About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (June 19, 2025)
A4 | THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2025 The Eatonton Aessenger www.msgrnews.com 00 Opinions All letters to the editor must be signed and include a phone number for verification purposes. Send letters to editor@msgrnews.com by noon Monday. Tribute to one who made a better world The late Jasper Dorsey, my boss and mentor at Southern Bell, taught me a lot about the business world, but he also taught me a lot about life. One of the things he emphasized to me is that we have an obligation to leave this a better world than we found it. Audrey DeShetler did just that. Last week, Audrey passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was one day shy of her 20th birthday. She and her family were members of my church. She was on our prayer list. I’m not sure my prayers ever make it through the Dick Yarbrough Columnist ceiling, but it didn’t keep me from trying. And a lot of other folks, as well. But God had other plans. Not to get all theolog ical on you, but I have to wonder why God allows a bunch of downright worthless slugs to walk around on this earth doing not one whit to make it a better world, but in fact, doing just the opposite. And why He takes good young souls like Audrey away from us before we are ready for them to go. I wondered the same thing when my grandson, Zack Wansley, died suddenly while on a training run preparing for an upcoming marathon. He was 20 and the epitome of the scholar-athlete who excelled at everything he did. And he was a sweet kid to boot. Like Audrey, Zack had a lot yet to offer the world. One of the first calls I received after Zack’s death was from former Gov. Carl Sanders, who had recently lost a grandson himself. He said, “We should never outlive our children and grandchildren.” He was right, but sometimes we do. In thinking back on Mr. Dorsey’s observa tions about making this a better world, I now under stand that there is no age requirement. Audrey DeShetler’s obituary pointed out that despite her health challenges, she accomplished more in 19 years than many do in a lifetime. Audrey had been fighting cancer since she was in kindergarten. At the age of 5, she was diagnosed with neuroblas toma, a rare cancer that affects young children, primarily under the age of 5. That meant for her a lifetime of surgeries, chemotherapy and disap pointing relapses. More than any one person should endure, particu larly a child. But endure, she did. And she made the most of her life while she was here. Despite the medical challenges, Audrey graduated from the prestigious Westminster Schools in Atlanta, having started there pre-first grade. After graduation, she was accepted at the University of Notre Dame as a computer science major in the College of Engineering. She was an A student and a popular dormmate. It is important to note also that she was respon sible for helping raise a staggering $6 million for pediatric cancer charities through her speaking engagements and commu nity activities. One of her MORE TRIBUTE » A6 »Show up, speak up!« THE WASHINGTON POST Public meeting schedule for Eatonton and Putnam County PUTNAM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 1 p.m. - 2 nd Tuesday 706-485-1884 PUTNAM COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION 6 p.m. - 2 nd & 3 rd Monday 706-485-5381 EATONTON PUTNAM WATER SEWER AUTHORITY 4:30 p.m. - 3 rd Wednesday 706-485-5252 EATONTON CITY COUNCIL 7 p.m. - 1 st Tuesday & 3 rd Monday 706-485-3311 PUTNAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 6 p.m. - 3 rd Tuesday • 10 a.m. - 1st Friday 706-485-5826 PUTNAM PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION 6:30 p.m. - 1 st Thursday 706-485-2776 PUTNAM BD. OF ELECTIONS & REGISTRATION 4:30 p.m. - 1 st Tuesday 706-485-8683 * These dates and times are based on regular government meeting schedules. For any called or special meetings, please see our legal page. The Eatonton Messenger BY the WAY, WHOS PAYING (01 YOUR BI® BEAUTIFUL PARADE? , A. Mark Smith President/Publisher amsmith@msgrnews.com Matt Smith General Manager matt@msgrnews.com Ian Tocher Editor ian@msgrnews.com ESTABLISHED 1861 Vice President Michael Smith Vice President JoAnn Smith Managing Editor Josh Lurie Reporter T. Michael Stone Reporter Bailey Ballard Sports Reporter Lance McCurley Advertising Manager Heather Harris Advertising Representative Dianne Phillips Advertising Representative Amy Manville Classified Representative Haley Fowler Graphic Artist Victoria Anadenko Legal Advertising/Circulation Becky Meyer Business Manager Cassandra Fowler Lakelife Editor Lynn Hobbs Dedication Battle B. Smith, Editor and Publisher, 1956-1988 Micky Smith, Editor and Publisher, 1989-2003 Mark Smith Jr., Executive Editor, 2004-2019 The Eatonton Messenger (USPS 166-520) is published every Thursday by Smith Communications Inc., 100 N. Jefferson Ave., Eatonton, GA 31024-4027. It is the official organ of the County of Putnam and the City of Eatonton and is a member of the Georgia Press Association and the National Newspaper Association. All rights reserved. Reprints by permission of The Eatonton Messenger and individual writers only. Subscription Rates One Year Two Years Putnam, Morgan, Greene counties $37 $70 Other Georgia counties $50 $90 Out of Georgia $55 $99 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Eatonton Messenger, P.O. Box 4027, Eatonton, GA 31024 Periodicals Postage Paid at Eatonton, GA 31024 Advertising, news and information: 706-485-3501 Fax: 706-485-4166 Advertising email: sales@msgrnews.com News email: editor@msgrnews.com Letters to the Editor EMRE .4 • V • NUV_4LVU »PAGES A5-6 Editor's note: Letters to the Editor from our readership are always encouraged; however, Smith Communications, Inc. (SCI) reserves the right to limit letters to no more than 500 words and adheres to a policy held by several newspapers nationwide to limit the number of letters on any particular subject, and to request that letter writers limit submitting comments on any one subject to once per month. Letters providing new information, ideas, commentaries, or opinions will always be welcome and considered. PCO thanks BackPack Ministry supporters Dear Editor, On behalf of the Putnam Christian Outreach (PCO) BackPack Ministry, we would like to thank the many volunteers and contributors who so generously supported the ministry throughout the 2024-25 school year. Their gifts of time, talent, dedication, food, supplies, special gifts, and monetary donations have made it possible for the PCO BackPack Ministry to provide weekend meals for an average 245 children each week of the school year and for six weeks during the summer. Thank you, PCO BackPack Ministry volunteers who pack and deliver food, roll spoons and napkins, and write encouraging notes to students every week of the school year. These volunteers represent the following churches, neighborhoods, and civic organizations, many of which support the PCO Backpack Ministry with monetary donations and contributions of food, supplies and special gifts: All Angels Episcopal Church, the Bluegill community, Eatonton First Methodist Church, Eatonton Kiwanis Club, First Baptist Church of Eatonton, Lakepoint community, the Pilot Club of Eatonton, Loch Haven community, and the Union Chapel Methodist Church. Thank you also to several other local churches and individuals who made monetary donations to the PCO BackPack Ministry and to those who contributed food, supplies, and special gifts for the children. Thank you also to the following businesses and char itable organizations: Tri-County Electric Membership Corp, and the Episcopal Community Foundation of Middle and North Georgia for major financial support through grant funding to purchase food. Also, thanks to Bluestem Brands and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for organizing food drives specifically to support the PCO BackPack Ministry, and to Appleton Episcopal Ministries for gifts of books and art supplies. These volunteers and contributors not only help provide weekend meals for Putnam County school chil dren, they are the “caring hands and loving hearts” of the PCO BackPack Ministry. Gratefully, Rex Corlett, Rosemary Foskey, Marty Ray Putnam Christian Outreach Eatonton City Council Members John Chip Mylle James A. Michael Janie B. Marie Teresa Reid Walker Mangum Gorley Smith Reid Rainey Doster Mayor Mayor Pro Tem Ward 1 Ward 2 Wards 2 & 3 Ward 3 Wards 1 & 4 Ward 4 706- 706- 706- 706- 706- 706- 478- 706- 485-3311 485-7804 485-7195 485-8984 485-0306 816-6800 288-3846 484-0693 Putnam County Commissioners B.W. “Bill” Sharp Chairman 706-752-8431 Tom McElhenney District 1 762-205-4731 Richard Garrett District 2 706-749-5573 Steve Hersey District 3 706-485-0935 Jeff Wooten District 4 706-752-8432 Putnam County Board of Education Members Doris Clemons District 1 706-485-1142 Simone Jones District 2, Vice Chairman 706-473-0738 Steve Weiner District 3, Chairman 706-485-5087 Charles Trumbo District 4 Carol Ann Guthrie District 5 706-766-6012 Member, Georgia Press Association National Newspaper Association outhern Newspaper Publisher Association A prize-winning newspaper in Better Newspaper contests 1999-2016 ner of 23 top GPA awards in 2016 PLACE for GENERAL EXCELLENCE 2013, 2014 and 2015 Georgia Legislators snpa MEMBER SOUTHERN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Senate Dist. 25 Sen. Rick Williams (R) 327-B Coverdell LOB Atlanta, GA 30334 (404) 656-0082 rick.williams@senate.ga.gov House Dist. 124 Rep. Trey Rhodes (R) 228-A State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-5099 trey.rhodes@house.ga.gov House Dist. 144 Rep. Dale Washburn (R) 401-H Coverdell LOB Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-0152 dale.washburn@house.ga.gov
