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2A ®Ijt l)?ralti <©a??tt? Tuesday, May 18,2021 School board meeting packed with recognitions and awards KAY S. PEDROTTI kayspedrotti@gmail.com Sports teams and their achievements led off the Fine Arts building special session of the Lamar County board of educa tion last week, followed by employee awards and honors. Teams cited for their outstanding season re cords and competitions on the regional and state levels included middle school girls and boys soccer; varsity boys and girls soccer; tennis team; varsity boys and girls track teams; regional middle school math con test second- place win ners; Ferst readers, the initial recipi ents of Ferst books as kin dergarteners who are now graduating this year; STAR student and teacher. Employee years of ser vice awards included just one person for 35 years of service, first grade teacher Hester Washing ton, who is retiring after this school year. Other awards included: Five years service: Thomas Adcox, Vicky McCoy, Kevin Ferrier, Tracy Gober, Vernecia Jordan, Amber Nichol son, Kenneth Presley, Stephanie Walker, Connie Hayes, Wendy Varner, Cynthia Jenkins, Sarah- lyn Hickman, Dontauneia Traylor, Whitney Sul livan, Katherine Pryor, Kenyatta Mallory, Amber Harris, Jami Grant, Jen nifer Donaldson, Arika Collins, Elizabeth Bran non, Stacy Berry, Susan Bass, Tammy Anderson, Stephanie Nash, David Boland and Amanda Ogletree. 10 years service: Michael Oberg, Jenni fer Murphy, Graquetta Harris, Kimberly Wilson, Francesca Raines, Ron- drikus Fletcher, Shawn Daniel, Cleve Hendrix, Demetrice Rutherford, Wanda Robinson, Ursula Banks, Sam Searcy, Kim berly Jones, Courtney Goddard. 15 years service: Elizabeth Aiken, Frankie James, Michael Foster, Heather Davison, Tanji Compton, Bill Baker, Denice Napier. 20 years service: Amanda Gunnels, Claudia Bryan and Dannie Evans. 25 years of service: Frerra Fambro, Da vid Niblett and Loralei O’Neal. 30 years service: Linda Wilson and Patricia Burnette. Support Services awards, voted by the recipients’ peers in their schools and depart ments, were Kevin Fer rier, primary; Lynn East- erlin, elementary; Mangle Haygood, middle school; Veronica Stewart, high school; Kelly Lumpkin, nutri tion; Christie Gayton, trans portation and Julie Hawkins, central office. Superin tendent Dr. Jute Wilson reported to the board, which had adjourned the meeting to central office after the awards, that April was another record- breaking month for E-SPLOST collections at more than $223,000; April of 2020 was $168,000. He said the special option tax for education funds many projects and needs and could be on its way to becoming a $200,000 monthly average. The board adjourned in executive session for a personnel matter, then returned to regu lar session to approve playground improve ments for the primary and elementary schools. The revamps will be paid for with E-SPLOST money and will include a “turf- type” surface and new equipment which can possibly be used by both schools, said deputy superintendent Cleve Hendrix. Also approved on first reading was a GB1A teacher evaluation appeals policy for the board, and a consent agenda which included 31 fundraisers, one overnight field trip, five recommendations for positions, eight resigna tions, one retirement, and one medical leave. Hope Tree yard sale comes in at $1,800 In the largest event held recently to benefit the Hope Tree Ministries Food Bank, dozens of volunteers and donors made sure last week’s yard sale at Ritz Park was a huge success, said Hope Tree director Brother Jimmy Fambro. “We made $1,800,” he added. “My thanks go out to all who donated and helped, especially my wife and sons, my sister B.J. Fambro, the city of Barnesville for allowing us to use Ritz Park, the special few who helped before the sale (you know who you are!) and volunteers like Terri and Eric Edmonson, Michael Rogers, Marcie Seleb, Carly Thompson, Jeanie Wakefield, Dorothy Carter and others whose names 1 was not able to get. 1 thank God and all of you for a great result for the needy families of Barnesville and Lamar County.” THE HERALD GAZETTE/WALTER GEIGER Grammer signs with Gordon LC standout Kaylah Grammer (center) has signed a grant-in-aid to continue her soccer career at Gordon State College where she will play for coach Scott Henderson. She is flanked by her parents Chance Grammer and Kelly Nicholson. Grammer was a starter for the Lady Trojans for the majority of her four years in high school. THE HERALD GAZETTE/WALTER GEIGER Grand opening at new Farm Supply/True Value location Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held Friday at the new Farm Supply location off Veterans Parkway in Barnesville. The grand opening celebration lasted through the weekend with special deals and prize drawings. The expansive store offers True Value hardware merchandise, Exmark mowers and a vast array of other products. Cutting the ribbon were owners Annette and Jason Governo (center). They are surrounded by employees and local chamber of commerce officers and members. Email news@barnes- ville.com to publish an event. • Friends of the Barnesville-Lamar Coun ty Library meeting set for Tuesday, May 25, at 6:30 p.m. at the library. For info call 770-358-3270. • Cooling assistance is available for Lamar County residents ac cording to the Middle Georgia Community Action Agency. House holds where all members are at least 65 years of age, home bound house holds or other income eligible households may call 1-844-588-1552 or go online to https://mgcaa. appointment.works/ea/ home to set up a phone appointment. Scheduled appointments will be done by phone inter views. Clients will be contacted on or before their scheduled date and time to complete the phone interview process. No walk-in appoint ments are allowed. To be eligible for assistance, households must meet the following annual gross income require ments: $25,025 for a one person household; $32,725 for a two person household; $40,425 for a three person household; $48,125 for a four person household; $55,825 for a five person household; $63,525 for a six person household; $64,969 for a seven person house hold; $66,413 for an eight person household. A minimum of the follow ing items will be required to verify eligibility for assistance: verification of all household income for every person living in the home for the past 30 days; Social Security cards for every person living in the household; ID/drivers license for ev eryone over the age of 18 in the household; recent electric bill with the ser vice address and account number printed on it and a recent heating bill for residence verification. • The John Birch Soci ety will meet Wednesday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lamar County Library meeting room located on Thomaston St. near downtown Barnesville. A short talk by Art Thomp son will be viewed re garding the safe keeping of limited government and protected rights. Af ter the talk, there will be discussions of a possible constitution study series, and/or a public event and speaker on saving U.S. citizens’ freedoms and country. The meet- Emsley Smith to serve as Navy dentist Emsley Smith, a For syth native and granddaughter of Patsy Carter Fountain of Barnesville, excelled in the COV1D aca demic year at Lagrange Col lege. A pitcher on the softball team, she was named to the USA South Conference Academic All Conference Team. She graduated with a 3.92 GPA with a BS degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. She will begin classes at the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta Univer sity this sum mer. She is in a scholarship program and will emerge from dental school as a Navy lieuten ant. She hopes to serve as a dentist on an aircraft carrier or be stationed overseas. After four years active duty, Smith hopes to open a dental practice in Macon. 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