About The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 2013)
Byron Christmas Parade Saturday, December 7, 1 p.m. This year’s theme is ’’Through the Eyes of a Child.” Prizes awarded to top three floats. Santa and Mrs. Clause will be making an appearance. Route begins on Linda Dr. and White Road to Hwy. 49 then over the Hwy. 41 bridge, onto Moseley Road and up Main Street and back to BES. Lunch with Santa A Vintage Christmas at the Byron Depot, Saturday, December 14. Sponsored by Byron Area Historical Society. For times, reservations and more information contact Para at 478-214-5560. Byron Lions Club Love Light Christmas Celebration will be Friday, December 6, at 6 p.m. at Jailhouse Alley Park. Honor or memorialize a loved one with a $3 donation per name to support the Lions Club for the Blind. Send donations to Byron Lions Club, P. 0. Box 1123, Byron, GA 31008. For in formation call Marlene at 478-918-3666. ISSUE 46 THURSDAY, December 5, 2013 COVERING BYRON AND PEACH COUNTY BYRONBUZZ@PSTEL.NET Work of love, comfort delivered to Connecticut BY VICTORIA SIMMONS The Byron Buzz Whenever there is a trage dy somewhere, our hearts go out to the people affected and many feel compelled to help. For Julie Love, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary became personal when she learned one of the victims (6-year-old Emilie Parker) was from her hometown in Utah. Julie wanted to do something and since she quilts, and is founder of the Comforting Quilters group, she knew her love for quilting was a way to make a difference. She and the ladies in the group began making quilts of comfort, personalizing them for each victim and also making one for the Newtown Police Dept. It was a project of love and every stitch was sewn with that love. The quilts were even blessed at a ceremony in late September once they were finished and kept on display until ready to be packaged for delivery to New town, Connecticut. The project began in January and finished with the quilts being delivered in November. Quilts were accepted by Tom Byron Elementary School will hold the 2013 Santa Shop December 9-13 in the BES art room. All gifts are $2 each and will be nicely wrapped with a name tag. Cash and money orders only, no checks. Parents should send money in sealed envelopes with student’s name, teacher’s name and ’’Santa Shop” written on outside. You can also send a list of who your child is buying for and Santa’s elves will be happy Maxwell, Grand Master-elect for the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M. for the state of Connecticut. He also present ed the seven ladies making the trip with Grand Master pins. His wife, Nancy, works at Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organization started for victims and their families which seeks to prevent causes of gun violence by educating and empowering parents to help prevent such tragedies. Several parents and spouses who lost loved ones that tragic day, serve in the organi zation. These ladies toured the Sandy Hook area and were sent to a lot behind the Masonic Lodge, downtown. This spot is just over the hill from the school where a large stone from Maine and a Memorial was placed with the names of the victims engraved in the stone. It is also lit. Love says she wished she could have seen it at night. ’’This was a humbling experience to see. Many items such as ducks, flow ers and stones had been placed on the memorial. There were no words needed at the site. It was a quiet moment for our group to reflect on the tragedy which to help them find the perfect gift. Parents are welcome to shop with their BES child during their regularly scheduled shopping day and time. Non-BES students may shop Friday from 3-3:30 p.m. Students who are absent or forget their money on their assigned shopping day may shop the following day during their PE class period. For more information contact Byron Elementary School. struck this small town,” Love said. The group left one of their Sandy Hook pins, made by one of the members on the memori al, as a tribute. A pin, embroi dered angel ornament, card and a documentary photo book of the project, were included with each personalized quilt. Sandy Hook Elementary is in the process of being torn down and is completely fenced and kept under guard. No one is al lowed to drive in that direction, Love said. Every brick and stone of the school is crushed and pulverized before taken off site to ensure no profits are made. ’’The community is very close knit and enjoys their privacy,” Love related. She said the trip was blessed at every stop. ’’Many saw our sign in the back of the RV and thanked us for coming.” The group was surprised to meet a couple in Paducah, Ken tucky, visiting their 92-year-old mother who was from this Con necticut town. ”We enjoyed their company at the hotel for two evenings and enjoyed a lovely dinner with them as well.” Though it was a long drive from Byron to Sandy Hook, Love says it was worth every mile. Love’s husband, Mike, chauffered the ladies. ’’Many thanks to the people and organi zations of Middle Georgia who helped make this trip possible. We certainly would not have been able to make this trip without the strong support of not only our great City of Byron, but also the surrounding areas. Without the loving hands of the quilters of Comforting Quilters, these quilts would never have come to fruition.” Group members working on the project along with Love, included Kathy Percel, Rita Pirc, Katrina Stokes, Rosa Cooper, Janice Reichenderfer, Dona Robinson, Joan Ray, Scott Piorc, Affrica Rumph, Dianne Holmes, Karla Chidester, Bonnie Ge- hling, Bonnie Brant, Barbara Schlafer, Donna Knowles, Debra Blackburn, Mike Love and many donors and others. Thank you notes have been received from Sandy Hook Promise and the Sandy Hook Police Dept. The police depart ment is displaying their quilt for all to see. With this project complete the group will continue to make their quilts of comfort for others in need, continuing to sew love in every stitch. Tom Maxwell pointing to sign in back of RV. Dorsey beats Knowles for City Council seat The rain did not keep voters from the run-off election Tuesday, December 3rd as Byron citizens elected native Alan Dorsey to Byron City Council Post 5. Dorsey beat out California transplant Rick Knowles by a vote of 215 to 138, a high turnout considering there was only one seat. ’’Carolyn and I are so appreciative for everyone’s support and for those who came out in this weather to vote,” Dorsey said. ’’I’ll do my best to serve with City of Byron with integrity and I promise my decisions will be based on facts and what’s best for the City of Byron and its citizens as a whole. I am just so appreciative.” TCF Worldwide Candle Lighting on Sunday The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends pub licly around the globe in lighting candles for 1 hour and remem bers children who have died at any age from any cause on the second Sunday in December. As candles are lit at 7:00pm local time, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon. The Com passionate Friends of Middle GA invites you to attend our Worldwide Candle Lighting at Byron United Methodist Church on Sun. Dec. 8, 2013 at 6:30pm. Join us for special songs, read ings, the Angel Call Presentation and the lighting of candles as we honor the memory of our precious children. Imagine as we begin lighting candles at 7:00pm, others will be doing the same across the globe. Imme diately following the service, we will enjoy refreshments and fellowship at the BUMC Family Life Center. A minimum $5 do- The nation is rpmipctpn Compassionate can die Friends lit.The Supporting family After a Cnl Id DltsCompas- sionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting is held to honor our children... that their light may always shine. For more infor mation you may contact Karla Chidester @ 478.954-4592. BES Santa Shop next week Members of the Comforting Quilters’ group who made the trip PHOTOS COURTESY BONNIE GEHLING Tom Maxwell with the ladies displaying the packed quilts. The stone memorial with names of victims. The Sandy Hook Take the Prom ise bracelet which you can get by going to the Sandy Hook Promise website. Though Bonnie Gehling was the official pho tographer everyone, like Karla and Julie above, enjoyed taking photos during the RV trip to Connecticut.
