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The Upson Beacon
The Gordy Files
The Debbie McClain Version
Sponsored by West Central Georgia Bank
Community banking means better banking.
2020-2021 GHSA CLASS AAA GIRLS STATE
BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP (FIRST
ROUND)... The Upson-Lee Lady Knights will advance
to the “Sweet Sixteen” in the 2020-2021 GHSA Class
AAA Girls State Basketball Championships later this
week either Friday or Saturday... The UL Lady Knights
have been awarded a bye in the first round of the GHSA
playoffs due to the Region 3-AAA decision not to send
their #3 seed nor their #4 seed to state to represent their
region. The Knights played their first round Tuesday...
We love our Knights and Lady Knights and wish them
the best on their championship journey.
BREAKFAST WILL NOT BE SERVED THIS SAT
URDAY AT NEW BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH...
Claude Turner said he would see everyone next
month at the regularly scheduled free breakfast.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD... Congratulations to
Cody and Jennifer Carden on the birth of their daughter,
Palmer Marie... Palmer came into the world weighing six
pounds and seven ounces and was 19.5 inches long.
FLINT RIVER CHAPTER NATIONAL WILD
TURKEY FEDERATION WILL HOLD A BAN
QUET MARCH 12 AT MOUNTAIN VIEW BAP
TIST CHURCH, LOCATED AT 2569 JEFF DAVIS
ROAD IN THOMASTON... Doors open at 6 p.m.
For information or tickets, please call Steve
Fowler at 706-741-1060.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES ARE EXTENDED
TO... Nash Austin, Tim Norris, James Coker, Jodie Day,
Brenda Mewbourn, Brandie Blount, Angie Stubbs, Clint
Fisher, Cassidy Simkins, Lydia Hill, Feb. 25... Sandra
Fallin, Michelle McDaniel, Nick Byrd, Joy Day, Nancy
Day, Deshawn Barkley, Hannah Moncrief, Bethany Bat
chelor, Mike Cheema, Krystin Day, Justus Hughley, De
lilah Dodgen, Ahna Wright, Feb. 26... Shane Dinkins,
Cynthia Crawford, Hannah-Claire Marks, Jane Caden-
head, Marni Laughman, Monyae Ross, Olivia White,
Daysha McDaniel, Jessi Hill, Feb. 27... Kayla Burke, Tim
Tucker, Joy Saxon, David Weatherford, Mike Anderson
Jared Huckaby, Maggie Stanton, Tatum Michael, Haley
Alton, DeeGee Gassett, Feb. 28... Shawn Darsey, Gary
Wilson, Feb. 29... Sydney Russell, Myrtle McLeod, Ro
land Norton, Robert Tarrer, Jayla White, Michelle
White, Grady Kilgore, Cory Ellerbee, Kamron Burgess,
March 1... Brandi Harris, Meri Parker, Chelsy Stevens,
Ken Wilson, Megan Brawner, Gabe Price, Tyrese Ken
dall, Jacey Deel, Dalton Dishon, March 2... Christy
James, Daniel Whitmire, Harlowe Currie, Brenda Daw
son, Mike Rucker, Diane Hamby, Darlene Camp, Christy
Allison, March 3... We wish for all celebrating birthdays
many more happy and healthy ones.
WE LOVE MADE IN THE USA... and especially love
made in Thomaston, Ga... Standard Textile has a new
line of incredible bed skirts that are amazing... You can
purchase other beautiful lines for bedding, bath, and
gifts on Standard’s website, standardtextilehome.com...
Thomaston Mills launched American Blossom Linens,
“organic cotton blankets grown to sewn in the USA”...
For the past 20 years, Thomaston Mills focused on the
healthcare and hospitality industries, but now you can
buy its blankets direct... Thomaston Mills has been mak
ing sheets for more than 122 years right here in Thom
aston... visit americanblossomlinens.com to shop their
organic lines.
SMART
PHONE w
SMART
BANKING
Talk with us today
about Mobile Banking.
WEST CENTRAL
GEORGIA BANK
Financial strength...in local hands.
Fnctit
www.wcgb.com
Main Office Downtown Office
617 N. Church Si. 101 W. Gordon Si.
(706) 647-8951 (706) 647-8958
Thomaston North
Shopping Center
(706) 648-2225
Thursday, February 25, 2021 Page 5A
County Hires Salter Director of Finance
Allen Salter
Chairman Norman Allen
and the Upson County Board
of Commissioners are
pleased to announce the re
cent selection of Allen Salter
to fill the position of Upson
Director of Finance & Spe
cial Projects.
“We are looking forward
to having Allen return to the
county as a member of the
board’s executive team,” said
County Manager W. Jason
Tinsley. “After a lengthy and
thorough search, it is evident
that Allen’s experiences in
executive management and
finance are a natural fit to
our organization.”
Salter is a native of
Thomaston and a 1983 grad
uate of Upson County High
School. Allen and his wife
Lisa, also from Thomaston,
have two sons and two
granddaughters. Salter
served honorably in the
United States Air Force for
12 years and separated in
1996 while serving as an Air
Force recruiter in Oxford,
Miss.
After his military service,
Allen attended The Univer
sity of Mississippi, where he
earned his bachelor’s and
master’s degrees of account
ing from the Patterson
School of Accountancy.
Salter began his career in
public accounting and
earned his CPA in 2001.
In total, Salter has nearly
22 years of finance, account
ing, and financial reporting
experience in the public and
private sectors. Through
out his career, Salter held
positions in public account
ing as an auditor and con
sultant and in the private
sector as manager of finan
cial reporting, controller,
and chief financial officer.
Salter’s governmental ex
perience includes serving as
manager in the finance de
partment with the Upson
County Board of Commis
sioners and most recently
with the University System
of Georgia as assistant vice
president and controller for
Fort Valley State University.
Lawrence
Promoted
to Lieutenant
Sgt. Whit Lawrence of the
Thomaston Police Depart
ment was recognized at a re
cent city council meeting,
receiving a plaque for his pro
motion to lieutenant.
Photographed L-R:
Lieutenant Whit Lawrence &
TPD Chief Michael Richardson.
February is Heart Month
URMC: Your Heart Matters... Don’t Miss a Beat
In October 2020, inter
ventional cardiologist Dr.
Ryan Macwar joined Upson
Regional Medical Center and
launched the coronary inter
vention program on Dec. 1,
2020. Since the start of the
program, more than 20
heart patients have received
life-saving treatment such as
the placement of stents and
balloon angioplasties, right
here in Thomaston.
Dr. Macwar and his team
are not only ready 24/7 to
treat heart disease, but also
to help patients improve
heart health and reduce risk
for a heart attack that would
require intervention. Dr.
Macwar is in tune with the
numerous risk factors facing
our community, risks factors
that most of us ignore.
Cardiovascular disease,
along with its associated side
effects, is the leading cause
of death in Upson County
residents as well as the
United States, in both men
and women.
Dr. Macwar says risk fac
tors such as smoking, poor
eating habits, and lack of ex
ercise play a leading role in
heart disease but can be
changed. Other key risk fac
tors such as high blood pres
sure and diabetes can be
effectively managed with a
partnership between doctor
and patient. Following your
doctor’s advice and sticking
with a healthy lifestyle is the
most effective way to reduce
you heart disease risk.
Dr. Macwar comments
that along with the usual at
tention to reducing risk for
heart disease, it is important
to not ignore signs of a heart
attack such as chest pain,
shortness of breath, or pain
radiating into the jaw, arm,
or back. It is vital to see a
doctor or come to the emer
gency room with these
symptoms, because time is
of the essence and many
problems can be avoided
with early treatment.
Dr. Macwar and his team
hopes that during Heart
Month the people in our
community will reflect on
their health, see how they
can make positive changes,
and see a physician for
check-ups.
Upson Cardiology is here
to provide expert care close
to home, located at 612 West
Gordon Street (Suite C) in
Thomaston. For appoint
ments, call 706-646-5712.
Cardiovascular Services
at URMC include the follow
ing:
•Cath Lab - Upson offers
an interventional cath lab.
General surgeon Robert So-
lyomvari, M.D., and cardiol
ogist Dr. Macwar lead an
experienced team of nurses
and technologists to provide
outstanding diagnostic care
and treatment for coronary
blockages and blockages in
the legs.
•Cardiac Rehabilitation -
Upson offers two levels of
physician-prescribed cardiac
rehab to help strengthen pa
tients following a cardiac
event. The monitored exer
cise program is designed for
patients who have recently
had heart problems such as
a heart attack, stable chest
pain, stents, bypass, or valve
surgery.
•Congestive Heart Fai
lure Clinic - Upson offers the
CHF clinic to help patients
with any stage of congestive
heart failure. This program
improves self-care and helps
prevent hospital readmis
sions. The CHF Clinic is held
on Tuesdays in the Wellness
Center.
By: Rev. Dean Hemphill
Clarks Chapel
Baptist Church
176 Mathis Lake Rd.
Thomaston, GA 30286
On Feb. 20,1 celebrated 44
years as a God-called
preacher and remembered that Sunday night when
my family went to church. I went with no thought of
being a preacher and left that service a preacher.
God called me during the service and that’s where it
all started.
The question is asked sometimes, how does a
man make it through years of ministry without giv
ing up? I can only speak for myself, but during these
44 years I have kept my eyes on Jesus Christ and not
people. I have tried to please God and not man. I
have known that it’s all about the Lord and not about
me.
I have been hurt deeply many times, but I keep
remembering my little hurts are no comparison to
what my Lord went through. Sometimes, it doesn’t
seem real that God would allow me to preach His
Word. I have never enjoyed it more than now and I
have never experienced His power more than now.
I seek God for the health to continue. I don’t want
to stop until I have to. But, if it all ended now, I can
truly say that it has been a wonderful life.
Clarkschapelchurch.com
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706-647-8194