Sumter County Living August 2017

fall 2017

sumter county

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Citizens Bank of Americus has a proud history of serving the banking needs of our customers for 80 years.

We are a locally owned community bank headquartered in Americus, Georgia. We offer a full range of products in order to serve the banking needs of businesses and residents in Sumter and Webster Counties and the surrounding areas.

Citizens Bank of Americus is your bank for a lifetime.

Living the American Dream Elena has been a model example of faith, perserverance, hard work and determination while empowering others.

Faith for the Journey

Paul and Lori Evans answered a call to missions that took them around the world to Taiwan.

We offer Remote Deposit Anywhere - deposit checks from your mobile device wherever and whenever it’s convenient for you.

It’s fast, easy, and secure. Call 229.924.4011 to learn more!

Americus-North Lee Street (Main) 119 North Lee Street Americus, GA 31709 Phone: 229-924-4011

Americus-Tripp Street 106 Tripp Street Americus, GA 31709 Phone: 229-924-4011

Preston-Washington Street 534 Washington Street Preston, GA 31824 Phone: 229-828-3325

Leaving a Lasting Legacy The amazing stories told by Col. Bowles could have filled a novel, but the way he humbly spoke of them shows the pride he took in his country.

growing

Wolf Creek Plantation is a family business that is putting Americus on the map for its Southern muscadine wines.

H o m e t o w n L i v i n g at i t s B e s t

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Plains HISTORIC INN

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ANTIQUE MALL SHOP . DINE . STAY Below the Inn, enjoy shopping for antiques in the new mall featuring display cases and over 25 booths!

106 Main Street Plains GA 229.824.4517

www.plainsinn.net Hometown Living At Its Best

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contents 12

Splendid Hideway

Sometimes a place of relaxation is not far from home. Sometimes it’s right under your nose.

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From the Ground Up Hulme Kinnebrew’s business is a company held together, not only by a family name, but a bond that extends beyond the confines of the Kinnebrews.

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Faith for the Journey

Paul and Lori Evans answered a call to missions that took them around the world to Taiwan.

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Growing Tradition

Wolf Creek Plantation is a family business that is putting Americus on the map for its Sothern muscadine wines.

The cover photo is of Matt Johnson and Jerry English. Check out page 52 for the story on their succesful venture of restoration and vision.

The photo was taken by David Parks. www.dparksphotography.com

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Leaving a Lasting Legacy

At 96 years of age, the amazing stories told by Col. Bowles could fill a novel, but the way he humbly spoke of them shows the pride he always took in his country.

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About the Cover

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Living the American Dream Elena has been a model example of faith, perseverance, hard work and determination while empowering others to reach their goals and dreams.

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A Place of Peace in the Storm

Hands of Hope Pregnancy and Resources Center offers a place of hope amid the seemingly hopelessness of crisis pregnancies. At this place of calm, Kymberly Carter shares the love of Jesus Christ, and the hope He offers, with all who will listen.

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Without Reservations

Sheriff Smith is in his 13th year as the Sumter County Sheriff and he has led this county through some exciting, difficult and trying times.

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Built on Community

This local bank that has changed and grown for 80 years has thrived in Americus because of its dedication to its customers and the community it loves.

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The Legacy of Lives Well Lived

Nona Ruth Deriso Larsen and Mildred Kinard Wilson have lived “long upon the land” to say the least. They are both centenarians who graduated, one year apart, from Union High School, which educated children in Leslie, Georgia, from about 1919 until about 1979.

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in every issue 121

Local Marketplace

You can find great retail shopping, restaurants and services around each corner. If you haven’t done so lately, take the time to look around and discover all the wonderful things there are to find.

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D&D

KITCHEN CENTER Custom Built Cabinets • Residential & Commercial

(229) 883-8687 | www.danddkitchens.org | 604 N. Washington St. | Albany, GA 31701

From the Publisher

Sumter County l i v i n g

P u b l i s h e r With You In Mind Publications E x e c u t i v e E d i to r s Landon and Mandi Spivey C r eat i v e | D e s i g n Stacey Nichols

Mandi Spivey O f f i ce m a n age r Nikki Burkhalter

A s s i s ta n t

Ma n age r s Julie Braly

June Dixon

P h otog r ap h e r s David Parks Photography

Eric S. Love Lisa Shiflett Shannan Blanchard I recently heard a quote that said, "What you water is what will grow."

As I pondered that, I began to see how much that related to so much in life… mentally, spiritually, physically and even in our imagination. Life is full of choices and events, but it's the daily watering of it all that creates the sustenance.

What makes the stories in this issue so unique is there happens to be a few key articles that represent an older generation which shows amazing patriotism, provides great wisdom, and overall sets the tone for the upcoming forces to gain life lessons through experience by those who have put in the work of living so many years ahead of us. Thinking back on listening to stories told by our grandparents and even parents, we realize what a treasure we have as we embark into our future by holding tight the nuggets of truth they teach us. The most precious gift I believe we have is taking the time to really listen to the stories told to us by those around us and not just hear them, but see the value in them. These pages are not just filled with factual information from people's lives, they are exposed pages of people's hearts and souls and the lessons learned through their years. They will teach us things if we will listen with our heart and not just our ears.

We hope you will be as honored as we are to share in the lives with the most amazing people of Sumter County as you read about their grit, ingenuity and building from the ground up. The choices made to water optimism and success is blatantly obvious as you see what transpired through these pages. As always, we are so humbled to be a small part of sharing the stories and being a part of this incredible community. Thank you for making us a part of your family.

Please be sure to thank the advertisers listed on page 136 that make this publication possible. You can pick up your own personal copy at no charge at any of those locations. We are very excited to offer the additional option for you to also read the magazine online available at www.withyouinmindpublications.com.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful last half of 2017 and we look forward to celebrating with you.

C ov e r P h oto Matt Johnson and Jerry English,

Photo by David Parks Photography Sale s Patti Martin

Landon Spivey

Contributing Wri te r s June B. Anderson

Jessica Fellows

Sherri Martin

Anita Theiss

Crystal Waddell

Sumter County Living© is published semi-annually by With You in Mind Publications. www.withyouinmindpublications.com P.O. Box 55 • Glennville, GA 30427 (912) 654-3045 All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein.

Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice.

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A Cut Above Salon “We curate a space that feels at once energetically upbeat and like a calming oasis from the hectic pace of our lives.�

Megan

Laura

Lauren

Cut, Color & Conversations The Creative Stylist Team For Men, Women, And Children Coloring - Cutting - Makeup - Facials - Nails - Waxing - Formal Styles for Weddings and Prom 110 GA Hwy 27 E, Americus, GA 31709 | (229) 924-8849

Homegrown Entrepreneurs.

World Renown Industry.

Sumter County Chamber of Commerce | 409 Elm Avenue Americus, GA 31709 229.924.2646 | www.sumtercountychamber.com

#sumtergachamber

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Story by june b. anderson Photos by David parks

A couple of miles outside of Americus, just visible from the highway, sits one of the best-kept secrets in Sumter County. Maybe it’s such a secret because it’s so serene and our lives are so fast-paced that we haven’t noticed. Maybe it’s because we’re driving to points south and we’re focused on our destination. Whatever the reason, Sally Run, you have been discovered!

Located at 2347 South Lee Street Road, Sally Run is a beautiful event venue in such a peaceful setting that,

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should you find yourself attending a wedding, reception, gala, shower, birthday celebration, meeting, family reunion, company retreat, or other function, you may never want to go home. Once you leave the highway and enter through the majestic stone entrance on the right, you follow the unassuming lane that winds its way past a very old water tower on the left and through a small pecan grove. On both sides, a scattering of other trees and flora lead to the circular drive in front of the large house, flanked with enormous rock chimneys.

The 150 acres display an abundance of lovely sod, trees, shrubs, and rolling terraces in the back. Much of the acreage has been left natural, but some additions have been made, such as the large patio that spills out from the atrium in the back of the house, and more improvements are planned for the future.

Because the venue is so welcoming and friendly, pretty soon you will want to call her just “Sally,” like she’s an old friend, but you simply MUST call her Sally Run because of the origin of her name. Legend has it that there was an Indian attack involving sisters and the panicked call to “Run, Sally, Run!”

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Although that’s not a long story, it brings to mind a vivid picture of girls in long cotton dresses and sun bonnets dropping their work and running for their lives and the story being handed down for generations. An even more interesting story is how Sally Run came to Americus in the first place. Listening to Genie Powell (the event planner) relate it, took me back to books I had read and stories I had heard of that simpler time.

I parked my car in the deep circle of the drive right in front by the double gas lights and walked the few steps to reach for the doorbell. Too late! Genie was opening the door with a welcoming smile, her beautiful

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It is obvious that God blessed Eleanor greatly in the areas of design and thoughtfulness as she transformed the tired old lady into the beautifully renewed Sally Run.

eyes flashing. She graciously invited me in, eager to begin the story. The house was roomy and open and I fell into sensory overload immediately.

As she told the story, she guided me through each room of the welcoming abode. Sally Run was originally a cabin built in Wythville, Virginia, in the 1780s but by 1890 had expanded to four cabins, a dog trot, and a large basement for the saddle horse and milk cow. By 1985 it was in ruins, and for a special 50th birthday present for Richard Powell, his wife, Eleanor, purchased Sally Run and they moved it here because it was on property near 16

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pasture land they were leasing in Virginia. The Powells, Genie’s parents-in-law, redesigned and expanded Sally Run retaining her history and adding elegance to what they considered a 6,000-square-foot celebration of love and family. The buildings were disassembled, each log numbered, transported here by 20 semi- trailer loads, and reassembled at its current site. The move and rebuild took three years.

Before you learn about Sally Run, you may first want to know more about the Powells. They met at the University of Tennessee, married in their senior year,

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and lived in the couples’ dorm until graduation, at which time they returned to Richard’s family farm in Sweetwater, Tennessee. They eventually had two sons, Rick (Genie’s husband) and Ken. In 1967, Richard and his brother, Preston, bought the Deriso farm and built it into the largest dairy farm in Georgia. Rick and Ken stayed behind until they, too, graduated from the University of Tennessee, then moved here to help run the family farm. Of course, after learning about the Powell family, you want to know about Sally Run herself.

There are windows everywhere that bathe the house in sunlight at every season. Her hominess originates from walnut and cherry floors, fieldstone fireplaces with Pennsylvania blue slate hearths, ceiling beams, long and wide porches on both floors, and a lovely patio. Interestingly, between the logs is a pliable synthetic mortar called Permachink, obtained from Germany, which is very hard but moves with the logs.

The first-floor front porch has a lovely old white swing built in 1900 that was a gift from Eleanor

There are windows everywhere that bathe the house in sunlight at every season. Her hominess originates from walnut and cherry floors, fieldstone fireplaces with Pennsylvania blue slate hearths, ceiling beams, long and wide porches on both floors, and a lovely patio.

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Powell’s family in Tennessee. Adirondack-style white rockers line the porch as well.

The front door entrance is a replica of the original door, which was the only one in the room.

It opens into what was known as the “parson’s room,” an area used for settlers who stopped by on their way through the Cumberland Pass. To the right of the front door is the large dining room with sunlight streaming in through its large windows, inviting guests to linger and chat after a meal. The entry hall has walnut flooring from Pennsylvania and retains the original wainscot, touched up by a local artist.

The dining room and the floor above made up the first cabin. There was no kitchen in the original structure as the cooking was done in the fireplace. The current fireplace is the same size as the original. (Of historical note is the fact that this room contained two port holes with doors to

By 1985 it was in ruins, and for a special 50th birthday present for Richard Powell, his wife, Eleanor, purchased Sally Run and they moved it here because it was on property near pasture land they were leasing in Virginia.

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fire rifles for defense against Indians.) There are exposed logs and French doors here that open onto the front porch.

Nearby is the “sleeping porch,� actually a lovely small bedroom done in blue and white. The serenity of this room begs a nap!

The hallway and kitchen area, with its original cabinets, comprised the dog trot in its Virginia location. Stacked wood and, of course, dogs stayed in the dog trot area. A growing family necessitated the addition of two cabins, which were situated to the rear. The dog trot separated the new cabins from the old one. The present eat-in kitchen has large

windows and a large glass door that looks out at an angle onto the slate patio with its four gas lights and rock wall. Off the kitchen is the atrium where two sets of wide double glass doors invite guests to mingle outside on the patio. The bar has native walnut which came from the Powell family farm in Tennessee.

The great room was originally the two rear cabins which were two stories tall. The flooring is more Pennsylvania walnut. The enormous fireplace is built from limestone rocks brought from Virginia.

Over the fireplace hangs a pastoral painting of a country road scene done by Richard’s sister, local Hometown Living At Its Best

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Eleanor and Richard Powell are gone now, but I’m sure they would be very happy to see what their family has done with their beloved Sally Run. She is indeed a true Southern lady and quite possibly everything they would want her to be.

artist Mary Beth Rogers. Nearby on a small table by the couch rests a very old Bible that looks as if it could have easily come from Virginia with the cabin. Under the balcony on the hard pine beams are circular saw marks that were never planed.

This room is a perfect “man cave” for guys awaiting their performance in a wedding, as it has the absolutely necessary wide-screen television!

The office or sitting room was the fourth cabin. On one wall is a large framed collection of arrowheads that was a treasured possession of Fred Horn, Genie’s father. The room has two sets of French doors that beckon you to come and “sit a spell” on the front porch.

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Upstairs are bathrooms that Genie says were difficult to design and fit into the log cabin structure, but it is obvious that Eleanor put much thought into bringing them into existence.

There should be no excuse for a bride and her attendants to feel anything except pampered with the large master bath featuring all the 21st century comforts, such as a garden tub and separate shower and massive amounts of storage, and the numerous electrical outlets for hair accoutrements in the guest bath. If that isn’t enough, there is also a lovely view from the beautiful master bath. (There is a small powder room downstairs, quaint with its vintage-framed photographs and slate floor.)

The master bedroom and guest room are large and decorated in demure hues for optimum relaxation and beautifully appointed with lovely hardwood flooring, exposed logs, and exits onto the upstairs porch. Smaller fireplaces adorn one wall of each of these rooms.

Also upstairs is the loft, unique in that it has several small windows on the front side, a large shelved area on one wall, and on the opposite side is furnished with three double beds against a set of railings through which guests may take

a peek at what’s going on downstairs in the great room. One might put the children to bed there and listen for the giggles that are sure to escape through the railings. Altogether, Sally Run sleeps 12 in the comfortable and tastefully appointed bedrooms.

And lest you think there is no fun for the children, you’ll notice the tree house just to the right of the main house with a rope swing hanging from one limb where a kid can just be a kid. There’s also a seriously inviting ladder where little ones can climb to heights that turn them into cowboys in a barn loft, robbers hiding from cops, pirates at sea, or pioneers taming the wild west…until “ma” calls them to supper.

Speaking of supper, Genie says Sally Run invites you to enlist the services of your favorite caterer or, if you’re so inclined, prepare your food yourself in their large and lovely kitchen, which is furnished with a gas cook top, two-door refrigerator, double ovens, microwave, dishwasher, and trash compactor.

It has two sinks, one in the large island and one in the countertop area, and is replete with cabinets and drawers.

New roofing and a few coats of paint have added to the fresh look. Genie showed me a scrapbook which contains, among other things, Eleanor’s original drawings of her design ideas. Also in the

scrapbook is a picture of the cabin in its ruined condition before it was moved to Sumter County.

It is obvious that God blessed Eleanor greatly in the areas of design and thoughtfulness as she transformed the tired old lady into the beautifully renewed Sally Run. The blend of old and new at Sally Run invites people of every background and taste to enjoy the premises inside and out. One convenience that makes an event at Sally Run so appealing is the fact that arrangements can be made for the Americus trolley to leave its cozy home downtown to shuttle guests back and forth.

Even if you’re not planning to schedule an event soon, you will enjoy checking out Sally Run on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and their lovely website at www.sallyrun.net.

For more information or to talk with Genie about booking, call Sally Run at (229) 591-5775. If you prefer email, contact her at sallyrun1700@gmail. com.

Eleanor and Richard Powell are gone now, but I’m sure they would be very happy to see what their family has done with their beloved Sally Run. She is indeed a true Southern lady and quite possibly everything they would want her to be.  SCL

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Sumter county Living

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I’m living

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Phoebe Cancer Patient

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Hear Steve’s story at phoebecancer.com Hometown Living At Its Best

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If you hail from Sumter County or have even visited Americus on several occasions, there is no doubt you have stepped into The Kinnebrew Company to be welcomed by associates, who probably know you by name and will go the extra mile to hand pick the down home styles for which you are looking. This business offers a personal Southern charm in a small-town still brimming with hospitality. But how does the heartbeat still remain in this small shop, thriving in a world driven by electronics and impersonal passings on the street? How is it that the company’s young employees still obviously possess a solid work ethic that isn’t always apparent in other businesses’ young people? After meeting with Hulme Kinnebrew, III to find out the history of The Kinnebrew Company, I found the answer in his own passion for carrying on his father’s legacy

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If you hail from Sumter County or have even visited Americus on several occasions, there is no doubt you have stepped into The Kinnebrew Company to be welcomed by associates, who probably know you by name and will go the extra mile to hand pick the down home styles for which you are looking. This business offers a personal Southern charm in a small-town still brimming with hospitality.

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of showing pride in his work and pleasing people. But I didn’t find these things because he told me so; in fact, I learned a lot about Hulme’s integrity and the pride he instills in his business and employees through what he didn’t say to me.

The upstairs room in which I had the privilege of speaking with Hulme told a story in itself. I didn’t ask questions about the relics that adorned the walls, but they spoke for themselves: Georgia Bulldog memorabilia, old family pictures, a plethora of books, military medallions, and a portrait of George Washington—America’s own symbol of integrity.

Apparently, this little room held more memories than could be seen. I learned that it used to be the old printing press where Hulme gleaned his early experiences as a young man in junior high and high school working as the sign printer for his father’s business. He remembers

the early days when the current store was smaller and a number of shops surrounded it, but over the years, as those businesses closed, The Kinnebrew Company expanded to become the larger space that it is now. It first began with Hulme’s father, Hulme Kinnebrew, Jr., who grew up in Winder, Georgia, attended the University of Georgia, and joined the Army during World War II. While in the service, he married Nancy and later became a car salesman in Decatur, Georgia, but he was unhappy there. The way Kinnebrew, III remembers the story being told is his father’s spontaneous declaration, “Nancy, load the car and grab the baby; we’re moving to Americus!” Just like that, Hulme Kinnebrew, Jr. moved to Lee Street where Nancy owned a house and in 1947, he and Walter Rylander started The Kinnebrew Company. Hulme says, “I’ve always heard that at that time there were seven men’s Hometown Living At Its Best

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Hulme carries this talent of trending ideas further through his hobby of refurbishing furniture and old properties like the grain bin that he and his son, Easton, made into a house.

He says, “It seems like everything I’ve ever started was at the bottom, and we had a long way to go to get it where we needed it to be.”

stores in Americus. Certainly that was a time when everybody came to town on Saturdays to shop. He started the ladies’ store in 1958 with only one rack of clothes. Hulme’s sister, Carolyn, whom he deems “a natural salesman,” ran this department with great enthusiasm for over 20 years. The ladies’ department later moved to the Windsor Hotel building then back to its original and current location. “It went on, and in 1980, my dad was president of Menswear Retailers of America, which was quite an honor for someone from a very small town. He retired around that time. My mom always worked too; she ran the ladies’ section. She’s out there still going strong. She’s really just an admirable lady and a great person.”

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While Kinnebrew, III remained in the family business, only one of his sons, Easton, has carried on this tradition, but in a most original way, raising olives on a farm in Sumter County. While Easton’s olive oil sales are flourishing, Hulme says he enjoys watching his son build his own strand of the family business, but he stays hands-off because Easton is the expert! The olive business came about as Easton always wanted to be a farmer, but he wanted to produce a crop that was different for the area.

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Hulme Kinnebrew, III was born into the business, and he tells one story that symbolizes his experience being raised by entrepreneurs: “I remember being a little boy and staying with my grandparents. I said, ‘I want my daddy,’ and my grandmother called the store. ‘He can’t come,’ she said.

‘He’s tied up.’ To me, that meant he was tied up like in an old Western!

Now, I know that that means in this business you work long hours, put everything you got into it, and you’re going to miss things you’d like to do and see because you are a retailer. The thing about the retail business is you do it because you like it. There’s no reason to think you’re ever going to get rich. You’re going to make a good living if you’re successful, and everybody will have what they need and want, but you’re not going to get to a level of what you call rich,” he says. In conversing with Hulme, it seemed obvious to me that he is passionate about creating new ideas and keeping with the newest trends, but he takes no credit of his own. He says, “I don’t consider myself a person with great ideas, but I’ve always done a great job of seeing what other people do and getting a good feel for what I can pull

off. It’s kind of like seeing a window in New York City, taking a picture of it, and trying to copy it. Those people are trained, and I’m not, so if they can make something out of it, I can.” His passion for striving to be better and continue to grow are obvious. These character traits and this knack for spying the latest trends are how he got his true start in the retail business at his father’s shop. “At 19, as a sophomore at Georgia Southwestern, I had an entrepreneurial

spirit. That time was the start of the ‘hippie revolution.’ I went to Athens one weekend where I saw all these people wearing funny looking pants that would later be known as bell-bottoms. There were fancy shirts and beads and jewelry.

So I went to Atlanta and sat on a park bench watching people buying this new look. I had never seen this in Americus or South Georgia at all, so I opened a little area in the back of The Kinnebrew Company called Sticks and Stones, and

that was mine. We sold a lot of stuff, and we had a blast doing it! That’s where I started and got a little bit of fire. My dad didn’t understand the style, but we sold more pants out of there than the company did in the men’s department!”

Hulme carries this talent of trending ideas further through his hobby of refurbishing furniture and old properties like the grain bin that he and his son, Easton, made into a house. He says, “It seems like everything I’ve ever started

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was at the bottom, and we had a long way to go to get it where we needed it to be.” Hulme has a passion and gift for restoration, whether it be empty spaces downtown that he and his son converted into loft apartments, the Peter Millar clothing show that’s held every October in a barn built in the 1860s, or the young, inexperienced people with a drive who come to him for a job and end up with professional experience in the world of retail and beyond. He teaches his young employees by example how to have work ethic, pride, and success, and these are not his words, but the words of the community. He says that if he has accomplished something, “that’s only because there was someone here to help me, so I have to do a good job for the people we serve, and I appreciate them because they gave me the opportunity.”

While Kinnebrew, III remained in the family business, only one of his sons, Easton, has carried on this tradition, but in a most original way, raising olives on a farm in Sumter County. While Easton’s olive oil sales are flourishing, Hulme says he enjoys watching his son build his own strand of the family business, but he stays handsoff because Easton is the expert! The olive business came about as Easton always wanted to be a farmer, but he wanted to produce a crop that was different for the area. Easton began his endeavor by planting blueberries, but then realized many farmers raised those, so he switched to olives and has been successful. Following the tradition of his father’s own belief in himself, he has allowed Easton to build another branch of the Kinnebrew legacy, and it continues to grow.

His other son, Neil, is a lawyer and the Assistant General Counsel for Synovus Bank. Each of the boys has two children, Mack and Mary, and the “Kinnebrew twins,” Kinney and Amelia. Hulme’s wife, Janet, is a retired school teacher and has been a loyal supporter of all of his endeavors throughout the years.

Sitting with Hulme Kinnebrew, III gave me the opportunity, not only to meet the man behind the name at The Kinnebrew Company, but hearing his family stories; often reading between the lines showed me that I wasn’t only speaking to a man of many achievements, but a man of integrity and humble nature who simply likes to build success from the ground up. From his family, to the business, to the “family” of employees to whom he has remained loyal over the years (including the bookkeeper who has worked for the company for 33 years!), Hulme’s dedication to all the people who make his accomplishments possible, is tenacious. He says the feeling of pride that the company has been here for 70 years is what keeps him going. “People ask me all the time when I’m going to retire, but I don’t know. As long as it’s fun, and as long as we’re still successful and people work here who want to be here, I can keep going a while. I know that when people get my age, they go to the golf course. I could do that if I wanted to, but I’m probably the happiest when I’m here or on the farm.” It’s clear that this small town business thrives on values and principles of positivity and strength and is driven by spreading this ethos to all of its members. It is a company held together, not only by a family name, but a bond that extends beyond the confines of the Kinnebrews.  SCL 36

Sumter county Living

Plains, Peanuts, & a President!

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When Paul and Lori Evans first felt God leading them to a role in missions, they began supporting missions through giving and praying. Their children also began participating in short-term mission trips, often through their church, Faith Baptist in Americus.

Paul worked in the IT department of Habitat for Humanity in Americus, and through the next several years, his call into ministry was confirmed. “We were not sure what form that would take, but we put our house on the market with the intention of making ourselves available to what God wanted us to do next,” Lori says.

In the meantime, they followed one particular missionary, Richard Roberts, an independent missionary in Taiwan who serves through the Northeast Taiwan Christian Association (NETCA), a nonprofit he created. “We got Richard’s updates, and he always said they were looking for a family

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to serve in Taiwan. I said, ‘We need to pray for that family,’” Lori explains.

They looked into the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, but learned they and their children were not in the right demographic groups for becoming full-time missionaries with the IMB. So, they started looking at other sending agencies and they kept praying for that family being called to serve in Taiwan.

Also during this time, their son Isaac, at almost 19 years old, decided to go to Taiwan as a missionary intern, and Richard Roberts was helpful in that process. While Isaac was in Taiwan, they began to learn more and more about the culture and how the family unit can be an example of Christian living there. They began to understand the call for a family to go serve.

“I kind of thought, ‘What if we’re that family?’” Lori says. “And God said to me, ‘What would happen if you said yes to Me?’”

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“If we were waiting for this to look right, it wouldn’t have been by faith, it would have been by Paul and Lori Evans,” Lori says. Paul adds, “You can either live by faith or live by fear.” They chose faith. With a commitment of financial backing from their Faith Baptist family and other individuals, Paul, Lori, Matt, and Joel Evans became a missionary family in Taiwan with NETCA in September, 2015.

Pictured TOP RIGHT is the Roberts family. They are the founders of NETCA and are instrumental in our ministry to the Taiwanese people.

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“I told Paul, ‘What if we’re that family?

I think we might be that family!” and Paul said, “Me too!”

But there was the issue that their house had not sold. “Without the house being sold, we couldn’t see any way possible to go into the field,” Paul says.

However, they felt that God was saying, “You just need to trust Me and commit to just going and trusting Me.” They prayed about the decision for a month, fasting and continuing to seek God’s will; both Paul and Lori felt confident in the call to Taiwan. Still, they had two teenaged sons, Joel and

Matt, living at home and in high school.

They knew this would be a big change for them. “We presented it to them and had them praying with us,” Lori says.

“Within a day, they both came back and said they felt like that is what we were supposed to do.”

Once the decision was made, there seemed to be an insurmountable list of loose ends that needed solutions.

One was Paul going into his workplace and saying he would be leaving in 10 months, but could he still have a job until then? “Habitat graciously allowed him to stay. That was a blessing, having

an income still coming in,” Lori says.

Over those 10 months, they went through a whirlwind of preparations and times of seeing God answer every need.

Their oldest son, Nate, got a job with Habitat, fell in love with a young lady named Meredith, and got married. Their daughter, Sarah, graduated college, got

They trusted God enough to handle every situation and take care of every need. They continue to trust Him to give them the faith to continue this amazing journey, every step of the way.

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a job and moved to Nebraska. Lori and Paul sold, gave away, or stored their possessions, getting ready for the move to Taiwan. Still, their house did not sell. However, there was this sweet Christian family, and the mom would walk by the house and pray, “God, make this ours.” They are now renting to own the house; God tied up every loose end in His timing.

“If we were waiting for this to look right, it wouldn’t have been by faith, it would have been by Paul and Lori Evans,” Lori says. Paul adds, “You can either

live by faith or live by fear.” They chose faith. With a commitment of financial backing from their Faith Baptist family and other individuals, Paul, Lori, Matt, and Joel Evans became a missionary family in Taiwan with NETCA in September, 2015.

Taiwan is a nation of 23 million people, with over 90% living in major metropolitan areas on the west coast of the island. Mountains fill the middle of the country, which is a 20-25 hour flight from Atlanta, Georgia. Most people speak Mandarin Chinese, although some older

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“That is our goal God has outlined for us,” Paul says, “to share the gospel with whoever will listen. Then that person will go and tell. It will be the Taiwanese people who reach the Taiwanese people.”

people speak Taiwanese. The northeast coast of Taiwan has black sand beaches giving way to scenic mountains, with both fishing and mountain villages dotting the landscape.

The Evans live in the village of Dali, and first served in the village of Aodi, but now work primarily in the village of Dasi (pronounced Dah-shee). They have worked to learn Mandarin Chinese in order to go into the schools to be able to teach free English language lessons.

“Teaching English is our platform. In Taiwan, if you’re educated, you speak English. But in rural areas,

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they don’t have the money for English teachers,” Lori explains. “During the week, we teach English in the public schools; that opens up opportunities to present the gospel. It’s an opportunity to serve and build relationships. The kids are very open to the gospel, and the teachers are too.” “They are open to everything. It is a polytheistic society. There is not a god they won’t worship, so we have to be careful. When people come to follow Jesus, we have to make sure they understand that He is the only way.”

The schools allow them to use scripture for teaching and to have holiday programs, like Easter and Christmas activities. On Wednesday nights, the Evans hold Family English classes as a way to give back to the community.

Weekends and summer days are filled with Bible programs for the children like Awana, VBS programs and summer camps, and church services. Sunday mornings begin early because they ride up into the mountains to pick up people for services.

Last November they had a Thanksgiving meal and invited people and gave Mandarin Chinese Gideon Bibles. Even though Thanksgiving is an American holiday, they used it as an outreach. “Everyone’s thankful for something,” Lori says. “It was an opportunity for us to say that we are thankful for our friends, thankful for being here, but we are always thankful for Jesus.”

Supporting churches is a major focus of their ministry. This spring, they were able to begin having regular church services in Dasi, after working to renovate a church building and build up a congregation.

If that church becomes self-supporting, with a Taiwanese pastor, they will move further north to start another church.

“That is our goal God has outlined for us,” Paul says, “to share the gospel with whoever will listen. Then that person will go and tell. It will be the Taiwanese people who reach the Taiwanese people.”

Paul and Lori say they are not doing anything very differently from what they were doing in Americus.

“I’m teaching children’s church. Paul’s preaching. We’re doing outreach and visitation,” Lori says. “People need to be loved, and any opportunity we find to love them, we take to heart, whether in Americus, Georgia, or Taiwan.”

Yet, they have had an adjustment period to the culture and traditions of a different country. That adjustment has been helped by their new daughter-in-law, Sherry,

a native of Taiwan who first met Isaac as a translator. Isaac and Sherry now live in Taipei, a little over an hour and a half away by train, an hour by car. Isaac continues to teach English there and share the gospel.

While it is hard to be away from their oldest children, they were able to come home on furlough last December and January. “We have aging moms and it’s hard to be away from them that long,” Lori explains.

The visit home was also an opportunity to share their work with people who may want to support them. Habitat for Humanity continued being a support by allowing them to stay in one of the organization’s houses for the two months they were home.

In addition to funding, they also hoped to encourage others to join them, either as interns, such as the ones who continued their work while they were in the States, short-term missionaries, or even another family like them who would be called to serve.

Being independent missionaries is not always easy. There are times when they wonder how they are going to make their next rent payment or where they will get money for the tickets they need to fly to Hong Kong every 90 days to renew their visas. But they say God always provides. That is why they have named their mission “Faith 4 the Journey.”

“Once you commit yourself for a journey, it’s not just our faith, God is faithful to us for the journey,” Paul says. “It’s amazing to see what God continues to do, to provide not just for us, but also for the other missionaries and the people in the village. He allows us to be a part of it.”

To be a part of their journey, people can give through Faith Baptist Church or sign up to receive mission updates and more information through faith4thejourney.wordpress.com. Most of all, people can pray for this family, who first began praying for themselves without even realizing it.

Lori looks back and says about first making the decision to start on the journey, “God would

have loved us if we went, and He would have loved us if we had said no. But I want, at the end of my life, to look back and say, ‘I trusted God this much.’”

They trusted God enough to handle every situation and take care of every need. They continue to trust Him to give them the faith to continue this amazing journey, every step of the way.  SCL

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Welcome to the City of

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Women’s Conference

at Central Baptist Church in Americus, GA

featuring Trillia

Newbell

November 4, 2017 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Lunch Served

Cost is $20.00 www.cbcamericus.org

for more information and to sign up

Trillia Newbell is the author of Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts (2016), Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves (2015), United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity (2014) and a children’s book, God’s Very Good Idea: A True Story of God’s Delightfully Different Family (September, 2017). Her writings on issues of faith, family, and diversity have been published in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Desiring God, Christianity Today, Relevant Magazine, The Gospel Coalition, and more. She is currently Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention.

Trillia is married to her best friend, Thern, they reside with their two children near Nashville, TN. You can find her at trillianewbell.com and follow her on twitter at @trillianewbell.

Central Baptist Church We invite you to join us for worship every Sunday at 9:30 AM

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When Matt Johnson looks out over the vineyards of Wolf Creek Plantation, he sees both the past and the future. The land where 12 acres and 1400 vines of muscadines now grow is where his fondest childhood memories were made.

“This was my granddaddy’s farm. We grew up here and hunted, fished, rode four-wheelers and learned how to work,” Matt says. His grandfather, Howard Johnson, also built nine lakes on the farm and spent plenty of time fishing those lakes.

The farm next became an 18-hole golf course, built by Matt’s uncle, George Johnson, in 1994. Wolf Creek was a popular golf course when George sold it in 2004, but then the economy crashed and it was eventually owned by the bank and auctioned.

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“Henry Crisp and Joe Daniel bought it at the auction, and we bought it from them in 2013,” Matt says. “It took us a good six months before we decided what we were going to do with it.” The golf course was in disrepair, so Matt and his business partner and cousin (on the other side of the family), Jerry English, studied and read up on various crops, such as blueberries, peaches, plums, and sod. There was already plenty of sod on the ground.

However, they wanted to be mindful of the people in the beautiful houses surrounding the property. “There’s a really nice neighborhood that was built around a really nice golf course,” Matt says. “Looking through all of the crops, we wanted something we could grow and not quit our day jobs and that would be beautiful for the community.”

The drive up to Wolf Creek Plantation is proof that their idea was a success. The vines stretch out over the former fairways and greens, or along the lakes, with delicate order. The pastoral scene cycles through times

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This venture has proven to be exactly what they wanted...a good way to use the land, involve their families, and keep their regular jobs so that they were not totally dependent on the success of the winery from the start.

of fresh new growth, then the deep, abundant green of summer and harvest, when the vines are laden with the delicious fruit, then the barrenness of winter and pruning before the new growth comes again.

This venture has proven to be exactly what they wanted...a good way to use the land, involve their families, and keep their regular jobs so that they were not totally dependent on the success of the winery from the start. Matt and Jerry own Trinity Land Surveying and it keeps them busy.

Matt’s wife, Tracey, is the Food Service Manager at Schley County Schools, and Jerry’s wife, Amanda, is an RN at Phoebe Sumter Hospital.

They all enjoy their jobs, but also enjoy looking to what they hope the future holds.

“This was something we could put money into and invest,” Matt says. “We plan to build homes here and retire. Our plan was to use this business to help us in retirement and to give us something to do that we would enjoy.” Working at the vineyard has proven to be something they do enjoy; Matt and Jerry have involved their children–Matt’s daughter, Hannah, and his two sons, Logan and Levi, and Jerry’s daughters, Jordan and Madeline–from the time the first holes were dug. Jerry also has a young son, Brennen, who will soon be old enough to help.

“We planted our first vines in the winter of 2013, about 700,” Matt says. “At that point, we knew nothing about making wine, and had never grown anything but tomatoes in the backyard.”

What they found was that growing muscadines is a lot of fun and a lot of work. “It’s a lot harder than we thought, but it’s been enjoyable,” Jerry says. “It’s nice to be with my kids out here on the weekends.”

The families have had to learn how to plant, how to prune, and how to harvest. Muscadines are

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native plants, so they are cold hardy and not very susceptible to disease and therefore do not require many chemicals. But they do have to be pruned, because the grapes produce only on the new growth.

“One thing I enjoy doing is spending time in the vineyard among the vines.

Jesus talked a lot about vineyards, so I spend time talking with Levi, Logan, and Hannah. Jesus said, ‘I am the vine, you are the branches.’ I enjoy teaching the kids about the process, how there is a main vine, and how the pruning produces more fruit.”

Once the vines were growing, they had time to study wine making, and by the time they made their first experimental batches in the summer of 2015, they knew what direction they wanted to go. They ran 52 different experiments, changing the yeast, fermentation times, sugar levels, or alcohol levels each time. “That first year, we learned a lot about making it, mostly by learning how not to make it,” Matt laughs.

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Prominently displayed in the tasting room is a portrait of Mr. Johnson, with a big smile on his face after reeling in a largemouth bass. It is as if he is still watching over them, and Matt thinks his granddaddy would have blessed their plans and efforts.

“My grandfather was probably the most influential man in my life. He was my hero growing up,” Matt says. “He told us never to fall in love with a piece of land, but this is our family land. I think he’d be proud. I wouldn’t want to do anything with the place that wouldn’t make him proud.”

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Out of those 52 experiments, they came up with two that worked, a red wine and a white wine. They named them “No. 9 Red” and “No. 9 White” because they were grown on what was the 9th hole of the golf course. Since then, they have added “Mapmaker’s Red,” a tribute to their surveying business, and its label is an old historical map of Georgia. This harvest season, they plan to add three new wines, two blushes and a new white wine.

“We make the wine that we enjoy ourselves,” Matt says. “I’m not a wine connoisseur, and I don’t really want to be. I don’t want to copy anyone’s style. We just want to 62

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make a good Southern wine that we enjoy and that’s good to drink. There’s a saying, ‘Southern people like their wine like they like their tea, a little sweet.’ Ours is right in the middle, not too sweet and not too dry.”

After developing the wines, they had to learn how to transition from making experimental batches to commercial production. In the first year they went commercial, 2016, they made 9000 bottles. With this year’s harvest, they will bottle approximately 30,000, and in 2018 they are hoping for 50,000. They began selling their wines by the bottle exclusively at Center Stage

The winery is open Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 AM to 6 PM, and Fridays and Saturdays, 11 AM to 9 PM, and is available for rental for private parties. Wine slushies are a popular item in the tasting room, and they plan to sell fresh muscadine juice in the future.

Market in Americus. The wines are available by the glass at the Windsor and City Grill. This year’s harvest will be distributed in stores throughout a 50-mile radius.

The winery is open Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 AM to 6 PM, and Fridays and Saturdays, 11 AM to 9 PM, and is available for rental for private parties. Wine slushies are a popular item in the tasting room, and they plan to sell fresh muscadine juice in the future.

Getting to this point over the last four years has been a process, and Jerry and Matt are now able to manage the vineyard in the afternoons after work and weekends; that is because they have good employees during the day. Hannah, who recently graduated from Georgia Southwestern with a business management degree, is the Winery Manager. Matt’s nephew, Thomas Young, is the Vineyard Manager.

“All of our employees are family,” Matt explains.

This applies even in their surveying business: Matt’s son-in-law, Chas Cannon, and Jerry’s brother, Brandon, work with them. They hope that the vineyard will continue this tradition.

“There is much tradition at Wolf Creek Plantation. The old golf course clubhouse is the tasting room, refinished beautifully with reclaimed or re-purposed wood, and the old cart barn is the winery. But they are also in the process of making new traditions, including spring and harvest

festivals. The harvest festival in the fall will include a traditional ‘grape stomp,’” Matt says. They have two places in the vineyards that are wedding venues, and in June, a very special wedding was held, that of Hannah and Chas, who are also building their home on the property.

The ponds are stocked and quality managed; Wolf Creek offers private annual fishing memberships.

This is the part that would probably make the late Mr. Johnson very happy, seeing the lakes he built back in good use. “If he were around, he would probably spend all of his time on the pond fishing,” Matt says.

Prominently displayed in the tasting room is a portrait of Mr. Johnson, with a big smile on his face after reeling in a large-mouth bass. It is as if he is still watching over them, and Matt thinks his granddaddy would have blessed their plans and efforts.

“My grandfather was probably the most influential man in my life. He was my hero growing up,” Matt says. “He told us never to fall in love with a piece of land, but this is our family land. I think he’d be proud. I wouldn’t want to do anything with the place that wouldn’t make him proud.”

Matt enjoys walking in the vineyards, with nobody around. It is a peaceful time, a time when he can see both the roots of his heritage, and the new growth to come. And the vision is sweet, like muscadine wine.  SCL Hometown Living At Its Best

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Citizens Bank of Americus has a proud history of serving the banking needs of our customers for 80 years.

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Born on a farm in Newnan, Georgia, Colonel Alvin Hoyt Bowles lived a fulfilling lifetime and had experiences of which many people only dream. As a Colonel in the United States Army, he traveled the world along with serving in both World War II and the Vietnam War. He entered the Army in 1940 in Griffin, Georgia, with the 30th Infantry Division of the Georgia National Guard. His first stop was Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where he stayed until 1942. “I went to the Chemical Corps Advance Class in Maryland, and it was then that I was commissioned a Second Lieutenant,” he explained. During his tenure in the Army, he served in the Infantry, the Chemical Corps and the Ordinance Corps.

At 96 years of age, the amazing stories told by Col. Bowles could fill a novel, but the way he humbly spoke of them shows the pride he always took in his country. He and his wife, Sarah, were high school sweethearts who celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary on August 30, 2016.

When asked what the secret to a

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long, successful marriage is, Col. Bowles laughed and said, “Well, if I knew that I could probably sell it for a lot of money!” His daughter, Judy Stinchcum said, “It is probably still being sweethearts, and I can attest to that.” However, after pondering for a moment, Col. Bowles conceded, “I always do what she (Sarah) tells me to do!” This is definitely good advice coming from a man who is used to being a leader in the military.

The Bowles have two daughters, five grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.

Before Judy was born, the couple and their daughter, Sue, were stationed on an island named San Jose in the Pacific Ocean. It was so secretive that Sarah could not even tell her mother where Col. Bowles was being stationed. Sarah recalled, “There was nowhere to cook in our quarters so we had to eat at the Officer’s Club every day.

It got monotonous after a while, but we ate with friends of ours at night, which made the experience better.” Col. Bowles added, “There were about 60 of us on the island at the time, and I was there about

mementos and treasures The Bowles moved to Macon before finally moving to Americus in 2011 to be near their daughter Judy. Their beautiful home is filled with mementos, treasures from deployment abroad and Col. Bowles’ medals and commendations. Ever the precise military man, he loved clocks and kept his wristwatch set to the exact time via satellite.

“It will tell the exact time within one millionth of a second,” said Col. Bowles proudly.

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2 years. Our mail had to be addressed to Panama with no actual address (for security reasons). We were there to test gasses and their effects.” The experience was not just all work for Col. Bowles, who also enjoyed fishing while he was there, “San Jose was a fisherman’s paradise with an unbelievable amount of fish. Every once in a while, the people in Panama would send a request to get enough fish to feed the troops in certain areas. The Corps of Engineers made a fence with a huge gate. When we wanted to get the fish to send to Panama, we opened the gates at high tide, and at low tide, we shut the gates and could just scoop up the fish.”

When it was time to leave the little island, the Panamanian President “gave the United States 36 days to evacuate San Jose Island, and we had loads of equipment there. What we could not take out, we dumped out in the canyon and covered it with soil. I was one

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of the last two people to leave the island. We did not have any docks to load the equipment so we could not take everything we had with us.” Col. Bowles was then transferred to the Virgin Islands where the testing of the gasses continued. “We were testing all of these gasses and some we did not have an antidote for. We roped off certain areas in the jungle where nobody could go, and put out the gas there. Certain animals we could put in there (to check the reaction). There was Tabun gas, which was deadly and you could not smell it or see it, and we had no way to detect it. Our big worry was if Germany used that gas, what would we do? We (the military) sent over Mustard gas and chlorine (in the war), but it did not compare to the Tabun gas.

Our unit detected what gasses should be dissected and how we would use it. We did not make any gasses in San Jose, but we tested it. Our job was also to

synthesize the gas and come up with an antidote and a better gas. When I went back to the States, our group started a plant in Denver to make our nerve gas.

The plant made thousands of tons of war gas in Denver in case the Russians used it.” Germany wound up not using the gas, but Germany was worried America would use the gas on them.

The Virgin Islands was a beautiful place for the Bowles to be stationed, however it was not without incident.

Judy explained, “When mama was over there, my sister got the measles and the natives had never had the measles.

They had to quarantine my mama, who was pregnant with me, along with Sue, to make sure they could not pass it on.

If some of the natives had contracted the measles, it would have gone through their whole island. ” Sarah added, “We had flown home to visit my family, and when we got there, my niece had the measles.”

Judy pointed out that being a military wife was not always easy, and her mom went through a lot. Judy’s pride for both of her parents speaks volumes for the way the couple raised their family amid deployments. Col. Bowles explained his dedication to his family with his sweet brand of humor, “When Sarah was quarantined, I drove every day from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean (across the Isthmus) to see her and Sue.” Clearly, the two were sweethearts for a long time. While sometimes Sarah

would wake up with a Gila monster in her shoes in her quarters, she recalled another interesting incident on the island. “They showed us movies in the open air, and one night they stopped the movies and said ‘attention please, vacate immediately.’ There was a big python up on the screen!” The family recalled many wonderful memories with each other and with their close friends on the island.

With no hospital on the island, Sarah had to fly to Puerto Rico to give birth to Judy, and then the couple flew back

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unique experiences and memories While stationed in France, the Bowles family traveled to France, Germany, Sweden, and Italy to name a few countries. Judy recalled even going to Germany to a dentist for her braces. “We lived in Paris the whole time and got to travel everywhere, seeing castles and other landmarks, and we attended a small military school.”

The family recalled many unique experiences and memories while Col. Bowles was stationed in Europe.

to the Virgin Islands with their new addition.

After 18 months, the couple went to Baltimore, Maryland to the Army Materiel Command. Then it was on to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for Col. Bowles while he attended the Command and General Staff College.

When asked what his favorite places were where he was stationed, Col. Bowles said, “We spent four years in Paris (when Judy was a teenager), and we loved it. I was a Military Advisor to the Embassy for guided missiles.” In 1963, President John Kennedy made his famous visit to Paris to meet with Charles DeGaulle.

While there, Col. Bowles was honored to meet the President. “President Kennedy addressed a group of military officers in a small room and gave us a tie clip of the PT-109 boat he was on during the war. DeGaulle was meeting Kennedy for the first time. Upon arrival at the airport, DeGaulle was standing in front of me, and I took a picture of President Kennedy’s plane as it was landing with DeGaulle standing in the photo as well,” His wife, Sarah, still remembers when the Kennedys arrived at the airport, “She (Mrs. Kennedy) had a blue outfit on and the carpet they put down was red.”

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Col. Bowles’ influence extends far and wide, and his grandson, David Stinchcum of Americus, has learned so many life lessons from his grandfather.

Judy lamented the fact that she did not attend the arrival ceremony, “I was a teenager and just wanted to hang out with my friends, and I still regret that!”

Judy has since had the tie clip and the copy of the speech President Kennedy gave the officers that day framed for her dad as a memento of an unforgettable experience.

While stationed in France, the Bowles family traveled to France, Germany, Sweden, and Italy to name a few countries. Judy recalled even going to Germany to a dentist for her braces. “We lived in Paris the whole time and got to travel everywhere, seeing castles and other landmarks, and we attended a small military school.” The family recalled many unique experiences and memories while Col. Bowles was stationed in Europe.

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The next stop was Annandale, Virginia near Washington, D.C. where Col. Bowles was stationed at the Pentagon. Col. Bowles was sent to Vietnam in 1964 and 1965, and Sarah and the girls stayed in Virginia for the girls to continue high school where they were already enrolled. In Vietnam, he was a Battalion Commander and was given other battalion headquarters to oversee as well. “I was given an area to set up a supply dump close to the ocean and not far from Cambodia. I set up the whole area and one of the things we needed was a hospital, so I had to set up in tents. There were 40 nurses and 39 were female that landed there and needed housing. At the same time, the first Taiga Korean Division (Korean Special Forces Unit) was landing in my area, and I was responsible for them as well.

The Korean Advanced Unit Commander wanted a house there, so I fixed up a house for him. Since he wasn’t due to arrive for several weeks, I put the nurses up temporarily in the house that was intended for the Korean Commander. That same night one of the Korean officers visited me and very politely explained as best as he could, that his Commander would not live in the house that had been occupied by the women. We talked a long time and agreed to have the house painted inside and out so it would be as good as new!”

Col. Bowles stayed in the Army Missile Command until he retired in 1975 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After living in Annadale, he transferred to Elon College where he was the Liaison Officer for the Western Electric Company that was building the antiballistic missiles in North Dakota. He went to the University of North Carolina Graduate School and received his degree in Master of Public Administration. His undergraduate degree was in military science. He was a member of Grove Park Baptist Church in Burlington, North Carolina, where he served as a deacon, member of the executive committee, trustee and chairman of the building and grounds, personnel and finance committee. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Adjustments and was a member of the

planning board for the town of Elon College, North Carolina. He enjoyed hobbies such as tennis, hunting, and fishing.

Col. Bowles’ influence extends far and wide, and his grandson, David Stinchcum of Americus, has learned so many life lessons from his grandfather.

“When I think of my grandad, his servant’s heart is what stands out the most to me. He served his country in the Army for his entire career and my grandmother for 76 years of marriage. He has served his church as a deacon and my family throughout all our chapters in life. He has always shown me service above self and respect for our country. Even at 96 years old, my grandad has me properly destroy the American flag he flies at home once it is no longer in good shape,” said David. Wanting to pass on a part of this special man, David and his wife, Anna, paid homage to Col. Bowles in the most meaningful way possible, “William, our two year-old son’s middle name is Hoyt, which is also my grandad’s middle name.” It is obvious Col. Bowles has left a lasting legacy for his children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

The Bowles moved to Macon before finally moving to Americus in 2011 to be near their daughter Judy. Their beautiful home is filled with mementos, treasures from deployment abroad and Col. Bowles’ medals and commendations. Ever the precise military man, he loved clocks and kept his wristwatch set to the exact time via satellite. “It will tell the exact time within one millionth of a second,” said Col. Bowles proudly. The Bowles home has a beautiful grandfather clock that Col. Bowles assembled himself and a smaller clock he made with a friend of his. A man of many talents, the couple’s sunroom boasts a coffee table he constructed of teakwood brought with him from overseas. All of the articles tell a story as unique as Col. Bowles himself; a man who fondly remembered the past and treasured each and every moment he spent with his family, who obviously are his greatest accomplishments.  SCL **Sadly, Col. Bowles passed away on December 22, 2016 at the age of 96. He was surrounded by his family and friends who loved him.

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Join hundreds of reenactors at the 41st Annual Andersonville Historic Fair on Oct 7-8, 2017 in the downtown area & Pioneer Park as they setup camps and stage two realistic Civil War mock battles. Gates open at 10 am both days, with the battles taking place on Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 2pm as history comes alive in Andersonville, Georgia. The Andersonville Historic Fair takes place on the first full weekend each October. This is a family-friendly event, so bring everyone!

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Story by Crystal Waddell Photos by David Parks

Elena has been a model example of faith, perseverance, hard work and determination while empowering others to reach their goals and dreams.

“Living the American Dream” is a phrase that epitomizes the journey that brought Elena Carné and her husband, Rene Uzcategui, to Americus. The couple, who immigrated to Miami, Florida from Venezuela in 2003, arrived in America with only a few worldly possessions, but big dreams, determination and hope that have carried them further than they could ever have imagined. “I brought one bag with me,” said Elena, “and that one bag was filled with shoes! We had to leave everything behind and start over.”

Although she laughs now reflecting on her packing priorities back then, the struggle to get to America was fraught with fear of the unknown. You can hear the emotion in Elena’s voice as she recalls that major pivotal moment in her life. “My husband was a politician in Venezuela and part of the opposition party. At that time, there was a change in the government and they were targeting and arresting those in the opposition party. He found out in 2002, and we got married January 23, 2003.

Three days later, we came to Miami on our honeymoon knowing we would not return to our homeland of Venezuela. We decided to start our family and new life together in America. We knew this was one of the safest countries in the world, and we wanted to have kids and a safe place to raise them.” The couple filed for political asylum within a few days of their arrival in the United States and,

while they waited for asylum, they worked many different jobs. One of the jobs was in manufacturing because this self-made entrepreneur started her own business at just 15 years old.

“I started my own business in my room making bathing suits. Growing up in a beach town in Venezuela, my family had little money to buy me new bathing suits every weekend. So I said, ‘Let me take the only bathing suit I have, pull it apart and make me some new bathing suits,’ and I borrowed a friend’s sewing machine. My friends liked the bathing suits and that’s how I started selling them. At 18, I moved to a big city to open my own business. At that time there were many opportunities in the country for young people to obtain loans. I used the business plan I had used to make the bathing suits and, by 21, was running a company with many people working for me in the fashion industry,” said Elena. This humble business owner did not have any formal training or education in the fashion or business fields at the time, but learned along the way (with lots of practice) how to manufacture clothing while supervising her staff. In 2002, her business was robbed and her entire inventory was taken leaving only her sewing machines.

While thankful for the sewing machines, which allowed her to start producing clothing again, the frustration of not being able to have the support of the local police has made

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She has also partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to manufacture custom garments for the organization. This couple, who is so grateful to have been given many opportunities, also gives back to these charitable organizations by donating 30% of the proceeds of the sale of the garments.

A few years after Elena’s dad passed away from cancer, she brought her mom, Mireya, to Americus to assist with her family and Tepuy.

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Elena appreciate the safety of America.

“I learned then, and the Lord showed me as well, not to be attached to material things.” Elena’s faith is very strong, and it is apparent that is what enabled her and her husband to get through many trials and difficulties they experienced.

After moving to Miami, Elena worked at a preschool while learning English.

Having their first child, Angeline, prompted Elena to learn English so she could help her child with homework.

She knew learning the language was essential to her life in America. One of the many jobs she worked during that time was for AT&T, but although it was a good job, Elena grew frustrated not being able to do what she loved— manufacturing clothing. At one point, the frustration caused Elena to not want to pursue her dream of fashion. Elena told her husband, “I do not want to be a fashion designer anymore. That’s not

for me.” “But,” her husband said, “You don’t decide, He (as she pointed toward heaven) decides for you.” “I decided to finish my business degree online,” she explains while referring to the Lord intervening and showing her the way.

During this time she had her second child, Penelope, and after her third child, Samantha, was born, Rene felt Elena should take time off to raise their children. “You need to take time off.

You have been working too hard, and it will be good for you to be at home with the three girls,” Rene told Elena.

However, sitting idle while raising her children was not in Elena’s nature. “The Lord gave me the opportunity to work on my fashion degree. I never went to fashion school, and it was my dream.

When I came from Venezuela, I had the book from the Fashion Institute of Florida with me. The school was two hours away, but it didn’t matter because it was my dream. I started going to school and taking care of my daughters from 2012-2013. In 2013, I received a letter from Miami-Dade College, where I got my associates degree. I got a scholarship to finish my bachelor’s degree in business management. I told my husband I did not think I could do it with the girls, but he said, ‘You can do it!’” Reflecting back on that time, Elena makes it seem so easy attending fashion school three nights a week while finishing her bachelor’s degree and juggling three children. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with her fashion degree in 2013 and her bachelor’s degree in 2014. “It was meant to be.

When the Lord has a plan he shows you it is possible. I learned to manage my time and take care of my family.” The sacrifices she made during that time have paid off because she and Rene are the owners of Tepuy Sportswear, a manufacturer of workout clothing now made right in Americus, Ga. She knew the material for making the

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active wear was difficult to work with, but it was easier for her having had the experience of making swimsuits.

Noticing that workout wear was mainly in black or gray, Elena decided to distinguish her line from others by introducing bright and bold colors inspired by her South American roots.

“In South America, we love colors!

We don’t care where they go; we are colorful people,” exclaimed Elena.

While the last few years have seen other companies introducing brighter colors and patterns, one of the differences that sets Tepuy apart from other companies is that the whole process from the beginning raw materials to the finished product are mostly made in America.

The long-term goal for the company is to have every raw material produced in America. It is obvious the pride that Elena, a naturalized citizen of the United States, takes in ensuring that the country she loves benefits by keeping her production at home rather than overseas. While Elena explains the goals of the company, one hears the sewing machine hard at work by one of her employees who is custom making leggings for a new customer of Tepuy.

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Elena, along with her husband, Rene, and assistant, Paige Greene, enjoy the process of creating new and innovative active wear. The latest design of leggings has a pocket to hold one’s phone, enabling customers to solve the dilemma of where to store their phones while working out.

How Rene and Elena wound up in Americus was nothing short of divine intervention. Rene was working for a company in Miami and was traveling to Latin America for sales contracts.

One day, Rene went home and told Elena he had lost his job because his employer filed for bankruptcy. Rene joined Elena’s business, but without expanding the business, the income was not enough to support their family.

That’s when their neighbors Tripp and Marisol Pomeroy, formerly of Americus, intervened. The Pomeroys, along with their business associate, Bill Harris, Jr. of Café Campesino, persuaded Elena and Rene to take a leap of faith and move their family to Americus. After visiting Americus and the newly formed Furlow Charter School, the couple felt all the pieces fall into place in both their personal and professional lives. Their

girls Angeline (13), Penelope (9), and Samantha (6), have adjusted well to their new hometown.

The couple was astonished at how helpful and friendly everyone in Americus was to them when they arrived here. The slow pace of the town was very welcoming after leading a busy life in fast-paced Miami. Even their girls were excited about the move.

Many people reached out to the couple, and that is how they met Paige Greene, who has become an essential part of Tepuy. “Paige came to the shop one day and asked how she could help me.

When you live in a big city, nobody ever does that! Now I look at her like a sister,” said Elena. It was the same case with Tom Harrison, Tepuy’s business advisor. He came one day to learn more about Elena and Rene’s business, and he decided to take an active role helping them to approach different target markets. Elena said, “Tom helps me to keep my feet on the ground while I have my head in the clouds.”

Elena also praised a local marketing company that helped her create a video for a Shark Tank audition and will be working on building her social media aspect of the business. “Richie Knight has been amazing and offered to help me with the video and marketing. He wanted to help me because he said he was grateful for the help that came his way creating his marketing business.”

Again, it is clear how grateful Elena is for all of the support offered by this community.

A few years after Elena’s dad passed away from cancer, she brought her mom, Mireya, to Americus to assist with her family and Tepuy. Now her girls can enjoy having their grandmother as a huge part of their lives. Because of what Elena and her family experienced during her dad’s cancer, she wanted to give back to the American Cancer Society for all they had done to help

her parents. Partnering with the non-profit organization, Tepuy created custom leggings with the American Cancer Society logo and is the official provider for leggings for the 250 walks across America. “We don’t want to just sell clothes. We want to have a purpose,” stated Elena. She has also partnered with the MakeA-Wish Foundation to manufacture custom garments for the organization. This couple, who is so grateful to have been given many opportunities, also gives back to these charitable organizations by donating 30% of the proceeds of the sale of the garments.

Paige emphasized, “Something that sets us apart is the ability to customize products offered to buyers to fit the needs of their customers. One Tennessee customer requested certain colors, mesh in certain places on the leggings along with pockets. We had a great time designing and filling that order. That’s an advantage of being able to work with the designer to create a custom look. I love working with Elena, the fabrics and traveling to grow the business.” Elena elaborated, “Customers want a choice and so many companies offer certain products without customer input. We call ours ‘Design on the Fly,’ and it is a quick turnaround for our customers from creating the design to ordering the fabric and manufacturing the products. Paige is so good with customers by sending them pictures of designs and fabrics and staying in touch with them. It’s a personal touch.”

Recently, the Atlanta Apparel Mart named Elena as the favorite Emerging Designer on August 2016. Attending the Market has given Tepuy new customers from many different states. It is no surprise that this highly-praised active wear company is growing in ways that Elena and Rene had never imagined but dreamed about. Tepuy was also named the Americus Small Business of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. Currently, Tepuy produces 1000 garments each month, but the goal is to start producing 3000 pieces monthly and hiring as many as 20 additional employees. Helping put people to work is a high priority for the company and is close to the couple’s heart after the many jobs they have worked in order to get to where

they are now. The products can be found online, downtown at Rustic Charm and at 502 W Forsyth Street in Americus, where the Tepuy manufacturing facility is located. Visitors and customers are always welcome at the facility.

There are other projects in the works that are very exciting for Tepuy, and the sky is the limit as far as Elena is concerned.

Tepuy Activewear offers high-quality, durable fabrics using Spandex, stretchy fabrics for leggings, sports bras, shorts, tanks, jackets and sports vests. The beautiful and bright colors of the materials are woven much like the fabric of Elena and Rene’s life: colorful and ever-changing. They are fully committed to Americus, their business and the country they love so much. Elena has been a model example of faith, perseverance, hard work and determination while empowering others to reach their goals and dreams.  SCL

The beautiful and bright colors of the materials are woven much like the fabric of Elena and Rene’s life: colorful and ever-changing.

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POWERING OUR COMMUNITIES Sumter County is our home too.

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story by

June B. Anderson

photos by

It always amazes me that some people can be simultaneously balls of fire and calm as a cucumber.

This very well describes Kymberly Carter. As we sit and talk, she looks me in the eye and answers every question with diligent concentration and a beautiful smile, her big eyes kind and soft.

Kymberly was born in Warner Robins and moved to Utah at the age of ten. She met Aaron and they married in November 1999, relocating to Sumter County in 2012. Her parents and grandparents are from Buena Vista, although her parents, siblings and their families have remained in Utah. Kymberly attended Pineview High School in St. George, Utah, has a B. A. in psychology from Grand Canyon University. Her main hobby is reading non-fiction, mostly biographies and autobiographies. That’s

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David Parks

pretty impressive when you realize she discovered in the ninth grade that she had a severe reading deficit, tackled it, overcame it, and has become a voracious reader. She has an ardent desire to help people and to share God’s love and His Word with them.

There is one thing that she has a particularly fervent love for…the Hands of Hope Pregnancy and Resources Center, formerly known as Americus Crisis Pregnancy Center, a non-profit, life-affirming pregnancy resource agency in crisis pregnancies. It is obvious that Kym pours her heart into this place of encouragement and help.

One of the instances most life-changing for Kym was a conversation she had with a gentleman years ago. He posed two questions to her. The

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first one was, “Do you know what the word ‘fetus’ means?” Her thoughtful answer was, “No.” He explained, “It is Latin for ‘little one’ or ‘small one.’” The second question he asked was, “Have you ever seen an abortion procedure?” Again, a simple “No.” His response was, “Go home and research it,” which she did. She says she had no idea what an abortion involves and the magnitude of its impact, not only physically but emotionally and relationally. It immediately changed her stance from pro-choice to pro-life, and her life has never been the same.

She volunteered for two years at a crisis pregnancy center in Utah and then became the Administrative Assistant. After she and Aaron moved to Georgia, the “draw” to help people was restless inside her and she had a deep desire to volunteer. To her delight she discovered the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Americus.

She began volunteering there in August 2012; in July 2015, she became the Director. She explains that Central Baptist Church is the foundation for the center, but their board and volunteers include people from different churches and surrounding counties.

Kym knows all too well what her clients are experiencing. At the age of 18, she had her own crisis pregnancy, which resulted in a miscarriage somewhere between two and three months.

Although this was a major heartbreak in her life, she feels that God uses it to her clients’ advantage as she can empathize with their similar situations.

Kymberly relays a Bible passage that is very special to the center. Psalm 139:13-16, written by King David to God, recognizes the miracle performed by God in creating each human life: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full

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They are very much involved with each client as they offer a pregnancy program, parenting program, toddler program, and life skills program, each being involved and comprehensive in its own area.

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Volunteers and board members go through a vetting process which includes an application, background check, and interview process.

Some of the positions they fill are baby closet organizers, office cleaning, data entry, website and media, public relations, church liaisons, and community ambassadors.

well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (NIV) The center wants each client to know that God formed her in her mother’s womb just as He is forming her baby. They want their clients to know that all are special to God and He is the one who creates us for His purposes and pleasure (Revelation 4:11). He loves them and wants a personal relationship with them (Romans 5:8 and 1 John 1:9). Each client receives a “blessing bag,” whether she is pregnant or not, which includes a Bible and devotion book, pamphlets related to her situation, lotion, tissue, and some hard candy.

They want each client to know that they love them

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and want to help them, whatever their situation turns out to be. Most of all, they want them to know that God loves them.

She explains a bit more about the center saying that they are an education center, informing clients on all options, and they walk through the journey and aftercare with them. This is not just a place for a one-time visit where they give you a pamphlet or two and send you out the door with a “see ya later” and no hope for the future. They are very much involved with each client as they offer a pregnancy program, parenting program, toddler program, and life skills program, each being involved and comprehensive in its own area. These programs involve discussions and a DVD curriculum making learning easier for those who have reading difficulties, although this seemingly all-inclusive

agency also offers assistance with learning, when desired, to read and obtain a GED. The pregnancy program curriculum explains the client’s options and Hands of Hope offers to walk through her decision with her so she doesn’t feel alone. It explains what’s happening with her body and the importance of seeing a doctor, the baby’s development at each step, and preparation for labor and delivery. If that’s not enough, a volunteer or staff person will accompany the client at labor and delivery, if she so requests. She receives a hospital layette and a “blessing bag,” including such items as diapers, wipes, baby clothes, samples for mom and baby, and a magazine on parenting. Hands of Hope goes through the adoption with her, if that is her choice; they do not perform, refer, or recommend abortion.

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The parenting program involves a curriculum that addresses first aid, illnesses, what to do if certain accidents occur, post-partum depression, and mommy and baby bonding. Some of the topics covered are Bible-based discipline, setting rules, and being consistent…from childhood to teen years. The mother is offered a wide variety of classes…all biblically-based; some of these are from Focus on the Family. This program overlaps with the toddler program.

The toddler program curriculum lays out methods of dealing with tantrums, sleep problems, sibling rivalry, setting routines, and healthy eating habits.

The life skills program involves a curriculum teaching on life necessities such as sexual health God’s way, risks of sex outside of marriage, Godly character, budget, finances, savings, credit cards, insurance, shopping, and menu planning.

Kym says these are just a few of the ways the center seeks to assist the ladies. Quite a number of classes and programs exist that are helpful to them and their families in many ways.

In order to further ease the ability for a client with other children to come for assistance, a play room is provided. A volunteer will attend to the children and play with them, keeping them happy and occupied while their mother attends to business or receives counseling from other staff and volunteers.

Kym explains, with joy, their Baby Boutique, “is a place where mothers can be supplied with baby clothes, diapers, wipes, and other necessities for taking care of a little one. This is a huge load off the shoulders of an already stressed mother who may be wondering where she’s going to come up with the money for such items.”

Although the program is free to the clients, the items must be earned through their “Earn While You Learn” program. This involves earning points for performing such tasks as signing up, going to the doctor, STD screening, ultrasound, birthing classes, obtaining good grades, receiving a diploma or GED, and many other activities. The points they earn can then be used to “purchase” items from the Baby Boutique. Kym stresses that

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this is a hand up, not a hand out, which creates a situation where the mother can feel that she has done something constructive to help herself and her family instead of relying on others.

A comforting fact for the public to know is that there are volunteers from every age group that help out at the center; local medical people and agencies are supportive of Hands of Hope. This is particularly important to their next step: going medical. Their hope is that in the near future they will be able to have on staff a nurse, sonographer, and doctor/ultrasound personnel to read ultrasounds, but organizations are needed to aid with funding. Just a couple of the necessities for “going medical” will be ultrasound equipment and medical personnel to administer STD testing. This testing will be free as will referrals for medical treatment.

Although the center does have male volunteers that are willing to speak with male clients, they are not required as often and are contacted on an as-needed basis. The center is beginning to see more and more boyfriends, husbands, and fathers of the clients, so more male volunteers are needed and appreciated.

Hands of Hope receives no government monies, but is privately funded by such entities as churches, businesses, and private individuals. Kym encourages everyone with an interest to prayerfully consider supporting them with regular contributions or a one-time donation, all of which are tax deductible.

There are always two staff/volunteer people at the center, but more are needed. Kym encourages the public to contact Hands of Hope for a volunteer packet or tour at their office number, (229) 928-5027. She also wants anyone who may need their services to know he/she can call at the client number, (229) 928-2802. Their hours are Monday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from noon to 4 p.m. She says that in just this short amount of time per week they see on average about 14 clients. It is obvious that the need is there for the center to be open more than just this brief weekly schedule, but it will require more funding and volunteers, something for which Kym and the staff constantly hope. Hands of Hope staff and volunteers welcome the invitation to speak wherever they are invited, such as women’s groups, youth groups, churches, and civic organizations.

Volunteers and board members go through a vetting

process which includes an application, background check, and interview process. Some of the positions they fill are baby closet organizers, office cleaning, data entry, website and media, public relations, church liaisons, and community ambassadors.

The center has recently moved from Highway 19 North to a location they rent that is closer into town.

The physical address for Hands of Hope is 111 Habitat Street, Building C, Americus. Their mailing address

There are always two staff/volunteer people at the center, but more are needed. Kym encourages the public to contact Hands of Hope for a volunteer packet or tour at their office number, (229) 928-5027.

is P.O. Box 802, Americus, GA 31709. You can view their website at americuspregnancy.org and you can email them at handsofhopeprc@yahoo.com.

How comforting it is to know that Sumter County has this wonderful place of refuge where people in crisis pregnancies, who are experiencing a chaotic deluge of emotion from fear to panic to shame to hopelessness, can go for guidance, comfort, counsel, physical assistance, and peace. It is a place where platitudes are scarce and love and hope are prevalent; a place where the true love of God is offered freely.

Psalm 86:15 - But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. John 8:7 - …He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  SCL

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It might not be John Wayne’s most well-known movie, but “without reservations” is a phrase that describes Sheriff Pete Smith pretty well. He makes decisions and stands by his convictions without reservations.

Considering the fact that John Wayne is his personal hero, it seems only fitting.

Sheriff Smith is in his 13th year as the Sumter County Sheriff and he has led this county through some exciting, difficult and trying times. But his career in law enforcement started very early, before he had been to patrol school or even graduated from high school.

According to Sheriff Smith, his first “arrest” occurred after a double date when his friend’s 1963 Ford convertible was stolen by “three juveniles” who took it for a joy ride while the daters were enjoying a movie at the local theater. Sheriff Smith and his friend dropped their dates off at home and decided to take a ride around town themselves to see if they could spot the stolen car, which they did. Smith and his friend managed to stop the stolen car, scared the amateur car thieves into the ditch, and even got them tied up on the side of the road with their own belts and shoelaces. Smith says this event

was what inspired him to go into law enforcement. Aside from enjoying the thrill of the chase, he loved catching the bad guy, doing what was right, and righting a wrong.

Born and raised in Americus, Pete Smith graduated from Americus High School in 1966, a year he fondly remembers as a state championship year for the football team on which he played both offensive end and

defensive tackle. He met his wife, Dorothy, in high school, and they have been married for 44 years. He went to patrol school in Atlanta and started with the Georgia State Patrol in September 1970. Prior to joining the Georgia State Patrol, he spent six years in the Army Reserves as a paratrooper and parachute rigger—a time he describes as “pretty exciting jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.”

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After 32 years with the Georgia State Patrol, he was approached by a friend and encouraged to run for sheriff. Smith ran against five other people and was elected as the Sumter County Sheriff in November 2004. His heart for the people of Sumter County is strong, and his love for the men and women who serve that county is evident. He also is in awe of his position as the largest entity in the county and is constantly amazed at the opportunities it has provided for him.

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He vividly recalls watching the weather reports the night of March 1, 2007, knowing that the weather was about to turn deadly for Americus. He left his house and saw the infamous tornado swirling behind Magnolia Manor. He remembers sensing the fury of the storm and feeling fearful for the community he had served for so many years and called home for most of his life. After the storm, there was much work to be done, but as he said, “people came together to get the job done.” And as the sheriff, that is one of his favorite things—seeing the community work together. During the aftermath of the storm, Sheriff Smith had the opportunity to meet with and work alongside the President of the United States at the time, George W. Bush—an opportunity he found to be both exhilarating and humbling.

While it certainly has been a perk, his job in law enforcement isn’t about meeting exciting people. Sheriff Smith stated, “There are a lot of things I would like to change in law enforcement.” As many do, he wishes he could increase salaries and safety. He works tirelessly to bring in training to keep his officers as upto-date as possible. He shared specific stories of people in our community currently that he wishes he could help more. He remembered fondly, and with emotion, Officer Nick Smarr and Officer Jody Smith who lost their lives in the line of duty in December 2016. He described them as “fine officers” and likened them to Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, brave buddies always by each other’s side. “My wife says I should have grown up in the cowboy days,” Smith claims, so the comparison makes sense.

Sheriff Smith says his door is always open.

He loves hearing from the people of Sumter County, but his job is a heavy one. Sometimes he needs somewhere quiet to go, and for Sheriff Smith that quiet place is the woods. When asked about his hobbies, Smith stated that while he enjoys the Great Outdoors and looking for arrowheads to add to his collection, turkey hunting has always been his passion. In fact, he has one of his prize Osceola turkeys in his office and loves to tell the tale of finally nabbing

His heart for the people of Sumter County is strong, and his love for the men and women who serve that county is evident. He also is in awe of his position as the largest entity in the county and is constantly amazed at the opportunities it has provided for him.

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He loves hearing from the people of Sumter County, but his job is a heavy one. Sometimes he needs somewhere quiet to go, and for Sheriff Smith that quiet place is the woods. When asked about his hobbies, Smith stated that while he enjoys the Great Outdoors and looking for arrowheads to add to his collection, turkey hunting has always been his passion. In fact, he has one of his prize Osceola turkeys in his office and loves to tell the tale of finally nabbing the impossible bird, much to his delight, and the shock of his friends who had been hunting the turkey for ages.

the impossible bird, much to his delight, and the shock of his friends who had been hunting the turkey for ages.

While Sheriff Smith’s eyes sure do light up when he talks about turkey hunting, they don’t light up nearly as much as when he talks about his grandchildren. Smith and his wife, Dot, have three daughters and five grandchildren.

His oldest daughter, Hope Deriso, works as a teacher at Sumter County Primary School; she and her husband, Don, have two daughters, Morgan and Macie. His middle daughter, Amy Davis, works as a nurse in Eastman, Georgia, and has one son, Chandler. His youngest daughter, Kerri Ewing, works as an x-ray technician at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany. She and her husband, Beau, have two daughters, Savannah Grace and Sawyer.

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Sheriff Smith sees retirement looming in the not-to-distant future, and hopes to spend his retirement traveling with his family and showing his grandchildren all of the amazing places he has seen during his lifetime.

Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood famously recalled his mother telling him to look for helpers during times of tragedy. She reminded him that there is always someone trying to help. Rogers stated that he “came to see that the world is full of doctors and nurses, police and firemen, volunteers, neighbors and friends who are ready to jump in to help when things go wrong.” Sheriff Pete Smith is, no doubt, one of those helpers…without reservations.  SCL

After the storm, there was much work to be done, but as he said, “people came together to get the job done.� And as the sheriff, that is one of his favorite things—seeing the community work together.

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Story by Crystal Waddell Photos by David Parks

While much has changed during the 80 years Citizens Bank of Americus has been in business, the one constant is the goal to provide community banking to its valued customers while giving back to the community that supports it. Incorporated February 20, 1937, Citizens Bank officially opened for business on March 25, 1937 in the building across the street from its present location. Still etched above the first floor in that original location are the words, “Citizens Bank of Americus,” and the original vault remains there today. Current Citizens Bank President Rick Whaley said, “Before Citizens Bank occupied its original location, there was another bank, Planter’s Bank, which was there. Planter’s Bank closed during the depression, but the name was still in raised letters above the entrance. When Citizens Bank moved into that building, the lettering was chipped off, and ‘Citizens Bank’ was engraved in the stone. It’s an interesting piece of history,” said Mr. Whaley. The idea to incorporate a second bank in Americus came from the original founders: T.O. Marshall, Sr., Dr. H.A. Smith, J.T. Warren, Lee Hudson and S.S. Roundtree. With eight officers and employees performing all operations of the bank, by the end of the first year the bank’s deposits totaled $65,905.19 and the net worth was $60,000. This was

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quite an accomplishment during 1937 and proved to be a smart investment of the initial $50,000 from the original incorporators.

As the bank grew along with the budding community, new services were added like the first night depository in 1938, Christmas club accounts in 1941, and a drive-in teller window in 1959, making Citizens Bank the first bank in Americus with a drive-in teller window. At the end of 1957, the number of employees had grown from eight to twenty, and the bank’s deposits totaled approximately $3.8 million. Citizens Bank purchased the lot across the street from the original location in 1964 and began construction with a “sleek, contemporary” building to better serve its customers. Continued growth allowed the bank to open a branch in Plains on December 16, 1974. In October 1977, the bank installed two freestanding ATM machines at its main branch and on Tripp Street, making it the first bank in Americus to do so.

The bank’s Board of Directors was encouraged by the growth on the east side of Americus, prompting the board to open the Tripp Street branch on March 15, 1981, which operates with nine employees today.

Bartow Bankshares, Inc. of Cartersville purchased Citizens Bank on January 3, 1985, yet it continued to

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operate as a community bank under the original name. During this time, the bank purchased its first bank, the Bank of Webster in Preston, in 1986, which continues as a full-service branch today. The bank was purchased

by Bank Management Resources in 1987 but was purchased in 1992 by a group of 13 local investors: Russell Thomas, Jr., H. Phil Jones, Jr., Warren Scott, Robert Joseph Hooks, Dr. James G. Herron, James R. Buchannan, Jr., Ben F. Easterlin IV, William S. Perry, J. Wade Halstead, George M. Peagler, Jr., Burton A. Thomas, Dr. Louis Riccardi and John Gill.

Always committed to community improvement, the bank was awarded the Renovation Project of the Year by the Americus Downtown Development Authority for the bank’s renovation of the exterior of the 114

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main office. The year 1996 brought new products and services such as the 24-hour Bank-Line and the Master Money (Debit). It is obvious the commitment to customer service and quality as the bank continually keeps up with the ever-changing world of banking and technology. It is this same devotion of service that brought the bank’s assets to exceed $100 million in 1996. The growth and commitment to its customers and the community did not go unnoticed. In July 116

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1999, Citizens Bank was rated the #1 Community Bank in Georgia and the 26th Community Bank in the United States by the Journal of the American Bankers Association. The original incorporators would be proud and amazed by, not only the growth of the bank, but also the commitment to serving the community and customers as was their vision in 1937.

An extensive and complete renovation took place in 2005 at the Main Branch. During the two-year

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renovation, the bank operated at the former City of Americus Fire Station Building, which was purchased and renovated prior to the temporary move. The grand re-opening was in 2007, with the Bank Operation Center moving to the former Fire Hall Building permanently. The renovations of these two landmark buildings show the commitment to community improvement by the Board of Directors.

“The Financial Crisis in 2008-2009 took its toll on many banks in Georgia, 90 of which closed their doors. Thankfully, Citizens Bank was not one of them. The bank was also the only bank operating in Americus that did not receive government bailout money. That is pretty significant to make it through

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the worst financial crisis any of us have seen in our lifetime without receiving or accepting one dollar of government money,” said Mr. Whaley.

Currently, the assets for Citizens Bank of Americus total over $285 million, and the bank has 47 employees who provide service at three locations: the Main Branch, Tripp Street Branch and the Preston Branch. The current Board of Directors includes James R. Buchannan, Jr. (Chairman), Ben F. Easterlin, IV, J. Wade Halstead, Robert Joseph Hooks, George M. Peagler, William S. Perry, Jr., Dr. Louis A. Riccardi, Russell Thomas, Jr., Rick Whaley, Ronnie Greer and Jeff Alexander.

Throughout its 80-year history, the bank has only seen seven presidents with the first being Lee Hudson in 1937 followed by Evan Mathis, S. R. Hunter, Sr., T. Edwin Tharpe, H. Phil Jones, Jr., W. Scott Ivey and the current president, Richard A. Whaley, who has served since 2001.

Rick Whaley grew up in Americus, and when presented with the opportunity, moved back from Macon to take the helm as the current president. A former Green Beret, Mr. Whaley has the dedication required to move the bank along with current technology and banking advancements while remaining loyal to relationship banking. “I think it’s very meaningful for Citizens Bank of Americus to be celebrating 80 years of serving the citizens of Americus and the surrounding counties. We see our mission as supporting and providing the banking needs for citizens, small-business owners and farmers of Sumter County and surrounding communities. We believe that what sets us apart from the competition is relationship banking where it is not all about numbers, but rather the individual. Another strength is that our message is always the same… we have a consistent delivery standing behind our customers. All of our decisions are handled locally, which makes us very responsive to our customers and getting back to the customers immediately to meet their needs. We continue to expand our digital banking channels through our convenient on-line and mobile banking products. We are keeping up with all of the conveniences of technology while remaining a community bank,” said Mr. Whaley.

Giving back to the communities they serve is part of being a community bank. This view is strongly embraced by Citizens Bank. One of the bank's key principles found in its mission statement is to "provide

the economic resources and volunteers to invest in and support our local community". "Our financial resources remain here and are reinvested in our local community, which is one of the benefits to having a locally owned financial institution," said Mr. Whaley.

Bank employees volunteer throughout the community in a variety of ways, and the bank provides over $150,000 annually to various community projects and charitable organizations. The bank firmly supports local education through its endowed scholarships at Georgia Southwestern State University and South Georgia Technical Institute.

"We encourage academic achievement

by providing mini iPads to the honor graduates of Americus-Sumter County High School and Webster County High School. We support Southland Academy's GOAL Scholarship program, as well as their Capital Campaigns,” said Mr. Whaley. A 2017 incentive from the Georgia Legislature to support the Georgia Rural Hospital Initiative prompted the bank to make a $25,000 investment, which, in turn, comes back to Phoebe Sumter Hospital in order to meet local healthcare needs. After the tornado of 2001 completely wiped out the hospital, the bank donated $50,000 to the hospital foundation to help in recovery efforts in rebuilding. These are

just a few of the many ways this bank supports and gives back to the local community.

This local bank that has changed and grown for 80 years has thrived in Americus because of its dedication to its customers and the community it loves.

One has to look no further than the genuine smiles of the employees when entering the bank and hearing customers being greeted by name to know why this financial institution has been so successful. The place where “business and friendships meet” has made this a “bank for a lifetime” for many citizens of Sumter County.  SCL

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The Sumter area is growing and steadily becoming a central marketplace.

You can find great retail shopping, restaurants and services around each corner. If you haven’t done so lately, take the time to look around and discover all the wonderful things there are to find.

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The Legacy of Lives Well Lived

Nona Ruth Deriso Larsen and Mildred Kinard Wilson have lived “long upon the land� to say the least. They are both centenarians who graduated, one year apart, from Union High School, which educated children in Leslie, Georgia, from about 1919 until about 1979.

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Two local ladies must have taken The Ten Commandments very seriously, this one in particular: “Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12.

(New King James Version) Nona Ruth Deriso Larsen and Mildred Kinard Wilson have lived “long upon the land” to say the least. They are both centenarians who graduated, one year apart, from Union High School, which educated children in Leslie, Georgia, from about 1919 until about 1979. Although they were acquainted, they were not close friends because, as Nona Ruth says, “Students were usually closest to those in their own class.” I’m sure they would have been very close if they’d had the opportunity to spend more time together.

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Union High School was situated on a plot of land on East Allen Street. The main classroom building included an auditorium and all the classrooms from 1st through 11th grades, with the 12th being added at some point after these two graduated, probably around 1940. There was a gymnasium where lots of excited students enjoyed many a lively basketball game. An addition was constructed with extra classrooms, an auditorium, and a kitchen. This structure is now the Leslie Civic Center at 173 East Allen Street.

Unfortunately, the gym and the main building became somewhat uninhabitable and were eventually torn down.

Nona Ruth was raised in Sumter County having been born here on July 9, 1916. She grew up on a farm outside Leslie, the oldest child of Ruth

devotion to all Mildred has always been devoted to the Lord, the Bible, and her family. In fact, counted among her hobbies over the years were reading and studying the Bible. She taught a ladies’ Sunday School class at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church from 1966 until 2002. At the time of her retirement from this duty, she received recognition from the church as they named the Sunday School class after her, The Mildred Wilson Sunday School Class.

and Albert Deriso. Her younger siblings were a sister, Nelcine, and a brother, John. She graduated from Union High School in 1933, where her favorite subjects were Spanish and Latin. After all these years she still has her diploma.

She reminisces about the school buses, which she said were owned and driven by Ed Kinard and his brother-in-law, Charlie Cheek. She explained that the buses had canvas flaps on the sides that could be let down in case of inclement weather or rolled up and tied when the weather was nice. One can just imagine how this would allow the cool spring breezes to blow across their faces and through their hair.

After high school she attended Americus Business College, which was incorporated in 1924, taking an array of courses including typing, bookkeeping, and shorthand. She earned a two-year diploma, still in her possession, and in 1935, married Harry Elmer Larsen, known as Elmer, in 1936. They had Harry, who still lives on the farm although “pretty much retired from farming,” and Gail, who lives in the Atlanta area.

Harry’s son, George, now farms the land.

“Old Man George,” as Nona Ruth calls her husband’s father, came to Wisconsin from Denmark at the age of 12. He actually left Denmark headed for Denmark…

Denmark, Wisconsin, that is! He grew up there but

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soon grew tired of the cold weather and headed for Mississippi, where he farmed for a time. Eventually Florida’s orange groves lured him to that fair state where he farmed the groves. Imagine the sweet citrus smell that must have filled the air during harvest!

When Elmer was in his teens, George heard about some land available in this area and in 1927, in his 60s, he left the sweet-smelling groves of Florida and moved his family onto the land where he, Elmer, Harry, and now George, have farmed since.

Nona Ruth loved flower gardening and vegetable gardening and spent summers canning and freezing beans, tomatoes, and soup mixture. She was a member of the Home Extension Service Homemakers Club. During the war she was a member of a sewing club, the description of which sounds very much like a quilting bee. The ladies would gather to chat and keep up with the activities of the community while performing the sewing tasks they had brought along. She also volunteered as a “Room Mother� at the school.

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A stately woman whose determination to learn the Bible and pass it on to others speaks volumes of a life lived for God and family. Her 100 years of life give Mildred the authority to advise the world to, “Put the Lord first and all else will fall into place.”

Helping run a farm is hard work for all family members, so naturally, over the years, Nona Ruth was a busy lady. Her main job on the farm was keeping the farm records. As if that were not enough, she helped milk cows twice a day and prepared dinner, trekking it to the field for her husband and the one or two workers that helped keep the farm running smoothly. She raised baby chickens (“biddies”) and sold them when they were grown. For a year or so, because there was a need, she drove a small school bus over dirt roads, muddy when it rained and dusty when it didn’t.

Nona Ruth loved flower gardening and vegetable gardening and spent summers canning and freezing beans, tomatoes, and soup mixture.

She was a member of the Home Extension Service Homemakers Club. During the war she was a member of a sewing club, the description of which sounds very much like a quilting bee. The ladies would gather to chat and keep up with the activities of the community while performing the sewing tasks they had brought along. She also volunteered as a “Room Mother” at the school.

In his retirement, her husband set aside eight acres on which he dug six ponds that he kept stocked with catfish and they ran a fish pond business. Patrons would come from miles around and pay a dollar to get in the gate to fish; then Nona Ruth or Elmer would weigh the catch and charge the customers by the pound. They operated this side business together for about 10 years

until Elmer passed away in 2002, and then Nona Ruth carried it on for about a year afterwards. I can imagine some nice catfish suppers with corn on the cob and hushpuppies after a time of fishing these ponds!

Somehow in all the business of running a farm and a family, she found time to enjoy her hobbies, which consisted of different kinds of handwork, including knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and needlepoint, and she has been an avid reader for years. Lovely afghans, pillows, and more are displayed in her house.

Nona Ruth has been involved in many church activities and held many offices in the women’s group. Back in the days of Setback, she was a zealous member of the local Setback group, playing the beloved card game regularly for years.

A lovely woman of integrity and grace, Nona Ruth is a shining example of faithfulness, strength, and support in marriage, family, and church. Her 101 years are a testimony of a life well lived.

Mildred Kinard Wilson, another Leslie native, was born March 5, 1917, and raised just outside Leslie.

She was a year old during the flu pandemic of 1918 and had to be cared for by a person outside the family because her whole family was sick. By the grace of God she escaped it.

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She graduated from Union High School in 1934 and still has the diploma to prove it! As explained previously, her father and his brother-in-law drove two school buses that they provided and were paid to operate. During the winter months, Mildred can recall her mother heating bricks and wrapping them in cloths so she could keep her feet warm on the bus. Her mother was a hard worker and a good cook…apparently all traits passed down to Mildred as she used to cook and put up vegetables, a common thread in the lives of rural Georgia women of that time. Had it not been for the hard work and determination to persevere at this task, many families would have suffered more than they did.

Mildred made sure hers didn’t.

After graduation she attended Georgia Southwestern and graduated in 1936 with a “normal diploma.” (I 130

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might have been embarrassingly confused at this if I had not grown up hearing my mother, also born in 1917, talk about the “normal school” in the county where we lived between Athens and Atlanta.) This diploma, which is still in her possession, certified Mildred to teach.

She was fortunate to obtain a teaching position in Cecil, Georgia, so she boarded the train in Leslie and moved to Cecil to pass on her knowledge to her charges.

Having played basketball in high school, she also coached junior high school girls’ basketball.

She grew up in a family of six children, one boy and five girls. (Instant basketball team!) Sadly, the little boy passed away at the age of two years. She married Irise “Dock” Wilson in 1938 and they had three girls, whom you may know today as Bettie Kennedy, Anne Meadows, and Cindy Schaeffner.

From the 1930s until his death in 1984, Dock had a store that everyone knew as “Dock Wilson’s Store;” folks from miles around stopped in to pick up necessities. It also conveniently served as a gathering place to chat around the old wood stove. Amid raising children and taking care of the house, cooking and putting up vegetables, Mildred helped out at the store each day.

Mildred has always been devoted to the Lord, the Bible, and her family. In fact, counted among her hobbies over the years were reading and studying the Bible. She taught a ladies’ Sunday School class at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church from 1966 until 2002. At the time of her retirement from this duty, she received recognition from the church as they named the Sunday School class after her, The Mildred Wilson Sunday School Class. Mildred’s mother had been a member of this class for some time before her death in 1963.

It would surely have pleased her to know that her daughter would teach the class for many years.

A stately woman whose determination to learn the Bible and pass it on to others speaks volumes of a life lived for God and family. Her 100 years of life give Mildred the authority to advise the world to, “Put the Lord first and all else will fall into place.”  SCL

life well lived A lovely woman of integrity and grace, Nona Ruth is a shining example of faithfulness, strength, and support in marriage, family, and church. Her 101 years are a testimony of a life well lived.

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Innovative Senior Solutions ………..................…….. 135 Inscape Design Studio …........………....................….. 65 Johnston Realty Group, Inc. ….………...................….. 99 Lake Blackshear Regional Library …………........….. 108 Logic4Design ……................................................….. 66 Louis A. Riccardi, DDS, PC …....…….....................….. 25 Middle Flint Behavioral HealthCare ………................ 79 Minick Interiors ……….............…….................…….. 134 Parker’s Heating & Air Conditioning ………................ 26 Phoebe Putney Health System …………................….. 27 Plains Historic Inn & Antique Mall ……………........... 2-3 Pro-Tech Security Group, Inc. ………................…….. 111 Roberts Jewelers......................................................121 Rylander Theatre …………….............……................... 39 S & S Total Floor Care & Restoration........................121 Scott’s Jewelry..........................................................121 SheppardHouse.......................................................121 South Georgia Technical College …………............….. 89 Southland Academy …………….............…….............. 67 Southwest Georgia Farm Credit ……………................ 89 Speed Shop & Truck Accessories …………..........….. 110 State Farm Insurance ………….............……........….. 134 Strickland Accounting LLC …................…….......….. 133 Sumter County Chamber of Commerce……....….. 10-11 Sumter County Living Subscription ……….......…….. 132 Sunbelt Ford of Americus ……….............……....…….. 24 Sweet Georgia Baking Company …………............….. 99 The Kinnebrew Company..........................................121 The Local Marketplace ……….................…….. 120-121 The Look Salon Studio ……….............……............... 134 The Staffing People ………….............…….............….. 38 The UPS Store …………….............…….............…….. 101 Turton Properties ……….............……..............…….. 110 Wild Side Running ………….............……...............….. 98

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Citizens Bank of Americus has a proud history of serving the banking needs of our customers for 80 years.

We are a locally owned community bank headquartered in Americus, Georgia. We offer a full range of products in order to serve the banking needs of businesses and residents in Sumter and Webster Counties and the surrounding areas.

Citizens Bank of Americus is your bank for a lifetime.

Living the American Dream Elena has been a model example of faith, perserverance, hard work and determination while empowering others.

Faith for the Journey

Paul and Lori Evans answered a call to missions that took them around the world to Taiwan.

We offer Remote Deposit Anywhere - deposit checks from your mobile device wherever and whenever it’s convenient for you.

It’s fast, easy, and secure. Call 229.924.4011 to learn more!

Americus-North Lee Street (Main) 119 North Lee Street Americus, GA 31709 Phone: 229-924-4011

Americus-Tripp Street 106 Tripp Street Americus, GA 31709 Phone: 229-924-4011

Preston-Washington Street 534 Washington Street Preston, GA 31824 Phone: 229-828-3325

Leaving a Lasting Legacy The amazing stories told by Col. Bowles could have filled a novel, but the way he humbly spoke of them shows the pride he took in his country.

growing

Wolf Creek Plantation is a family business that is putting Americus on the map for its Southern muscadine wines.

H o m e t o w n L i v i n g at i t s B e s t