Newspaper Page Text
Natural beauty
beckons at
Amelia Island
Plantation
S TARTING the morning
watching the sunrise
over the ocean, heading
out for a nature tour on a Segway
and ending the day indulging
in a green
spa treatment
with all-natu
ral products.
A visit to
Amelialsland
Plantation
in Florida is
an adventure
in nature. As
soon as you
arrive and
drive through
the canopy of Live Oaks that
Amelia Island Plantation is
known for, you find yourself in
paradise.
The mission at the 1,350-acre
resort is for all of the devel
opment to be “In Harmony
With Nature” and it is a suc
cess with the centuries old live
oaks, majestic maritime forests
and tranquil salt marshes being
among the features that have
remained intact.
Nature programs offered by
the nature center include birding
excursions, scenic bike tours,
kayak tours and edible plant and
wildlife tours. I chose the natu
ralist Segway tour and it was
definitely one of the highlights
of my trip.
I was a bit nervous at first
because I could see myself fall
ing off the Segway. After a short
lesson, the nerves were gone and
I was loving the feeling of roll
ing through the resort checking
out our natural surroundings.
It's a nature tour like no other
as a naturalist leads you through
maritime forests, marsh board
walks and beachside paths giv
ing information on the plants
and animals that make the island
home. Our hour and a half hour
was over too soon. A Segway
tour is something that I would
highly recommend. It’s a great
way to cover a lot of ground.
The segway tour starts at
Amelia’s Wheels where you
can also rent bicycles or Island
Hoppers (gas powered carts).
Both are great ways to explore
the resort.
The Spa offers a “clean and
green” experience where the
products are free of harmful
chemicals and preservatives. The
Spa offers organic massages,
facials, scrubs, wraps and hydro
therapy. I decided to try some
thing new for me and selected
a wrap.
The Sweet Island Wrap
hydrates your skin and leaves you
feeling relaxed and refreshed.
Your skin is gently dry brushed
and then wrapped while a warm
oil scalp massage relieves all
your tension.
The Spa offers a relaxation
area with herbal teas and organic
citrus water offered. The relax
ation area overlooks a mediation
garden. The Spa also has steam
showers with eucalyptus which
is a favorite of visitors.
There is so much to do at the
resort that it is a destination in
itself. There really is no need
to venture off of the grounds.
Visitors will find 20 on-property
pools, seven miles of tree-cano
pied trials for hiking, biking or
jogging, poolside arts and crafts,
camps for kids and teenagers
and family events such as beach
fires with smores,. Golfing and
tennis lessons are offered from
pros with special programs and
clinics for adults and juniors
alike. There are lots of shops
at the resort, including Chicos,
Jolie Accessories and Harrison’s
Mercantile.
The accommodations at the
resort include the Amelia Inn &
Beach Club, which offers 249
deluxe ocean view hotel rooms.
All private balconies face the
ocean and are a delightful place
for an early morning breakfast
while enjoying the sunrise.
Another option for accommo
dations are the Villas of Amelia
with offers ocean and resort view
continued on page 2C
Inside: Local storyteller to share ‘Autumn Tales’ — page 3C
September 16,
2009
0 The Jackson Herald
J* nemos
Jana Adams Mitcham,
Features Editor 706-367-8760
jana@mainstreetnews.com
Section C
LEGION AT PROGRAM
Members of the American Legion are shown at the flag dedication and Patriot’s Day program held
Friday in Jefferson. Photos by Angela Gary
Patriot’s Day in Jefferson
In Honor and Remembrance Ceremony held on Sept. 11
BYANGELA GARY
PATRIOT’S DAY was observed
in Jefferson on Friday with a flag
dedication at the Jefferson recre
ation complex.
Patriot’s Day programs and
observances are held across the
country on Sept. 11 to commemo
rate and remember those who lost
their lives in the terrorist attacks
in 2001.
For Jefferson police chief Joe
Wirthman, it was an especially
emotional day as he remembered
a friend lost on that day. He had a
friend who was an attendant and
on one of the planes that went
down that day.
“I had friends that I lost that
day,” Wirthman said at the pro
gram. “I will never forget ... We
have to stay strong and diligent
and look out for our country ...
Remember eight years ago the
horror and rage we had ... On
today, on this beautiful day in
Jefferson, let’s not forget our sol
diers and the people who have
given up so much.”
Jefferson Mayor Jim Joiner
said: “Our country is still under
attack. Our freedoms are being
threatened on all sides. We have
lost that feeling of pride that we
had in our country eight years
ago. We need to let those people
in authority know that we don’t
want to lose those freedoms that
our constitution gives us.”
American Legion commander
Harvie Lance said: “God bless
the families and the victims of the
9-11 terrorist attacks ... We must
MAYOR SPEAKS
Jefferson Mayor Jim Joiner speaks at the flag dedication and
Patriot’s Day program at the recreation center on Friday.
preserve our way of life
by any way possible. God
bless our service men
and women as they put
their lives on the line for
America.”
Jefferson Rotary Club
president-elect John Ward
spoke prior to the flag
being presented and dedi
cated.
“To me, the flag unites
Americans to their proud history,”
said Ward, who is also Jefferson’s
city manager. “... No one can ever
take away what our flag symbol
izes.”
The Jefferson High
School ROTC Color
Guard handled the pre
sentation and raising of
the flag. The JHS Chorus
performed the “Star
Spangled Banner.”
Others on the program
were: Carey Gibson,
pastor of Jefferson First
United Methodist Church,
who gave the invocation and bene
diction; and Brooks Benton, who
sang “God Bless the USA.”
The Jefferson Rotary Club spon
sored the event with the assistance
of the American Legion.
LANCE
ROTC ASSISTS
WITH PROGRAM
The Jefferson High School
ROTC Color Guard assists with
the program Friday at the recre
ation center.
REMEMBERS FRIENDS
LOST IN ATTACK
Jefferson police chief Joe
Wirthman spoke on friends he
lost during the terrorist attacks
in 2001.
REPRESENTS
ROTARY CLUB
John Ward, the Rotary Club
president-elect, spoke at the
flag dedication and Patriot’s
Day program.
The Ark helping families during emergencies
Donations needed with additional requests
BYANGELA GARY
SERVING THE ARK
Among the volunteers serving The Ark are: (front row) Sara
Bledsoe; and (back row, L-R) Carolyn Townes, Deforest “De”
Miller, Karen Jaskolski and Patsy Tillman.
THE ARK of Jackson County has
been helping families during emer
gencies for more than 13 years and
now, during these tough economic
times, more people are needing
help.
Last month, 80 people went to
The Ark seeking help during an
emergency in their life. So far this
year, more than 500 have visited
The Ark. The numbers continue to
go up each month and make it dif
ficult to provide help for all of those
in need.
The Ark is located in the fellow
ship hall of Jefferson Presbyterian
Church and office hours are 9 a.m.
to 11 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays. The mission of the
organization is to help working
people who have had an emergency
loss of income caused by an illness
in the family, loss of a job, loss of
hours of work or loss of the pri
mary income of the family. Those
who qualify are given assistance or
referrals for medication, utilities,
rent, gasoline or food.
“This is a safety net to help
people,” said Sara Allen, one of the
volunteers. “We want to help people
who are trying to help themselves.”
Those who come to The Ark for
assistance are interviewed by volun
teers who determine if they qualify
for assistance. The organization is
funded through private donations.
The Ark is sometimes able to
provide financial assistance but the
increase in volume of need from the
community often limits what they
can provide. With more people than
ever needing help during these eco
nomic hard times, the organization
is in need of donations. To make a
donation or for more information,
call 706-367-8365 during the hours
of operation of the center.
“There is a greater need and our
sources have been depleted quicker
than if there wasn’t this economic
distress,” Ms. Allen said.
The Ark was founded in late 1995
by Avis Gurley, John Homer and
Jeff Greer. Dr. Homer was the pas
tor of the Presbyterian Church and
Gurley and Greer were members of
the Baptist Church. Other volun
teers came from churches across the
county. The volunteers were trained
at the Ark in Athens.
In January 1996, the Ark opened
with Dr. Homer, Mrs. Gurley, Betty
Bailey and Carolyn Townes on hand
to assist. Townes is now the director
of the organization. Today, there are
approximately 20 volunteers.
“The people who volunteer here
are very committed,” Allen said.