Newspaper Page Text
Page 4 - Wednesday, January 12, 2022
The Sylvania Times
thesy lvaniatimes .com
Editorials
i
From the
Editor’s Desk
-Joe Brady
The Sylvania Times,
Editor
As I sit down to write
my first article for The
Sylvania Times, I am at a
loss as what to say. I grew
up in Hephzibah but my
mom is from Millen. I
spent the summers and
every school holiday
in Jenkins County. In
fact, it’s where I live
now. If I write about my
childhood in Emmalane,
I would have to change
the names to protect
the innocent. So many
people have inspired me
in these small towns and it is on their shoulders I suppose I stand.
I could write about The Millen News but I have a hard enough
job keeping the papers apart now. Which leads me to another
point, if you see Millen news in this paper, just go with it please.
I ain’t young as I used to be.
I could write about Pye and Shug Williams in Emmalane, who
could forget them? Shug used to terrify me as a kid when she
would call Pye in for dinner. To my Uncle Carl and Aunt Ruth
Mons who always had a kind word for me. I can't forget Margaret
and Buddy Key. Margaret could make the best coconut pies
around. Then there was Brinson's. They always gave me a piece
of pork rind as they barbecued over the pit behind the restaurant.
I'm talking real pork skin, not that stuff in the bag.
Or do we talk about those cows that left their scent over
Emmalane like one of those thick quilts Granny used to pile on
us in the bed? There were six of us to the bed and every thirty
minutes Granny was turning on that hall light that shone like a
beacon into the back bedroom to throw another quilt on the bed. I
swear five of us had to hold them up so one of us could turn over;
they were better than any straitjackets.
Or do I tell stories of cousin Bobby Womack, who I always
thought was our own version of Buford Pusser. I could talk all day
about Dr. Arnold Mulkey who is the reason I'm walking today;
we save that for another article. I’m sure a few Screven County
folks could say the same thing however. I could write about my
granddad, Doy Mons, who probably never knew my name, just
"that kid of Alyce's". I could write about Aunt Ella Kent fixing
me a peanut butter sandwich when Granddaddy would go see his
sister.
Or I could write about that little store in Four Points that used
to sell the best jelly rolls around. Granddaddy would make me
promise to be good so I could get one. But I had a sister who used
to aggravate me to no end so I didn't get many.
There is so much to write about, and I will write about all of it.
You and I have a long time together. I could change the names to
protect the innocent but why? It wouldn't be half as interesting.
That's all for now, take care!
J ^
®Ijr ^ylhmtta ®tmrs
ADVERTISE
HERE
S r
Letters to the editor of The Sylvania Times are welcomed
and encouraged. These are pages of opinion, yours and ours.
Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the newspaper’s
readers. The Sylvania Times reserves the right to edit any and
all portions of a letter. Unsigned letters will not be published.
Letters must include the signature, address and phone number
of the writer to allow our staff to authenticate its origin. Let
ters should be limited to 400 words and should be typewritten
and double-spaced or neatly printed by hand. Deadline for
letters to the editor is noon on Wednesday. Email Letters to
the Editor to: thesylvaniatimes@gmail.com
The Sylvania Times is published weekly by
The Sylvania Times
117 N. Main • Sylvania, Ga. 30467
Phone: (912) 451-NEWS (6397)
Periodical postage paid at Sylvania, Georgia.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
117 N. Main • Sylvania, Ga. 30467
Sam Eades Publisher
Joe Brady Editor
Sam Eades Advertising Sales
Debbie Heam Layout and Design
Sarah Saxon Administration/Legals
Scotty Scott Sports/Columnist
Subscription Rates (Includes tax):
6 Months Delivered In Screven County $18.00
1 Year In Screven County $30.00
1 Year Online Only $20.00
2 Years In Screven County $55.00
Outside of County $40.00
Outside of Georgia $45.00
Ogeechee Ramblings
Scotty Scott
“Where Cultures Collided”
Many of us Screven Countians
are direct descendants of the
“Salzburgers” who came to
Georgia in 1734, along with
Huguenots from Purrysburg,
South Carolina. Though
the inhabitants of these two
settlements actually found very
little in common, and in fact,
did not like each other much
at all, some of them did decide
in 1751 to relocate upriver to
a new settlement they named
New Goettingen (pronounced
“Gerting In”).
This site was quite close to the
present site of Burton’s Ferry,
which we know as the Highway
301 Bridge. They followed
the Central European way of
famiing in those early days,
where they lived in a Village,
and farmed during the day, then
returned to the village at night.
Some of these early farms were
as far off as Hiltonia.
Enter the Scots-Irish. Many
of these hard-bitten folk came
down from North Carolina
through Augusta, Georgia,
settling in what was called
Old Irish Town, (present-day
Jefferson County). These people
were ruggedly individualistic.
liberty-loving people who were
troublesome neighbors, unless
you agreed with their ways. As
itinerant travelers, they naturally
discovered the “frauleins”
down in New Goettingen, and
started intermarrying with them,
quickly assimilating them into
their culture.
As the Scots-Irish predicated
locating and building their
homesteads and farms with
defense in mind, they tended
to surround themselves with
family members and friends
who they could trust in times
of danger and need. Thus, a
resettlement of the people from
the village out to their farms
began to occur by the time
of the American Revolution.
Thankfully, marrying the more
stolid Germans and Swiss
had a stabilizing effect on
them, helping to dampen their
“wanderlust”. It’s amazing
that today, quite a few Screven
Countians live less than five
miles from where their early
ancestors lived approximately
275 years ago. But that’s
another story.
A Word From The Doc
Dr. Kyle Gay
“Most food goes to waste in
affluent societies. When we
throw leftovers in the garbage,
it goes to waste. When we eat
more food than we need, it goes
to waist.” - Earle Gray
While a humorous play on
words, the double entendre
alludes to one of the epidemics
plaguing our country and world
that dwarfs the current corona
crisis in annual deaths and costs.
With approximately 300,000
deaths per year, obesity/
overweight ranks only behind
tobacco use as the second most
common cause of preventable
death in the US. Obesity rates
have tripled in the last 20 years,
and not coincidentally, so has
the prevalence of diabetes. 1
in 10 Americans are diabetic,
while 1 in 3 are pre-diabetic,
racking up an annual cost of
over $30 billion.
Modern medicine has given us
many tools to treat this all-too-
common malady, but we’ve
made no progress in curtailing
America’s expanding waist
line. I certainly don’t have the
answer to weight loss. If I did,
I would be lying on a beach
on my private island right now
instead of penning this article.
The old saying that ‘If losing
weight were easy, we would all
be skinny,’ certainly points out
the obvious fact that it’s just not
about calories in versus calories
burned, and studies suggest it’s
even harder for diabetics for a
myriad of reasons.
The consequences of diabetes
can be devastating for sure, but
the best treatment is always
prevention. The incidence of
pre-diabetes can be reduced by
The Pastor’s Perspective
Pastor DeWayne Tillman
Sr. Pastor of Greater Refuge Cathedral, Inc.
44
In the Gospel of Matthew
16:13, Jesus asked his disciples
a very basic question to gauge
their understanding of who He
really was. The question was
“Who do people say I am?”
Without hesitation, the disciples
gave a response that began with
two words which even today
keeps many people trapped in
a life of mediocrity and self
defeat. Those words in verse
fourteen were “some say.” It
revealed an amazing reality that
is relevant to this discussion,
because when you internalize
people’s perception of you, it
can alter your ability to grow
into all that you have the po
tential to be. The questions that
you must ponder is, have you
limited your dreams because of
what “some say?” How much
further in your life could you
have been had you not allowed
what “some say” to strike fear
Some Say”
and doubt in your heart?
You see, “Some say” speak
to people’s perception of you,
based upon their external as
sessment. What is even more
tragic is those perceptions are
oftentimes all based upon lim
ited information. The issue with
Jesus is that while they placed
him in the same company as
people like Elias, John the Bap
tist, Jeremiah, the prophets, and
other good people, they still had
it all wrong. He wasn’t any of
Freeland Remembered as Gentle Giant
Dear Editor,
58% with a combination of a
5% loss of body weight, fat
calorie consumption reduced
to less than 30% total caloric
consumption, and increased
activity for four or more hours
weekly. Such lifestyle modifi
cations have dramatic effects
on one’s health with or without
diabetes.
So until someone figures it
out and snatches up my island,
we’ll have to continue with
available medicines and life
style changes as recommended
by our health care providers.
The struggle is real, and the
best you can do is the best you
can do.
those individuals, and he pos
sessed an even greater purpose
for being here. It shows you
that no matter how hard you
try, there will always be some
people that still misunderstand
who you are and limit the
greater purpose upon your life.
Remember that, like Jesus,
there’s not an issue with being
“concerned” with what some
say - but you must never allow
yourself to be “controlled” by
what some say. Some will say
See PASTOR page 5
I remember A1 Freeland as a gentle giant. His large stature could be somewhat imposing, but he was kind, personable and down-to-
earth man.
He had the intellect to earn a doctorate and the memory to retain a wealth of information, particularly about history.
A1 also liked to work with his hands. He had the skills to build beautiful furniture, boats and guns.
During his tenure as middle school principal. Dr. Freeland touched the lives of thousands of students and many teachers, staff mem
bers and fellow administrators.
Mrs. Pat Parker
Sylvania
Smith Remembered as Long Time Friend
Dear Editor,
It is with deep sadness that the staff and board of Screven County Development Authority announces the passing of our long-time
Chairman Bobby Smith.
He was a giant in the fields of agriculture, economic development and utilities.
For 12 years, he led our organization with vision, determination and wisdom.
In honor of his legacy of volunteerism, we ask that you give of your time and talents to enrich your family, church, community and
state.
Our world would be a better place if everyone was just a little bit more like Bobby.
Dorie P. Bacon,
Executive Director,
Screven County Development Authority