About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (June 26, 2025)
» Your hometown newspaper since 1861 The Eatonton Alessenger THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2025 | A5 Fixating on the first-born Hey y’all, so I must start this week with a little confession. See, I got a little — what do they say? — put the buggy before the horse last week and mentioned this would be a weekly column — not knowing exactly what that would entail. I’m super grateful for the response I got from everyone, and I’m glad y’all are eager to hear my motherhood, mayhem, and meeting stories, but I think I should stick to an every-other-week column or perhaps even a monthly one. Nevertheless, let’s dive back into a story! Last week, I talked about my wild second child, so this week I’m going to pick on my oldest. My sweet Gavin has always been the best kid, what every parent dreams of — sweet, caring, respectful, quiet, follows the rules — all those good first-born qualities. I had it so easy raising him until he got to the teenage years. Now, don’t get me wrong, he’s a good teen- ager, too, but he’s not afraid of anything and at 16 is practically a grown man. I’m guessing my dad’s genes got him because he towers over all of us at almost 6-foot-3, and he looks at least 20 Heather Harris Sales Director years old. Memorial Day was one to remember this year, as he got into his first accident, and it was a bad one, but thankfully, he walked away with just a minor concussion. He was really only worried that he might miss church camp the following week; not that he couldn’t remember his address, his cell phone number, or what day it even was. Scared the daylights out of me, but after about two hours, the shock wore off on him. Or the fear of getting a shot kicked in, as he went somewhat back to himself. The doctor cleared him to go to camp, and all was well... until it wasn’t. Gavin left on a Monday, and on Tuesday a co-worker came into my office to ask how I was really doing because, well, life had been life-ing. I was telling him I was hanging in there when my phone rang. “Hi Mrs. Harris, this is Rebecca from Shorter College, and we have Gavin in here, and we are fixing to take him to the emergency room. His retina may be detached. He took a football to the eye pretty hard, and his pupils are not the same, and he can’t see.” Are you kidding me? I’m sure I turned white as a ghost because I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or be sick. She followed up with, “You might want to head this way.” It was at that time I let her know he was just in a car accident and had a concussion. Of course, he didn’t mention that. Thankfully, his youth pastors took him to get checked out (shoutout to Jay Reber and Nick Teal), and I didn’t have to make the three-hour drive. He ended up being just fine. My co-worker didn’t know what to say other than, “You couldn’t make this up if you tried.” And then, just like that, the idea came into fruition that I should document this mayhem and start a column! Letters to the Editor mate 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. Mayor Reid to the rescue Dear Editor, I thought you might find this funny. I lost my button in Eatonton. I realized the bottom button from my favorite dress was missing as I was about to leave Maggie Lane’s with my friends. So, we all filed back in to look for the button off my special dress. We looked everywhere, but to no avail. Paula, the manager, said she would call if it showed up. So next, I retraced my steps back to Sips, where the ladies and I had gathered for our weekly coffee before going shopping, but Janie and I could not find it. She promised to keep an eye out. I then proceeded to a Head Start meeting (acciden tally leaving my phone in my car trunk while in said meeting). When I finally returned home, my husband Gary informed me that he had received messages on his phone for me because I was not answering my phone. And then with that slightly annoyed look in his eye, he replied that he couldn’t get hold of me either. What was wrong with your phone, he asked. But I changed the subject. Gary told me that Janie called the Georgia Writers Museum to see if I was over there, explaining the situ ation, which was then recorded by Tess or perhaps a volunteer. The museum’s director, Melissa, forwarded the message to Gary as she was aware of my penchant for phone misplacement. I said to Gary, “That was very sweet of them, wasn’t it?” “Well, there’s more,” he said. “There was a message from your friend Sandy, whom Janie also contacted,” he said, then handed me his phone. “Oh, honey, just read them yourself; it will be easier that way.” As I read all the messages, I was so touched at all the people who had participated in trying to find the button of my very special dress. (Did I mention it’s from Sweden?) Finally, after reading all the messages, both forwarded and direct, I got the gist of it. My button Letters are due by Monday morning for the following week's paper. Letters may be emailed to editor@msgrnews.com or delivered to The Eatonton Messenger, 100 N. Jefferson Ave., Eatonton, GA 31024. This is "Chance," a really sweet boy about a year old who weighs in at around forty pounds. He's a bit shy at first, but before you know it Chance is your best buddy! He loves playing in the yard, and he loves having a human friend. Learn more about Chance and other great pets by calling us at 706-485-3970, or just stop by. We're in Eatonton next to the Putnam County Sheriff's Department. It wasn’t just the wreck and then the camp injury, though. It was the lightning strike on our house that fried our well pump and caused $10K in damages along with a week-long motel stay with a feral toddler because we couldn’t use our water, plus being short-staffed at work, and can’t forgot having no-childcare for said toddler for the month of May, and about 20 other events I had been facing prior to all this. Raising a toddler, a teenager, juggling work, and not running away should qualify anyone for an extended stay at an all-inclusive beachside resort, but here I am, surviving and pushing through. One thing it has taught me is there is nothing that surprises me anymore — absolutely nothing — and that I should share my madness and mayhem, just so that when you’re in the thick of it like I stay, you can just know you’re not alone! We shall see how this column thing goes. Until next time! XO Heather Harris is the sales director of Smith Communications Inc. She can be reached at heather@msgrnews.com or 706-707-4240. was at Sips. “Where was your phone?” Gary asked. But I changed the subject. We jumped in the car, elated about my button and feeling so loved by the people of Eatonton. I mean, really, whether it’s big or little things, Eatonton solves the problem. I had a huge smile on my face as I entered Sips. “Oh, there you are, Vicki. I have your button,” said Janie, the owner. I asked, “Who found my button?” She smiled and said, “The mayor found the button.” Vicki Bohe-Thackwell Eatonton PUTNAM GENERAL HOSPITAL S NT INavicentIiealth Parmer E’RE HIRING!! Seeking compassioi Registered We Offer: H e and skilled Nurs Friendly, professional, and supportive work environment Competitive Pay Rate Tuition Reimbursement Comprehensive Benefits Package RN SIGN ON BO $15,000 Contact us tod to • www.putnamgeneral.com Putnam Past LAST YEAR, JUNE 27, 2024 The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation will showcase the history and architecture of Eatonton through one of its Georgia Trust Expeditions Aug. 17, offering a rare opportunity for visitors and residents to visit inside more than 20 of the city's and county's most historic homes and sites during a day-long, self-guided tour. The Expedition will begin at 10 a.m. with a brief historical orientation at The Plaza Arts Center (305 N. Madison Ave.), built in 1916 as a Mission Revival-style school building, then renovated and transformed 15 years ago to the live entertainment showcase it functions as today. FIVE YEARS AGO, JUNE 25, 2020 Eatonton's biggest annual event will not take place this year as the Pilot Club announced this week that it will not hold the 2020 Dairy Festival in October. "We really hated to cancel it, but we looked carefully at all the health and safety guidelines regarding COVID-19, and anguished over it, and looking on the safety side, we have to go ahead and cancel it now," The Pilot Club's Glenda Ridley said. 10 YEARS AGO, JUNE 25, 2015 Folks on and around Lake Sinclair did double-takes Saturday as a fleet of 30 pontoon boats paraded there adorned with flags bearing skulls and crossbones. The boats carried sword- wielding crews wearing pirate costumes. Some participants even fired small cannons and blunderbusses. The fun was all a part of the fourth annual Lake Sinclair Pirate Parade. 25 YEARS AGO, JUNE 29, 2000 Families began arriving early as the first Family Day event was held at The Plaza in downtown Eatonton last Friday. Blankets and lawnchairs lined the park as area musicians began to take center stage at the "Pickin' Picnic." Beth Sumner started things off, and a number of other area musicians joined in the fun as the evening's event continued into the night. 50 YEARS AGO, JUNE 26, 1975 At the 42 nd annual State 4-H Council Meeting at Rock Eagle 4-H Center, 4-H members and friends celebrated the 20th anniversary of the $4 million-plus facility. The celebration was complete with a birthday cake fashioned in the form of the historic Rock Eagle Indian mound. 75 YEARS AGO, JUNE 29, 1950 Putnam people will have the opportunity of using the Phoenix canning plant beginning Thursday, July 6, L.C. Whitlow, instructor of vocational agriculture and plant manager, announced. Mr. Whitlow stated that the cannery will be open each Tuesday and Thursday until further notice. He reminded the people that it is wise to can many fruits, vegetables and meats as possible. 100 YEARS AGO, JUNE 26, 1925 A very fine citizen and certainly a very local and faithful church- goer hailed a Messenger reporter with a suggestion that we consider timely and well put. Said the citizen of Jefferson Street, while you are talking about important issues, "I want you to try and wake Eatonton upon the subject of church going. Eatonton never had better preachers nor more popular pastors." Highly Dedicated Clinici cians S
