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The ADVANCE, January 6,2021 /Page 9B
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RTCA K3 CHRISTMAS — Robert Toombs Christian Academy's K3 Class held its annual Christmas Program on Decem
ber 17, This year's title for the program was "Jesus: Light of the World." Students opened the program reciting the Bible
verse Luke 2:11 and sang songs throughout the program. Parents, grandparents, and other family members were
invited to the program, (Lto R): Front Row: Everly Dykes, Ramsey Bryant, Nevaeh Thigpen, Brooks Wilkinson, Nash Turner,
Back Row: Hoke Lord, Emmalee Coursey, Weston Sheppard, IvyLyn Varnadoe, and Lincoln Towns.
RTCA TOY DRIVE — Robert Toombs Christian Academy held a toy drive in which students in grades Kindergarten
through fifth grade donated toys for children in the area, The toys were collected and delivered to The Salvation
Army to be distributed to local children in hopes of making their Christmas a little merrier. L to R: Joey Todd, Ryan Wig
gins, Hunter Ennis, Addi Walden, Haylie Kight, and Marly Dismuke,
DERRICK’S
AUTOMOTIVE
New Location
139 Ben Wilson Rd Vidalia
912-380-4110
lUIONTFORT
GROUP
LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS
• MOWING
• SHRUB TRIMMING
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LET THE PROS AT MONTFORT
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STICKERS NOW SO YOU CAN BE
BAREFOOT AND FANCY FREE
THIS SPRING/SUMMER.
(912) 293-1243
Baseball
League For
Those With
Disabilities
My name is Taylor
Duncan! I am 25 years
old from Dallas, Geor
gia, and I have autism. I
am also the commis
sioner/director of the
Alternative Baseball Or
ganization, a 501c3 au
thentic baseball experi
ence for teens 15+ and
adults with autism and
other disabilities to gain
social and physical skills
for success in life on and
off the diamond. It takes
6 months to fill a full
team due to the lack of
catered services available
in most areas for teens
and adults with disabili
ties. So in spite of the
pandemic, recruitment
for 2021 has begun vir
tually.
We are looking for a
volunteer coach/man
ager, volunteers, and
players to help us start a
new program serving
those in Vidalia and the
surrounding area in ad
dition to our other Geor
gia programs in East
Cobb, Powder Springs,
Paulding County, Gwin
nett County/Loganville,
Newnan, North Fulton,
Columbus, and Savan
nah tentatively set to
start in late Spring-sum
mer 2021. The organiza
tion provides equipment
and resources to help
such a program become
successful.
When I was much
younger, I had speech is
sues, anxiety issues, and
more that came with
having autism... I wasn't
able to participate in
competitive sports due
to the developmental de
lays, in addition to social
stigma (preconceived
ideas) from those who
think what one with au
tism can and cannot ac
complish. With the help
of my mom, teachers,
mentors, and coaches
who believed in me, I've
gotten to where I am to
day in my life: To live
with the goal to inspire,
raise awareness, and ac
ceptance for autism and
special needs globally
through the sport of
baseball.
As many with autism
graduate from high
school in many areas,
services plateau. In a lot
of suburban and rural ar
eas, there are no services
for those to continue
their path toward inde
pendence. Many travel to
find the limited services
which may or may not be
available to their specific
needs. Realizing a lack of
general incentive and op
portunities for those on
the spectrum, I started
this organization to give
others on the spectrum/
special needs the oppor
tunity to be accepted for
who they are and to be
encouraged to be the
best they can be!
The program follows
Major League rules
(wood bats, base steal
ing, dropped third strike,
etc.), and is a true typi
cal team experience for
others on the autism
spectrum and special
needs to help develop
social skills for later in
life. Alternative Baseball
also has clubs in 30+
states who are also pre
paring for their late
Spring start dates. In
2019, the organization
was commemorated as a
Community Hero at an
Atlanta Braves game and
has been featured on ES
PN's BASEBALL TO
NIGHT and NBC's
Weekday TODAY Show.
I wanted to let you
know we are looking for
a volunteer coach/man
ager, players, and volun
teers to help us start a
new program serving
those throughout Vidalia
and the surrounding
area. Players can be of all
experience levels. We
take them from where
they start out at (whether
they require to be
pitched to slow overhand
or hit off the tee), and
help develop their physi
cal and social skills. I am
available for interviews
via Zoom (due to CO-
VID-19 coronavirus pan
demic.) and can also
provide a multitude of
B-Roll footage through
our Google Drive. Any
help is appreciated!
Thank you for your time!
I look forward to serving
your community for
hopefully many years to
come!
(See our segment
from ESPN's Baseball
Tonight here!: http://
www.espn.com/ video/
clip?id=23353934.
Also, please take at
look at my TedXAtlanta
talk on providing more
opportunities in and
outside of sports for
those with autism and
other special
needs: https ://www.
youtube.com/
watch?v = xORGXug-
WV4).
You can also visit al
ternative!) aseball.org.
VidatjA
FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
Notice
Notice is hereby given of the Annual
Meeting of the Members of Vidalia Federal
Savings Bank. Said meeting to be held in the
Conference Room of the Bank, 300 Jackson
Street, Vidalia, Georgia, on Thursday, January
21, 2021, at 2:00 RM. Eastern Standard Time.
Dated this 21st day of December, 2020
Geraldine McKenzie, Secretary
Vidalia Federal Savings Bank
Member
FDIC
EQUAL HOUSING
LENDER