Toombs County Magazine Spring/Summer 2023

Toombs COUNTY

Beauty from Ashes

Tiffany Underwood’s personal battle revealed a way for her to help others

The Race That Matters Most

Georgia Meredith uses her running skills to help kids start their own healthy journey

The Next Chapter

A home destined for hospitality gets a turn as a bed and breakfast

The Boss & His Niece

With her uncle’s help, Jazlyn Denmark makes her mark in field trials and shooting sports

Dr. Spence and his expert team offer comprehensive restorative services for patients seeking pain relief and better health through regenerative medicine approaches. At Regenerative Medicine Associates, we focus on the right mix of nutrients and protocols to give your body what it needs to function at its best. Our services are designed to help your body perform at maximum function while fighting off major disease and pain. We are proud to have Dr. Leaver-Williams join our team to offer treatments that focus on the individual and their concerns for both functional and aesthetic desires. Dr. Leaver-Williams focuses on combination therapies that can aid in increased beauty, function, and overall well-being. Our services include:

Comprehensive Physician Consultation

Multi-Vitamin IV Infusions

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) Therapy

Regenerative Joint Injections

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)

IASIS Microcurrent Neurofeedback Therapy

Physician skin and body consultation

Ozone Therapy

Neurotoxins

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Thread Lifting

Laser Therapies

Non-surgical face, neck, and breast lift

Sexual Health Restoration

Female stress incontinence treatment

Hair loss solutions for men and women

24

INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

When library director Cameron Asbell began implementing a plan to modernize the library in Vidalia, the community joined in the effort.

36

THE NEXT CHAPTER

A house known for hospitality in the past gets a refresh as a bed and breakfast.

48

THE RACE THAT MATTERS MOST

Georgia Meredith utilizes her running skills in a program designed to motivate young students.

60

FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

With community in mind, County Manager John Jones oversees the creation of Toombs County’s largest government center.

72

BEAUTY FROM ASHES

Tiffany Underwood’s personal experience with cancer treatment revealed a patient need, so she and her husband John created a non-profit to help.

84

A MAN OF MANY TALENTS

More than just gifted in singing, Luther Wardlaw has giant faith that has made him unstoppable.

94

THE BOSS & HIS NIECE

Helping her uncle on his farm, Jazlyn Denmark found peace, beauty and a sport she’s great at.

104

CHRISTINA’S WARRIOR WOMEN

With a focus on empowering women in a broken world, Christina Burdett’s artwork acknowledges life’s seasons and the power of redemption.

128

LAST WORDS

Sing your way through life–you’ll live longer!

12

READY FOR SUMMER

Light and easy-to-make summer recipes perfect for a picnic, brunch or evening gathering.

16

THE GROWING POPULARITY OF LUXURY VINYL

The newest trend in flooring, luxury vinyl is inexpensive, durable, and very attractive.

focus on health

8

60 YEARS OF CARING

Since 1963, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital has experienced many changes, but the focus remains on quality patient care.

About the Cover

112 | Lyons Main Street

116 | The Local Marketplace

118 | Vidalia Main Street

120 | Greater Vidalia Chamber of Commerce

122 | Scenes of Toombs

127 | Advertiser’s Index

Nothing will stop Tiffany Underwood–not even a cancer diagnosis. When chemotherapy treatments caused her to press pause on her dream of opening her own skincare boutique, Tiffany looked for other ways to benefit those in need. The result was a non-profit–Tiff Tiff’s Chemo Bags–that offers gift bags full of items chemo patients can actually use. It’s her way of giving thanks for the support she received.

Sweet Summertime

The best part of summer is the slooow dooown. The rest of the year is filled with planning and regimens and schedules leaving little time for loafing and creativity. But when summer rolls around, it’s time to relax and refresh. This is the season when reading a book, spending a day organizing a closet or trying out a new cookie recipe actually seem doable. Flip flops become the norm, family gatherings come more frequently and suddenly there is this freedom to do all the things you really want to do. It’s as if the rules get left behind while you sail off on some blissful vacation that lasts until they start putting school supplies on the shelves at Walmart.

Maybe I have just never accepted the notion that “summer break” is only for students. I was talking to my daughter about this recently. She also had a list of obscure things that she had been waiting all year to do, and with summer arriving, she brought out the list and began to check off the items. So, I know I am not alone in this mentality.

Summer brings excitement and fun. It means trying new things. One year we tried canning–tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, blueberry jam, peaches. It turned out so well that now we do it every year. My dad wanted to get involved, so he learned how to make margaritas. There’s nothing better than my sister’s homemade bread with blueberry jam, fresh cut peaches and a margarita after a day of sweating over pots of boiling water.

There are other things that we’ve tried too–mostly ideas that were tagged throughout the year on Pinterest. This manifests in countless trips to Hobby Lobby for paint and craft supplies turning ordinary days into wonderful, paint and project-filled afternoons. Summer brings a special release of creativity that doesn’t happen at my house the rest of the year. Maybe it’s approaching the solstice that lightens the tension in the atmosphere, or the long days that blur the sense of time, but summer is made for resting, dreaming big and believing the impossible is possible–all while swatting gnats on the back porch.

We have a lot of stories in this issue about people doing new things and discovering, “hey I like this,” as if they are in perpetual summer mode. Victor Wolfe (p. 36) decided to try running a bed and breakfast in a century old house. He’s met fascinating people from all over the world along the way. Georgia Meredith has always been athletic, but she had a great idea to put her skills to use helping young kids create their own healthy journey through running (p. 48). Luther Wardlaw is a man who never stops being creative and is always moving forward in faith with his ideas (p. 84).

My friend Ann isn’t so fond of summer because of the heat. I know there are lots of people who feel the same. But summer is more than weather. It’s a state of mind. I believe it’s made for slowing down and taking in the world. And I’ll be enjoying every last minute of it until the first leaf falls.

keeping 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

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Toombs County

PUBLISHER

Red Door Design & Publishing, LLC

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Stephanie Williams

CREATIVE | DESIGN

Elizabeth Beasley

Stephanie Williams

ASSISTANT MANAGER

Nikki Anderson

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND MEDIA RELATIONS

Madison Beverly

SALES

Dottie Hicks

Randall Montague

Daphne Walker

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Renée Martin

Ann Owens

Azure Rountree

Teri R. Williams

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ruth English

Evan Riekhof, EZ-E Photography

Daphne Walker

PROOFING

Megan Morris

COVER PHOTO

Ruth English

For more stories, visit us at www.toombscountymagazine.com

60 Years of Caring

Memorial Health Meadows Hospital celebrates a milestone

This year, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital will celebrate its 60th anniversary of serving the people of Toombs County and the region. On September 16, 1963, the Dr. John M. Meadows Memorial Hospital treated its first patient. The 51-bed hospital was named in honor of the area’s first physician, whose son donated 22 acres of land to build the new medical facility.

Today, Meadows Hospital is part of HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services with 182 hospitals and more than 2,300+ sites of care in 20 states and the United Kingdom. “Meadows Hospital has a rich history of providing highquality healthcare for patients in our region,” said Matt Hasbrouck, CEO. “We look forward to building on that tradition.”

Looking back over the years, Meadows Hospital brought many new medical services and technologies to the region. These included:

• An 8-bed intensive care unit (1969)

• A behavioral health center to provide mental health care and substance abuse treatments (1978)

• The hospital’s first MRI performed using a mobile unit (1992)

• The hospital’s first CT scanner and a new sleep lab (2000)

• A cardiac catheterization lab (2001)

• Chemotherapy for adult cancer patients (2005)

Leading-edge treatments and technologies established Meadows Hospital as a major player in the regional healthcare community. And, as their impressive growth continued, hospital leaders recognized the need for a larger facility. In 2009, they broke ground on

a new hospital and the new Meadows Regional Medical Center opened in February 2011. The $100 million facility was much larger in size than the original hospital and boasted 20 emergency rooms and six operating suites.

In 2012, medical oncology moved to the new hospital and a new radiation oncology service was added soon after. In 2017, the new 15,000 square foot Tommy & Shirley Strickland Cancer Center opened, consolidating cancer services in the same building on the Meadows Hospital campus.

While Meadows enjoyed success, many rural hospitals were struggling financially. To secure the hospital’s future, the Board and Hospital Authority began seeking a strategic partner in 2018. HCA Healthcare expressed interest in having Meadows join its growing network in southern Georgia. The Board chose HCA Healthcare for its commitment to high-quality, community-based hospitals and its focus on serving patients and giving back to the communities it serves. Meadows joined HCA’s South Atlantic Division in May 2021. The hospital was renamed Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, keeping the proud Meadows name while also aligning it with Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah to reflect HCA’s presence in the region. In July, Matt Hasbrouck joined Meadows Hospital as CEO, following a successful stint as COO at Memorial Health in Savannah.

Meadows Hospital began to see changes and improvements immediately as part of the HCA Healthcare family. More than $12 million was invested in various equipment, infrastructure,

and programs to provide the very best care to our patients. Hospital colleagues continued to persevere through the most acute pandemic in our lifetime, caring like family and never backing down. Key services were added or expanded including:

• A new robotic surgery program that performed more than 300 surgeries in its first year

• New surgical specialties including hand surgery, reconstructive plastic surgery, and neurosurgery

• Electrophysiology for patients who have issues with their heart’s electrical system (such as atrial fibrillation, abnormal heartbeats or arrhythmia).

“I am very proud of the hard work our team has done to implement new processes and systems. We’ve added new equipment, programs and services, all while remaining focused on providing excellent care for our patients and their families,” said Hasbrouck.”

Meadows Hospital was also honored for quality care, earning a 5-star rating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2022 Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings. The hospital was also nationally recognized for its maternity center.

And, it has infused over $4.8 million in taxes, as well as, $100,000 in various local charitable partnerships across our community, demonstrating Meadows Hospital’s commitment to our community.

As Meadows Hospital marks this 60th anniversary milestone, it is also looking ahead to a bright future. “Our goal is to bring exceptional healthcare closer to home for patients in our region,” said Hasbrouck.

Celebrating 60 Years

For nearly 60 years, Memorial Health | Meadows Hospital has provided highquality healthcare to the people of Toombs County and the surrounding area. In 2021, we joined HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services. We have added new physicians, technologies and treatments, all with one goal in mind - to bring exceptional healthcare, closer to home.

ready for summer

Summer recipes need to be light and seasonal and easy to make for on-the-go days. Here are some of cookbook author Azure Rountree’s family favorites perfect for brunches, picnics and evening gatherings.

SALAD

STRAWBERRY & SPINACH SALAD WITH VIDALIA ONION VINAIGRETTE

There’s nothing better than a summer salad with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Ingredients

Baby Spinach (cleaned & stems removed)

Fresh Sliced Strawberries (halved)

Crumbled Feta Cheese

Halved Pecans

½ cup finely diced Vidalia Onion

1½ Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise

6 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

¼ teaspoon Salt

Instructions

1 In a salad bowl, toss together the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, feta cheese and pecan halves, then set aside.

2 In a mini food processor, add diced Vidalia onion, sugar, mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Serve with salad.

SAVORY

HAM & VEGETABLE FRITTATA

Great for a summer brunch, this beautiful dish will wow your family and guests.

Ingredients

8 large Eggs

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Shortening

1 ¼ cups halved Cherry Tomatoes

1/3 cup diced Yellow Onion

2 cups chopped Baby Spinach (cleaned & stems removed)

1/3 cup diced cooked Ham

3/4 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 In a large mixing bowl, beat the 8 eggs until fluffy. Whisk in the heavy cream, salt and pepper, then place in the fridge while the vegetables are prepared.

3 Over medium heat, add the vegetable shortening to a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Once hot, add cherry tomatoes and yellow onion, then sauté for 7 minutes. Add the spinach and cook about 1 minute or until it is starting to wilt.

4 Remove the egg mixture from the fridge, then quickly stir the egg mixture along with the diced ham and cheese into the vegetables. Carefully place the skillet on the 3rd (middle) rack and bake for around 20 to 25 minutes or until the center doesn’t jiggle when you touch it. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve.

CROCK POT FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

Make your summer picnic memorable with these delicious sliders.

Ingredients

1 boneless Chuck Roast

1 small Onion (sliced)

½ cup Soy Sauce

1 Beef Bouillon Cube

4 Peppercorns

½ teaspoon Crushed Dried Rosemary

1 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves

1 teaspoon bottled Minced Garlic

1 Bay Leaf

1 cup Water

Shredded Mozzarella

Sandwich or Slider Buns (for serving)

Instructions

1 Trim some of the fat from around the roast, then add the roast to a crock pot. Add sliced onion over and around the roast.

2 In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, bouillon cube, peppercorns, crushed dried rosemary, dried thyme leaves and

minced garlic. Stir together, then pour over the roast. Place the bay leaf down in the mixture. Add 1 cup water to the crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours.

2 Remove the roast from the crock pot and place in a large bowl. Trim the remaining fat, then shred the meat with 2 forks. Add some of the sauce to coat the meat. Melt shredded mozzarella on the rolls and add the shredded beef. Reserve some of the liquid from the crock pot for dipping the sandwiches.

SWEET

STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

The moist layers and creamy frosting make this a summer favorite that everyone loves

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) box White Cake Mix

1 (3-ounce) box Strawberry Gelatin

4 large Eggs

½ cup Water

¾ cup Vegetable Oil

½ cup frozen sweetened Strawberries in juice (thawed & pureed) *

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans, then line with

wax paper. Lightly coat both pans with flour and set aside.

2 Add thawed strawberries to a mini food processor or blender and puree until smooth, set aside.

3 In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat together the white cake mix, strawberry gelatin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pureed strawberries until smooth and creamy. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans, then bake on the 3rd (middle) rack for around 24 minutes or until a fork comes out clean in the center. Remove and let cool for 20 minutes, then remove the cake layers from the pans and let cool completely. Once cooled, place the cake layers in the fridge to chill so that the cake doesn’t crumble while frosting. Prepare the frosting while chilling the layers.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

11 (8-ounce) box Cream Cheese (room temp)

1 stick Unsalted Butter (1/2 cup) (room temp)

½ teaspoon Strawberry Extract

Pink Food Coloring

2 pounds Powdered Sugar

Fresh Strawberries (for garnish)

Instructions

1 In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Next, beat in the strawberry extract and pink food coloring. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until completely combined. Remove the cake from the fridge, then frost the layers of the cake as well as the top and sides. Garnish the cake with fresh strawberries.

CREAM CHEESE BANANA

PUDDING

A refreshing treat on a hot summer day

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese (room temp)

1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 (5-ounce) package Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix

3 cups Whole Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 (8-ounce) container Whipped Topping

5 Bananas (sliced)

2 (11-ounce) boxes Vanilla Wafers

Instructions

1 In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla pudding mix. Slowly beat in the milk, then beat in the vanilla extract. Fold in half of the whipped topping until combined. Place cream cheese pudding mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes to set

2 In a 9x13 inch dish, spread a layer of vanilla wafers, then carefully line vanilla wafers around the inside of the dish. Next, spread a layer of sliced bananas. Add half of the cream cheese pudding mixture and spread evenly over the bananas. Repeat the process, then spread the remaining whipped topping on the top.

3 Crush 5 vanilla wafers and sprinkle over the whipped topping. Place in the fridge for a few hours so that the cookies can soften, then serve.

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 is our newest contributor for the Toombs County Magazine.

We love smiles.

Wood Family Dentistry offers comprehensive dental services in a caring, comfortable environment. We utilize cutting edge dental technology to offer you the best preventive care and treatment available in Vidalia. Dr. Jeremy Wood can help your family create a dental routine that ensures a lifetime of smiles.

New Patients Welcome!

912.537.3377 | 310 Jackson Street, Vidalia, GA

The growing popularity of Luxury Vinyl

Luxury Vinyl has taken the flooring industry by storm with its inexpensive durability and improved good looks

Luxury vinyl flooring (LVP or LVT) has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many homeowners turning to this material for its affordability, durability, and versatility. With advances in printer technology, luxury vinyl can now mimic the look of hardwood or natural stone floors while offering a durable, waterproof surface. We did some research to help you understand what luxury vinyl is and why so many people are using it in their homes and workplaces.

How is it made? Luxury vinyl flooring is built on a synthetic composite base with a surface that’s water, scratch and stain

repellent. It can endure the wear and tear of an active household, but unlike ceramic, stone or wood, it won’t crack or dent if something is dropped on it. It is available in planks that look like and have the texture of real wood and in tiles that mimic ceramic, porcelain and marble. Both offer striking details and incredible realism with looks that range from vintage rugged wood to upscale travertine. The look and texture can be so realistic, guests will need convincing that your luxury vinyl flooring isn’t true hardwood or natural stone!

How is it installed? Luxury vinyl flooring can be installed by gluing directly to the floor or by floating over a subfloor.

Gluing directly to the floor provides better durability making it suitable for extreme commercial spaces or high traffic residential areas. It can also be installed with patterns, like herringbone, and with or without grout. A floating floor installation includes padding between the vinyl and the subfloor, which helps to decrease the sound of the floors. This method can be used over most existing flooring and when subflooring has imperfections.

What are the advantages?

Traditional luxury vinyl plank flooring is a popular flooring choice for homes and businesses for several main reasons. Foremost, its 100% waterproof material means it can be installed throughout a home or business, particularly in wet prone areas. Its slip resistant surface is an added bonus. Luxury vinyl is also more affordable to purchase and install than traditional wood or tile.

As for appearance and comfort, homeowners will be delighted with the variety of beautiful luxury vinyl

Luxury Vinyl Flooring has the look and texture of real wood and tile

PHOTO BY ARMSTRONG FLOORING

can be achieved.

Need help from a pro?

If you need help when selecting your flooring, don’t worry. You can find an expert that will walk you through the decision making process right here in Toombs County. Terry Edmonds of Terry’s Flooring & Blinds offers flooring options for residential and commercial applications. Resident designer Michelle Thompson will be happy to discuss your flooring options and help you find flooring perfect for your home.

looks, colors and styles that are available. The options complement any design style and textures are also popular with this type of flooring. Luxury vinyl will be softer and more comfortable under foot that other waterproof counter parts, such as ceramic or porcelain tile particularly if a thicker vinyl is used.

Maintenance for luxury vinyl is super easy. Simply wipe up any spills. If a cleaner is needed, a pH neutral cleaner will do the job.

What else should I know? Luxury vinyl flooring has a transparent top coating that helps prevent scratches, stains and fading. This wear layer does come in different thicknesses. The higher the wear layer thickness, the more protection for the vinyl layer underneath. A 12 mil wear layer is suitable for normal residential use. A 20 mil wear layer is better for high traffic residential use (if multiple kids or pets are using the space). Mil layers higher than 20 are designated for commercial use.

Endless Design Possibilities Due to its affordability and ease of installation, homeowners have more options for design with luxury vinyl flooring. Patterns, like herringbone, basketweave and chevron, can be easily achieved. You can even mix wood and stone luxury vinyl to create a unique focal point. And luxury vinyl can be installed with or without grout.

912-537-2088

111 W First Street, Vidalia

LV flooring comes in planks and tiles so various patterns and designs

The durability and easy maintenance of LV flooring make it a great choice for busy lifestyles

PHOTO BY ARMSTRONG FLOORING

TERRY’S FLOORING AND BLINDS offers a variety of carpet and flooring options for your home or business. For your convenience, try our easy to use sample system. Scan the QR code, expolore the many flooring options and have samples shipped directly to your home at no cost. The website also has information on flooring materials and availability. Of course, we are always here to help too!

MARY’S

M

DESIGN FIRM offers more than gifts and accessories. Our

consultation services can completely transform your home or business. Whether it’s a single room or your entire home, Mary works within your budget to transform uninspired areas into alluring spaces. We carry exclusive lines and have access to unique products that will make any space spectacular.

Better workflow for better days!

Curren Supply is leading our area in ag plant production and automation.

Working in agriculture has its challenges. From planting and harvesting to packing and loading, several steps need to be taken to ensure success. While farming may seem like a simple process, many farmers still find themselves spending more time within their fields, rather than with their families at home.

Fortunately, modern technology is making it possible for

farmers to spend less time on the farm and more time with the people they love. The use of automation has been on a steady rise in the farming industry, and even more so in the packing industry. More and more farmers and packers are incorporating automation devices into their daily tasks to make their jobs easier, more efficient, and to increase the amount of output they get from their labour. For the consumer this translates to produce that reaches them faster, fresher, and is more sustainable.

Over 10 years ago, Curren Supply began offering specialized equipment, parts and systems that help farmers and packing companies optimize their productivity and maximize plant production. As we all know, a well-

working system means less daily aggravation, less waste and better productivity. This concept was familiar to Curren Supply who, as a family owned business with a history in farming and packing, understood how the challenges of the industry could make or break a business. Their mission is to create a positive workflow using the newest technology and best methods in a timely manner. Utilizing their technical workflow knowledge and their global access to parts, owner Sean Curren says they can create a system tailored to your needs. By offering solutions that improve your facility today, Curren Supply can help you have a better tomorrow.

“Getting you results as soon as possible is our top priority.”

-Sean Curren, owner

BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER

Into the 21st Century

If Cameron Asbell’s Zoology advisor had not left Georgia Southern University for research in Africa, things might have turned out differently. Her undergraduate degree in biology focused on the ecology of keystone mammals. “There wasn't another zoologist at Georgia Southern,” said Cameron. “The other professors were in birds and reptiles at the time.” Until she could figure out what to do, she continued working at the public library in Statesboro.

It was not the career Cameron thought she would pursue. She didn’t choose the library. The library chose her. Cameron received a full scholarship to Valdosta State University and graduated with a master's in Library and Information Science in 2012.

Computers were just coming onto the scene when she started working in the library. “It was the early 2000s, and no one knew how to work on them,” said Cameron. She just took an analytical approach, much like she’d learned while getting her undergraduate degree in Biology. “Dissecting computers was much cleaner than dissecting animals,” she smiled. “I took it apart and put it together again.” Before long, she was in charge of IT for the Statesboro Regional Public Libraries, which covered a five-county region.

In November 2015, Cameron left the library in Statesboro to take over as the IT Director with the Ohoopee Regional Library System. At that time, the system covered seven locations in four counties: Toombs, Tattnall, Jeff Davis, and Montgomery counties. On her second day, she said, “It had started to rain, and the staff began pulling out tarps. The roof leaked so badly that the entire adult non-fiction area had to be covered with tarps every time it rained. Also, the lighting was so bad in certain areas that flashlights were available at the front desk.”

Historically speaking, funding has always been a complicated issue for public libraries. “Public libraries fall under the Georgia Public Library Service, which serve as advisors. They issue a state grant yearly from the state budget for the salary of one librarian per county with an M.S. degree. Continuing education is also required. Everything else in the library has to be paid for by local funding. Every other staff member, every light bill,

When library director Cameron Asbell saw a need for improvement in our community, nothing could stop her from meeting it.

and everything else comes from local tax money. The state's philosophy is, ‘It's your library. It's in your community. It represents your people and your values, so you should be invested in it.’” (Note: The public library in Lyons is owned by the city of Lyons, and a Board of Trustees owns the public library in Vidalia with new members appointed by the city and county when there is a vacancy.)

Cameron talked with the city and county about funding when she was first hired as Director in 2016. “One person said, ‘Why should we put money into the library when you’re not a 21st-century library? Everything in there is old, and no one has worked to change that.’ And he was right. The technology was outdated. The computers were old. While the state does

The new library, named after donors Tonya and Mark Spivey, is a 21st-century library. This means it has all new technology like STEM equipment, new computers, and a 3D Printer (ABOVE) among other things.

RIGHT As the library Director, Cameron Asbell has lobbied for and overseen the library's transition.

allot money through grants for new computers every year, the grant had not been applied for consistently.” It would take more than nostalgia for days gone by to convince anyone that the library was still relevant and a worthy investment.

Five months after taking the IT position, the Board of Trustees appointed Cameron as the Director of the Ohoopee Regional Library System. “So much needed to be done. I figured I’d apply for a different grant each year and slowly replace things. I got STEM equipment, 3D printers, and new computers. I even found a federal grant that provided funds for new fiber optic wiring for the entire building.” (The previous internet wiring dated back to 2001.)

The greatest obstacle in getting enough funding for the library was also one of the libraries’ greatest gifts: the Ladson Genealogical Library, donated to the Ohoopee Regional Library System by the family of John (Jack) E. Ladson at his passing in 1999. The collection includes over 40,000 books (the oldest dates back to 1640), 3,000 microfilms including the Lyons Progress to June 1991 and the Vidalia Advance to May 2010, countless family biographies, pamphlets, periodicals, birth,

One of the primary goals of the library renovation was to bring the Ladson Genealogical Library under the same roof as the existing library. This resulted in lower operating costs and better access to the collection's 40,000 books and countless records dating as far back as the 1600 and 1700s.

death, and marriage records, church records, Confederate rosters and Civil War materials, periodicals, maps, personal family manuscripts, county histories, and census records from beginning in 1790.

“After John (Jack) E. Ladson Jr. died, the collection was moved to a building in downtown Vidalia donated to the City of Vidalia by the Ladson family with the agreement that the Ohoopee Regional Library System would cover utility costs and staffing,” said Cameron. “By 2020, we were barely surviving, and what funds we had were being diverted from the public library to cover the expenses incurred at the genealogical library downtown.”

As with so many things, the pandemic of 2020 seemed the last straw. “Governor Kemp had just ordered a two-week shutdown in response to the Covid-pandemic,” said Cameron. “I was at the library on the computer trying to order gloves and other things we would need to reopen. While there, our branch manager, Jan Outler, walked in. She said, ‘Cameron, there’s a guy outside cutting the grass.’ I asked Jan, ‘Does he look sane?’ She said, ‘Well, yeah.’ I said, ‘Then ask him if he wants to be on our board.’ I’d requested a board member from Vidalia, but at the time, they were dealing with Covid issues, and a board member for the library wasn’t exactly a priority.” It was enough for Cameron that he cared enough about the library to cut the grass. The stranger cutting the grass was Howard Holman.

At his first meeting with the board, Howard listened as Cameron reported that jobs and salaries would need to be cut if the library was to remain open. “We had never received any funding for the Ladson Genealogical Library. And a grant to fix one thing a year was not enough. As soon as the meeting ended, Howard began making calls and got people

in the community involved, and the board was expanded to bring in people who were good at fundraising.”

The Capital Outlay Grant, which the Georgia Public Library Service administers, was their best hope. “The Georgia Public Library Service administers the Grant,” said Cameron. “They advise public libraries, offer guidance and support, oversee the distribution of state and federal grant money to public libraries, and offer training and support. In addition, the Library Planning and Construction

Department serves as an advisor between public libraries and state funding agencies. They do several projects yearly and lobby State Legislators to vote on funding, and projects are paid for with state bonds.”

The maximum amount available per project was $2 million. Even then, “Once you applied, there was normally a long wait. The second obstacle was local funding. “To be considered for the grant, you have to have your matching funds upfront: 10% for the first million and 50% for the

Part of the 21st Century mindset is to offer more than just an opportunity for book ready and research at the library. There are dedicating spaces for events and learning as well as a fully equipped kitchen for hosting cooking classes or catering meals for events.

second million,” said Cameron. Local monies proved to the state that the community was invested in and supported the local library. “It was hard to be optimistic about raising that kind of local money when the libraries in Toombs had been the lowest funded per capita in Georgia for about 20 years,” she said.

Before asking the community for support, an important question had to be answered: Was the public library still relevant today? Didn’t everyone have a smartphone, an iPad, or a personal computer? E-books have all but replaced paper books, haven’t they? Does anyone even go to the public library anymore?

It’s mighty presumptuous and quite inaccurate to assume everyone has the same access to technology. Have we forgotten what it was like for only part of society to have access to information and knowledge?

It wasn’t so long ago that libraries were places for the elite. Just because you were literate didn’t mean you could walk into a library and take a book home to read. Access to information and knowledge for either learning or personal enjoyment was consigned to those who belonged to certain institutions, religious organizations or had a position in society.

We can thank Benjamin Franklin

and his friends for moving things in the right direction with a “subscription library.” Nevertheless, these shared books were only available to those who paid fees. By the mid-1800s, the push for public education brought attention to the need for public libraries. At the end of the Civil War, libraries became the focus of Women’s Clubs across America. But the real impact came from the industrialist

and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in the early 20th century.

One of Carnegie’s main concerns was access to public libraries regardless of race, gender, or social standing. “Overall, Carnegie gave millions of dollars to establish more than 1,600 libraries in the United States,” according to the Library of Congress (website).

By the mid-1930s, the Women’s Club of Vidalia determined to do something about the fact that the community of Vidalia still had no public library. “I have copies of the letters the Women’s Club wrote to different public libraries like the Baltimore Public Library and the Boston Public Library to ask for their discards to start a library in Vidalia,” said Cameron. “All the books were placed in a small room in the Women’s Club building.” By the 1950s, the collection was moved to City Hall in downtown Vidalia. Then, in 1967, the first library building was built on land donated by the Jaycees.

Although the needs and the resources look different today, the purpose of the public library is as relevant as at any time in history. This was the message board members were prepared to give. A message of Chrome books and Kindle fires to check out, an app with thousands of e-books and audiobooks to access, free access to language courses, an interactive online learning platform with hundreds of practice tests, and a state-of-the-art STEM room. They envisioned a kitchen where cooking classes could be taught and a space large enough to host events. Wifi would be available inside the building and outside while sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot. And most importantly, the new facility would include a climate and humidity-controlled space for the Ladson Genealogical Library. The vision was a 21st Century Library that the community could support. Within a short time, $900,000 had been raised. “Senator Blake Tillery did so much at the state level for us,” said Cameron. With his support, the process moved forward, and the grant was approved. “The grant is usually capped at $2 million. But we were the first library in the state to receive $3 million.” (Senator Tillery recently awarded Cameron Asbell the 2022 Georgia Director of the Year award for all her hard work.)

On April 13, 2023, the community came together for the official ribbon cutting of the new library. “The library belongs to the community,” said Cameron. “And the expanded board we have today is made up of great community leaders.” To honor the support of those who donated to make the renovation possible, the library bears the names of the

Your Support Makes a Difference

The library renovation would not have been possible without the generous support from our community. One way you can continue to support its mission is by becoming a library advocate through the Friends of the Library program or by donating directly to the Legacy Tree. " Volunteers and donations are always needed and welcome," said Cameron. To find out more information about ways to contribute visit www.ohoopeelibrary.org/renovation/ or contact the library directly.

donors. For example, “The library was renamed the Mark and Tonya Spivey Library to honor their donation of $250,000,” said Cameron. “Every room has a nameplate to honor the person or persons who sponsored it.”

The library holds free programs each week. “Every week, we have programs like painting, cooking, family story time, a Lego club, STEM play in the Spark Lab, Bingo, and

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Trivia.” Even Virtual Reality (VR) devices are available in the Spark Lab for kids over thirteen.

The Mark and Tonya Spivey Library is a testament to the well-being of our community. It is evidence of our commitment to ensuring that access to knowledge remains a public service for all. And if you just want a good read, they’ve got that too.

Dr. Reid McArthur

Top row, left to right: Kelli Sharpton, FNP-C, Callie Wilkes, PA-C, Anglia Dailey, FNP-C, Shayla Sellers, FNP-C Borrow row, left to right: Carlie Poppell, PA-C, Etta Boss-Cole, MD, Erica Woods, FNP-C

The Next Chapter

“I'm going to live there one day.”

Victor was just a young boy, but he said the same thing every time he passed the house on the way to Dr. McArthur’s office for his recurring tonsilitis. Even then, the house looked as if a good gust of wind would be the end of it. Victor’s father reminded him of his vow when he moved into the house in 1991. Even though he had forgotten the words he’d spoken as a child, he had never forgotten his love for the house with beautiful porches and nine ionic columns.

The house was built in 1910, only five years after Toombs County was incorporated. It was built for George Washington Lankford and his

The story of Nine Columns lives on through a unique bed and breakfast and an owner with a heart for service.

new bride, Agnes (McCauley). “Agnes was a milliner from Savannah,” said Victor. “She came to Lyons to take hat orders, which is how she and Mr. Lankford must have met. After they married, they spent their honeymoon in France.

“While there, they went for a ride in the countryside and came up on a house that someone was tearing down.” It’s not known if the Lankford’s had the origin of Lyon's namesake, Lyon, France, in mind when they purchased the wood and had it shipped back to Lyons. “The McCauley brothers from Savannah built the house for their sister, Agnes. Of course, they had no idea how the wood originally fit together. So, they designed the house around the pieces of wood,” said Victor.

Judge George Lankford was a cornerstone of Lyons and Toombs County. According to his obituary in The Macon Telegraph on June 9, 1941, he died “following a heart attack.” He was “long active in the development of his town and county” and “one of the best known attorneys in this section of the state.” Twenty of his brief fifty-nine years, he was the attorney for Toombs County and also chairman of the Toombs County Board of Education for twelve years, for which he was known as “Common Schools” Lankford. He served in both the Georgia House of Representatives (1917-1923) and the Georgia Senate (1923-

24, 1929-1930). (www.newspapers.com).

George and Agnes Lankford raised four children, George, Ralph, Joe Beatty, and Mary, in the Queen Anne-style house. Years later, Joe Beatty, and his wife, Willie Mae, moved from South Thompson Community to the Lankford house in Lyons to care for his widowed mother. However, by then, the house had already been in decline for many years.

“The front room of the house was made into a bedroom for Granny Lankford so she could see out the front window,” said Mary Edmonds, owner of Mary’s Interiors in downtown Vidalia. She was fourteen when she started going to the house to work for Willie Mae’s catering business. Many locals will undoubtedly remember Willie Mae as the woman who cooked, baked, and catered out of the old house. Mary affectionately keeps one of Willie Mae’s cookbooks still marked with food stains from years of use.

Year after year, the old house continued to decline. In 1982, Joe Beatty died at the age of sixty-seven. Agnes Lankford, his mother, passed one year later at one hundred years old. Following the death of the elderly Ms. Lankford, the house was sold to someone in Atlanta but never occupied.

Due to her failing health, Willie Mae moved into the Bethany Home. “She had raised four boys, taken care of her motherin-law for years, and worked seven days a

week the whole time,” said Mary. “When she started having mini-strokes, she went into the nursing home.” Willie Mae died in 1992, a few days short of her sixty-sixth birthday.

As the house continued to sit vacant, it fell further and further into disrepair. Passersby felt certain they would one day wake up to find it had simply given up the ghost and collapsed into a pile of rubble. Finally, in 1991, the house was

again for sale, and the news couldn’t have come at a worse time. That same year, Victor was diagnosed with colon cancer. While lying in a hospital bed, he and his family decided to buy the house, knowing the opportunity might never come again.

In the following months, Victor gave the house his heart and soul. He worked to resurrect and restore the house to its former beauty between chemotherapy treatments. “There were times when I would be sanding floors and just pass out,” said Victor. Thankfully, the treatments were successful, and the cancer went into remission. He and his family moved into the house on October 11, 1991.

Like the house, Victor had renewed hope. He had taught biology and chemistry in the Toombs County school system for many years. With more life to live, he wanted to do more with his life in a leadership position in the educational system. In 1994, Victor completed his specialist degree in education. The following year, he served as principal of Lyons Elementary School. And by 1996, he had completed his doctorate in educational administration and another in leadership and supervision.

After thirty years of his career in education devoted to the Toombs County School system, he took a position with

the State Department of Education. Five years later, he left the State Department to start his own consulting company and work part-time with Brewton-Parker College as a liaison between schools and the college.

In early 2022, Victor retired from his service in education to begin a new chapter in the service of hospitality. “I’ve always been interested in bed and breakfast inns,” said Victor. “I love that each one is unique. Every place has its own style that reflects the history of the people and the place. I wanted to give people an experience

from a time when silver and china were a normal part of hospitality and service.”

It had taken Victor three years to arrange and organize the antiques and furnishings he had amassed over the years with a vision for a bed and breakfast in mind. Then, midway through his big plans and preparations, Covid-19 hit, and the hospitality industry came to an abrupt halt. As places and businesses reopened, one thing was clear: people were done with isolation and ready for a vacation. In the aftermath of the pandemic, travel trends shifted

The interior of Nine Columns is decorated with carefully selected art and antique pieces dating back to the 19th century. Each piece has a story adding to the charm of this historic home.

Not only is Nine Columns a B&B, it also serves as an event venue. Victor has hosted bridal and baby showers, prom dinners and birthday parties.

OPPOSITE PAGE The well manicured grounds make Nine Columns a perfect location for weddings and outdoor receptions.

more toward Boutique hotels, VRBOs, and Bed and Breakfast venues like Nine Columns.

When Victor opened for business in January 2022, he wasn’t sure what to expect. By early 2023, guests from over ten countries had stayed at Nine Columns. “Guests have come from as far away as France, Denmark, Spain, Greece, and Japan,” said Victor. “I recently had a group here from the Netherlands.”

With its tall ceilings, grand staircase, stained glass windows, chandelier, and twelve-foot wood-paneled sliding doors moving seamlessly into place between the dining and sitting room, the 1910 Queen Anne-style house’s interior makes a stoic stand worthy of its nine columns. A beautiful sculpture by Humphrey Hopper called “the Maiden,” dated March 7th, 1815, looks out from the sitting room window. The dining room features a marble-topped sideboard from France, an antique rug bought from the Dupont House estate sale, and mirrors from an old pharmacy in Atlanta that date back to the early 1800s. On the more modern side, the inground pool is a perfect addition to a B&B in South Georgia.

Nine Columns is not only a B&B but also an event venue. This past Christmas, Nine Columns hosted thirty-two events over sixteen days. “I’ve had bridal and baby showers, bridesmaid’s luncheons, prom dinners, winter formals, and birthday parties,” said Victor. Nine Columns is also a wedding venue and has a beautiful garden for outdoor events.

Four bedrooms on the second floor are available for booking and provide both luxury and comfort. Each has unique features, such as antique painted screens (one of which came from China), balconies, and in-room private baths. One of Victor’s favorite pieces is a four-post bed he purchased from an estate sale in Boston while traveling. “This is President Garfield’s childhood bed. I’m waiting on the documentation to arrive,” he said. “There’s another one just like it in the White House.”

Instead of a “complimentary breakfast” of cold muffins and a small box of cereal, Victor provides his guests with an authentic Southern breakfast. A typical breakfast at Nine

Columns might include quiche, fried bacon, grits, French toast, fresh fruit, muffins, orange juice, and coffee. A coffee bar and wine bar make this B&B experience complete. And if a guest needs something ironed, all they have to do is ask the host, which is something he enjoys. (You’ve got to love a guy who likes to iron.)

Just like Judge Lankford, who served the city of Lyons and the

county of Toombs in those early years of establishment, and his daughter-inlaw Willie Mae who cared and provided for family and the community with her catering and baking services, Victor continues the tradition with his Bed and Breakfast Nine Columns. “I think this was always in my heart for the house,” said Victor.

Nine Columns is more than a successful new business for our

community. It is a memoir of the people, the place, and the time in which they lived. It took someone with a heart to serve others to see that the story of the house the Lankfords built was not over. While others saw a broken-down ruin, Victor saw a home and a place to serve. And for that reason, the next chapter in the memoir of Nine Columns is his to tell.

Makayla and Alton Bass

BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER & DR. SUSANNA MEREDITH

The Race that Matters Most

from her first step, Georgia was running wide open. She ran in her first race at two and a half years old. It wasn’t official. The race was merely passing by on the road in front of her house, but that didn’t stop Georgia from leaving her grandfather’s side to join the runners. By second grade, she was winning races in her age group at Vidalia Heritage Academy (VHA). In 2022, Georgia’s sophomore year at Vidalia High School, she broke the school record with a 19:57 time for the 5k at the Southern Georgia Championship in Hazlehurst. Even so, her most recent feat was not a PR but a bold project she called the Little Feathers Running Club.

Like many athletes her age, Georgia was involved in more than one sport. She joined both girls' soccer and the cross-country team when she transferred from VHA to Vidalia High School (VHS) in 9th grade. But after a third concussion while playing soccer, contact sports were no longer an option. Even so, she could still run. And running was her passion.

When VHS cross country resumed practices in August 2022, Georgia was disappointed to learn that there weren’t enough girls on the team to compete in

The running club at Sally Meadows had a great impact on Bailee. It kept her motivated to continue to run and exercise which is important for an athlete. Having her friends run with her not only pushes her to be better, they also enjoy the company. She’s looking forward to next year.

-Ashley Fondren

many upcoming events. But the disappointment only turned her thoughts toward creating a possible solution. “My younger sisters are both runners. They’ll be coming to VHS soon. So I thought, ‘There has to be some way to get more girls involved.’ I knew it wouldn’t benefit me, but if I could do something to get more girls involved, maybe it would help my sisters.”

At the same time, Georgia was working on ideas for her FCCLA(Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) STAR event. According to fcclainc.org, “Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events are Competitive Events in which members compete at the regional/district, state, and national levels.” For the competition, Georgia decided on a “Chapter Service Project.” In other words, she needed a plan for a project that would benefit the community.

Georgia had her epiphany moment while watching her sisters compete at a private school cross-country event for

VHA. “I thought, ‘This is what we’re missing. Middle school is too late to get kids running. Vidalia needs a running program for kids in elementary school.’”

Georgia was right. If running as a team sport was unavailable in elementary school, participation in middle school was much less likely. This was the bridge that could connect the time when running is a natural part of a child’s life to middle and high school years when access to electronic devices and cell phones is more likely to vie for their time and attention.

“I thought about Bleckley County,” said Georgia. “They have a great cross-country program that starts in elementary school. When you see them compete, you can see how much fun the kids have. I love to watch their elementary kids compete. I thought, ‘That’s what I want for our school.’” It made perfect sense. If elementary kids can experience the fun and camaraderie of running as a team, there would be more chances for participation in the sport in high school.

It was a grand idea for a sixteen-year-old high schooler, and

Georgia’s idea might have stayed only a grand idea had it not been for Mandy Godbee, coach for the girl’s cross-country team, and Amanda Mosley, VHS FCCLA advisor. Georgia found encouragement as well as practical support from both. She also solicited her teammates' input and collaborated with the girls and boys on the cross-country teams for ways to realistically implement the idea.

By the time Georgia met with Scott Stephens, principal at Sally D. Meadows Elementary School, she had chosen a name: “Little Feathers Running Club.” Coinciding with her STAR project, the rubric required her to “Identify Concerns: Target Audience.” With data from usnews.com for Toombs County, she learned, “Our overall population health scores are lower than the national average. Adults and children in our community participate in less physical activity and have a higher heart disease prevalence and a higher cancer incidence. Mental health statistics for the county are also poor, with higher-than-average citizens with frequent mental distress and depression.”

“Many children in rural Georgia do not get the chance to experience or try the sport of running,” said Georgia. “Their involvement in sports comes from the opportunity to participate in public school sports. Running is a sport anyone can do. It’s low cost and requires only a pair of running shoes.”

With Mr. Stephens on board, Ms. Mosley helped Georgia create a flyer, and Coach Godbee

ABOVE The Little Feathers Running Club focuses on 4th-5th graders. They meet twice a week at 7:00 AM for practice.

Running Club was a huge commitment from the runners, parents, and coaches. Mondays and Thursdays at 7 a.m. before school is a lot to ask from 10 and11 year olds. But the coaches were awesome! They were consistent and taught them discipline and gave the kids multiple opportunities to see their growth over the season. We are so thankful for Georgia and Coach Godbee for their sacrifice to invest in our Little Feathers! -Jamie

Sharpton

set up the Band App to enable communication with parents of potential participants. Initially, the goal was to reach the 2-5 grade. “But Mr. Stephens and Ms. Mosley recommended we begin by targeting 4th and 5th graders,” said Georgia, “and meetings be scheduled for Monday and Thursday mornings for working parent’s schedules and bus route issues.”

The first meeting was held on December 15th to determine if there was enough interest to proceed. Nearly fifty students signed up. Then, in early January 2023, Georgia presented to various civic organizations, including the Vidalia Lions Club, the Rotary Club, and the Kiwanis Club, to solicit help for her proposed budget. Each offered support. Georgia also spoke with the local hospital director at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital. “The hospital loved the idea so much that they paid for all the team t-shirts," Georgia also designed. Additionally, one of the parents donated the water and snacks needed for practices.

Georgia and Ms. Godbee lead the first Little Feathers Running Club practice on January 9th at 7:00 a.m. “There is always a high school student and either Ms. Godbee or Ms. Mosley there,” said Georgia. “On Mondays, we work on speed work. Then on Thursdays, we do long distance. Today, we gave them a popsicle stick every time they did a lap. That way, they could keep up with how many laps they had left. At the end, we count up to see who got the most for the girls and the boys.”

As stressful as it may be for the parent watching from the stands, healthy competition provides

innumerable benefits. Even a loss is an opportunity to learn emotional control. Getting up and trying again may be the most beneficial life lesson of all.

Of course, the question in the mind of parents and teachers alike

was: “Won’t these 4th and 5th-grade students be falling asleep in class after running laps at 7:00 a.m.?” The answer was no surprise to Georgia. While preparing for her upcoming STAR presentation in February, she read study after study that confirmed,

“…in the two hours following exercise, participants experience improved executive functions such as memory, problem-solving, cognitive flexibility, verbal fluency, decision making, and inhibitory control. Exercise also helps students keep their attention levels up when tired” (National

Feedback from both parents and teachers made them all believers. “Teachers noticed a change in behavior with kids and improvement in attitudes and attention to school work. Kids are even

asking parents to run with them on weekends!” said Georgia.

Without question, access to school sports is vital for our community. But the fact remains that the most important impact on a child’s health is the one made by parents. It was previously noted that Georgia's first race was at two and a half. But that’s not exactly true. “My mama ran races with me in a stroller before I could walk,” she said. “Both of my parents did cross country in high school. That's where they met. They actually started dating in high school.” Georgia smiled. Running is not the only beneficial

model for life exemplified by her parents. Georgia’s father, Gray Meredith, owner of Long Leaf Builders, cares enough about this upcoming generation to teach construction at Vidalia High School. In addition, her mother, Dr. Susanna Meredith, serves our community as an OBGYN at our local hospital.

The impact of our influence as parents should never be underestimated. Loving and teaching our children is without question the greatest honor and most important mission in a parent’s life. Even so, we all know that their peers and social influences sometimes take precedence. During those short years of adolescence that feel like an eternity, our role becomes monitoring those influences, not as friends, but as parents. And then, it’s truly on them. No amount of good parenting can negate a child’s personal and individual responsibility. The gift of freedom made even the most perfect garden a dangerous place to live. Even paradise required personal choices to remain free. Everyone has to deal with a snake regardless of upbringing or opportunity.

Without question, Georgia’s project Little Feathers Running Club demonstrated exceptional leadership and social-mindedness. But her response to yet another injury demonstrated character on another level altogether. When she had to quit soccer due to concussions, she had turned all her energy toward running. “My friends are my teammates, and I’m really close to my coaches,” she said.

Eventually, Georgia could no longer push through or ignore the

Little Feathers Running Club was such a fun experience for our kids. Never have they been more excited to get up early than on the days they had running club. Little Feathers taught them how to challenge themselves to run farther and faster than the day taught them discipline and commitment to self. They just enjoyed running so it gave them the opportunity to just be kids and run! –Jamie Lewis

pain in her knee. The diagnosis was Plica, an inflammation of the fold in the knee. When self-rehabilitation proved unsuccessful, surgery was recommended, which was scheduled during her spring break. With physical therapy, she plans to “come back even stronger and faster for the fall crosscountry season.” In fact, she’s not satisfied with breaking the school’s 5k record. Georgia fully intends to work toward breaking both the 1-mile and

2-mile school records as well.

As for the FCCLA Star event, her presentation was so well received that she was asked to present a workshop at the State Conference on March 24, 2023. More importantly, the overall health and well-being of children and families in our community will continue to benefit from the project, which resumes with cross country season in the fall.

As an upcoming Junior, Georgia

always understood that the Little Feathers Running Club was about changing the future. It was a vision compelled by love for her sisters, Claudia and Ginny, and compassion for the kids in her community. Change doesn’t come from angry or frustrated people with only criticism to give. It comes from dreamers who love enough to be on the track at 7:00 a.m. with 4th and 5th graders. For Georgia, this is the race that matters most of all.

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Family, Community & Justice for All

BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER

The day after Christmas 2012, John Jones entered the Lyons courthouse as the new County Manager. He was only the second person to serve in this position. That same day, the Judge rendered his decision in a lawsuit concerning Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) between the city and the county. John was not a politician. He was a businessman. He did not grow up in Toombs but in Cook County. Furthermore, local politics being what they are in small towns, John didn’t think too much about it when his brotherin-law, Lyons Police Chief Wesley Walker, encouraged him to apply for the position. Even so, he agreed to meet with Senator Blake Tillery, then Chairman-Elect of the Toombs County Commission, just to satisfy his brother-in-law. And one conversation was all it took.

“I knew this was where we were to be,” said John. “I called my wife, and I told her to get ready. We're fixing to move to Toombs County.”

As someone who strongly values family and community, County Manager John Jones is the perfect candidate to oversee one of Toombs County’s largest projects that serves the people.

Like many families in Toombs County, John grew up on a farm. “We lived between Tifton and Valdosta. My grandfather started the farm,” said John. And like many farming families in our area, his grandfather started out as a sharecropper. Over time, he purchased the place he farmed from the landowner, who was a doctor in Florida. When John’s father came home from WWII, he attended college on the G.I. Bill. Even so, he returned home

to take over the family farm from his father-in-law and expanded it over time. In post-WWII America, agricultural policymaking abounded, and marketing quotas were put in place by USDA commodity programs. Without irrigation systems like today, a successful year entirely depended on the weather. “This was back when they had ‘allotments,’” said John. “Peanuts and tobacco were the big crops for us. The ‘big event’ of the year was the tobacco sale, which

With the building still under construction, John gives a tour of the new courthouse to writer Teri Williams, pointing out many of the modern features it will have.

started in June. Everybody came to the tobacco warehouse in town. That was where you would make most of your money for the year.”

John’s parents made it clear that he and his two brothers would attend college when they finished high school. But, then, working in tobacco made college sound like a pretty good plan to the boys. “When we were teenagers, me and my brothers made a pact. We said, ‘If we ever get out of this tobacco field, they won’t catch us back in it again.’ And we’ve been true to our word,” he smiled.

John graduated from Valdosta State University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. His first job out of college was with C&S Bank, where he met his wife. After a few years, he took a position with First National Bank. “Within eighteen months, the bank was sold four times. At that point, I decided I needed to do something else,” and he went to work with an agricultural research and development company called Landis International.

“The company had only just gotten its start,” said John. “I'd been married a few years, and we had our first child. We were really taking a chance with them, but it worked out. I learned so much from Dr. Landis. He came from the pharmaceutical company Merck, considered the best managed international company in the world at that time. He taught me how to manage people, processes, and procedures.” John eventually became part-owner of the company and served as Director of Accounting & Finance and Quality Assurance.

When Landis International was sold to a publicly traded company, John went to work as a controller (leader of the accounting team) with Bearden Oil Company in Eastman. “We had twentyeight convenience store chains. It was the largest distributor of Race gas throughout the southeast at that time.” After twentysomething years with the oil company, John said, “As he was reaching retirement age, the owner began to downsize and get the business down to something more manageable.” And at that same time, the position of Toombs County Manager became available.

As John thought back, he said, “The year before we moved had been extremely difficult for me and my family.” Eleven months earlier, he had lost his oldest

son, Zach, in a car accident. “By the time we moved to Lyons, I was not the same person that I was a year earlier. I see people differently.” John paused. The small room seemed to expand. All the busyness and cares of the day drifted behind a tangible awareness of eternity. “I see everything differently. I will tell you that the pain we felt was something I would not wish on my worst enemy. But I do not call it a tragedy. Zach was saved. It would only be a tragedy if he had not known Jesus. God has cared for me and my family and shown us things we would never have seen or understood before.”

To honor their son, John and his family started the Zach C. Jones Foundation. “We give scholarships to students at the high school where Zach graduated,” he said, “and send support to the elementary school in Clyattville, Georgia, where our son had been working. He always

RIGHT Paying homage to the original courthouse, a cupola was added to the current design. I steel onion created by local artist Ruth Williams rests on the top exterior as a reminder of our agricultural heritage.

wanted to make a change in the world. Just because he wouldn’t be here didn’t mean he could not still make that change.” The peace and confidence with which he spoke were undeniable.

On December 26, 2012, when John walked through the doors of the courthouse, he passed by the historical marker listing the names of the first to serve Toombs County in 1905. The last entry on that marker reads, “F.A. Thompson, Treas.” F. A. Thompson (b.1857-d.1920) is buried in the Lyons City Cemetery. Today, over a century later, the new County Manager’s job is likely similar in some ways to that of the first treasurer. As the board of commissioners present projects to the county manager, he puts together a budget and determines precisely how the project might be funded.

John’s first course of action as the new County Manager was getting an evaluation of all of the buildings. “We realized we had two immediate issues,” he said. “One was the detention center. The other was that the air conditioning system for 80% of the original 1964 courthouse was on its last leg.”

The very first courthouse was built in Lyons in 1905 in a neoclassical style by architect George C. Thomason with J. W. Golucke. When it burned down in 1917, a second courthouse was built by Macon architect Alexander Blair III and completed in 1919. The current courthouse was built in 1964 in a modern style. The architect was W. P. Thompson, Jr., Contractor Scott Robinson Co., and the 1975 addition was added by architect Fred Curran.

“The air conditioning system was part of the original 1964 courthouse,” said John. “We got prices from different folks, and the cost to replace it was from half to three-quarters of a million dollars. The 123-bed detention center was built in the early 1990s and stayed at capacity. So, we knew we also had an issue with space there.” (Note: The air conditioning finally quit about a year short of the completion of the new courthouse. A mobile unit

ABOVE Part of the judicial complex construction includes expansion of the current Toombs County Detention Center adding more beds for inmates and a larger booking area. BELOW The renovations also include a tunnel, dubbed “the long mile,” which connects the detention center directly to the courthouse.

Through the Years

has supplied heating and cooling in the interim.)

The feasibility study made it clear that the air conditioning system in the current courthouse was only one part of a much bigger issue. Anyone who has been in the courthouse in recent years has seen the crowded offices, some of which have been shared by different agencies simply because of lack of space. “The building had served the county well for many years,” said John. “But we had outgrown both the building and the technology in it. So we either had to do a major renovation and expansion or build a new courthouse altogether.”

There was a lot to consider. But, regardless of what decision was made, the public works building that sat next door had to go. “We needed to get that building and all of its heavy equipment out of downtown,” said John. “So, we acquired land at the landfill and then moved the public works service out there.”

The decision was based on a threephase process. First, an architectural firm performed a feasibility study on the current buildings. The feasibility study returned seven different options. “Renovating the current courthouse was going be very, very limited because of how it was built,” said John. “The building would have had to be completely rewired in addition to the air conditioning.”

Phase two involved a survey of all the occupants in the courthouse to help determine present and future needs. In the meantime, John worked through the numbers with each option presented by the architectural firm. When everything was considered, the decision was obvious. With the next fifty years of service in mind, the board and its manager agreed that a new courthouse would best serve the needs of the people of Toombs County.

“We chose a ‘contract manager at risk’ process,” said John, “which the state often uses for big construction projects. This allows you to bring in a general contractor at about 50% design phase. Then, between the architect, the engineers, and the general contractor, they ‘value engineer’ the rest of it out.

The original Toombs County courthouse was built in 1906 by Architect George C. Thomason with J.W. Golucke on the current site. A fire in 1917 caused extensive damage to the building.

After the fire of 1917, the courthouse was redesigned and rebuilt in 1919 by architect Alexander Blair and contractor Little & Phillips. The central cupola was left out of the design.

In 1964, a modern courthouse was built under the direction of architect W.P. Thompson, Jr. and contractor Scott Robinson Co. An addition was added in 1975 by architect Fred Curran.

IMAGES PROVIDED BY COURTHOUSEHISTORY.COM

RIGHT The new courthouse is scheduled for completion in summer 2023. Its design incorporates elements from the earliest courthouse version, like the cupola and the front portico. BELOW An onion

In this way, the general contractor can give you a guaranteed cost analysis.”

The real challenge now was figuring out how to pay for the multimillion-dollar judicial complex and expansion of the Toombs County Detention Center. “We sought the advice of several different financial institutions,” said John, “and finally chose to go with Davenport and Associates out of South Carolina. Their plan involved going to the bond market to issue bonds.” As the County Manager, “One of the biggest and most important components about this project was the financing side of it,” said John. “Getting a bond rating, which Toombs County had never had before, was a big deal. We came out with a AA bond rating, which is pretty remarkable for our county. In essence, the effective interest rate on that is 2%. And that particular day was the largest government bond issue in the history of the United States. It was just unbelievable.”

Since the money will be repaid using sales tax dollars, people visiting the community to buy goods and services will help pay for it. Also, by using sales tax dollars, no property taxes will be required to repay the debt.

On April 21, 2021, officials gathered to break ground for the new courthouse and renovation and expansion of the Toombs County Detention Center, which will be expanded from a 123 to a 190-bed facility with a larger booking area and all new electronics. The expansion will also include a tunnel connecting the detention center to the courthouse. “We call it ‘the long mile,’” John smiled. “This will improve security.”

The new Toombs County courthouse stands where the original 1905 courthouse first stood. When construction began, burnt timbers from the first building were recovered, according to John. As soon as the

building project is finished during the summer, the old courthouse will be torn down. At that time, construction will begin for a large parking area and park. An added benefit was a grant awarded to the city of Lyons for a sixfoot sidewalk that will extend from the courthouse to the downtown area.

Every aspect of the new courthouse was built with safety and security in mind. The first floor will house county government offices. The state court judge, state solicitor, and the magistrate judge will be on the second floor. Rooms on the third floor are for superior, juvenile, and probate courts and chambers for visiting judges. In addition, the new facility has

fabricated by Ruth English rests on the top of the cupola as a nod to our agricultural roots.

four courtrooms and several attorney/ client rooms.

Like the first courthouse, the new courthouse has a dome. But unlike the former hall of justice, the 2023 dome is embellished with a metal onion sculpture designed and constructed by local artist and sculptor Ruth (Williams) English. The onion has a long history with farming families in Toombs and surrounding counties. As far back as the 1930s, the onion has gained attention for its sweetness. Today, it is named the official vegetable of Georgia.

The Vidalia onion is essential to this region. When, where, and who discovered the sweetness of the area’s onions remains controversial. Of course, the success of the marketing of the trademark name “Vidalia onions” was never about an onion grown within the city limits of Vidalia or even Toombs County. In fact, The official Vidalia onion production area, as designated by the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 and passed by the Georgia legislature, includes 13 counties and parts of 7 others: Toombs, Tattnall,

Emanuel, Candler, Treutlen, Bulloch, Wheeler, Montgomery, Evans, Telfair, Jeff Davis, Appling and Bacon, and parts of Jenkins, Screven, Laurens, Dodge, Pierce, Wayne, and Long counties.

The onion atop the Toombs County courthouse dome represents an essential part of the history that connects this entire region. Ironically, the sculptor’s creator is directly related to F. A. Thompson, the first treasurer of Toombs County. Ruth, my incredibly talented daughter, was commissioned and created the sculpture while pregnant with her second child. The doctor who delivered her son Arthur on Thanksgiving Day 2022 was Dr. Ashlee Nicole Tillary, Senator Blake Tillary’s wife.

It all comes full circle, these connections we share. Our new courthouse is not just a new facility but a symbol of our commitment to the families in Toombs County. When John decided to take the position here, it wasn’t so much what Senator Tillary said to him that day as it was the spirit of family and community expressed by

Blake that connected with John’s own heart to serve.

“I’ve never had a job before where I could actually benefit as many people as possible in this position. If you're going to serve in the government, you’ve got to want to serve people because that’s what we are. We’re servants of the people. People work hard for their money. So, it’s our responsibility to be wise in how we spend their money to benefit our community,” said John.

At the groundbreaking for the new courthouse, Chairman David Sikes spoke of burying the “proverbial hatchet” between Vidalia and Lyons over the site of Lyons as the county seat. He even went so far as to bury a hatchet at the site of the new building as a symbol of unity. Football games aside, there is nothing more insidious than division, especially division caused by jealousy and/or greed. The future of Toombs County’s three cities, Vidalia, Lyons, and Santa Claus, depends on our commitment to unity. And true unity does not put the importance of one place or person over another. Each city has an individual identity and gives value to the whole.

We are families. Just like the Thompsons. One Thompson brother went north of the county and established the community of North Thompson; one went south and established the community of South Thompson where Ruth English and her husband, Mason, now raise their two sons. Two ends of the county. One family.

No one values family and community any more than John Jones. He was the perfect candidate to help facilitate our collective need for a new courthouse, and we are grateful to have him. All of his past experiences, both professionally and personally, worked together to prepare him for this time and place. May the 2023 Courthouse symbolize our commitment to justice and to the families who call Toombs County home.

LEFT No leader accomplishes much without a good support staff. Here John is pictured with his office staff from left to right, Julia Beachum, Celina Vazquez, John, Valerie DeLoach, and Helen Harris.

BY TERI R. WILLIAMS

Beauty from Ashes

what

does a loved one who has just received a cancer diagnosis need most from family and friends? Unfortunately, it’s an all too common question that many of us have had to face. Only a year ago, Tiffany might have been as perplexed as anyone by that question. But today, she knows firsthand what a simple bag of practical and thoughtful items like the one she received from her mother-in-law, Ruth Underwood, can mean for someone undergoing cancer treatment. Today, Tiffany has made her nonprofit company, Tiff Tiff’s Chemo Bags, a mission of love.

Tiffany worked as a food manufacturing biologist for Chicken of the Sea and U.S. PET for several years. Then, in

2012, she took over management of her and her husband’s various businesses, which included Rhodes Electric, rental properties, and other investments. During this time, she began noticing skin changes. Eventually, Tiffany was diagnosed with cystic acne. Although the condition is more common in teenage years, it can develop during any time of life and often follows natural hormonal changes in the body.

Unlike typical outbreaks, cystic acne is a severe, painful condition that can leave severe scarring. Ever the biologist, Tiffany began to research different treatments. But after medicines and every other treatment she tried failed, she scheduled a virtual consult in January 2020 with Reanne Kelly, a Master Esthetician in Washington. With an intensive internal health program and specific products for her condition, Tiffany’s skin showed marked improvement within a few months.

“I'd always had an interest in the ingredients of beauty products and how they're sourced,” she said. “I thought it would be amazing if I could go to school and help someone else. So, on a whim, I applied for the Esthetics Program at Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro and was accepted.”

In August 2021, Tiffany began the twelve-month program at Ogeechee while continuing to manage her and her husband’s businesses. Her natural talent for skin care was evident from the start. Before long, even her teachers were asking for her opinion. Tiffany had a gift for matching skin type with the right products and knowing what

Tiffany Underwood's personal battle with cancer showed her a way to help others

ingredients were necessary to restore skin health. She had the most clients coming into the school clinic for her services.

As the weeks passed, Tiffany could not shake off fatigue and general malaise. At first, she blamed it on her intense schedule. She was still managing all the businesses while also going to school full-time. “And, I reminded myself, I was getting older. I was thirty-eight. Getting closer to forty,” Tiffany smiled. “When I look back now, I realize I had not felt well for some time.”

But her physician, Dr. Foust, decided routine bloodwork was in

order. The results were concerning enough for him to refer her to a hematologist. Then, there was nothing to do but wait on the results of more tests. Only in looking back would Tiffany recognize the series of seemingly unrelated events as divine messages of encouragement and preparation for the days ahead.

The first was a phone call from her best friend’s daughter, Anna Hudson Hamilton. “A couple of months earlier, my husband had taken me to see this new bright orange jeep. I don’t even like the color orange,” she smiled. “But we ended up getting the jeep. Anna Hudson wanted us to drive her to the

service at Vidalia Cornerstone Church that Sunday in our new orange jeep.”

Struggling to keep up with work and school while physically feeling unwell, Tiffany had fallen out of attending church services. Even so, there was no way she would refuse Anna Hudson’s request. “As I was getting ready that morning of June 5, 2022, she felt the Lord speak to her heart and say, ‘Put your armor on. You’ve got a battle ahead.’”

Tiffany and her husband picked up Anna Hudson and went to the service in the orange jeep. On that particular morning, Patsy Blalock shared a testimony about “overcoming” while undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer. “She’s this unassuming and kind older woman. She was thanking the people for their love and support during her treatment,” said Tiffany. “It was an amazing story of how God brought her through it. It really was a miracle. She said that God obviously had more for her to do. But the entire time she was speaking, I kept hearing the Lord say to me, ‘Keep her perspective, and hold it in your heart.’”

Tiffany was being prepared. Putting on her armor was not an act of self-protection but a revelation of God’s protection. Every piece of the “armor of God” except one from Ephesians 6 speaks of something He had provided. The helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, belt of Truth, shoes worn in preparation for peace, and the shield of faith. All spoke of trust in what He had already accomplished. Only the sword was an offensive weapon: “The sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God” (ref. Ephesians 6:17b). Even then, God’s words would protect and keep her heart and mind.

On June 8, 2022, Tiffany was told she had a rare type of Leukemia called “hairy cell leukemia.” The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website defines it as “a type of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow…. Hairy cell leukemia gets its name from the short, thin projections that look like hair on its cells” (www.lls.org). “It more commonly affects older males,”

said Tiffany. “Only 2% of those diagnosed with this type of cancer are women.” She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “You’d think they could come up with a cooler name, right?”

Her sense of humor was not a cover-up but a way to keep the seriousness in check. The irony of the orange color for the ribbon for Leukemia was not lost on Tiffany. She smiled and said, “If we had not bought that bright orange jeep, Anna Hudson would probably not have asked for a ride to church in my ‘cool’ jeep on that particular day.”

Tiffany’s first round of chemotherapy at Low Country Cancer Center in Vidalia was scheduled for July 11. “The day before is a day I will never forget,” she said. “I had so many people reach out to me and come pray with me. Some came just to ‘lay eyes on me’ and say they were there for me. When my mother-in-law brought the bag to me, she said I would need these during chemo treatments. In the bag, there was a blanket, socks, hand cream, tablets and rinse for dry mouth, anti-nausea drops, and other items I would never have put together myself.”

On the day of treatment, friends gathered outside her treatment room to support and comfort her with their nearness. In the treatment room, Tiffany had the gift bag from her mother-inlaw and a book given by a friend called “Praying Through Cancer” by Susan Sorensen. “It’s the best devotional ever,” she said. “The

prayers and the inspiration and encouragement are amazing.” But it wasn’t until that first treatment that she understood how grateful she would be for every item in that bag. “I used everything. The blanket, the socks, the Jolly Ranchers. Everything. There was no way I could have known what that bag would mean. It gave me such comfort.”

Chemo treatment continued for

five days, followed by immunotherapy once a week for four weeks. Each treatment of immunotherapy took eight hours. All through treatment, Tiffany continued to go to school. For a while, she didn’t tell anyone there about her diagnosis and treatment. She had already reached the course requirement of one thousand “contact” hours she needed for certification. But, eventually, she had

no choice. “The only thing they had to do for me was give me my final test separately because I had chemo treatments during that last month of school.”

Tiffany graduated from Ogeechee Tech on August 2, 2022, and finished her treatment on September 6th. When the test came back on December 2, that she was in remission, she was more than grateful. “The reality is that although it is treatable, it is not curable,” said Tiffany, “which means I could have to go through treatment again in two years, twenty years, or never.” But now was the time to celebrate and look forward with gratitude and expectation.

On September 14th, Tiffany passed her board exam. The following day, her husband, John, said, “Let’s go see your building.” The week before her diagnosis, Tiffany and John had closed on a building on Maple Drive in Vidalia. He insisted it was the perfect place to set up her new shop. But two weeks after her last treatment, Tiffany learned that her mother, Valerie Quigley, had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The news felt like a violent undertow had knocked her down, and now an entire ocean pressed against her chest.

Chemo treatments were immediately scheduled. When Tiffany finally fought through the weight of all the emotions, she got the bag her mother-in-law had given her and took it to her mother. It was the one thing she knew would be a comfort in the days ahead. Tiffany was grateful to find that one of the nurses that had attended her during treatment would also care for her mother. “On my last day of treatment, we figured out that Jennifer and I were in the same firstgrade class,” said Tiffany. When she pulled out her first-grade class picture, she found her. “She’s looking just over my right shoulder. Like an angel.” She smiled. “Jennifer was my mom’s nurse the entire time she was in treatment. They became very close. It made me wonder if she had been brought back into my life just for this time.”

It was Tiffany’s husband, John, who came up with the idea of giving bags to other patients in treatment.

ABOVE Tiff Tiffs Chemo Bags are filled with a variety of things that chemo patients will find useful like a blanket, lozenges for dry mouth and nourishing cream for dry hands and feet.

ABOVE During Tiffany's chemo treatments, she discovered her nurse, Jennifer, had also been in her first grade class. An old class photo revealed Jennifer looking over her shoulder "like an angel," said Tiffany. When her mother began treatment, Jennifer was by her side again. "It made me wonder if she had been brought back into my life just for this time.”

“You should call them ‘Tiff Tiff’s Chemo Bags,’” he said. (Tiff Tiff is an affectionate nickname given to her by many of her closest friends and their children.) “You know how much that bag comforted you,” John said. “Imagine all the people you could help.”

Tiffany knew her husband was right. “About 10 to 15 new cancer patients are coming for treatment every month right here in Vidalia,” she said. When she shared the idea with others, she realized that she wasn’t alone. No longer was cancer someone else’s story. Nearly everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, whether with a family member or a friend. Donating chemo bags was something they could do. Something that would make a difference for the person in treatment. A way to give love in the most practical possible way for someone in treatment. Tiffany began the process, and in November 2022, Tiff Tiff’s Chemo Bags was officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

The nonprofit was not the only way that Tiffany found to help people in her community. While Tiffany focused on her mother’s care, renovations moved forward on the building on Maple Drive. On February 8, 2023, Tiffany opened the doors of her new skincare business, SKINCO,

for her first client. “I understood so much more now about the skin during chemo and menopause that I would never have known before,” said Tiffany. “The concept of SKINCO was always to be a place that provided everything from waxing and facials to lash lifts and skin health. I know from experience the effect of chemo on the skin. I understand how menopause changes the skin because I underwent induced menopause.” It wasn’t just

a good business idea; it was now a passion.

And she would need that passion now more than ever. On March 28, 2023, John’s stepfather, Sam Polk, passed away unexpectedly from complications of cancer. He and his wife, Ruth, had been married for thirty-six years. On the morning of his funeral, Tiffany's mother passed away. She was by her side ‘til the end. Valerie Quigley was only fifty-seven years old

at the time of her passing. That same day, Tiffany and her husband attended his stepfather’s funeral. Even though it was difficult, they walked through it together.

After meeting Tiffany, I was reminded of the message Bill Johnson, Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, gave on July 22, 2022, shortly after losing his wife, Beni, to cancer. “It’s easy to judge God by what He didn’t do,” he said. “But the humble heart will look at what He’s done.” His words are the sum of my impression of Tiffany. Yes, she has suffered. But with humility of heart, she has been strengthened and comforted. (Note: Bill Johnson’s entire message entitled “How to Process Loss and Disappointment” is available on YouTube.)

Hundreds of people in Tiffany’s church and community sent cards, texts, and prayers and brought food. Some sat for hours at the Cancer Center during her chemo and infusions just to be a comfort by their presence. Children made bracelets that said TTT for “Team Tiff-Tiff.” Friends set their cell phone alarms for reminders to pray for specific needs. And when her mom was diagnosed with cancer, “Those same people sent her cards, food, and gifts,” said Tiffany. “She was so amazed by the outpouring of love and care from people, and some she had never met.”

And when Tiffany’s mother passed away, an outpouring of love carried her through the darkness of loss and grief. Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” “Mourning will either take you to the Comforter, into the presence of the Holy Spirit, or it will take you to unbelief,” said Bill Johnson. “Mourning can take me into [His] Presence to experience what I don’t understand…. Answers won’t fix the problem; [His] Presence will” (YouTube.com).

ABOVE In February, Tiffany opened her new skincare business, SKINCO. While she focuses on overall skin health, her experience has given her an even deeper understanding of skincare changes affected by chemo and menopause.

From the bright orange jeep to the nurse from her first-grade class, Tiffany saw each one as a sign of God’s presence and care. On May 23rd, she made her first delivery of Tiff Tiff’s Chemo Bags to the Cancer Center in Vidalia. The response was overwhelming. Eventually, she hopes to expand the outreach to other cancer centers nearby.

I began this article with the question, What does a loved one who has just received a cancer diagnosis need most from family and friends? I want to answer that question with a bold statement. As difficult as it is to walk through the loss of a loved one, there is something even more tragic: Walking through loss alone. Tiffany’s family, church family, and this community put their arms around her and proved that love is stronger than death. They shared in her suffering and her hope in remission. From the ashes came beauty. And that is what both SKINCO and Tiff Tiff’s Chemo Bags are really about.

A Man of Many Talents

Most people know Luther Wardlaw for his musical acumen, but his talent extends far beyond singing. From movies and music production to running a restaurant, nonprofit ministry, clothing line and family, Luther’s faith has made him unstoppable.

My first question was not how, but Why? Any one of Luther Wardlaw’s many business ventures and acts of philanthropy would be a full-time job. So why does he continue to find new ways to be involved in the community? The usual suspects for such busyness didn’t fit. Thirty seconds in a room with Luther Wardlaw, and you’ve crossed out anything resembling self-importance or ego. Don’t get me wrong. He will step up to a podium, walk on any stage, and do so without hesitation. Not with self-importance— but self-confidence. The answer to why is simple. Luther is the man with five talents. (Ref. Matthew 15) He uses everything he’s been given to love and to serve. And for that reason, God gives him more.

Luther’s father, Rev. Carl Wardlaw Jr., and mother, Mary, built a strong foundation on spiritual truths that demonstrated love daily in practical ways. The three-bedroom mobile home Luther was raised in with four other brothers and a sister was never too small to share with a family in need. “My parents believed in the ‘Golden Rule,’” said Luther. “Treat people the way you wish to be treated. If you don’t want it done to you, don’t do it to them” (ref. Matthew 7:14).

As the son of a minister, church life was front and center. And with every church service and event, there was always music. Early on, the six children (in birth order), Tony, Stephanie, Luther, Jamie, Carl, and Rodney, were blending their voices in worship. Eventually, Stephanie (McCloud) turned her focus to raising a family, and the five remaining siblings became known as The Wardlaw Brothers.

ABOVE Luther’s family is his greatest inspiration. He is the proud father of Kennedy Marie, Martin Luther II, Lyric Alexandria, and Ava Rei’L.

Inspired by the harmonies of groups like Boyz to Men and Take 6, their music brought together the depth of soul and the improv of jazz. Luther graduated from Toombs County High School in 1995 and added knowledge and hard work to his gifting with a Bachelor of Arts

in Music from Brewton Parker College. In addition to his vocal talents, Luther also developed skills as a musician. Today, he is proficient on every instrument in the brass and woodwind family (which includes the trombone, trumpet, tuba, baritone,

saxophones, flute, and clarinets), piano, organ, and drums.

In 2000, The Wardlaw Brothers recorded their first album called Putting My Life in Your Hands. As the primary songwriter, lead singer, and producer for The Wardlaw Brothers, Luther has written several singles that have topped the billboard gospel charts, including “Right Now Lord”, “Come Through, God's Been There”, and “God Has Kept Me.” The brothers have released five albums, and several of their songs have been nominated for both Stellar and Dove Gospel Music Awards. The group’s hit album Stand There was also #1 on Billboard’s gospel sales chart.

The Wardlaw Brothers have performed nationwide and for organizations such as the National Baptist Convention and the NAACP National Convention. They have also performed on major networks and programs, including BET, UPtv, TBN, Bobby Jones Gospel, Yolanda Adams Morning Show, Good Morning America, and Family Feud with Steve Harvey. (A clip of the performance and Harvey’s response can be viewed at www.twb5.com.)

In 2016, the Wardlaw family faced the unimaginable. While serving as chief executive officer of TWI Counseling, Tony, the oldest of the six Wardlaw children, was charged with fifteen counts of Medicaid fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud. In addition, several other family members who held positions in the counseling service also faced charges. “All of them were found not guilty,” said Luther. “Tony was acquitted on all Medicaid fraud charges but convicted on the one count of conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud. It was insane. The judge sentenced him to five years, the maximum sentence possible.”

Even with all their community work and service, people they had known all their lives distanced themselves. Thankfully, others stepped in closer and wrapped their arms around them. “We had grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We stepped up and took care of my brother’s family,” said Luther. “And God moved and turned things around in a matter of months. Tony went to prison in November 2016 and was home by February 2018.” A music video of “God Has Kept Me,” a song Luther wrote from this experience and performed by The Wardlaw Brothers can be viewed on YouTube. (It’s so good I had to watch it several times.)

Having a family member incarcerated was now personal for Luther. The experience gave him a front-row seat to a world of need he had never known. “When I looked into this world deeper, I realized this was a major crisis. Most people don’t have the kind of support system we had for my brother’s family while he was in prison. But then, when the person finally gets out of prison, they are faced with trying to start over. Simple things like finding employment and housing are major issues. And if they can’t find work, they can’t pay the fees they hit you with while on probation. Honestly, it is one obstacle after another,” said Luther.

He could have looked at the whole system and thrown

up his hands. He had his brother home again. Besides, what could one person do? But, in October 2019, Luther proved what one person could do when he established a nonprofit organization called Rei’L Ministries Worldwide Incorporated. At the beginning of this article, I asked, Why? What was Luther’s motivation? How he did so much was never the right question. When you’ve got a fire in your bones for something, it empowers you and gives you grace.

Rei’L Ministries has teams in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, and Mississippi. These teams are volunteers, many with full-time jobs and responsibilities. These are true heroes of the day. The ministry involves a 13-week program and partners with Reentry University and Youth Intervention Academy. By partnering with other organizations, Rei’L can provide a variety of services for both families of the incarcerated and those struggling to reenter society, including mental health therapy, housing, mentoring, a GED program, transportation, and job skills and career training, just to name a few.

“We’ve helped former inmates get jobs with UPS, Dot Foods, and Amazon,” said Luther. “We also partner with ‘Lieutenant Curtis’ in Chicago. He has a graduate program that can provide certification for things like solar installation and firefighter certification. When former inmates graduate from this class with Lieutenant Curtis, they can go to work anywhere in the United States. Last year, we saw about 340 graduates from the program.”

Rei’L Ministries has worked with over sixty men since its beginning. When I met with Luther, a middle-aged man just released from prison was with him. Three more hoping to join the program were expected to be released by the end of the month. “We’re working every day to try to partner with other employers, realtors, landlords. Housing is a big deal,” said Luther. “There are so many empty buildings, old schools, and gyms abandoned just sitting there. Places like that could be repurposed for housing,” said Luther. (For more information and to contribute to this ministry, go to www.reilworldwide.org)

The ministry was named Rei’L for its special meaning. It was a meaning Luther himself defined. “Rei’L is the middle name of my youngest daughter, Ava,” said Luther. “She was born in 2018, the same year Tony was released from prison. Rei’l was a combination of letters from the names of her parents. This was Luther’s second marriage, but it was not to last. Shared custody involved going back and forth between Lyons and Nashville for thirty-day stays. (Ava now resides in Georgia fulltime with her father as the primary custodial parent.)

“During that time, Ava taught me so much about resilience and strength,” said Luther. “I decided to petition the Library of Congress to make it a word. I wrote my own definition, and they accepted it. It means “Very sturdy and unable to be bent or moved. Immovable. Unprecedented strength and resilience.’”

Ava had a great example to follow. Luther’s example

Music production and management are some of Luther’s latest ventures. LEFT Working on the film score for The Perfect Mate. BELOW LEFT Luther’s management group represents actor Quinton Aaron who played in The Blind Side and Blue Lightning, which was partially filmed in Lyons.

wasn’t perfection; it was humility. “Even though I could do nothing to fix this, I struggled with rejection and shame. My parents have been married fifty years,” said Luther. “We don’t divorce. Marriage is sacred. Here I was now going through a second divorce.” But amid the tormenting voices of disappointment and failure, Luther had a revelation. He wasn’t a man without sorrow, but he was a man without shame.

Regret and shame are a deceptive counterfeit of humility. True humility is the only soil in which grace can take root. The founder of Moed Ministries, Grant Mahoney, once said, “Pride can degrade the highest of

angels into devils, and humility can raise fallen flesh to the thrones of Heaven.” Humility brings a revelation to the heart of complete dependence on God. God’s love wasn’t just a good sermon to preach at people, but the song in Luther’s heart that woke him up each day with new mercies. For him, being a single father was about as close as he was ever going to get to understanding how much God loved him. (Luther is the very proud father of four children: Lyric Alexandria, Martin Luther II, Kennedy Marie, and Ava Rei’L.)

Luther continues to create avenues of service with his record label Ascension Records, and a management

company called Ascension Entertainment Management. One of Luther's most recent clients is Quinton Aaron, “Big Mike” from The Blind Side. Aaron recently completed his first single for an upcoming album, which he recorded in Luther’s top-notch recording studio in Lyons. “We met on the set of Blue Lightning,” said Luther, one of the film's coproducers. Derby Hill at Callaway Park in Lyons is one of the main settings for the movie Blue Lightning, which was filmed almost entirely in Toombs County. Blue Lightning debuted at the Blue Marquee Theatre in downtown Lyons on January 28, 2023. The film is now available on the Pure Flix streaming service.

In addition to the long list of talented singers, models, actors/actresses, and performers signed to Ascension Entertainment Management, Luther also made his acting debut in The Perfect Mate (2020), now available on Amazon Prime.

I suppose the only thing Luther had yet to undertake was a restaurant and a clothing line (for now, at least). The first happened in December 2022 when Luther and his brother Tony opened The County Seat on Victory Drive in Lyons. It’s a great asset to our community and has fantastic home-cooked food. “We run it,” said Luther. “But

if Mama comes in and wants something done differently, there are only two words to say: ‘Yes, mam.’”

The second undertaking, a clothing line, will be available in August 2023. The name of Luther’s clothing line is “Altar Before Anything.” “It’s a reminder that before we do anything, take it to the altar. Before every decision, go to the altar,” said Luther.

Covering all the many platforms from which Luther stands was no small task. And I haven’t even mentioned his first solo single, released in 2021, “On the Way.” I began this article by comparing Luther to the guy given five talents in the “Parable of the Talents” (Bible ref. Matthew 25). In the story, Jesus says that the one given the most used what he had been given to double it. The one given the least hid that which he had in fear because he perceived the Gift-giver as harsh and demanding. His wrong perception cost him. In fact, his one talent is taken from him and given to the guy with the most. It doesn’t sound fair, does it? But this isn’t about being fair. It’s about being faithful. That’s Luther. He has no fear of disappointing God because of mistakes. He can be trusted because he knows the Gift-giver is a loving Father. And that’s something Luther fully understands.

Luther’s father Rev. Carl Wardlaw Jr., and mother, Mary, raised their six children on a strong foundation of spiritual truths. They were taught to follow the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Even today, they continue to have great influence on Luther and his brothers especially when it comes to cooking at the restaurant Luther and his brother Tony opened.

BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER

The Boss & His Niece

Glancing back at days gone by, Benjie Stephens remembered well when small family farms defined the landscape of Toombs County. In those days, droves of passing birds could turn the sky to dusk in a moment. Today, few families plant so much as a summer garden, and if the sky suddenly darkens, it’s more likely a coming storm than a passing murmuration. The paradox of progress is the trade-off between what is gained and what is lost.

“Farming practices have changed,” said Benjie. “That’s one reason we don’t have the birds we used to have for dogs to hunt.” Lack of birds is not what has the President of the Vidalia Field Trial Club concerned, but lack of involvement of youth in the sport today. For his part, Benjie is doing what he can to ensure the future of bird dog trials by passing on his many years of knowledge to young people like his niece, Jazlyn Denmark.

Okay, so niece isn’t exactly right. Jazlyn is actually Benjie’s first cousin twice removed. “Jazlyn is the granddaughter of my cousin, Greg,” Benjie smiled. As an only child, Greg was one of five first cousins on Benjie’s mother's side. “We were about the same age and raised really close. We were like brothers and sisters.”

Even though Benjie is more like a grandfather to Jazlyn, she affectionately calls him “Boss.” She was thirteen when she first began helping on his farm. The hundred-acre farm where Benjie trains bird dogs has been in his family for many years. “My parents bought the land from my great-aunt Ebesta Shuman in the 60s,” said Benjie.

Bird hunting was a birthright that goes back three generations on both sides of his family tree. In fact, his father was the President of the Vidalia Field Trial Club, a position Benjie has held for many years. On more than one occasion, he has given a hunting dog he’s trained to a young person who has shown interest in training and competitions. “My hope is that the next generation will keep this sport alive,” he said.

As much as Benjie enjoyed watching the sport, his own passion for training and competing in the trials developed over time through his friendship with great competitors like longtime Vidalia veterinarian Dr. L.G. Thompson and Jesse Dunwoody from Baxley. “Jesse taught me quite a bit,” said Benjie. “He competed in field trials up into his nineties. When he got too old to train himself, he started sending dogs to me,” which spoke volumes about Mr. Dunwoody's confidence in him.

On the day of her prom, Jazlyn competed in a 4-H Shooting Competition. Her dedication to the sport has helped her push through some of her medical issues.

For many years, Benjie trained and competed in trials across the Southeast. But in 2010, when he lost his eightyear-old English Pointer Swift Creek Bo to cancer, he took a step back. The unexpected loss of his champion dog hit hard. Anyone who has ever loved and lost a dog knows how difficult that loss can be. Even though Bo had won more competitions than any other dog, it was much more than the loss of a champion. Dogs are affectionately called “man’s best friend” for good reason.

Three years later, the health of Benjie’s ninety-one-

year-old mother began to decline, and he took on the role of caregiver until her passing in 2020. At the time, Benjie also worked as an optician for Dr. Edwards at Vidalia Eye Care. During that time, there was less time for dog training. Nevertheless, Benji said without pause, “Caring for my mother was a labor of love, and I wouldn't change a thing.” (Many will affectionately remember Benjie’s mother, Tabitha “Boots” Stephens, from her long-time service as a Pink Lady at Meadows Memorial Hospital in Vidalia.)

In 2014, as Benjie focused on his mother’s care, his

Like his father, Benjie was President of the Vidalia Field Trial Club, and spent years training and competing in trials. When he lost his favorite champion English Pointer, Bo, to cancer in 2010, he had to step away for a while. Today, he trains dogs, but he also enjoys helping his "niece" Jazlyn practice for field trial competitions.

“niece” Jazlyn was diagnosed with Chiari I Malformation. “Chiari malformation,” according to mayoclinic.org, “…is a condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal. It occurs when part of the skull is misshapen or smaller than is typical, pressing on the brain and forcing it downward.”

Her symptoms began when she was only two years old. The pain in her head was unbearable. As a young child, she would scream uncontrollably until she vomited. Desperate to find answers, Jazlyn’s parents, Kim Hutcheson and Thomas Denmark took her to multiple doctors. Finally, she was (incorrectly) diagnosed with abdominal migraines. “I was put on many different things: nasal sprays, pills, shots, and IVs,” said Jazlyn. Some things seemed to work for a while, but the headaches always returned. “I missed a lot of school, but catching up with my classwork wasn’t the hard part,” said Jazlyn. “The worst thing was being unable to socialize

with other kids my age. I couldn't do much of anything without getting sick.”

It took six years and countless doctor visits to get a correct diagnosis. “I was finally referred to Dr. Thompson, a neurosurgeon in Savannah. He ordered an MRI with contrast,” said Jazlyn. “It showed that I had Chiari I Malformation and a cyst on my spinal cord. The overgrowth of my cerebellum had also formed a tumor.” Surgery depends on the severity of the symptoms and the degree of malformation. At the time,

the cyst was believed to be small enough to dissolve over time, and she was initially treated with medication.

But the cyst did not go away on its own. Just before her tenth birthday, Jazlyn underwent Chiari decompression surgery. According to The American Center for Spine and Neurosurgery website, “The goal,” of the surgery “is to stop the progression of changes in the anatomy of the brain and spinal canal, as well as ease or stabilize symptoms. When successful, surgery can reduce pressure on the cerebellum and the spinal cord and

When Jazlyn was thirteen, she started helping Benjie on the hundred acre family farm where he trains dogs. She started out cleaning stalls and helping raising quail, but in 2021 Benjie helped her get ready for her first field trial.

restore the normal flow of spinal fluid.” During the procedure, the tumor on her spinal cord was trimmed.

The surgery seemed a success. A short time later, Jazlyn and her family moved to Brantley County. Tragically, she and her family lost their home and two dogs in a house fire not long after the move. Jazlyn was thirteen when she returned to Toombs County. “That’s when I started going out to the farm,” she said. At first, Jazlyn cleaned dog pens and horse stalls. Eventually, she helped Benjie raise the 600 to 700 quail he uses for training. (Only blanks are shot in this type of competition, but, of course, the birds don’t know that and don’t stick around to find out.)

The farm was not only a sanctuary of peace for Jazlyn, but also a revelation of purpose. The great storyteller, songwriter, and poet Ray Hughes once said, “Your life mission is not a calling, but a caring. If you want to know what you’re called to, just look for what you care about.” On that wide open space of nature where Benjie trained trial dogs, Jazlyn found not only what she cared about but also a place of peace and beauty.

Unfortunately, relief from the symptoms of Chiari were short-lived. “In 2018, I started getting sick again with excruciating headaches and nausea,” said Jazlyn. New scans revealed her skull had not formed correctly after the previous surgery. “Every time she moved her head, it would constrict the blood flow.”

And yet, Jazlyn was determined not only to keep working with Benjie but also to follow in the footsteps of her brother Rhett and compete with the 4-H Club shooting team called “Project Safe.” In 2019, she competed with the team

in the “modified trap” division at the Real Squeal BBQ and Music Festival in Lyons. “We placed first,” she stated proudly.

With Benjie’s encouragement, Jazlyn also competed in her first field trial. In 2021, she placed third at the AG Preserve in Glenwood, Georgia, with Benjie’s dog Swift Creek Big.

By January 2022, a second brain surgery was inevitable. This time, “The doctor shaved off some of my skull to give my brain more room,” said Jazlyn. “He also cut out the scar tissue wrapped around major muscles and arteries and put in a metal plate.”

Jazlyn returned to work with Benjie and the dogs as soon as she was able. On the morning I drove out to Benjie’s farm to meet the current group of bird dogs in training, Jazlyn had just called to tell the Boss she had hit twenty-three out of twenty-five targets in shooting practice that morning. “What happened to the other two?” he teased. He’s right proud of this 2023 Toombs County High School graduate. In the fall,

Jazlyn will leave Lyons, where she lives with her dad Thomas Denmark and step-mom Deana, to start her journey at ABAC to become a veterinarian.

As technology changes the landscape of the future, “the trade-off between what is gained and what is lost” becomes more imperative. No one who has ever picked cotton or tobacco is bemoaning the technology that replaced hand-picking with high-tech machinery. Yet, there can be no compromise, no bargain made with the thief that would steal time with those we love or destroy the land that serves us all.

The important stuff: the dogs, the farm, and family. For Benjie, that means passing on his passion for dog trials to the next generation. For Jazlyn, it means looking to the potential in the present rather than defining her future by what she’s suffered in the past.

“What does not kill me makes me stronger,” is perhaps a bit misleading. (Although Kelly Clarkson made the old adage popular, it’s originally from the writings of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.) It was not grit and determination, but peace that strengthened Jazlyn with courage. In fact, the apostle Paul wrote, “The God of peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet,” (Romans 16:20 NIV emphasis mine). In the face of adversity, peace may well be the greatest weapon of all. And what better place to find peace than with nature and a few great dogs for company.

Christina's Warrior Women

BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER

The approach to adulthood can be complicated for many reasons. For some, navigating the journey from teen to adult can feel like trying to land a two-seater plane in a lightning storm. Until age fifteen, Christina’s life seemed like that of any other kid her age. Her recollection of normal life is roller skating with her friends at her house on Brumette Street in Vidalia late in the evenings. But the day her mother died, all normal ceased to exist. It wasn’t until Christina had children of her own that she began to find her true self again. Today, Christina’s artwork is a visual language of the varied stages of womanhood. Each painting is part of a narrative of the strength and healing women bring to one another and to the world.

Christina’s parents were both successful business owners. Her father owned Georgia Machine Manufacturing Company. Her mother taught private art lessons in her home and later owned The Midas Touch, an upscale children’s clothing store in downtown Vidalia. Reminiscing through old papers recently, Christina pulled out her first job application. She was seven at the time. Christina was running after her dad and “helping” the ladies in the office at Georgia Machine from as far back as she could remember.

Although childbirth after forty is more common today, when Christina’s forty-one-year-old mother, Nancy, and forty-three-year-old father, Clyde, learned they were expecting their second child, most thought it was unplanned. But the pregnancy was no surprise. Christina’s parents seemed unmindful of the fact that there would be a twenty-year difference between their second child and her older sister, Leslie. Ironically, the surprise was Jennifer (Jen), a third daughter born a year and a half after Christina.

When the girls’ father left them, it was, of course, a confusing and painful time. But their mother and older sister did all they could to secure the young girls with love and stability. Tragically, six months after their father left, Nancy was diagnosed with cancer. Within six weeks of the diagnosis, she was gone. She was only fifty-six years old at the time.

Leslie moved into the house on Brumette Street with her own two young children, Laura and Larry, to care for her two younger sisters. At the time, she was also going through a difficult separation. Although Leslie was reserved and kind-hearted like her mother, she was no pushover. Leslie poured everything she had into all four children even though the loss was shared. Throughout high school, Christina continued to work part-time at Georgia Machine, which had been renamed Precision Manufacturing. Then, in 1986, only two years after losing her mother, she graduated from Robert Toombs Christian Academy. After high school, she worked full-time at the manufacturing plant. It was the only world she knew, and she knew it well. Eventually, Precision Manufacturing closed, and GAP Partners, a metal fabrication company in Clayton, Georgia, bought the assets. By that time, Christina was married and had started a family. When GAP Partners offered Christina a position in sales, she took it. While her children were still young, she was able to work from home.

When Christina found herself divorced with her four-year-old daughter, Macy, and two-year-old son, Clifton, she turned to her older sister. With Leslie’s unique dry sense of humor, and an insatiable passion for Jesus, she filled the shoes of both sister and mother. Looking back on that time, Christina said, “The Lord has pursued me throughout my life. He’s always

The figures in Christina’s paintings represent both the people she knows personally, and figuratively, women since the dawn of civilization. They are often a representaton of the different seasons women experience in life.

been there. But I didn’t turn to Him until after my children were born, and I began spending more time with Leslie. Her love for Jesus was simply contagious.”

In 2004, Christina found new love when she married Calvin Burdett. With her two children and Calvin’s four (Adam, James Spencer, Rachel, and David Paul), it was a houseful when they were all together. In the years that followed, the Burdetts shared the greatest of joys as their children grew up and began lives of their own. They also shared the greatest of sorrows. In 2008, Calvin and his first wife, Carol, lost their son James Spencer at the age of twenty-one.

Through joy and sorrow, Christina and Calvin continued to grow in their love. Now, with nine grandchildren, the couple moved into a new phase in their lives together. For some time, Christina had been traveling back and forth to Clayton with her job. About six months after her husband retired from the Edwin I.

Hatch Nuclear Plant, she decided to retire as well. With more time at home, she said, “I thought it would be fun to try my hand at painting. I bought a canvas and watched some YouTube videos where they painted with their hands. I started with flowers. It was not pretty. I’m still not good at flowers,” Christina smiled. “I have a good friend who told me sometime later, ‘I’m so proud of you. When you first started painting, I was a little worried.” We both laughed.

As Christina moved from acrylics to palette knife painting, she began to remember things long forgotten. “Me and Jen have talked about this,” she said. “There's so much of our childhood that was lost. Whole parts we don't remember because we’ve both just blocked it out.” Memories of books with

paintings by great artists, including the Old Masters, were in every room of the house. An easel ready for their mother’s palette knife. A dozen shades of color in half-used tubes of paint. Nancy Culler’s artwork was sold and displayed in businesses throughout town. Even when Parkinson’s Disease prevented her from painting, she continued to sew small diaper bags to sell in The Midas Touch. The store became a channel for her creativity as well as a place for connection with other women in the community.

Slowly, gently, Christina found her way. Blending, shading, and creating, the symmetry of a woman took shape. The woman on the canvas was depicted from the back. Christina was almost startled as she realized that the woman was herself. And yet, it was all

the women in her family as well. The painting was every woman from Eve to that present moment.

As Christina continued to paint, she recognized stages and places, seasons and changes women experience, often alone. “One painting shows a woman in a bar scene with her head down,” she said. “I called it, ‘This is only for a Season.’ Sometimes you get all dressed up, and you're all alone without friends. And then, I've painted women in groups enjoying each other's company and women dressed for a shopping trip.”

Christina’s “Warrior Women Series” is an especially powerful group of paintings. “Rahab” is one of her personal favorites. “She is a warrior woman in the lineage of Jesus,” said Christina. Often, the story in Joshua 2

is remembered from Joshua’s perspective. Scenes describe seven days of marching and trumpet blasts. But before the march, the trumpets, the shout, and the fallen walls, a prostitute named Rahab saved the lives of the spies of Israel. In return, the spies promised to keep her and her family safe. The book of Matthew documents Rahab as the mother of Boaz. “All her accusers, gone. All those who abused her, gone. A slate wiped clean. What would that have felt like for Rahab?” (ref. Joshua 2).

The “Woman at the Well” (ref. John 4) is another in the Warrior Women series. “Her story isn’t summed up in the choices she made,” said Christina. “Not for me. Her story begins after that one encounter that changed everything. And that’s the only story that matters.”

One of my personal favorites is of Christina’s sister, Leslie, playing her beloved violin. Her passing this past February was a loss for many, including my own family. After an annual trip with family to Disney World (her favorite place), she returned to work the following day at Georgia Pine Straw, our family business. Leslie had worked in the office for the past thirty years, and was an invaluable employer and friend to everyone there. She passed away after a sudden illness that same day. She was seventy-three years old at the time. Truly, a warrior woman.

Today, Christina’s artwork is available in shops throughout Vidalia, including The General Store, Downtown Bistro and Catering, the coffee shop and bakery Equipped, and in Mount Vernon at the Southern Peach Marketplace. Facebook has also proved a great market for her artwork. “I hope

LEFT Christina uses a plaette knife technique that gives her paintings texture and emotion.

BELOW The Warrior Women Series has depictions of Bible characters like Rahab (red) and Leah (yellow).

my art will speak to women about who we are and honor the different stages of life we experience,” said Christina. “I want to empower women and show the power we carry as women to heal one another in this broken world. As I get older, I cherish my friendships more. I see how important our bond is, not only to each other but for the good of our entire community.”

As Christina pulled and pushed the paint with her palette

knife, each woman in her Warrior Women series appeared on the canvas from the back. Turned to us, we might have judged the character of the woman by a single moment captured in time. Instead, each one emphasizes the hope in the revelation that each day is new. Her artwork tells us that the story is not over. Not even in the passing from this life to the next. The Warrior Women in Christina’s heart are with her forever.

Great things are happening in downtown Lyons!

After much renovation, Lyons Main Street along with the Welcome Center and Museum have finally relocated to the building next door. The new park on the corner of NW Broad St. and N Washington St. is now complete and has become a beautiful place for the community to meet, relax and have a good time. Our website has been updated. Go to www.lyonsmainstreet.com to find information about businesses, community calendar, walking map, information about Lyons, how to start a business, facade grant program, and more.

Text LYONSMAINSTREET TO 22828 to sign up for our newsletter

Scare on the Square

Do you love Halloween? So do we! Visit the downtown merchants to have some fun with tricks and treats.

Let the smell of apple cider get you in the fall spirit. Check out the lamppost scarecrows created by local businesses and organizations. Enjoy a family fun evening hosted by our local businesses. Take a peek at what they have to offer and remember to go back and shop local! Visit our website or Facebook page for updates on events.

Lyons Lighted Christmas Parade

Enter your business or organization in the Christmas Parade. Remember to use plenty of lights as the parade is at night. The winners of each category win $100 and a trophy.

October 6th & 7th

Hometown Throw Down

September 8

Miss Real Squeal Scholarship Pageant

September 9

The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival

October 6 & 7

Scare on the Square TBA

Winter WonderLyons TBA

Christmas Parade, December 1

Miss Real Squeal Scholarship Pageant

This year’s pageant will be held at STC on September 9th. $2450 will be awarded in scholarships and cash prizes. Interviews will be included in the pageant, and the Miss Interview Winner will receive a $400 Scholarship. The Junior Miss Interview Winner will receive $75 cash. For more information contact pageant director Leslie Harrell at 912-4039538. Signup online at www. lyonsmainsteet.com/miss-realsqueal-scholarship-pageant/

Hometown Throw Down

Join us for the second annual Hometown Throw

Down in downtown Lyons on September 8th, the day of TCHS’s first home game! Clubs and organizations from TCHS will have tents set up downtown with goodies. Meet the football, softball, baseball, and basketball players, as well as the track team, wrestlers, cheerleaders, and the Redcoat Marching Band. Bring something for them to autograph and take a picture with the mascot! Cheer the football team on as they do the Dog Walk downtown, Lyons, before heading to The Pit. If you would like to be involved, call Tabatha Nobles at 912524-3212.

If you enjoy meeting new friends and being active in your community, Lyons Main Street is the place to be! All of these events are sponsored locally and run by volunteers.

PHOTO BY EZ-E PHOTOGRAPHY

Kailey Debbie Daisy Linda Karime Tanickha

How do you use your Toombs County Magazines?

We often have people tell us they keep all of their Toombs County Magazines cherishing them like history books that are a testament of our community. We even had a lady tell us she used it as a “phone book” to look up numbers for her preferred providers, shops and restaurants. Recently, Janice Hernandez, Enrichment Teacher at Toombs County Middle School, dropped a note sharing how her class used the magazine for a project. The class made vision boards from magazine articles. “Toombs County kids making visions from Toombs County made visions–it was powerful, and they all had a great time doing it,” said Janice.

It Keeps Getting Sweeter

by Tonya Green Parker

Downtown Vidalia just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter… after a wildly successful Food Truck Fest last fall, we realized how much more we needed events for the community to enjoy and to bring folks into our fantastic downtown shops. In May, we began “Sweet Saturday” which will take place every second Saturday of the month through October. These Saturdays will have live music, great food, a variety of vendors, inflatables/games for the kiddos, and of course, shopping. Plan to join us when you can!

2023 Board of Directors

Valerie McLendon, Altamaha Bank

Amy Murray, City of Vidalia

Terri Humphrey, Peppy’s

Eric Smith, GA Power

Wendi Cason, Community Hospice

Cindy Reddick, Accessorize It! Designs

Zac Moore, Parlor Media & Marketing

Jennifer Crutchfield, SG Sweet Onion

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS

Doug Roper, Mayor

Nick Overstreet, City Manager

Bob Dixon, City Council Liaison

Jennifer Evans, City Council/DDA Liaison

Wendell Dixon, County Commissioner

Alexa Britton, Convention & Visitors Bureau

Ann Owens, Great Vidalia Chamber

Find the Sweet Spots

Scan the QR code below for a downtown area map.

DON’T MISS WHAT’S HAPPENING DOWNTOWN...

The 505 with DVA @ Altama Museum

5th Annual Chocolate Walk

Downtown Chalk Walk

DVA Boost Grant Recipients The Floating Axe and Parlor

Rooted in Every Layer of Business!

Become part of the Greater Vidalia® Chamber

Greater Vidalia® Center for Rural Entrepreneurship Breaks Ground

A Place for Entrepreneurs to Go, A Place for Entrepreneurs to Grow

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Greater Vidalia Center for Rural Entrepreneurship was held Monday, April 17th at the Ronnie A. Dixon Park followed by a shovel ceremony on site of the new facility. The “Center” will be located at 204 East First Street in Vidalia. The ceremony was highlighted by remarks from various leaders who recognized individuals for their contribution to the project and who shared the vision for building business through entrepreneurship. Creating the “Center” has been a 4 year process, and with the ground now officially broken, we can’t wait to see the building progress!

Leadership Programs Help our Communty Succeed

GVC graduates two leadership classes

The Greater Vidalia® Youth Leadership Program recently graduated the 2022-2023 class. 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.

This year’s graduates are: Nicole Acosta, Daniel Adorno-Pagan, Julia Beacham, Emma Beasley, Abbie Bishop, Reece Brown, Riley Campbell, Rebecca Evans, Bailey Hutchins , Kate Kennedy, Seth MacGregor, Tank Morris, Chase Moye, Zach Moye, Emma NeeSmith, Madison Starr, Anna Claire Stephens, John Colby Thompson, Emily Thompson, MaryLaura Tippett, Andrew Tuck, Allison Waller, Emma Williams, Keyone Williams, and Mary-Claire Wolfe. The program Presenting Sponsor is Brewton-Parker College.

Leadership Greater Vidalia® Class of 2022/2023 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.

Graduates are: Kendall Bennamon, Adeline Branch, Jennifer Crutchfield, Natasha Farmer, Steve Freenor, Jordan Kight, Michael Lane, Daisy Manning, Lee McCloud, Tabatha Nobles, Tyler Salter, Conner Thigpen, Senecca Underwood, Sarah Wardlaw, Kimberly Warren, Tiffany Yancey, and Mario Zamarano. The program Presenting Sponsor is Pineland Telephone Company.

Save the Date

State of Social Services

Thurs., August 10

Summit

Thurs., September 28

Ribbon Cuttings December-April

State of Industry

Thurs., October 5

Business Expo

Thurs., October 12

Why Join the Greater Vidalia® Chamber?

Our mission is to prepare, develop, and promote our businesses and community for economic growth. The Greater Vidalia® Chamber (GVC) is the strongest and 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

Ribbon Cuttings, Open House, and Groundbreaking Events

“Grow with Us” Luncheons

Shopping Locally Promotions with Community Bucks Program

Discounted Workers’ Compensation and Health Insurance Premiums

And So Much More!

For more information, please contact Dana Brown via email at danab@ greatervidaliachamber.com or directly by phone at 912.537.4466.

To stay updated on what your Chamber is doing, visit www.greatervidaliachamber.com and sign up for our email newsletters!

Local

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 buy local.

S’moore Coffee Shop & Creations

Vintage Barbers Renae’s Cafe

Hidden Forest RV Club

Spivey Public Library

It’s always good to Shop

Elite Insurance Group

The Brice House Wilkes Funeral Home

Ellianos Coffee

Three Rivers Home Health Southeastern Paper Group

“My daughter’s 14th cake & coffee evening birthday party was rained on, but not rained out! Prior to the start of the party, our neighbor (on Charles Drive, Vidalia) had set up an outside scavenger hunt for our daughter to hunt for her gifts. When it started to rain, we didn’t let it stop us. Umbrellas in hand, we walked down and held the hunt despite the rain. This is the shot I took from behind as we all headed down the street.” –Brenda

Hadden

photo by | BRENDA HADDEN

Scenes of Toombs Co.

Every season has a song that lets you know it has arrived. As bare branches turn into a sea of green and perennials awaken and burst forth into vibrant color, spring’s song begins wth a concert pitch. Birds become extraordinarily chirpy, stirring up a competitive chorus. In the evening, you can close your eyes and listen to the sound of crickets, frogs, mosquitos and owls take their turn adding to the song. You can’t hear the seasons change quite the same in the city–which is another great reason it’s good to be in

Toombs County!

photo by | DIANNE S. MIXON

photo by | ED WONN

photo by | DIANNE S. MIXON

photo by | JOE CLARONI

photo by | ED WONN

photo by | JAKE CLEGHORN

photo by | MIGUEL ORTIZ

photo by | DIANNE S. MIXON

photo by | JOE CLARONI

photo collage by | DR. MARK OXLEY

photo by | MICHELLE SUBER

LAST Words

Sing Your Way Through Life

My earliest recollection of loving music was in the late 60’s sitting with my mom in her sewing room while she mended and created clothing for six children. She had a stack of albums that ranged from the Big Band era to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and I was there for all of it. While playing in her round, cookie tin with poinsettias on top that had been converted into a button box full of cast-offs and extras, she would make me close my eyes and listen to the spinning album and tell her what my mind’s eye saw within the music. These lessons were invaluable and instilled in me a passion for music that I still enjoy today.

Being the baby, I grew up with brothers and sisters that also had a love of music, but my big brothers were considered bad musical influences. My oldest brother, according to my mom, had questionable taste, and I was forbidden to listen to his albums. It seems there was an incident when I was 5 years-old and was caught singing at the top of my lungs Jim Morrison’s “Come on Baby Light My Fire.” I’ll never forget my mother’s look of shock as she asked me if I even knew what the words meant. She proclaimed they were highly inappropriate, that I was never to sing that song again and wasn’t to step foot in my brother’s room until I was much older. It certainly did not stop me.

I grew into loving musicals (Oliver!, The Sound of Music, Music Man, Cabaret, etc.) and had the albums to every one of them that I played on repeat. But it is important to note that my passion grew so deep that I could also, and still can, sing every jingle from every commercial and television show during my formative years. I cannot tell you about a conversation that I had with my husband yesterday, but I can sing every word of the Fig Newton and Lowenbrau beer jingle from the 70’s.

I wrote my first and only fan letter to Sonny and Cher. I was obsessed with their variety show and was devastated when they divorced; I took it personally, and I put pen to paper, begging them to please stay together, for my sake and for the sake

of their daughter. They never responded. I spent hours becoming Cher in the privacy of my pre-teen bedroom complete with lime green shag carpet and orange floral wallpaper. I would pull a shirt partially off my head and allow it to hang down like long hair, I fashioned ridiculously long fingernails out of Scotch tape colored with Bic Banana markers, and I used my sister’s round hairbrush as a microphone. When I tell you that I was Cher, I mean it; the likeness was simply uncanny.

My teenage years brought so much angst and drama and, as a result, my musical taste changed as often as my mood. I was just as much into sobbing over a stupid boy while listening to Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love” and willing the telephone to ring as I was attempting self-imposed whiplash while rocking out to AC/DC’s “Back in Black” in my neon pink blazer with shoulder pads that rivaled a football player’s. I see that shoulder pads are back, by the way, and ladies…for the love of all that is holy, just don’t unless you are going to include Aqua Net in the mix.

My twenties brought in the age of the mixed tape, which was better than any store-bought present or Valentine considering the hours they took to make. You knew if someone handed you a cassette tape with a handwritten insert of the contents AND gave the compilation a title specific to you, that you were loved. “Ann’s Birthday Tape”, a compilation of songs including those by The Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan was carefully curated for me in an attempt to win my heart even though it wasn’t actually my birthday or even close to it. This was a personal symbol of love, a reminder of all the songs we sang together while riding in his truck, and that tape and those songs sealed the deal for me. I still love it and you,

husband.

Music remains a large part of our life. Karl carefully nurtured a Grateful Dead buddy in our oldest daughter (thank God because it got me off the hook!), and our twins have the uncanny ability to sing just about anything from a Disney movie and can sing the entire score of The Greatest Showman and Burlesque. All 3 grew up participating in many sing-a-longs in the car, and I will never, ever, hear “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac without thinking of my girls.

My favorite part of listening to good music is dancing with reckless abandon, like I’m invisible. A few years ago, the husband and I had one of the best times we’ve ever had at a Wood Brothers concert in Savannah. We danced and sang so hard to “One More Day” that we were drenched in sweat and walked to our hotel on a high. Second best was when we visited Red Rocks in Colorado and, holding hands, we both cried to The Avett Brother’s closing song, “I Have No Enemies” and subsequently decided we want that song played at our funerals… and that is the power of song.

I recently read that with the right music you either forget everything or you remember everything. I have thousands of songs that are the soundtrack of my life –I can literally smell my brother’s Dodge Magnum that wreaked of stinky feet and Marlboro cigarettes every time I hear “Gimme Three Steps” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and that is one memory I hope I never lose. Enjoy yourself some tunes, people. Sing loud, dance hard, and embarrass your family – you’ll live longer, I swear. And if you pass me on the road and see me singing, hear music coming all the way through my rolled-up windows, and notice that I’m wearing Scotch tape fingernails, mind your business because I’m living my best life.

Enjoy the music...you’ll live longer

Ann Owens is a writer, creative genius, entrepreneur, mother, and wife who enjoys pondering what makes the world click

CELEBRATING

23 YEARS OF SERVICE

At Community Hospice your loved one will receive the best possible care in a calm, compassionate environment by the area’s leading hospice provider. Our staff is professionally trained to provide not only physical and emotional comfort, but also spiritual and social care for the patient, family and significant others. Quality of life is our goal and we offer the finest, full-family care program available in Vidalia and 14 surrounding counties.

Jason Colbert, CHPCA, CEO