Newspaper Page Text
‘Ma’ Holbrook:
By Jim Butler
For twenty-five years Mrs.
M.P. Holbrook, or “Ma” as she
Is affectionately called by fr
iends and family, has served
her country and Forsyth Coun
tians as the Red Cross advisor
from soldiers to their families.
Mrs. Holbrook was first elec
ted Family - Soldier Advisor
immediately after World War II
by the Forsyth County chapter
of the American Red Cross. Her
title was recently changed to
SMF Director. Mrs. Holbrook
has served the veterans of three
wars. Her duties are many and
varied but basically you might
say that “Ma” is official “ch
annels” for soldier to family
relations.
For example, if a relative of
a soldier becomes seriously
ill and his family wants the
soldier to come home, Mrs.
Holbrook is the person for them
to see. She first goes to see
the patient’s doctor to find out
exactly how seriously ill the
relative is. Usually, a service
man will not be brought home
unless death seems imminent.
If Mrs. Holbrook does not feel
the situation warrants bringing
the soldier home, she will at
least keep him informed of his
relative’s condition. If she does
decide that the soldier should
be brought home, she contacts
the National Field Director of
the American Red Cross in Wa
shington, D.C. He contacts the
field director in the area where
the soldier is stationed. That
local field director then con
tacts the soldier’s Commanding
Officer. Mrs. Holbrook says
that most of the soldiers she
contacts do get home when they
are needed, often within three
days.
Mrs. Holbrook also helps the
family of a soldier should he
be killed or injured. She says
that quite often entire families
are so grieved that they need
firm guidance to help them ad
just. “Ma” tries to help fam
ilies through such traumatic ex
periences.
Forsyth County’s Red Cross
lady also advises both families
and soldiers about benefits due
Injured veterans or the.families
of injured or deceased veter
ans. The government provides
all sorts of benefits and aid
programs and Mrs. Holbrook
helps explain how families may
best take advantage of such op
portunities. For example, there
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Booker Smith
Realty Co.
124 Jay
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FOR CHRISTMAS
We ’ve been steering our
thoughts in the direction of the season,
and have come up with the wish
that you and yours have a very Merry
Christmas. Our thanks for your patronage!
Cumming
Texaco Station
Forsyth’s Red Cross Lady
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is a special program tor iain
ilies in which a son provided
fifty percent or more of the
financial support before joining
or being drafted into the
service. In that situation, the
government will match on an
equal basis any amount of his
paycheck the soldier sends
home to his family. Mrs. Hol
brook helps families begin par
ticipating in such programs.
She also can help servicemen
get hardship discharges from
the service if they are needed
at home. Such a situation often
arises when a soldier’s father
becomes ill and is unable to
maintain his business or farm.
Mrs. Holbrook’s work does
not only concern bad news. She
also enjoys relaying messages
about births or other signifi
cant good news to servicemen
far away. Mrs. Holbrook gets
free telephone and telegraph
service to soldiers and can often
contact them faster than their
families can.
Ma enjoys her work tremen
dously. She says that she has
had some sad experiences, but
hers is a job which must be
done and she enjoys helping
other people. Sometimes the
family of a soldier may be bit
ter i f she cannot bring them
home, Mrs. Holbrook says, but
the joy of successfully reun-
iting so many families with their
loved ones overshadows the
occassional inability to do so.
Mrs. Holbrook says she gets
more joy out of her Red Cr
oss work than anything except
her family and church.
Mrs. Holbrook was born in
a house that straddled the county
line between Forsyth and old
Milton counties, but she says
she was born on the Forsyth
side of the house and has lived
in this county all her life. “Ma”
says that when she first moved
to Cumming the city did not
have electricity or running
water and none had any heating
system more advanced than the
old coal stove. She has certain
ly lived to see many changes
in the nation and in Forsyth Co
unty. Mr. and Mrs. Holbrook
now live on Main Street in
Cumming.
“Ma’s” Red Cross work
keeps her busy but it is work
she enjoys, andworksheisgood
at. She received a Red Cross
citation signed by the countries
of France, Belgium, Holland,
and Great Britain for her work
after Wrold War 11. The award
placque burnt when Mr. and
Mrs. Holbrook’s old General
Store at the corner of Indus
trial and Main burnt several
years ago, and she has been
unable to get a duplicate. A
GED Test
Take the G.E.D. test and
receive your High School Eq
uivalency Certificate in lieu of
high school diploma at Lanier
Area Vocational-Technical Sc
hool, January 9 and 10. Qualify
for better jobs. All qualified ad
ults may take the G.E.D. test
and if they prefer some refr
esher training, they may enroll
in the evening course and re
ceive training in the subject
areas covered in the G.E.D.
A person must be 20 years
of age in order to take the
G.E.D. test. However, a person
under 20 can receive special
permission. This information
can be obtained from the cou
nselor’s office at Lanier Tech.
If you are interested, call Mr.
Smith at 532-0191.
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great many people in Forsyth
County know “Ma” and quite a
few can bear witness to the
service she performs for the
community through the Red
Cross. Her work certainly war
rants recognition and apprecia
tion.
Class
On Thursday December 18th
the Metal Fabrication Class at
Forsyth County High School to
ured the Lockheed Nuclear Lab
in Dawson County. The students
were able to see how the skills
they are learning in the Metal
Fabrication Class can help them
find employment upon grad
uation.
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No, the Gulf of Mexico isn’t
really an imposing water
trap for golfers, but courses
on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
do offer many challenging ob
stacles.
To the “week end pro,” the
26 mile long beach stretching
along the Gulf of Mexico pro
vides a year round golfer’s
paradise.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast’s
semi-tropical climate provides
just the right atmosphere to
give an extra bounce toward
that long-awaited hole-in-one.
To the golfers who play the
courses today, they calmly in
quire, “What hurricane?”.
Although last summer’s hur
ricane "Camille” damaged a
number of resort facilities
along the Coast, the golf
courses are in excellent play
ing condition.
Whether you desire a cham
pionship 18 - hole course
(twelve to choose from) or an
easy-going Three Par course,
the Mississippi Gulf Coast has
them both. Two Par-Three
courses are even lighted for
night play.
As an added feature, most
hotels and motels offer spe
cial fall and winter golf
packages at off season rates.
The hurricane is gone and
things are normal again on
the popular “America’s Riv
iera” the fabulous Missis
sippi Gulf Coast.
Berry’s Restaurant
Alpha-Tri-Hi-Y
Pravdes For
Needy Families
The Alpha-Tri-Hi-Y met De
cember 1 7 for its monthly
club meeting.
This month’s community pro
ject is providing Christmas for
two needy families.
For January’s community
project, we are sponsoring a
clean up campaign.
For December’s school pro
ject the Alpha-Tri-Hi-Y spon
sored the annual door decora- |
tion contest. The winnerswere: i
Ist place in contemporary and
the Grand Prize winner-Mr.
Monterro. Ist place religious-
Mrs. White; 2nd place contem
porary-Coach Moore; 2ndplace
regilious-Mrs. Davis; 3rdplace
religious-Mrs. Coots; 3rdplace
contemporary - Mrs. Walker.
The Grand Prize winner will
be awarded an ice-cream party
in January when we return to
school from the holidays.
For January school project
we will have a campaign on
honesty.
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All of the MD jf
parts that go into WuffJ
a Merry Christmas... grand
gifts... good cheer... warm friendship...
youthful excitement... all of these we
now wish for you and your family.
We have greatly appreciated your patronage.
Many thanks, and a Happy Holiday!
(Cumming Sales Co.
Life is Worth Saving
Your life is important to more than
just yourself . . . take care of your
self and your family by observing
highway safety. And when you
drive, don't drink.
Chestatee Ball Team Meets
The Chestatee Soft Ball Team
held its monthly meeting Sun.
night Dec. 14, at “The Beef
Coral” in Gainesville.
After supper, which was en
joyed by all, the meeting was
called to order by the Presi
dent Ray McNeal. Old and new
business was discussed.
Plans were made for a Tur
key Shoot which will be held
at Chestatee School on Dec.
20, beginning at 9 a.m.
Those present were:
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Grin-
New Boy Scout Troop
Ther e is a new Boy Scout
pack in Cumming. It is No. 211
and meets every second Tues
day in each month at the Lower
Elementary School. Time:
7:30 p.m.
The pack, which was formed
in October, has 42 boys. Br
anklyn Ferrell is the Cub mas
ter. Assistant Cub master is
Buddy Holden. Den mothers are
like the sparkling
beauty of a
snowy landscape,
hearts are filled
with peace and
good will. Over
the mountains,
through the woods
or wherever you’ll
be at Christmas,
we wish you a
merry one and
sincere “Thanks”
for your continued
support.
die and family, Mr. and Mrs. 1
Gene Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. J.
C. Nix and family, Mr. and Mrs.
Ray McNeal and family, Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Robbs, Mr.
and Mrs. David Waldrip and
Mike, Mr. and Mrs. Lanier Ca
stleberry and sons, Mr. and
Mrs. Copeland Smith and sons,
Mr. and Mrs. Jee McGehee,
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Watson,
Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dobbs and
family, Mr. and Mrs. Morris
Wood and family.
Den #l, Mrs. Elizabeth Young
blood, Den #2, Mrs. Joanne
McWhorter, Den #3, Mrs. Ann
Pruitt, and Den #4, Mrs. Von
cile Smith. It includes a Web
elos group which has Willard
Rogers in charge.
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//MERRY \V
VCHRISTMAS"
To all good sports, glad greetings.
Here's hoping you'll have a great Christmas.
And for your patronage, our •warm thanks.
Lake Lanier Sporting Goods
with every good
(j wish for a beautiful
Christmas! And may we express our sincere joy
in serving you. Your patronage is appreciated.
Louise’s
Beauty Lounge
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A Chrfelmra Song of Thanks
In tune with the happy spirit of the season,
we send our best wishes, our heartiest
thanks. May your holidays be
harmonious, sounding all notes of good cheer.
The Record World
Tri-Hi-Y
Meeting
The Sigma Tri-H-Y held its
regular monthly meeting Dec.
16 with 37 members present.
Pam Merritt opened the meet
ing with a devotional. Vickie
McGinnis then gave out mem
bership cards. The club gave
Miss Barron and Mrs. Carroll
a Gift Certificate. Then the
officers of the club gave a chr
ristmas party.
Reporter-Kay Wallace
The boys have many projects.
They have collected Toys for
the Empty Stocking Drive, vi
sited a young boy in the com
munity who is seriously ill,
and are working on various
handicrafts. If you are inter
ested in joining, call Branklyn
Ferrell at 887-6248.