Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 123 No. 46
Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia
November 17, 2021
Salute
to Area
Veterans
Page 11A
The Vidalia Advance Established 1901 The Lyons Progress Established 1894
Inside This Week
“Even though we’re a
week and a half away
from Thanksgiving, it’s
beginning to look a lot
like Christmas.”
-- Richard Roeper
News
BYTES
Thanksgiving
Turkey Dinner
Giveaway
God's Storehouse &
The Jesus Inn will hold
its annual Thanksgiving
turkey dinner giveaway
on Wednesday,
November 24, 10 a.m.
until 2 p.m. via a drive-
through and pedestrian
line at God's Storehouse,
next to Dean Tires, at 300
McIntosh Street.
Lyons Christmas
Parade
The Lyons Lighted
Christmas Parade will be
held Friday, December 3,
at 6 pm. Sign up online:
www.lyonsmainstreet.
com/lighted-christmas-
parade/ or on Facebook.
There is no fee to register.
Must be registered by
November 19 to be
considered forjudging.
$100 prize in 5 categories.
Vidalia
Christmas
Parade
"Inside Santa's Workshop"
is the theme for Vidalia's
2021 Christmas Parade.
The event will be held
downtown on Saturday,
December 4, beginning
at 11 a.m. Applications
for parade participants
are available at City Hall,
the Downtown Vidalia
Association office and
online at vidaliaga.
gov/dva. Deadline is
November 19, fee is $20.
Winners in Faith/Services
and Business categories
will receive a cash prize.
Alamo Christmas
in the City
Alamo has slated its
annual "Christmas in
the City" for Saturday,
December 4, beginning
at 1 p.m. downtown. A
Christmas parade will
begin at 6 p.m. The
event features over 50
vendors, lots of activities
for children, and music.
A photographer will be
on hand to capture visits
with Santa.
IN THIS ISSUE
Editorials Page 5A
Obituaries Page 7A
From the Record Page 8A
Your Mind On Line Page 9A
Sports Page 1 B
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United Way
Exceeds Goal
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The Annual United Way
of Toombs, Montgomery and
Wheeler Counties exceeded its
fundraising goal of $460,000 by
raising a total of $477,745.90,
as announced at the wrap-up
celebration on November 12.
The annual fundraising
campaign began after a virtual
kick-off ceremony held on Sep
tember 16 and continued until
November 1. Chair of this year’s
campaign, Melissa Bruce, and
Co-Chair Jordan Robins, cel
ebrated this job well done with
partners and sponsors at a lun
cheon.
This year’s campaign motto
was “United We Stand,” and
emphasized the importance of
coming together as a commu
nity. United Way of Toombs,
Montgomery, and Wheeler
Counties emphasizes a com
munity-based approach, as the
organization reports 99% of
its fundraising remains in the
counties to help improve the
lives of area residents.
United Way Executive Di
rector Patricia Dixon referred
to Bruce as the “United Way Su
perwoman” and praised her for
her leadership throughout this
endeavor.
Dixon also thanked the
public for their contributions.
“With your support, we did it!
We went over our goal, and I
know that more will continue
to come in throughout the re
mainder of the year. We are
truly blessed,” she commented.
The final total of fundrais
ing within the year after the
remaining late contributions is
expected to be $500,000.
UVEUMBtO
Photo by Evan Riekhof
GOAL EXCEEDED — Chair of this year's United Way fundraising
campaign, Melissa Bruce, right, and Co-Chair Jordan Robins, left,
celebrate exceeding the campaign goal with partners and spon
sors at a luncheon last week. At center is United Way Executive
Director Patricia Dixon.
Grant Provides Telemedicine, Distance
Learning Network for Wheeler County
By Deborah Clark
Regional Editor
dclarkadvance@gmail. com
A $607,900 federal ru
ral development grant will
enable the Wheeler Coun
ty School System to build a
telemedicine and distance
learning network that will
benefit not only local stu
dents, but ultimately the
entire community.
As one of the poor
est counties in Georgia,
Wheeler County’s high
poverty rate and remote
location pose challenges
for its citizens who seek
opportunities to improve
their health, further their
education, and improve
their quality of life. Sub
stance abuse is on the rise
and its effects are evident
in the increasing number of
students with special needs
entering Wheeler County
Schools.
This network will fa
cilitate mental health ser
vices and substance abuse
education and counseling
to 900 Wheeler County
students, as well as to in
mates and former inmates
through the Wheeler
County Sheriff’s Office.
Although the predominate
focus of this grant will be
on telemedicine, distance
learning activities will
provide equitable access
to high-quality education
and mental health services,
improved school readiness,
and increased awareness of
career and education op
portunities for all Wheeler
County students.
The grant awarded to
Wheeler County is one of
four grants bestowed in
Georgia as part of a $50
million investment in 105
rural distance learning
and telemedicine projects
in 37 states and Puerto
Rico. These awards are be
ing funded through U.S.
Department of Agricul
ture’s Distance Learning
and Telemedicine (DLT)
program that helps fund
distance learning and tele
medicine services in rural
areas to increase access to
education, training and
health care resources that
are otherwise limited or
Please see Grant page
3A
House Passes
Senate Map
By Deborah Clark
Regional Editor
dclarkadvance@gmail. com
On Monday afternoon, in the third week
of a Special Session focused solely on redis
tricting, the Georgia House adopted a new
map of state Senate Districts in a 96-70 vote
split nearly along party lines. The Senate
passed the House legislative map on Friday,
November 12, with a vote of 32-21 with one
Republican voting with Democrats against it.
Both bills were sent to Governor Brian
Kemp to be signed into law. Now, state law
makers will turn their attention to realigning
the state’s 14 Congressional districts.
The General Assembly redraws the state’s
legislative and congressional district bound
aries every 10 years to accommodate changes
in population based on the U.S. Census.
As a member of the Senate Reapportion
ment and Redistricting Committee, Senator
Please see Map page 2A
Adams Named MoCo System Teacher of the Year
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
HONORING TEACHERS — Teacher of the Year recipients stand with school administra
tors, from left, Superintendent Stan Rentz, Montgomery County Elementary Teacher
of the Year Karen Walker, Montgomery County Schools Teacher of the Year Elizabeth
Adams, Montgomery County High School Teacher of the Year Tyrone Madison, and
Assistant Superintendent Beverly Faircloth.
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The Montgomery County School System
honored Teacher of the Year recipients for its el
ementary, middle and high schools, and also an
nounced the system’s Teacher of the Year during
a breakfast on November 12.
Elizabeth Adams, who was honored as
Montgomery County Middle School Teacher of
the Year, was also announced as the 2022-2023
Montgomery County Schools Teacher of the
Year. Adams has taught in the school system for
seven years, spending three years at the Mont
gomery County Elementary School and the re
maining four years at Montgomery County Mid
dle School.
While honoring her, administration shared
their appreciation for Adams’s sense of teamwork
she brings to every situation.
“Mrs. Adams shines as being a member of our
Eagle Family,” Montgomery County Middle and
High School Principal Scott Barrow said. “She is
always willing to jump in and help in anyway she
can. This team player approach helps us to be ef-
Please see MoCo page 9A