People from all over were texting and calling. They wanted to know what was going on and what they could do to help,” said Amy. Facebook seemed the most logical way to give updates and send out prayer requests.
Amy had graduated from law school second in her class and received many awards for her legal writing. Now, she set aside the legal language and apprehensions about sharing personal information from a lawyer’s point of view to share this story of hope God promised to tell through this journey with her mom. “The Facebook messages really turned into more of a blog,” said Amy. Almost overnight, thousands of people were following her Facebook page.
Still at Emory, with her mom’s closest friends gathered around the hospital bed, these friends asked, “What can we do to make these last few weeks your best?”
Amy’s mother said, “I just want to put my feet in the sand.”
Amy smiled. This was something she could actually do for her mom. “I think we can make that happen,” she said. And the bucket list was born. Within a couple of weeks, she had a 69-item bucket list. At the time, she was 69 years old.
Amy understood every moment was precious and determined to spend it with her mom. She resigned from the ministry where she’d taken a position and closed her law practice. “A private donor, who wished to remain anonymous, offered to mail me a check by the fifth of every month for the amount of my previous salary” (pg. 41). I’ll leave the beautiful revelation of that donor to the reader.
Bringing her mom into her home was no small decision. “I've got three kids at home,” said Amy. “At the time, I had one in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary school.” And, of course, everybody had an opinion on the matter. “Some
said, ‘You shouldn’t bring your mom into your home in hospice care and let her die in front of your kids.’ Others said, ‘It will be a beautiful thing to share as a family.’” Ultimately, it was a decision only Amy and her husband could make. “Kerry and I prayed, and we were one hundred percent positive that God was calling us to bring Mom into our home.” And that’s what they did.
There’s a prequel to this story interwoven throughout the telling. Prior to that phone call on September 4th, Amy and her mother’s relationship was not in a good place. “My mom was a good mom throughout my whole childhood. But when I left for college in 1995, she had just gone through her second divorce. I was the youngest, so when I left, it was like everybody left mom at the same time. There was so much bitterness and anger, especially towards men in her life. Deep pain and hurt just took root in her heart, and I believe that’s what caused her to develop bipolar disorder.”
When Amy was in law school, she began getting calls from people with whom her mom worked and concerned friends in the community. It wasn’t until Amy had her second child and moved her mother
closer to her that the emotional highs and lows of bipolar disorder became evident. “She was not the same woman who raised me,” said Amy. “But unless you've dealt with bipolar disorder, you really can't put your finger on it. It shows up in these vicious cycles that are so bizarre. Her behavior was so irrational.”
The highs were expressed through exuberant spending. During the lows, Amy’s mom would become a recluse. Amy and Kerry bailed her out of debt more times than they’d like to admit. Finally, they got her into a Dave Ramsey course. “She paid down $40,000 in debt and was doing great,” said Amy. “Two years later, she was back in $20,000 debt.”
When the call came from her mother on the day of the UGA game in Nashville, Amy said, “My husband didn’t believe it. We had heard her cry wolf so many times. She knew our family was in Nashville for the game and called just as we walked through the gate. Kerry said, ‘She’s just trying to get attention.’”
As a doctor, Amy’s dad encouraged her and tried to prepare her for the days ahead. He said, “Amy, you can’t mask a mental illness when you’ve been given a terminal diagnosis. In other words, Amy, the crazy's about to come out and be prepared” (pg. 53). And did it ever. It was during the beach trip with her friends that Amy and her mother reached a crossroads. It’s all there in the book. The chapter is aptly entitled “The Skinny-Dipping Queen.”
“The Bucket List Journey Home” is a beautiful, heart-wrenching, real-life story of hope. There’s no complex legal language to wade through. You’ll meet the “devil-dog,” enter tattoo parlors, share communion in shot glasses, and deliver six-packs of “Corona” to the front lawns of unsuspecting friends in the early days of the “Corona Virus” shutdown. (Chapter 33: Mama Spreads Corona)
I related to Amy’s story in many ways, from the “Bart Simpson” yellow skin, learning about stents, bringing Mama into our home, and God’s special workers in Hospice care. (I can’t say enough good things about Community Hospice.) As I revisited my own journey through Amy’s chapters on “Caregiver Guilt” to “Grief is a Bitty Worth Getting to Know,” I felt understood, embraced, and led gently through the valley of the shadow of death.
Amy writes about the friends who showed up. She also speaks honestly about those she thought would show up but didn’t. She tells of her own grief journey. “If there’s one thing Mama’s story taught me,” she writes, “forgiveness is not optional but is mandatory to live life abundantly.” Forgiveness for hurts she may have caused and then forgiveness for the hurts caused by others. “My healing was not predicated on their response” (pg. 258). After all, bitterness means nothing when you see how thin the veil really is from this world to the next.
“The Lord blessed us with seven months together,” said Amy. “And we were able to check off all sixty-nine items. Mom passed away within three days of the last item on her list.”
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Even then, people who were “Believers” needed to be reminded to share such times with one another. Amy’s story is a beautiful reminder of the value of love shown through something as simple as a hug, a vase of flowers from a friend, or a meal brought for family from out of town.
Today, Amy still picks up a case occasionally, when the Lord pulls at her heartstrings, but her main work is leading and managing the maternity home at Living Hope in North Georgia for Whispering Hope Women's Resource and Pregnancy Center. “Two years ago, Governor Kemp passed Betsy’s Law that allows a nonprofit to open a maternity home to serve pregnant women facing homelessness. Living Hope is the first supportive maternal residence to open since the law was passed,” said Amy.
The maternity home can accommodate up to four pregnant women and their babies and provides a safe, stable, and loving environment for them until the baby turns 18 months old. The ministry's goal is to transition the mother into independent living so that she can establish a new life for herself and her baby.
I can think of only one way to end this article. If you care for a loved one, The Bucket List Journey Home is for you. If you’ve ever experienced the loss of a loved one, this book is for you. If you just want to read a great story–this book is for you. I can’t say enough about this book, or Amy Hobbs, for that matter. It’s truly a life-changing read. You will laugh. You may cry. Most of all, you will find comfort in sharing the journey home.
The Bucket List Journey Home can be purchased online at Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
ABOVE Each bucket list item brought Amy's family closer to her mom and created unforgettable memories.
3 Camping and white-water rafting with Amy's family
BY RENÉE MARTIN
Dedicated to the job
As a struggling single mom, Betty Kent focused on showing her two sons the value of character, accountability and hard work–those important lessons that are often learned by showing up for work.
In 1966, a single mother and her two young boys moved from Baxley to Lyons. Baxley had only been one stop of many as she relocated to whichever base the Coast Guard stationed her husband. The recently divorced mother soon found work in Lyons with Toombs Manufacturing Company. Craig, the older of the two, started school, and Steve joined him the following year. Without transportation, Betty Kent walked from the government housing she had secured to work each day and home again. It was one of the many ways in which she prepared and equipped her sons for life.
The life and labor of their mother’s love became a road map for true success. Instead of looking for a way out of their situation, Betty showed her sons a way through. Whatever gap had been left by an absent father was filled to overflowing by some of the greatest men Toombs County has ever known.
The boys spent summers working with Coach Anson Callaway at Partin Park. “For me, he’s number one. He will always be number one,” said Craig.
Jacky Jones also hired the brothers to help maintain the field at Booster Stadium. Although the little money they made was appreciated, the time they spent with Coach Jones was priceless.
Even though serving as a water boy was the closest Steve ever came to participating in high school football, Coach Jimmy Alexander made him a part of the team, and both boys spoke of his guidance with gratitude. While Steve served the football team, Craig played tuba in the Red Coat Band with band director Tommy Rogers, whose passing in 1979, a year after Craig graduated, left an indelible mark on all those he directed.
Frank Goethe, a fellow classmate, first suggested Craig apply for work at the newly opened McDonald’s franchise in Vidalia. “Frank was working there first,” said Craig. “I graduated on June 3rd and started working the grill on June 6, 1978, at 6:00 p.m. I wore a green hat, green shirt, and black pants.” He smiled. “Things have changed since then.”
Steve soon joined his older brother on the grill at McDonald's. No one had to tell these young men to get a job. From their mother's example and the leadership and love of the coaches who had mentored them with time and attention, they were faithful to show up on time and work as if flipping hamburgers was the most important job in town. It wasn’t about what they did—but how they did the work.
“Never Apologize for Flipping Hamburgers,” an article for discoverpraxis. com, says it like this: “A person who puts in a hard and honest day’s work at McDonald’s is much more involved in the world of free enterprise than someone who calls themselves an entrepreneur without actually doing anything that creates value for customers.” True success is about good service, after all.
Let’s be honest. How many kids realize that taking out the trash, making the bed, and arriving at an appointment on time are important preparation for whatever future career in which they plan to work? Jeremy Edge, a therapist with the online counseling service Escapingthe. com, explains why parents should focus on “work ethic over talent.” “While parents try to encourage and build up their kids, more often than not, many children grow up struggling in life when they only rely on natural talent. When they face a challenge of any kind, they give up and say, ‘That’s just not one of my strengths.’”
Craig and Steve soon proved themselves by practicing the work ethic they learned from their mother’s example. In a short time, Craig was promoted to a managerial position at McDonald’s in Vidalia. His brother Steve soon made his own way to the grill at Wendy’s across the road
In 1989, Craig was transferred to McDonald's in Fitzgerald, where he met his wife, Wendy. “She rode a Kawasaki motorcycle and broke boards in Karate,” he smiled. The couple have now been married for thirty-four years.
Over the years, Craig helped establish management or managed McDonald's franchise establishments himself throughout the Southeast, including stores in Swainsboro, Metter, the Vidalia Walmart, Alma, Douglas, and Louisville. Since 2017, he has continued to serve the McDonalds in Hazlehurst. Craig continues to appreciate the working relationships he's had with owners over the years, including Ralph Pezold, Jack Pezold, Tom Finley, and now, Kevin Griner.
Both Craig and Steve prioritize relationships with employers and fellow workers, which has been vital to the success and longevity of their respective careers. Working with General Manager
Melody King and Supervisor Kimberly Colson has been particularly rewarding for Craig. “We work together as a team,” he said. “We like to laugh. There’s always laughter when we work together. The employees have a good time. We work together as a team to make people happy.”
Through the years, lifelong friendships have been formed behind the McDonald’s and Wendy’s counters for the brothers. One of the most important for Craig was Sabre Lamb. “We would both get there early in the mornings. Ms. Sabre always cared about me.” When she passed away, it was a personal loss of a dear relationship for Craig. “Ms. Sabre was like a mother to me.”
The workplace has also created opportunities to build friendships and family-type relationships for Steve. Over the years, he has biked to and from Wendy’s to work from his home in Center Hill Trailer Park.
OPPOSITE Craig considers himself fortunate to have worked with several great owners over the years including Tom Finley, former owner of McDonald's of Vidalia. LEFT Craig in the early years of working at McDonald's.
Two years ago, Steve was hit by a truck on Center Road on his way to work. “I had on my bright vest and was riding with traffic like I was supposed to,” said Steve. My Supervisor, Brandy Powell, came right then. She was right there when they put me in the ambulance.”
He paused and cleared his throat. The memory of that day was still difficult. “Brandy has been like family to me,” said Steve. “Wendy’s in Vidalia is one of five stores she oversees as a General Manager. I know she cares about me and the other people who work for her.” Thankfully, Steve recovered fully and was soon able to return to work. He has served as the main grill cook at Wendy’s in Vidalia since May 10, 1988. In 2017, Steve was awarded a “Certificate of Appreciation” for “being an outstanding employee.”
The core meaning of the “American Dream” is an ethos of freedom and opportunity. Past generations understood freedom as a responsibility for which there is sometimes great cost. Greater opportunity came with personal accountability, not the right to a handout. Betty Kent prepared her sons for
success in heart and character as she faithfully worked to provide for them. When Craig and Steve turned eighteen, they understood that responsibility to be their own.
As parents, we want our children to succeed. But success is more than a title and a bigger bank account. Pursuing titles and wealth is no assurance of happiness. “Most of us have clearer strategies for how to achieve career success than we do for how to develop a profound character,” writes David Brooks in his book, “The Road to Character.”
His comparison between “résumé virtues,” and “eulogy virtues” is especially telling. “The résumé virtues are…the skills that you bring to the job market and that contribute to external success. The eulogy virtues are…the virtues that get talked about at your funeral, the ones that exist at the core of your being— whether you are kind, brave, honest or faithful; what kind of relationships you formed.”
In recent years, much has been said about the importance of pursuing your passion. Somehow, a
LEFT Craig continues to work at McDonald's, and Steve now works at Wendy's. Both brothers value the relationships they have created over the years with their staff and managers. Wendy's General Manager Brandy Powell "is like family to me," says Steve.
9-to-5 job is perceived as stifling to the creative mind. I propose that managing McDonald's and working with others in a food kitchen constantly requires creative thinking. Creativity is flexibility under fire. It’s solving customer and fellow employee’s issues with grace. It’s maintaining an atmosphere of joy in the mundane like Craig brings and the dependability Steve demonstrates. Among those in the fast-food world of McDonalds, Craig is affectionately known as “The Great One,” a nickname penned by his friend and co-worker Alan McArthur. The title speaks of his leadership and his humility. He is not bigger than his team but an integral part of it. Steve’s title, which he gained as a young baseball player with Coach Earl Rogers, was “Birddog.” It’s a title he wears like a trophy.
It’s a noisy world out there, with “clanging cymbals” on every corner (as the Apostle Paul so aptly puts it in 1 Corinthians 13:1). If you listen closely, you’ll hear a different sound. It's not the attention-seeking act of a solo musician, but rather the supporting rhythm that braces up the sound as a whole. That’s the place Craig and his brother Steve hold in our community.
In this “age of the selfie,” as Brooks coins the term in “The Road to Character,” Craig and Steve are part of a team. Behind the scenes, they serve the people of Toombs County. These are the sons of Betty Kent, brothers “raised right by their mama,” as Kay Usher put it to me some months ago. And if Kay Usher, one of the hardest-working women I know, thinks your work deserves commending, I was not about to question her. After all, my mama raised me right, too.
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
Honor Life–Organize the Legacy
We often plan for the future...just not one that we aren't in. Candace Williams and Shelby Morrison offer a new service that helps families organize their legacy now so loved ones can move forward after they are gone.
For nearly three years, Robin Brinkley had battled cancer. With all options exhausted, he planned his final act of love for his wife and family. Although he could not prevent the sorrow they would face, he could help ease the burden of the coming days in a practical way. Robin texted his daughter, Candace, a simple message. “Can we talk for a few?”
As a Registered Nurse (RN), Candace served those suffering from illness and disease daily. But seeing her dad fight cancer had been a heartache, unlike anything she had ever known. She was the second of Robin’s four daughters. With the end drawing near, she held to every moment left with him. So, when she received the text, she immediately called. He said, “Candace, we’ve got to organize some things.” She wasn’t sure what he meant, but when she arrived at his house that evening, he handed her a leather-bound notebook.
“Once I realized what he wanted, I asked my dad a lot of questions. His mind wasn’t as sharp at that point in his illness, so he needed me to ask questions,” said Candace. For the next hour or so, she wrote down names, account numbers, passwords, the location of the will, and other vital information she knew her mother would soon need. She then hid the notebook away in a cabinet. That was in February 2023. Four months later, he was gone.
A few weeks after her dad’s passing, Candace found her mom in her home sitting with her head in her hands. “My mom said, ‘I don't know what to do. I don't know even where to start.’”
In her own grief, Candace had forgotten about the notebook. She quickly retrieved it. “Dad planned for this,” she said. With the notes Candace had helped her dad compile, her mother was able to access vital information that would otherwise have involved many long months of frustration.
After the memorial service, Candace and her sisters, Amanda (Torrey), Alisha (Woodfin), and Justina (Stephens), “The Brinkley Girls,” as they are affectionately known, gathered with their families at Candace and Micah (Williams) home in Vidalia. As they reminisced, Candace told her sisters and brothers-in-law about the notebook. “It made everything so easy,” she said.
Jake, her youngest sister Justina’s husband, asked, “Is that a business?”
Candace turned to her brother-in-law in surprise. “I don’t know.”
“It should be,” he responded.
ABOVE Candace and Shelby guide their clients through confidential steps to organize their portfolio. "We are given as much information as the client wants to give," said Shelby. "And, the client is completely in charge of what information is recorded." Even the most organized clients are surprised by the amount of vital information they've neglected to consider.
In the following weeks, Candace kept returning to Jake’s statement. Later, she mentioned it to her good friend, Shelby Morrison, also an RN. The two friends had often envisioned working together in some kind of venture that would also utilize their knowledge as licensed medical professionals. The idea of the notebook raised questions. “You know, I think this really might be a good idea,” said Shelby.
After that, every time they got together, Shelby turned the conversation back to the notebook, which was actually a portfolio of sorts. “I’ve been doing some research,” she said, “and found a couple of companies that offered ‘do-it-yourself’ projects, but nothing that offered personal guidance through the process.”
Around that same time, Shelby had a close friend go through the loss of her mom. “I went to her and asked if she thought this might have been helpful for her family. She said, ‘Absolutely. You’re grieving, but you can’t think. And you have all these decisions to make, things to see about, and little to no information to go on.’”
The more Shelby and Candace learned, the more convinced the two friends became that this service could fill an unmet and critical need. Taking the next step, they met with lawyers, financial advisors, bankers, funeral homes, and hospices. “Some of these services will help their clients to a certain extent,” said Candace.
“And none of them come to your home, compile the information with you, and then help you organize it into a portfolio,” said Shelby.
“As we continued our research, we found that as many as 80% of people do not talk to their families about endof-life decisions,” said Candace. “At the funeral home, we asked the owners, ‘What are the things people are missing?’ They said, ‘Many people have a whole life policy, a death policy, or perhaps a CD set aside for funeral expenses. But family members often have no clue where it is or even that it exists.’ When we met with the banker, he said, ‘When an account holder dies, they need a beneficiary named on the account for them to gain access to it. This is something that should always be verified.’ One professional service after another said, ‘What you are proposing as a business is literally the missing link.’”
The need was indisputable. So, the two friends prayed, received input and subsequent encouragement from their husbands, and then moved forward. They called the new
company Kin Advocates, LLC. As they worked to perfect their portfolio for potential clients, they offered to test their program on me and my husband Clint. After all, who better to practice on than family?
We were grateful to give Kin Advocates, LLC a trial run. Candace, our wonderful daughter-in-law, had witnessed the issues we faced after losing both my mom and stepfather in 2023. Even with a lawyer, it took several months to deal with issues that could have easily been handled with access to information.
Something as simple as canceling a monthly subscription (that you had no prior knowledge of until the draft came through the bank) without the “member I.D.” and/or password turned into a nightmare. Clint and I were determined to do things differently for one another and our adult children. From our session, we know firsthand that it’s one of the most important investments you will ever make. Financials, debts, assets, cash flow, passwords, and funeral arrangements were just a few topics covered.
In addition to running Kin Advocates LLC together, Shelby Morrison (left) and Candace Williams (right) also work together as nurses and are close friends.
According to hospicenews.com, “only 22% have documented their wishes” for end-of-life care. Although death is not a subject we like to discuss (me included), it’s not optional. It’s just not. One area Candace and Shelby cover is funeral arrangements. Does a person want to be buried at a particular place? Cremated? Do they have a plot? If so, where? Who does the family call to see about that? What about music? Is there a picture you want to use? A favorite flower?
Answering the question, “How do you want to be remembered?” can be an empowering way to end this chapter of life. It’s your finish line. How do you want to be remembered? My dear husband, I learned, wants fireworks. No one would ever have known that interesting bit of information unless the question had been asked. And, without prompting, it was a subject I avoided like everyone else.
On January 2, 2024, Candace and Shelby officially launched Kin Advocates, LLC. One of their first clients was a seventy-one-year-old woman from out of state named Crista. In appreciation for the work they provided, she wrote, “I am 71 and live alone. In August of 2023, I had to have emergency open heart surgery. It was a very scary time for me and all my family. My directions to my sons were, “My stuff is in that folder, and I want to be cremated. Afterward, I learned of Kin Advocates and immediately contacted them. I quickly realized by going through all the information they helped me gather that my ‘important information’ was only the tip of the iceberg. I was amazed at all the other information my family would have had to find on their own.
“I didn’t do this for me. I did it for my family because I didn’t want them to have the overwhelming burden of rummaging through all my files and making phone calls to
close out accounts. I absolutely loved working with Candace and Shelby. Since I live in the north, we completed everything through texting, email, and Zoom. They made it so easy. I have such peace of mind knowing I have left my family a true gift. It was worth every penny.”
Kin Advocates, LLC is planning for the expected and the unexpected. The following is an excerpt from a young woman named Danielle. When she learned of the business, she wrote to share her story to hopefully encourage other young adults that this service is not only for those older in age.
“The most unthinkable and traumatic event of my life occurred just three days before my husband’s 29th birthday,” she wrote. “My husband, who was a picture of health, passed away unexpectedly. I was 25 years old, and our son was only 2. I was completely devastated. My husband handled all financial responsibilities and matters related to our home and property. Obviously, at 29 and 25, a simple discussion of important financial and legal issues had never crossed our minds, much less planning for the unexpected passing of our spouse. To say I was completely lost and clueless is a huge understatement.
“Although I had support, I was thrown into the role of head of our household in the blink of an eye. In that moment, it became my responsibility to manage all the things my husband and I had worked so hard for. I had no idea where to start or how many details were associated with the passing of a loved one. Unfortunately, the necessary grieving that comes with the loss of a loved one, which ultimately allows us to
Hall & Regan Graham
Shine glow
salon
heal, was pushed to the bottom of my list of things to do.
“To most young couples, this type of service would rarely cross their minds. It can be an uncomfortable conversation, even with a spouse. However, with help from Kin Advocates, LLC the handling and organizing of these logistics could remove a lot of stress and ultimately help loved ones long after you are gone.”
A few weeks ago, Candace received a text from the daughter of someone Kin Advocates had served to let her know that her father had passed. “He died exactly two weeks after we finished his portfolio almost to the hour,” said Candace. Kin Advocates, LLC had facilitated a conversation about the logistics of his funeral, which is an important aspect of the portfolio's creation. The client was so grateful all her father’s funeral arrangements had been planned beforehand.
“Another client, who was very organized, brought us his information on an Excel spreadsheet,” said Candace. “He was surprised by all the vital information our portfolio discovered he was missing.”
All the guidance and organization provided are entirely confidential. “We are given as much information as the client wants to give,” said Shelby. “We are not asking the amount in a bank account or retirement fund. And the client is completely in charge of what information is recorded. Kin Advocates is here to help clients ensure their information is recorded in a safe and confidential way. That’s our guarantee.”
In addition to the Legacy Service, Kin Advocates, LLC also offers a service called WidowCare. “If someone loses a spouse unexpectedly,” said Candace, “and the person left behind has no idea where to even begin, we will literally sit down with the bereaved and help them through each step of the process. When my dad died, my mom couldn’t even
Glow Salon specializes in hair services for men, women and children. Come see our stylists Melanie Bowen, Karen Cowart, Abby Vaughn, Amanda McDonald, Destiny Yeomans, Jada Davis, Carolanne Alexander and apprentice Ashley Venegas to get your Glow!
• styles for women, men and children
• beaded weft extensions
• tape in extensions
• complete hair color services
• on-site spray tan
• a variety of salon products including Redken & olaplex
• brow lamination, lash extensions, lash lift, and tint
put the numbers in the phone to make calls that had to be made. We help you make the necessary phone calls if that is what is needed. Simple things feel overwhelming, and we believe you shouldn’t have to do this alone.”
“In the midst of grief, we want to help the person left behind find peace and comfort with practical, hands-on help so they can grieve in a healthy way,” said Shelby. “Maybe all you can find is a shoe box full of documents. We’ll be there to help sort through it. We help ease the burden of doing it alone.”
These days, Clint and I check the obituary and the weather, of course. We take note of things we never did before. Getting older does that. It’s strange how immortal this life seems until you walk through the valley of the shadow of death with someone you love. The portfolio is a beautiful way to love our families beyond this life. It’s also a great place to say you want fireworks and opera (yep, opera) or violins and bagpipes if that’s your idea of a good exit.
Kin Advocates, LLC has a simple motto: Honor Life –Organize the Legacy. “My dad’s absence is immense. But what he did for us showed us his love even after he was gone,” said Candace.
Essentially, it is a tribute to Robin Brinkley and the children he loved beyond the grave. It’s also two medical professionals and friends taking their calling to another level of service.
Sessions are available in person and on Zoom. “We are currently developing a virtual method that will be available in the near future,” said Candace.
For more information or to schedule a session, visit kinadvocates.com, email kinadvocates@gmail.com or 912-3880914. Kin Advocates, LLC can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.
Kailey Debbie Daisy Linda Lucy
Building a Tradition the Martin Family Reunion
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
Not so long ago, family reunions brought people together. Today, it’s mostly funerals, sometimes weddings, if the connections are close enough. But for the family of ninety-eight-year-old Clarence Martin, not even the summer heat and insidious Georgia gnats can stop them from gathering, not once, not twice, but three times a year in the old-fashioned tradition of family reunions.
The first family gathering is for Clarence’s birthday on March 3rd. The second is for Brother and Sister Day, when his seventeen surviving children come together on the first weekend of June. The tradition was started by sisters Willa Dean (Martin) Trobridge and Minnie Hodges in the late 1970s to celebrate their parent’s anniversary. The continuance of this yearly gathering is a tribute to Clarence and his wife, Valiree, mother to nine of Clarence’s twenty children.
Valiree and Clarence met in an Oaky Grove Church in the Ohoopee community. She was fourteen when they married. In 1993, just short of their fiftieth wedding anniversary, Valiree passed away from complications with lupus and kidney failure. The Brother and Sister tradition is kept in their honor.
The third gathering is the official Family Reunion on July 4th. “My grandfather, Hosea Martin, started this tradition,” said Jeffery, now retired from a long career in the military, the fifth of Clarence and Valiree’s nine children and number eight of Clarence’s twenty children. “People don’t get together or drop by like they used to. But my grandfather told my dad, ‘Ya’ll keep this going. Keep the family together.'” These gatherings are especially important to Jeffery as the father of six children, eleven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
For the 4th of July family gathering, “We usually go down to the Ohoopee River and camp out for a few days,” said Anthony Martin, a logger at Tarland & Timber and the ninth of Clarence and Valiree’s children.
Brother & Sister Day at the homeplace
Camping at the Ohoopee River on 4th of July
Clarence Martin with sons Anthony and Jeffery and daughter Mary Wardlaw.
Since the 1970s Clarence Martin's children have been celebrating their family with an annual Brothers & Sisters Day. Over the years, they've also added a Birthday Celebration for Clarence and an annual family reunion on July 4th.
With families more spread out these days, the Family Reunion has been held at different locations in recent years. “This year, it will be at Dundee Lake in Griffin,” said Jeffery. Anthony and his brother Jerome Martin are the official grill masters. “We cook all the meat—ribs, steak, chicken—whatever anyone wants. All my sisters make the sides: potato salad, mac and cheese, greens, and peas, to name a few. My mama taught all her kids how to cook. You know, that’s almost gone away in today’s time.”
During the 2023 Family Reunion, the family released balloons to honor the memory of Anthony’s wife, Angela, who had only recently passed away. Anthony and Angela’s first grandson, Nathan, an ordained minister since the age of sixteen, led the family in heartfelt prayer. Together, they shared in the loss of their loved one as only family can.
Family reunions have fallen out of vogue these days for legitimate reasons. Distance and work commitments are the best excuses. Of course, it’s easier than ever to stay connected without – well, connecting. Checking in on social media means staying in the family loop at one’s convenience. There’s no storytelling time to endure when aunts and uncles retell anecdotes about your parent’s childhood shenanigans. Best of all, no one can see the weight you’ve put on since high school because that profile picture you posted on Facebook is from twenty years ago. And the emotional and mental tension of social interaction with family can be stressful.
Family can be complicated. This is nothing new. It’s been complicated since the Garden of Eden. It’s doubtful anyone wanted Cain invited to the family reunion. But Mama Valiree, as Mary Wardlaw knew her, made certain all the children, her birth children and her stepchildren, felt part of the family. Her love was a bridge that brought them together. She saw the Brother and Sister gathering as a way to build a bridge between the children born to her and
Clarence and those he fathered apart from their marriage. No matter how hurt or angry or bitter she might have felt toward Clarence for his infidelity, these children were innocent. Valiree saw no justification for withholding love or relationship with one another.
Mary Wardlaw was one of those children. Today, many know her simply as the mother of the Wardlaw Brothers. When she was a teenager, she decided she wanted a relationship with her birth father. Mama Valiree invited her to stay with them for a weekend. But when she arrived, Mary said, “I stood apart from the other children and held my head down. I felt ashamed of being the child of another woman.” She was, after all, a reminder of Clarence’s unfaithfulness.
Instead of rejection, Mama Valiree pulled her aside and said, “Listen to me. You didn’t do anything wrong and don’t have one thing to be ashamed of. These are your brothers and sisters. Now, come in here and hold your head up high. You are a part of this family.” She refused to withhold love and acceptance from a child as a psychological punishment for something over which they had no control. Valiree chose to redeem past mistakes with present love.
“Things were different back then,” said Jeffery. “Mama was like a lot of women at that time. She wanted to keep her family together. And leaving wasn’t an option because there was no place for her to go. He was a great father but a bad husband,” he shrugged.
While Valiree brought the children together, their father taught them to work by example. As simple as this may seem, it is a foundational principle lacking in homelife today. “When Dad was young, he worked in the orange groves in Miami. He was a logger for a while and worked a bit as a mechanic. We all learned to work in the garden from him. He always planted lots of vegetables and different types of trees in his yard.”
“He still used a push plow in his garden until the age of ninety-five,” said Mary.
Clarence Martin is well-loved by
TOP to BOTTOM Valiree and Clarence Martin. Clarence with his daughter Peggy. Valiree (center) with Clyde and Emma Tillman (left) and her sister Olivee (right).
his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. They care for him with meals and transportation to doctor visits, although the only ailment he seems to suffer these days is poor hearing and eyesight. The honor and respect these children show their elderly father is a further testament to Valiree Martin’s love for all the children who came into her life.
Today, churches, community clubs, and work friends provide excellent opportunities for connection. However, unlike family, you can always pick another church, club, or job if you don’t like the people you work with. For the progeny of Clarence Martin, family still has value. For them, the family reunion is not to be missed. The food, fun, stories, laughter, and love make getting together the best time of the year. Perhaps it is practice for Heaven. I reckon the Wedding Feast of the Lamb would be one family gathering you really wouldn’t want to miss because family is complicated.
For Clarence Martin's children, these gatherings are a testament to the honor they hold for family and the land they call home. For over fifty years, Clarence has lived on a swath of land on the edge of Lyons. This old home place holds childhood memories for some and visits with halfbrothers and sisters for others. In keeping these simple traditions, Clarence Martin’s children pass on their values to the upcoming generation.
When the day comes, and it will come, when everyone we could have asked about our ancestors is gone, the only information about the stories we carry in our DNA will be percentages from 23andMe or Ancestry.com. No one will be left to decipher Grandma’s cryptic recipe with a pinch of this and a dollop of that on the now faded index card in the small wooden box conspicuously marked – Recipes.
Wisdom comes with age for a reason. Time is the best teacher of humility. At ninety-eight, living in condemnation and shame for things long ago forgiven would only be a waste of precious time for Clarence. Hopefully, we’ll live long to acknowledge regrets and recognize how much we may have hurt those we love. Extending forgiveness becomes simpler with age. Basically, you become grateful for the forgiveness you’ve received. For the wise, family relationships become more important than being right and bitter. And for the family of Clarence Martin, being together at the yearly Family Reunion is the best day of the year.
Clarence seated in center with Jeffery, Anthony, Ben Singleton, Jerome and Alfreddie.
Mary Wardlaw and Anthony share great memories about growing up in such a big family.
Brother & Sister Day is usually held at Clarence's home in Lyons–"the old homeplace." The annual family reunion takes place at different locations–even across state lines–because it's hosted by different extended family groups each year.
Since Dot’s founding in 1960, our focus has been on giving our employees the resources they need in order to grow and succeed. And that’s been our ongoing mission here in Vidalia since joining the community in 1999. Whether you spend your days in our warehouse, our office, or over the road, we are proud to offer advancement
as well as
and the pay you deserve.
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS | PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER
Time for a Reset
Tina Peebles’ life didn't always follow a conventional path, but she gave her best in every circumstance. Her determination and faith helped her succeed, and now she helps others do the same.
The transition from a cute kid in elementary school to an awkward preteen can make middle school challenging. For fourteen-year-old Tina, it was an especially stressful time. She had not moved on from middle to high school because of excess absences. Most Fridays, her mother took her and her siblings to Belle Glade, Florida, to see their father, who was finishing his contract with the U.S. Sugar Corporation as an overseer of a large sugar cane operation. Tina did not return home until late Monday, which meant two missed school days nearly every week. But finding herself pregnant at fourteen made navigating those years of middle school look like a walk in the park.
Her son Shawn was born in January 1989, one month after Tina turned fifteen. “You weren’t allowed to go to middle school pregnant, so I quit school,” she said. Although her obstetrician had encouraged her to give the baby up for adoption, her mother was adamant. “She said, ‘You got yourself pregnant, and you’re going to raise him.’”
Raising a baby gave no time for teenage rebellion. Regrets would not raise a child, after all. Onlookers and faultfinders assumed Tina’s pregnancy was the result of a pattern of promiscuous behavior when, in
fact, the pregnancy had been a result of her first sexual relationship. But being a mother to her son Shawn was never something Tina would regret. She glanced at the pictures of her grandchildren on the wall before her and smiled.
At sixteen, she met Garland Peebles. A year later, Tina moved in with him. A short time after that, Garland’s mother, Eudene Peebles, invited her to a Wednesday night church service. “I’m seventeen, sitting at home alone at night with my son because Garland is on night shift. So, I said, ‘Sure. I’ll go to church with you.’”
It’s probably worth noting that Tina was not raised in church. What little experience she had with religion was not of the Pentecostal kind. The first time she attended a church service with Ms. Peebles, Tina ran out during the song service and waited for Ms. Peebles in the car. Still, Tina kept going back. Eventually, curiosity became hunger. When she encountered Jesus for herself, Tina came alive.
On February 8, 1992, at eighteen years old, she and Garland married. A year later, their son Nicolas was born. Zachary was born four years later. Throughout these early years of motherhood, Tina worked at whatever job she could find. While pregnant with
Nicolas, she wrapped deer meat at Rackettown Wildlife Club. “I can’t stand the smell of deer sausage to this day,” laughed Tina.
Tina took the GED on September 9, 1999, determined to improve her work prospects. She started the Computer Information Systems program at Southeastern Technical College (STC) with her GED. While in school, her mother passed away. Her father had died three years earlier. As Tina worked through the loss of both parents, she juggled motherhood and school. In 2001, she graduated with an associate degree in Computer Information Systems.
Tina began looking for work but found her only option was employment out of town. “The truth was that I did not enjoy Computer Information Systems enough to make a career of it, and certainly not to travel out of town for work every day,” she said. But learning is never wasted. Everything carries the possibility of the next thing, and Tina's next thing was a return to school for certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
For eight years, Tina worked with Care One and Georgia Home Health. Eventually, she knew it was time for a change and returned to school a third time. This time, she received her certification as a phlebotomist. As soon as Tina completed
Tina started Vidalia School of Phlebotomy to offer certification in drawing of the blood. Currently, she instructs about a hundred students a year. Many will eventually find work in our community.
her clinical training at the Doctors Lab of Vidalia, the lab offered her a job. After three years with the Doctor’s Lab, she worked eight more with Quest Diagnostics.
In late 2019, Tina stumbled across a social media post for a one-time job doing a blood draw for CareDx. According to their website, “CareDx, Inc., headquartered in Brisbane, California, is a leading precision medicine company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value healthcare solutions for transplant patients and caregivers.” (investors.caredx.com). “All I had to do was drive to Brooklet, go into a home, take a blood sample, then deliver it to a lab within a certain amount of time,” she said. “I had a smart car that got 50 miles to the gallon, so gas was next to nothing. I figured it was an easy way to earn an extra $50.”
The following day, Tina was offered another job for CareDx in Jacksonville, Florida, with three times the pay. In January 2020, Tina formed Cornerstone Phlebotomy Services, LLC, and signed a contract with the company. “I was doing the draw kits for transplant patients in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, every weekend. The test checks to see if the organ is failing,” she explained. Within a short time, Tina had built a business with thirty employees that covered fifteen states. “We were seeing about 500 patients a month. I had so many patients, I had to stay home just to handle the scheduling.”
When the drop-off lab in Columbia, South Carolina, closed, CareDX asked Tina to open a lab there. After researching and assessing the costs, she decided to open a lab, but not in Columbia. “In December 2021, I opened Preferred Labs in Vidalia,” said Tina. Even though she knew nothing about the certifications she would need or even the testing process, she hired people who did. Divine direction led her every step of the way. “I even dreamed the name of the analyzers I would use.”
With new state-of-the-art Beckman analyzers, Tina opened her full-service lab. Two months later, she started a phlebotomy school called Vidalia School of Phlebotomy (DBA Vidalia Medical Academy) for medical assistants and those
wanting a certificate in phlebotomy. All the while, Cornerstone Phlebotomy Services continued to service mobile draws across the southern states.
By early 2024, Tina once again prepared for a change. “The Lord kept speaking to me, ‘You’re about to get a ‘reset.’” But it was a sudden health scare and a trip to the ER that finally got her attention. Tina pointed to the pictures of her four grandchildren on the wall of her office and said, “Those children mean everything to me. I don’t want to miss one moment with them.”
So, in April 2024, Tina finalized the sale of Preferred Labs, which continues to serve the community under new ownership, and opened Cornerstone Phlebotomy Services and Vidalia School of Phlebotomy at 602 Church Street, Suite A in Vidalia. Her new business serves over 150 nursing homes / assisted living facilities and several local doctor’s offices, holds numerous drug screen accounts, and continues to perform mobile blood draws for CareDx and other companies. Cornerstone also facilitates the phlebotomy school, certifying about one hundred students annually. “We teach ten students at a time, and the
classes take six weeks to complete,” said Tina. “Students do the clinical portion at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital.” The school is growing so fast that there is a waitlist for potential students.
Mistakes are a part of every story. Some, like pregnancy at fourteen, are in plain sight. The consequence of that decision for Tina was visible for all to see. But it is the choices that only God sees made in the hidden places of the heart that matter most. Whether consequences are evident or show up in other ways down the road, nothing is ever truly hidden. At fourteen, Tina was old enough to choose her son's life over avoiding the consequence of a mistake. At fifteen, she was old enough to leave her rebellion behind and love as only a mother can. Seventeen was old enough for Tina to give her heart and life to Jesus. And at fifty, she was not too old to let Him reset her life.
With a GED and three different careers, Tina found her place in phlebotomy, which anyone who has ever had a bad experience having blood
RIGHT Moms can appreciate the gentleness Tina and her staff offer. She keeps a treat box in the office, so getting a blood draw is less frightening.
drawn can appreciate. Tina didn’t wait for the stars to align to work. Whatever the circumstance or the job, she gave it her best. Today, Tina’s school provides many well-trained phlebotomists for physicians and hospitals in our area. The work these phlebotomists do is because of what Tina has done for our community. And because she had a heart to hear when God sent word that it was time for a reset, she is available for her most important role these days as Granny to her four grandchildren: Natalie (11), Kade (6), Charli (6), and Ansley (4).
Embark on a journey through time at the Altamaha Cultural Museum, located in our new office at 124 NW Broad St., where the rich heritage of the greater Altamaha river basin comes to life. Immerse yourself in the stories of yesteryears as you explore relics ranging from moonshine stills to barn looms and an array of house and farm implements. Our museum serves as a vibrant testament to the resilience and creativity of our community, preserving traditions that have shaped our identity. Join us in celebrating this cultural treasure trove, open to all who seek to connect with the heart of Altamaha’s history.
Rachel’s House Pregnancy Clinic Staff and Board of Directors: Britt McDade, Stephanie Williams, Buck Moon, Heather Gourley, Bobbie Robinson, Elaine
Deloach, Russell Clark, Brandy Sikes, Katie Beasley, Jill Miller, Sandi Ponce, and Trent Akins Now at Red Wagon Market, The Market on Church, Phillips Pharmacy, Thriftway, Mary’s Interiors, Pittman Farms, Big Al’s & Toombs Co. Farmers Market
30 Years of Developing Leaders
The Greater Vidalia® Chamber proudly announced its 30thanniversary celebration. This milestone event commemorated three decades of empowering individuals, businesses, and communities through innovative leadership cohort style programming. The celebration took place on March 14th at The Gathering Place in Lyons. Participants from each year of the program were present and able to network with fellow classmates, and influential program volunteers from over the years. The 30th-anniversary celebration was a momentous occasion, bringing together current and past participants, partners, supporters, and stakeholders. Attendees had the opportunity to reflect on the impact of their program experience and opportunities over the years and celebrate the achievements of individuals who had emerged as influential leaders throughout the community. “We were thrilled to mark this significant milestone in our journey of fostering leadership excellence,” said Debbie Evans, EVP at Greater Vidalia® Chamber. “For 30 years, we had been dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders who were poised to make a difference in their organizations and our community. This celebration was a testament to the dedication, passion, and commitment of everyone who has been a part of our journey.”
Our Leadership Programs
Youth | The Greater Vidalia® Youth Leadership program graduated the 20242025 class on March 12th at Lyons First Baptist Church. The graduation ceremony gives the students the opportunity to show their parents, program sponsors, and the participating school officials what they learned during the program about
themselves, our community, and how they can contribute as our future leaders.
During the program the students learn about different business sectors in our community such as: Agriculture, Economic Development, and Healthcare and Community Services as well as develop themselves in sessions titled Orientation, Professional Development, and Putting Your Best Foot Forward.
Georgia First Bank awarded two $500 scholarships to Andrew Hodges and Carlie Roberts on their 200 word essay on “What can I do to make my community better?”
Thank you to our program Presenting Sponsor, Brewton-Parker College.
Youth Graduates include Andrew Hodges, Ansleigh Randolph, Caley Anna Braddock, Carlie Roberts, Caroline Thompson, Cate Wilcox, Dottie McDaniel, Emily Monroe, Emma Beck, Emma Vinson, Emmie Davis, Jasie Cleghorn, Levi Worth, Julia O’Neal, Lauren Cook, Logan Irvin , Madison Ho, Martasia Burton, Mason Toole, Max Beverly, Rachel Threlkeld, RJ Florez, Rebecca Hong, Rebecca Proenza, Sydney Smith, and Tymber Harris. LEFT Scholarship winners Andrew Hodges and Carlie Roberts.
Adult Graduates include John Carroll, Shellie Cleghorn, Natasha Goss, Erica Harrison, Anna Helms, Matthew Helms, Kasey Jackson, Marcy Lane, Jamie Mallard, Julia McKenzie, Chris Moore, Hillary Moore, Joshua Pittman, Trish Poole, Evan Riekhof, Sabrina Thompson, Ashlee Nicole Tillery, Zach Tomberlin, and Celina Vazquez
Adult | Leadership Greater Vidalia® Class of 2024/2025 recently graduated this year’s cohort in April. At this session, each participant is responsible for making a “storyboard presentation” creatively displaying what they have learned about our community and themselves in their respective sessions. Graduation is a culmination of the year and it is always bittersweet ending the class meetings but, being able to see their growth through the year is always so rewarding. The program is Presented By Pineland Telephone Company.
Save the Date
State of Cities/County
September 5th
September 26th
State of Education
October 3rd
Business Expo
October 10th
State of Agriculture
November 7th
Introducing SUMMIT Keynote Speaker
Are you looking for ways to enhance your skills, network with peers, and learn from experts in your field? If so, you won’t want to miss the Summit conference on September 26, 2024. The Summit offers you the opportunity to participate in sessions on topics such as leadership, communication, marketing, the future of talent, innovation, and more. You will also get to connect with other professionals from various industries and sectors, and exchange ideas and best practices. Don’t miss this chance to invest in your career and grow your potential. Tickets will go on sale end of summer!
We are thrilled to announce our Keynote Speaker for 2024, Justin Patton. Justin is an executive coach, international speaker, and award-winning author of four books who challenges individuals to use their presence to communicate with stronger trust – both in the workplace and with the people they love the most. Justin studied body language from a former FBI agent before starting his own company, The Trust Architect Group. Justin’s work has now been featured in both Fast Company and Authority Magazine, and he’s a member of the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council. Justin is also a faculty member for the US Chamber of Commerce, and a member of both the International Coach Federation and National Speakers Association. Justin’s engaging style, relatable storytelling, and insightful messages make him a sought-after keynote speaker. His programs will inspire you to reimagine who you are at your best and think differently about how you lead, love, and communicate.
The mission of the Greater Vidalia® Chamber (GVC) is to prepare, develop, and promote our businesses and community for economic growth. The GVC is the largest business/leadership organization in our community. Simply put: We’re in business to help business. If you want to start a business, grow a business, take part in leadership development or advocacy programs, GVC is for you! Perks of Chamber Membership include:
• SizeUP® Business Analytics Tool
• Promotion via Website, Email, Newsletter, Social Media, and Online Community Calendar
• Listing in GVC Business Directory
• Members-only Business Referrals
• “Grow with Us” Luncheons
• Shopping Locally Promotions with Community Bucks Program
• Ribbon Cutting, Open House, and Groundbreaking Events
• Discounted Workers’ Compensation and Health Insurance Premiums
• And So Much More!
For more information, contact Dana Brown at danab@greatervidaliachamber.com or by phone at 912.537.4466.
What are Community Bucks?
Community Bucks are checks that can be spent at over 80 chamber member businesses. There is no fee to purchase a gift check. A complete list of accepting businesses, can be found by visiting www.greatervidaliachamber.com, click on Member Directory and search for “Community Bucks Participants.”
Why Buy Community Bucks?
The Chamber provides this as a service to our members and to encourage residents to...
Greater Vidalia® Chamber is
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
IN TOOMBS COUNTY
VIDALIA ONON FESTIVAL
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
VIDALIA ONION FESTIVAL
UNITED WAY GOLF TOURNAMENT
Photos
Scenes of Toombs Co.
Lady Bird Johnson’s famous quote, “Where flowers bloom so does hope” is a great testament to the promises of spring. New growth, new excitement and new beginnings are all in the air as a fresh year looks forward to all the future holds in
Toombs County!
photo by | BRITT MCDADE
photo by | JOE CLARONI
photo by | DANIELLE TUROSKI
photo by | EVAN RIEKHOF/EZ-E PHOTOGRAPHY
photo by | EVAN RIEKHOF/EZ-E PHOTOGRAPHY
photo by | DANIELLE TUROSKI
photo by | DIANNE S. MIXON
photo by | WESLEY WOODS
TCHS SOCCER STATE CHAMPS
A true indication of a man’s greatness is the legacy he leaves behind for his family and community. Coach Anson Callaway’s legacy is one of encouragement, kindness, devotion and love. He was a coach, teacher, father figure and mentor to many youth in our community teaching life lessons alongside athletics. He was also devoted to his faith and his family. Everyone who grew up in Toombs County (and surrounding areas) knew “Coach.” When laid to rest he was placed in a hand built casket marked with numerous nicknames that he had given people over the years. Why? Because Coach was an encourager who made everyone feel special, and those names are a testament of the effort he took to make connections with people.
Things are not important, people are. Thank you Coach for realizing that and sharing your heart with our community. We will all miss you and your always timely wisdom.
-TCM Staff
Coach Anson Callaway
July 25, 1935–May 10, 2024
photo by | DIANNE S. MIXON
LAST Words
Surviving the Storm
There were no flying monkeys, no ruby slippers, no green women on bicycles, and no Cowardly Lions, Scarecrows, or even a Tin Man, but we weren’t short on flying tin ROOFS, that’s for sure. On Thursday, May 9th, our little communities suffered a weather event unlike anything we had ever seen – at least I haven’t witnessed it in the 47 years I’ve lived here.
While we were aware of the severity of the storm in our Greater Vidalia® Chamber offices, we were completely unaware of what was taking place around us. The tornado warning alarm came over our phones yelling at us to take cover, and I immediately called my co-workers, who had just left to run errands, to get themselves back to the office. I did all of this seamlessly and calmly from my seat in the bathroom –not because I was taking cover, but because we had Mexican for lunch. I tend to be the mother hen at work, and I take that job very seriously, no matter where I’m sitting.
We knew it was bad because of the endless emergency responder vehicles flying down the highway, the crazy way the wind was causing the water in our pond to ripple, and the way our flagpole suddenly took to swaying like a pine tree. Now that scared me, that whole flagpole waving thing, and I immediately locked the front door; I know, I know, it’s funny what sort of stupid things fear will make you do. We
lost power, I made everyone move away from the windows and stand behind the counter, made sure there was an understanding about where we were to convene should we hear a train coming (because that’s what they say, right?). We all began calling our loved ones, checking on our children and grandchildren and unsuccessfully attempting to latch on to any news or weather via social media. We were literally and figuratively left in the dark and, in this day and age of instant and immediate news, that was a very hopeless and scary feeling. We are so spoiled.
As the storm finally passed and pictures and reports began to filter in – some true and some false – we began to see the scale of the damage, and it wasn’t pretty. One of the cool things about living in our deep south communities is the way we all become “friends and neighbors” when the situation calls for it.
Contrary to popular belief, we don’t only bless hearts and pray when the chips are down, we put on boots and gloves and get to work. I’ve heard some beautiful stories rising out of the ashes of flooded buildings and downed trees and power lines, and it makes me so grateful to call this place my home.
Speaking of home, I was blessed there as well as my workplace. I came home to no power, scared dogs, and all my trees blissfully intact. My husband huffed and
puffed a bit about having to drag out the generator, and trust me when I tell you that it was all for show. We all know that a man’s happy place involves large and loud pieces of equipment and machinery, am I right? In less than an hour there was an electric web of no less than 27 extension cords powering up 6 lamps, 2 fans, 2 refrigerators, 1 freezer, wifi and the television. I watched him check and recheck, plug and unplug, and finally – with hands on hips – his work was done. “That oughta do it,” he exclaimed like a caveman starting a fire in the cold with a poked out chest.
We are blessed, here. We suffered no injuries or loss of life and everything that is gone and damaged can be replaced. Our friends and neighbors that incurred great damage will be stinging for quite some time, but if I know us South Georgia folks, they will come back stronger than before, definitely humbled, but with a drive and fierceness that cannot be rivaled.
So, Mr. Twister, as Glinda the Good Witch said, “You’ve no power here. Be gone, before someone drops a house on you, too!”
Also, don’t eat Mexican food immediately before a weather event if you live in the country and need power to operate your facilities; nothing good will come of it, I assure you.
Ann Owens is a writer, creative genius, entrepreneur, mother, and wife who enjoys pondering
Jason Colbert, CHPCA, CEO