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The Led County Ledger Your Hometown Source Of Local News Hometown Newspaper of Marie Widner Volume XLV- Number 40 Leesburg, Georgia - - May 31, 2023 Fifty Cents Lee County High School CTAE Signing Day Special to the Ledger At the CTAE signing Day on 11 May 2023, time was set aside to recognize the students and their next steps in life. They are branching out in order to strengthen their Professional Devel opment in the Technical World. Many of them are going into full time em ployment with businesses that have an active role in supporting our techni cal programs at Lee Co High School. In addition, some are participating in summer internships that will deepen their knowl edge and preparation in their area of Technical study. The school cele brated their “Coming of Age” into the professional world. Belk, Gage - Tulsa Weld ing Bell, Chase - SGTC Elec tronics Benton, Angelina - ALB Tech Welding Bullington, Ethan - Roto Rooter plumbing Cook, Ty - Tulsa Welding Creel, Zach - Tulsa Welding Darity, Israel - Roto Rooter plumbing Davis, Alijah - SGTC Welding Donaldson, Abigail - Metro Power - electrical Apprentice Epperson, Easton - Ricky O’Neal Cabinets cabin etry Fischer, Erich - ALB Tech/ Local 72' Welding Frisbee, Cole - Peliccano Geise, Johnny - SGTC Welding Johnson, Mason - Roto Rooter plumbing Klein, Jackson - ALB 8 10499 02456 8 DOHERTY, DUGGAN, HART&TIERNAN INSURORS Home • Auto • Business • Life/Health P.O.Box 71628 (229)888-2040 Albany, GA 31708-1628 800-628-2040 2301 Dawson Road (31707) Fax (229) 435-3036 www.ddhtins.com Leesburg City Council will meet Tuesday, June 6 at 6:00 p.m. at the Leesburg City Hall Tech Welding Lovelace, Landon - Metro Power - electrical Apprentice Menser, Tristan - US Navy Nuclear Tech Mitchell, Jayden - SGTC Welding Newberry, Trey - SE Tech Law/Justice Newell, Mason Newell - Const/GSW Nixon, Hunter - Metro Power - electrical Ap prentice Phillips, Reid - Roto Rooter plumbing Philmon, Gage - Tulsa Welding Ranew, Alex - Metro Power electrical Appren tice Ray, Mason Kurt - Lam- on Builders Rogers ,Ethan - Safe Air HVAC Simmons, Landyn - Safe Air HVAC Simmons, Matthew - Metro Power electrical Apprentice Slankard, Ethan - Crisp County Sheriff Wheeler, Lacie - ABAC Wilkes, Hunter - Ga Pow er Lineman Lineman Williams, Jase - Roto Rooter plumbing Williams, Jacob - De signer Kitchens & Baths Cabintry Williams, Roy - Roto Rooter plumbing Williams, Troy - Bird Buggy Welding Fab Clanton, AJ - JCI con struction Submitted Photo Pictured left to right: Sam Allen - Dougherty Co. EMS, Julie Allen, Teri McMahon, CW05 Micheal McMahon -MCSC, MGySgt Lisa Thomas - Logistics Command MCSC, Albany Police Chief Michael Persley, Kimberly Persley, Batt. Chief Keith Ambrose and Capt. Robert Medlock Albany Fire Dept. -Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals, and Daphne Lindsey - Lee County Special Victims Unit. Albany Elk’s Lodge 713 3rd Annual “Heroes Among Us” Celebration Special to the Ledger Albany Elk’s Lodge 713 was very proud to sponsor their 3rd An nual Tribute to “Heroes Among Us” on Friday, May 19, 2023. Lodge members and guests brought memorabilia of their service, military and/or first responders to share and honor their loved ones. Special guest speakers were Albany Police Chief, Michael Persley and CW05 Mi cheal McMahon, MCSC Albany. Other special guests being honored were: Batt. Chief Keith Amborse and Capt. Robert Medlock with the Albany Fire Dept. , Sam Allen with Dougherty Co. EMS, Lee County Sheriff, Reggie Rachals, Daphne Lindsey with Lee County Special Vic tims Unit, and MGySgt Lisa Thomas with the Logistics Command MCSC. The Albany Elks Lodge would like to thank these very special men and women for their service and for all they continue to do every day and to the many “HE ROES” out there that have given and continue to give so much for all of us. We appreciate each and everyone of them. For more information on the programs and ser vices of the Albany Elks Lodge, please contact the lodge at 229-436- 4896. Lee County High School Valedictory Address Special to the Ledger Nicholas Fabrizio Hello everyone! I am Nick Fabrizio, the vale dictorian for this year’s graduating class. But this is not about just me or any title, stoll, or chord that any one of us wears. Today, here and now, we are graduat ing together as the class of 2023. All of us, as one group, one unit, that stands to gether facing the future and horizon beyond. Whether you’ve lived in Leesburg for your entire life or moved in from across the world, whether you’ve been in this system since pre-K, just moved here this year, or even re turned after graduating early, we are all united as a class. Regardless of the paths we have taken so far, we have all made it, here and now, to our graduation. Graduates, we are not alone at this event. We are joined by everyone who made our journey possible. Among these people, there are some who helped all of us col lectively, including our families, who have guid ed us from cradles to caps and gowns, our friends, who made our worst moments bear able and our best moments even better, our teachers, who have given us the knowledge necessary to make it here, and our superin tendent Dr. Miller, who decided to retire with the best graduating class he’s ever had. Each graduate here also has people who have helped them grow individually. These peo ple are, of course, differ ent for each student. Personally, I would like to thank all of my basketball and soccer coaches for making me a better player and person, my teammates Nicholas Fabrizio and friends for making every trophy and the journey to earn them memorable, and all of my teachers for prepar ing me for this moment and beyond, especially my mom, who is my ultimate teacher in life. Lastly I would like to thank those who could not make it to this moment, especial ly my late best friend and brother Jeremiah Perkins, who taught me to never stop fighting. Whether it was class or cancer, his actions and willpower motivated me to be the best version of myself every day; none of this would have been possible without him. On behalf of the entire graduating class, I thank all of the teachers, families, and everyone else for helping kindle our fires, our passions on our journey. As we look toward the vision that has been pre pared for us, we may try to see what we can not at the moment, because all of our visions for the future are just that... visions. These visions are dimly lit ideals of creators, catalysts, caretakers, families, and fulfillment that are only able to appear as fleeting, obscure visions that we fear will never be realized. This is what makes the future intim idating yet so exciting. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “for now we see through a glass, darkly,” meaning we only have ephemeral glances of what we could be. This is not to say that our visions will remain obscured. We all have a fire within us. A fire that, kindled and built by pandemics and papers alike, will burst forth in vibrant, new colors, shining and shaping the future ahead of us. In the coming months, years, and decades, that burning passion within us will illuminate paths that, once thought to be shaded in darkness and uncertainty, will ulti mately lead to a collec tive, bright future for all of us. This “fire” that lights our visions burns brighter together. No one person, whether it is me, anyone else who has spoken, or any other To Subscribe Call 229-759-2413 person graduating today can easily find their way alone. In order to make a difference in society at large, we must all work together to make the future brighter, starting as soon as we turn our tassels. Wheth er you are going to college, the military or elsewhere, our only path see Fabrizio, Page 3A Homeownership is within your reach, even if you don’t have much to put toward a down payment. GCB has you covered with low mortgage insurance premiums. Contact us to get a quote today! Georgia Community Bank 3000 N. Slappey Blvd. (229) 446-0102 Online @ GCB.bank NMLS # 648124 Subject to credit approval.