About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (June 19, 2025)
A2| THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2025 The Eatonton Aessenger www.msgrnews.com Preservation efforts of historic church resumes Lynn Hobbs lynn@msgrnews.com If walls could talk, the ones of the histor ical Wards Chapel AME Church in northeastern Putnam County would probably tell great stories of struggles and victories, faith and hope, tears and laughter, prayer and song. These days, those walls would also be asking for help. Since the walls can’t speak, community members are asking for the help instead. The church’s history goes back to 1880 and the most notable member of its congregation over the years was legendary author Alice Walker, who attended there with her family when she was young, according to Larry Moore. But Wards Chapel AME Church has not been in use since the early 1970s when congregation members either moved away or started attending other churches. Located on the road that shares its name, the church building became dilapidated and at one point, was literally caving in. Individual volunteers as well as organized groups made significant headway in repairing the building’s physical structure in 2013, 2015 and 2019. The exterior walls also were painted and large panels of bright ly-covered art by local art students replaced the broken windows, creating a beautiful landmark for passersby until the resto ration could be completed. “I, along with a few other aging old timers, haven’t been able to help much in recent years on the church due to the pandemic plus health issues, and progress has stopped,” Moore said. “The objective continues to complete restoration ... and have it available for tours, appropriate func tions, etc.” Even though Wards Chapel is not an operating church, the Rev. Simone Jones serves as its offi cial pastor, and the AME Church fully supports her position and the resto ration efforts. Moore said he is working with Jones and currently serves as the contact for the renovation work. “We again ask the community to join in to complete restoration of this historic site,” Moore said. “The AME Church has approved the work, but we need volunteer help.” Moore said the grounds, lawn and plants need regular maintenance and the outside of the building also needs to be repainted. “The bare wood replace ment siding may begin to rot if not painted soon,” he noted. “However, the roof is relatively new with previously volunteer effort.” Although there is a new floor inside the building, it now needs drywall and paint, Moore said, as well as electrical rewiring, some plumbing resto ration and connection to the existing septic tank. Another item on the wish- list is some “old style, simple church pews,” he added. FILE PHOTO In 2019, Putnam County High School students pose with the new artwork they created to cover broken windows at Wards Chapel Church. i The Art Department of Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville has already volunteered to help with the windows. The plan is to paint plexi glass to give a stained- glass effect. “I’d also like to have local high school students and/or other local artists involved somehow, maybe making artwork for inte rior wall decorations,” Moore said. Moore noted that Randy Martinez, of RMJ Painting Company, may be coordinating efforts of painting the exterior walls of the church. Anyone else willing to help can contact Moore at 706-473-2453. “We can’t do this without volunteers, and any help at any time would be welcome,” Moore said. e 2 The “he. n 1 -1 -‘ tout LYNN HOBBS/Staff Plans are in progress to restore the historical Wards Chapel AME Church on Wards Chapel Road. COUNTY CONTINUED FROM » A1 got your fillings in tight,” he added. Putnam County resident Jennifer Ray next brought up a street safety issue, showing photos of a broken convex mirror meant to aid drivers in seeing beyond GRAND PRIZE DRAWING! from all of the businesses. Be sure to pick up a punch card at one of the participating businesses. To receive a punch on your card, you will need to make a purchase of at your favorite downtown businesses! (100 Block of N. Madison Avenue) you experience an evening in EATONTON MAIN STREET Downtown Eatonton Barrel 118 El Cazador Mexican Restaurant Farmers 8 Merchants Bank Georgia Writers Museum Kina's Krazy Kreations Maggie Lane La Reine Belle Red Dog Apparel Co. Sips 31024 Taylor Flowers & Gifts The Artisans Village At Gallery Tipsy Turtle Bar & Grill Participating Businesses Include; f For more information, please call 706.749.9150 or visit www.Downtown Eatonton.com/events least $15 at a participating business. Five punches gets you into a drawing for the GRAND PRIZE, which is a gift bag FULL of items a hill on Bluegill Road, in particular for those coming from South Bream Court. She explained a fallen tree damaged it during a storm this past winter. “I have contacted Public Works and they have stated that they will not install a new mirror unless directed to do so by our county manager or commissioner (District 4, Jeff Wooten). Public Works believes they did not install the original mirror; however, there is precedent for such mirrors in this district as evident by a similar installation on Bagley Road,” said Ray, who added she did the research and a new mirror with brackets would cost approximately $200. “A school bus stops there to pick up several children that live on that road. Regardless of who initially installed the mirror, it is situated on the county right of way and needs to be replaced,” Ray continued. “Ask your self, what is a person’s life worth? We must consider the importance of safety and I hope you’ll prioritize addressing this serious safety issue that has been brought to your attention today.” Past county chairman Billy Webster next addressed the commission on behalf of Ione Foster, who lives at the Lake Oconee end of Ward’s Chapel Road and is having issues with utility providers and county contractors damaging landscaping in the right-of-way she maintains adjacent to her property. “If the commissioner (District 3, Steve Hersey) or maybe the staff could give her a call and give her a little bit more than just a pat on the back, it would be highly appreciated,” Webster concluded. Next, several routine consent agenda items were approved unanimously before County Manager Paul Van Haute gave an update on recent county paving efforts, which have been severely hampered by extended wet weather, he explained. “The projects we’re working on today were initially approved in 2021; thereby it delayed receiving the funds to just figure out if we get $4 or $5 million a year. You’ve got to wait one full year to get $4 or $5 million, then the second year you get $8 to $10 million, then the third rear, and so on,” Van Haute said. “The problem was we decided to go to the bond market; we got a really good rate; we collected a Allen Carlton McMichael million dollars more from the bank; and now were starting these projects.” Van Haute further explained the county can either bond the money and work on one district a year based on the amount of money collected, or there are “a myriad of options,” though the process will remain inherently long. “Going over 76 miles of road in the initial bid required engineering time to assess each road, come up with a strategy and a game plan to repair it, and modify it in the field if there’s a problem,” he said. “I say that because I understand folks are frus trated with Harmony Road at the moment. Harmony Road was deemed in worse shape the closer we got to Highway 441 than was initially thought,” Van Haute continued. “So that road is going to be done with the lit-tech product and we’re hopefully going to widen that road by a foot on each side. So, that should help some of the traffic flow out there; but again, these are old roads.” Later, on behalf of the Jimmy Davis Park Partner ship Advisory Committee that she chairs, Eatonton City Councilmember Janie Reid gave an extensive update on the continuing revival and updating of the county-owned and operated park about a mile southeast of downtown Eatonton. “We need more time, more people, and more resources, but all in all everything is going well, extremely well,” Reid told the commission. “The committee is very pleased, as well as the community, so all in all everything’s going well.” She also endorsed the recent hiring of Jeremiah Bullard as assistant to JDP Manager Tweedy Parham, adding, “You cannot find two better people than you have at Jimmy Davis Park right now.” A proposed new sign for the entrance to the park also was discussed by Reid and the commissioners to honor the memory of the Brown Bombers, an all-Black, World War Il-era baseball team that once called the park “home.” District 2 County Commissioner Richard Garrett next announced Kylie Reid and Brandon Riley as candidates to expand the JDP Partner ship Advisory Committee, with both unani mously approved by the commission. The final order of busi ness was unanimous commission approval given for a right-of-way permit requested by BellSouth for work on Parks Mill Drive, Hickory Point Drive, and Cedar Cove Drive. The work includes the lashing of 11,828 feet of aerial fiber optic cable to existing strand on existing pole lines, installing 1,478 feet of buried fiber cable, and an additional 219 feet of one-inch conduit for drop fiber. Meet our new primary care physician Offering comprehensive health care services: ✓ Diabetes prevention and treatment • Cholesterol and heart health ✓ High blood pressure management O Same-day appointments! Call 762-320-2100 to schedule. • Hormone care for men and women ✓ Joint pain and arthritis relief ✓ Weight loss and metabolic support MERCERMedicine Putnam County J2 M 117 Harmony Crossing, Suite 1 | Eatonton, GA | 8 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday Dr. Corey Fussell Family Medicine
