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PAGE 10A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JANUARY 5. 2017
Legion raffle raises $ 1 OK for vets & community
By Suellen Reitz
Legion member
The third successful
American Legion Post 149
fund raising raffle ended
New Year’s Eve at Bargain
Barn giving everyone a lot
to be thankful for in the
coming year 2017. Winner
of the Henry Golden Boy
Silver Eagle Rifle was Elli-
jay resident Danny Hensley.
But he wasn’t the only win
ner. Every dollar goes to the
aide and assistance of our
local veterans, community
and national veteran support.
The raffle raised more than
$10 thousand in ticket dona
tions that were offered at
Bargain Barn. That com
bined with the two other
Golden Boy raffles held at
Bargain Barn in 2016 has
successfully raised over
$30,000.
Legion Member and
fundraising chair Steve
Hammer was especially
grateful for the huge support
given by the staff and man
agement of Bargain Bam.
“General Manager Cyn
thia Spriggs and Manager
Brenda Brooke as well as
staff personnel of Bargain
Bam were always support
ive throughout the raffle
process. Without their assis
tance we could not have had
a successful event. They
continue to be supportive
and will once again be there
when we offer another fund
raiser later this year.”
The legion’s motto is
“Vets Helping Vets.” Post
149 is doing that and more.
This year, 23 veterans re
ceived assistance. Aiding in
financial crisis’s, veteran
guidance in obtaining VA
benefits, finding shelter for
homeless vets, and helping
struggling veteran families
enjoy the Christmas season
are all part of ways Post 149
is making a difference for
the veterans of Pickens
County. Other veteran sup
port on a state and national
level has been provided with
money going to the Fort
Benning Wounded Warriors,
National Legion Emergency
Fund for veterans, and Oper
ation Comfort Warrior pro
viding comfort items not
provided by VA for veterans
in medical facilities across
Georgia.
Though assisting veterans
is our primary goal, we also
reach out to the community.
Boy Scout Troop 1883 and
Little League base ball team
“Warriors” have been
adopted by the post to assist
in their financial needs. We
support local participation in
the Georgia Boys State Pro
gram, CARES and have
helped our Jasper Police
Dept, obtain bullet proof
vests. We are also working
with Pickens County Marine
Corps League in the devel
opment of a new Veterans
Park. Next week, legion
members will deliver fruit to
45 seniors at the Pickens
County Senior Center. It’s
just one more way to make a
difference in the lives of cit
izens of Pickens.
Yes, 2017 does offer a lot
of reasons for giving thanks
for the support of our veter
ans and community. Ameri
can Legion Post 149 thanks
all who have helped make it
possible through their partic
ipation in our raffles. We are
veterans who want to give
back and we have fun doing
it.
If you are a veteran and
would like to make a differ
ence, come join us. We meet
the second Saturday each
month at 9 a.m. for breakfast
and social time with a one
hour meeting beginning at
10 at the Pickens Senior
Center located at 400 Stegall
Drive, Jasper. We also meet
every Tuesday for lunch at
one of the local restaurants.
For more information about
membership, lunch loca
tions, or if you have a per
sonal need looking for help,
contact us on the hot line at
706- 253-1715 or email at
alpostl49@gmail.com.
Someone will get back to
you with answers.
Congratulations to Ellijay resident Danny Hensley
(left) in winning the American Legion Post 149 raffle
drawing for the Henry Golden Boy Silver Edition
Rifle. He is shown with Legion Fund Raising Chair
person Steve Hammer.
Peppers and Payne runoff for senate seat
to be decided January 10th
Chuck Payne and Debby Peppers have been cam
paigning over the holidays in hopes of increasing
voter turnout for the January 10 runoff.
By Abigail Stuckey
Contributing writer
What was thought to be a
chaotic election year has ex
tended into January for two
candidates in the state senate
race. Dalton natives Chuck
Payne (R) and Debby Pep
pers (I) will still be cam
paigning into the New Year
in hopes of securing Georgia
State Senate Seat 54 previ
ously held by Charlie Bethel,
R-Dalton. What started out as
a five-way race has turned
into a runoff after no candi
date received a majority of
the vote on December 13th.
The state senate seat in
cludes west Pickens and a
portion of southern Pickens
including Tate (see map on
Letters to the Editor page).
With a disheartening 6.6
percent registered voter
turnout, both candidates
agreed that the recent Presi
dential election might have
turned many voters off. In
Pickens, just 168 of the 6,672
active registered voters cast
ballots.
Peppers stated, “There is
normally a low turnout with
a special election. We just got
through a long drawn out
election and people were
brunt out. Maybe next week
after the New Near there will
be more voters, but we know
there still will not be a huge
turnout.”
With the election being
announced the day after the
Presidential election, running
into the holiday, and less than
desirable weather, it is clear
to see why many people did
not get out to vote.
Both candidates have
been eagerly campaigning
throughout the holiday in
hopes to capture a victory.
When asked about his cam
paign, Payne (former chair
man of the Whitfield Country
Republican Party) said, “I
feel very positive in the fact
that we’ve run a positive
campaign. People have
known me for years working
behind the scenes [in politics]
in North Georgia and they
know where I’m coming
from.”
When asked about her po
litical affiliation, Peppers
said, “I want people to get to
know me as a person and see
if they can support me based
on that.”
Early voting will continue
through January 6 at the
Pickens County Board of
Elections office on Pioneer
Road in Jasper from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. The election will be
held on January 10th at regu
lar polling places from 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m.
DA Sosebee takes oath for another term
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B. Alison Sosebee was sworn in for another four-year term as district attorney
of the Appalachian Judicial circuit, including Pickens, Gilmer and Fannin coun
ties, last week.
This is Sosebee’s second term as district attorney. She was sworn in at the Pick
ens courthouse by Probate Judge David Lindsey.
Above, Superior Court Judge Brenda Weaver, Probate Judge David Lindsey,
DA Alison Sosebee with sons Grahym and Nathaniel Maloof and parents Robert
and Barbara Sosebee.
Grant Notice
The Office of Adult Education invites all interested parties
to apply for competitive grants made available through the
federal Workforce Innovation and Opportu-nity Act (WI0A)
and state funding. The grants are pur-posed to provide Adult
Education throughout the state. Entities may obtain the Re
quest for Application (RFA) from the Technical College
System of Georgia (TCSG) website at www.tcsg.edu or by
calling 404-679-1635.
Expected launch date: January 17, 2017
TCSG is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
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