Newspaper Page Text
Page 4A - Pike County Journal Reporter - Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Opinions
Hoping for a kinder, gender COVID world in ’22
M ost all of us
are tired of
COVID in all of
its manifestations and
variants. That feeling is
so widespread that the
experts have come up
with a term for it: pan
demic fatigue.
Those in govern
ment and Big Pharma
are certainly aware of
this phenomenon. They
are moving away from
using the word COVID.
It started with the Delta
variant and now the virus
is almost always referred
to as just Omicron in
headlines, news stories
and broadcasts.
In the interest of full
disclosure, 1 am fully vac
cinated but have not yet
had the recommended
booster shot. Omicron
(see there, 1 did it, too)
has convinced me to get
it soon.
As bad as COVID
is, the hateful rhetoric
that has sprung from
it is even worse, in my
opinion.
Way out on one side
are those who live in ab
solute fear of the disease,
demand that you and 1
fear it, too, and hang on
every word uttered by
Dr. Fauci as if
he guarded the
gates to heaven.
These are the
fearmongers and
they are vocal.
On the other
fringe are those
who refer to the
vaccinated as
‘pin cushions.’
Some believe
COVID is just
a souped up
version of the
flu. Some would
rather die than
be vaccinated. 1 person
ally know of two who
have.
They believe
the virus was
created in a
Chinese lab
and deliber
ately released
as a biological
weapon to end
the Trump presi
dency. They are
equally vocal.
Strung out
along the middle
of the spectrum
of opinion are
those of us who
just want COVID
to disappear from the
face of the Earth never
to reappear. Most of us
are vaccinated. Some are
not. Most tired quickly
of masks and no longer
wear them where they
are not required.
We want to get back
to or continue going
to work or in-person
classes, running our
businesses and going to
sporting events and con
certs, etc. where there
are large crowds.
1 wonder how much
farther along we would
be in the battle against
the virus if those on the
fringes had turned all
that hateful energy to
ward solving the problem
rather than adding fuel to
the rhetorical fire.
A united citizenry
would be much more
likely to gain significant
wins in the war against
COVID than the divided
group we have now.
That is my hope for
the new year - a kinder
gentler COVID world.
1 know there is little
chance of this happening
but a man can dream,
can’t he?
Happy New Year!
Walter Geiger is editor and
publisher of the Pike County Journal
Reporter and The Herald Gazette.
GEIGER’S
COUNTER
Walter Geiger
Editor & Publisher
Such a thing as guardian
angels? Believe it, folks
HEp - A' -., i v A A
■ * *
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
Participants in the recent 2021 Concord 5K/10K Fun Run/Walk Fundraiser cross the fin
ish line. The event benefits local veterans and is hosted by American Legion Post 197.
Thank you for Run/Walk support
Kay S. Pedrotti
The Pike County
American Legion Post
197 thanks all those
who sponsored, sup
ported, volunteered,
and participated in the
Dec. 11, 2021 Concord
5K/10K Fun Run/Walk
Fundraiser.
The city of Concord
helped host by pro
viding their streets
and walking path/old
railroad. Despite the
threat of rain and four
states being hammered
by destructive torna
does, Pike County was
blessed. Essentially, it
was perfect weather.
Village Photography
produced another
unique t-shirt with a
caricature of the Con
cord United Methodist
Church decorated for
Christmas. The event
had a total of 32 local
sponsors, including in-
kind sponsors.
Post 197 thanks
our Blue (highest)
Level Sponsors: Chase
Carden of Southern
Comfort HVAC, GA
Tree Solutions, Con
cord Manor Winery,
Christ Chapel Com
munity Church, Mag
nolia Farms Equestrian
Center, Middle Georgia
Water Systems, Pike
Pools, State Farm Issur-
ance-Janice Honeycutt,
Strawn & Co Insurance
and The Narrow Path
Ministries-lnternation-
al; Red Level Sponsors:
A Novel Experience,
Concrete Cowboy, 1 Sell
Real Estate-Amanda
Smith, Quality Pallet
Systems, Southern
Roots Hair Salon, The
Wood Yard, United
Bank-Zebulon, Village
Photography; and
White Level Sponsors:
Barbara Richardson,
Beacon Security Sys
tems, Bottom’s Nurs
ery, City of Concord,
Corner Cafe, Karen
Lacey, Palomas Mex
Grill, Perkins Towing,
Pike County Journal
Reporter, Pike County
Times, Pike Propane,
State Farm Insurance-
Wait McAbee, and The
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.
We also would like
to thank the friends
and relatives who
signed up to honor
deceased veterans.
We honored veterans
Lawrence E. Brock,
Jerry Colwell, Andy
Dix, Thomas M. Lacey,
Gerald A. Richardson,
Franklin D. Stephens,
Franklin D. Thrift and
John L. Wynn on the
back of the event t-
shirt.
The Pike County
American Legion Post
197 conducts programs
that help honor vet
erans, assist veterans
and their families and
educate the commu
nity on veterans affairs
and patriotism. Funds
from sponsorship and
event participation al
low Post 197 to contin
ue our great programs.
The next 5K/10K
Fun Run/Walk will be
in the great city of
Williamson on April
3, 2022 in conjunction
with the Williamson
Wisteria Fest and the
Pike County Bicennte-
nial year long events.
Hence, the Run/Walk
will help celebrate the
200th anniversary of
Pike County. We are
working to make this
another highly enjoy
able event integrated
into the Wisteria Fest.
More information will
be provided in the
future.
Again, thanks to our
sponsors, volunteers,
and participants for
your continued sup
port of these commu
nity events.
SINCERELY,
BRYAN D. RICHARDSON
POST 197 EVENT DIRECTOR
KAY S. PEDROTTI
kayspedrotti@gmail.com
In a recent
discussion with a
friend 1 love, she
assured me that
she knew 1 had a
guardian angel be
cause “you’re too
important to too
many people not
to be watched over.” That
lifted my spirits: to know
someone thought that
about me.
However, 1 always
thought of “guardian
angels” in the abstract -
heavenly beings sent by
God’s will for whatever
purpose God intended.
Now, 1 know the name of
at least one of my guard
ian angels, Steve Walker of
Griffin. He is a full-fledged
human being, a husband,
father, and an honest soul.
On Dec. 8, while leaving
the Ross store in Griffin
after some Christmas
shopping, 1 dropped my
wallet onto the parking
lot and did not realize
it. At my next stop, the
awful truth was known:
my driver’s license, credit
cards, money and fam
ily pictures were gone. I
immediately called Bob at
home - he was terrified I’d
been in a wreck, he later
said, “because the first
thing 1 heard on the phone
was tears.” It was some
small comfort to realize I
was okay, but my wallet
with all that important
stuff had been lost - that
was not okay.
As I had looked for the
missing wallet, I kept pray
ing: “God, save me! Help
me! I know I’m at fault
here, but please let that
wallet be SOMEWHERE I
can get it back.”
I was sobbing, scream
ing and frantic on the
phone - Bob did the
best he could to calm
me down. Suddenly he
said, “Hold on, someone’s
knocking on the door.”
My next little
prayer: “God,
please let it be
a good Sa
maritan.” And it
was.
Steve and
his wife Irene
stood at our
front door with
the wallet clear
ly visible, and
Steve was asking if “Kay
Smith” was Bob’s wife.
(On my license my maiden
name is listed along with
Pedrotti.)
Irene later told me, “I
could not believe the glad
look on Bob’s face when
he saw that wallet. It was
like he wanted to hold his
hands out and make sure
it was real.”
The couple had not
planned to go to Ross,
just to return a previous
purchase that was miss
ing parts, Steve said, “but
something told me to go
on to Ross.” When he and
Irene identified my name
and address, along with
some other important
things, Steve told his wife,
“We have to hurry and
get this back to her. Her
whole life is in here, and
they don’t need to be can
celling credit cards and all
that hassle.” Irene replied,
“Well, let’s go!” And they
did.
I have since talked
with both of them on the
phone and discovered
I knew Steve’s grand
mother, Elizabeth Walker
of Barnesville. He told me
his parents are Tommy
and Jeanette Walker, and
he lived in Lamar when he
was growing up. He and
Irene have two daughters,
Destiney and Janae, both
attending middle school
in Griffin. Steve and Irene
also have other children
who are grown-ups in
their 20s, including a
daughter in the military in
Texas and Irene’s son with
whom she was finally re
united about three years
ago. One of Steve’s sons is
“Steven Karnell Walker,”
called Junior and named
after Steve’s “best friend
when I was in the Job
Corps.” He also has two
granddaughters: Nakyra
Clinkscale, 5, who lives
with her family in Killeen,
Tex., and Kazelynn Walker,
4, living in Houston, Tex.,
with her folks.
My “adopted angel”
is working in the auto
salvage business now,
after a long time of trying
different jobs. Irene is a
nutritionist in a Spalding
school and has a second
job at Big Lots. When they
talk about their children,
it’s like it doesn’t matter
which is whose - they
love them all. The two
were married in 2013 at
Life Tabernacle Church,
but now attend Landmark
Church of God. He doesn’t
give himself credit for
what he did: “God just put
everything in order so
you could get your wallet
back.”
Steve described the
finding of my wallet as
“absolutely amazing” that
while there were many
shoppers, there was no
one walking around and
“I could see that wallet
just laying there on the
lot. It was a blessing that
Bob was on the phone
with Kay when we got to
their house, so she could
be assured the wallet was
returned intact and every
thing was okay.”
This humble child of
God, this grown man with
a big heart and a loving
wife, has indeed changed
my life. I’m hoping that
through writing about
my blessing, others will
believe there are good
people in the world every
where - and we need to
seek them out. I imagined
every horrible thing that
could have happened, but
I did not stop praying to
God to help me. And He
did.
Pike County
Journal
Reporter
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
P.0. Box 789
16026 Barnesville St.
Zebulon, Ga. 30295
770.567.3446
The Pike County Journal
Reporter is the official
organ of Pike County, the
cities of Zebulon, Molena,
Meansville, Williamson
and Concord. It is
published weekly by
Hometown Newspapers
Inc. Second class
postage is paid at the
Zebulon, Ga Post Office.
Publishers: Walter and
Laura Geiger; staff:
Jennifer Taylor,
Brenda Sanchez and
Rachel McDaniel.
AT PIKE
BY DWAIN W. PENN
100 YEARS AGO
December 30, 1921: Post offices started selling
treasury savings certificates. $25, $100, and $1,000
certificates sold for $20, $80 and $800 respectively
and matured in five years with a semi-annual inter
est rate of 4.5%.
75 YEARS AGO
January 2, 1947: A Department of Internal
Revenue representative would be at the Zebulon
post office January 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
for the purpose of assisting Pike farmers in the
preparation of their 1946 income tax returns.
50 YEARS AGO
December 31, 1971: Floyd Mack, son the Mr.
and Mrs. Leroy Mack of Meansville, had a sterling
debut in basketball at LaGrange College. The 6’-7”,
210 pound freshman ranked third in total scoring
for the team.
25 YEARS AGO
January 1, 1997: Christmas continued for Pike
recyclers after the holiday. Residents bringing
their Christmas tree on Saturday, January 4, to the
Recycling Center on County Farm Road received a
free dogwood or red maple seedling.