About The Advance. (Vidalia, Ga.) 2003-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 2023)
The ADVANCE, April 19, 2023/Page 12A (Eift Aiiuancg Photo by Makaylee Randolph GEORGIA LIBRARY DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR - Ohoopee Regional Library System Director Cameron Asbell (left) was recognized by State Library Director Julie Walker (right) as the Georgia Library Director of the Year. Photo by Makaylee Randolph APPRECIATED BY ADULTS - The library is not only exciting for children, but also adults, who enjoyed perusing the new shelves and resources. Library continued from page 11A And finally, we would not be standing here without Senator Blake Tillery. He has quietly been in the background moving this project along, and if any one ever asks me what happened with this library project, I’m going to tell them it was put together by friends of Blake Tillery,” he concluded. Spivey’s Reflections Dr. Mark and Tonya Spivey, whose significant donation was a catalyst for the project, addressed at tendees to share their per spective on the project. “This place is amazing. The Board of Trustees has been great. We are blessed to be a part of this community, and happy to be a part of this,” Dr. Spivey shared. According to Vidalia- Toombs County Library Board of Trustees Member Pat Dixon, she reached out to the couple in Fall 2020 about the project and the needed financial contri butions from community members. “They had ex cellent questions on the impact this would have on our adults and our youth,” Dixon reminisced. “Thanks to Cameron, the staff, and our Board of Trustees, we provided them with many hard facts. The Spiveys saw the benefits for everyone, and as they say, the rest is history.” Tillery’s Comments Senator Tillery also spoke at the occasion. “Where do you start? These things don’t hap pen without a push, and Howard Holman was the push,” he emphasized. “He accomplished more on his back in a hospital bed than I’ll ever accomplish in my life. Thank you, Howard. “In science, when I learned from some of you standing in the audi ence, you taught me about inertia. Inertia says that things stay as they are until somebody makes them do something different. The inertia in the community, the force that makes things different, is you,” he told the crowd. “We would not have gotten here had it not been for Dr. Spivey and Mrs. Tonya - thank you - and more. They made this possible.” Tillery added, “But this community has worked be cause of other names, too - because of Ladsons and Ihrelkelds and Godbees and Rices and Davises and Rollins and Dixons, and on and on, the inertia for Vidalia has been moving. Remember, inertia works both ways: things stay stopped because of iner tia, but they keep moving because of inertia. Because of folks like that and names that I missed, we will keep moving because of inertia.” According to Tillery, this inertia also presents a challenge to the younger generations in the commu nity to continue to work for the betterment of the com munity. “We have to be giv ers in this community if it is going to continue to be this way. It is not because of me - y’all have given me a position that allows me to stand up here and chal lenge you, but you have not given me a position to make it happen. You make it happen,” he concluded, as he thanked everyone for their work and generosity for the library. Library Director of the Year Award State Library Director Julie Walker also took to the podium to recognize Ohoopee Regional Library System Director Cameron Asbell as the Georgia Li brary Director of the Year. “I was just here it seems like not too long ago awarding Senator Tillery our Library Champion of the Year award, so I think that this area and Vidalia is the epicenter of library excellence for the state of Georgia,” Walker began. Describing Asbell as a “Library Hero,” Walker emphasized the impor tance of recognizing both accomplishments - the award and the newly- reno vated library - at the same time. “Projects like this don’t happen magically - it takes a truly fearless leader, someone who is not afraid of hard work, not afraid of embarking on an uphill bat tle, and not afraid of doubt ers. It takes someone who cares about her staff, her community, and the power of libraries. It takes a lot of determination, a lot of faith, and a fabulous sense of humor to see something like this through to com pletion, and Cameron has every single one of those traits,” she remarked. Walker continued, “I Photo by Makaylee Randolph CHILDREN'S STEM ROOM - The library now features a STEM (Science, Technology, Engi neering, Mathematics) exploration room for children, where they may learn about the subjects. Here, a family watches as a ball is controlled with the volume of their speak ing voice. feel like maybe everyone standing here submitted a nomination for Cameron for this award, because our office was absolutely filled with them. We are so hap py about that because we want her to be appreciated and recognized for her hard work. Being a library direc tor of a regional system is not an easy job in any cir cumstances. The rest of Cameron’s duties didn’t go away because she was man aging this construction project, but she never com plained, she never missed a deadline, and she kept all of her libraries humming along, doing creative and good work all across her region.” She also commented on the library renovation. “The best gift you can give the children and families in your community is a shiny new library,” Walker told the crowd. “Every one here knows it took the whole village to make this happen, so I want to thank and congratulate all the lo cal elected officials, Sena tor Tillery and all of our friends in the Georgia Gen eral Assembly, your library trustees, the Friends of the Library, your hardworking and dedicated library staff, and so many members of the community who con tributed in ways large and small to make this dream a reality. I cannot be happier for you and I cannot wait to see every corner of this new library.” Library Hours The Dr. Mark and Tonya Spivey Public Li brary, located at 610 Jack- son Street in Vidalia, is now open six days a week for patrons to enjoy - from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information, call the library at (912) 537-9283. PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE 2023 VIDALIA ONION FESTIVAL As you celebrate the latest harvest at the 46th Annual Vidalia Onion Festival, know that we are here for you. From children to adults, we have all the healthcare services to meet your needs along with a robust network of physicians. Please visit our booth at the festival. We'd love to see you! A Memorial|M|Mi^i MemorialHealthMeadows.com
