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Vol. 141, No. 3 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 - $1.00
Help for the needy coming March 27
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
S he grabbed the scarf
with her thumb and
index finger, rubbing
the material between them
before wrapping it around her
neck and shoulders.
“Woo-weee that’s soft! This
is going to be my Christmas
scarf,” the lady said as
she sashayed around the
collapsible tables filled with
clothing, shoes and toiletries.
The eyes of a young girl,
around four or five years old,
lit up with excitement when
the fur-lined jacket with fluffy
fringe around the wrists fit her
just right.
“When will the food be
ready?” a soft-spoken elderly
man asked, unable to silence
the grumble in his stomach
as he talked about not having
had a warm meal in quite a
while.
Their stories are all
different, but they were
outside a Waynesboro church
that December morning for
the same reason — a group
of local folks was giving out
free clothing and serving a
hot, home-cooked meal for
the sake of serving others.
£ £When we give of
ourselves, there
is a feeling of pure
joy,” says Lottie Higgins,
chairperson of Waynesboro’s
Homeless Task Force (HTF).
“We realize that in those few
moments of helping others,
we are truly living the life that
was intended for us as human
beings.”
The task force, a group
initially handpicked by
Mayor Greg Carswell and
city council members, has
continued to grow since its
inception, both in its size and
its reach.
“Having fed almost 8,000
people since March of last year,
it has been a pleasure every
Monday and Wednesday,”
says force member Mary
Bennett. “They look forward
to hot home-cooked meals
on Mondays and Subway on
Wednesdays. Each quarter
we have the big home cooked
meals, along with the clothing,
toiletries, coats,
blankets, shoes,
suitcases, cakes
and pies. What
a treat!”
SEE
HOMELESS,
8A
Fire under investigation
A fire last Thursday took out 10 acres of property on Knight Road, including
both a double wide and single wide trailer. According to Amylia Lester with
the Burke County EMA, the agency received a called just before 2:30 p.m. in
regards to a possible grass fire. The trailers were completely burned when
firefighters arrived and the wooded area was still burning, she said. According
to other sources, the property, a former emu farm, was nearly a 50 percent
loss. The Georgia Forestry Commission was called in to assist. There were no
injuries reported and no animals or people on the property. The cause of the
fire has not been determined. Approximately one month ago, a burglary at the
property was reported by a family member.
More than 4,000
Vaccinations here
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
According to the Georgia
Department of Public
Health, as of Tuesday,
March 9, 4,138 doses of the
COVID 19 vaccine have
been administered in Burke
County. The total includes
2,396 first doses and 1,742
second doses.
The county has had a total of
2,414 COVID cases since the
beginning of the pandemic.
This number includes 1689
confirmed cases and 725
instances in which antigens
were found which indicated
an earlier infection.
The agency also reported
Tuesday that there had been
a total of 52 confirmed and
probable deaths here from
the virus, including one in the
last week.
The county has had 42 new
cases in the last two weeks,
down from 50 the previous
two weeks, and has had a total
of 144 hospitalizations.
The DPH reports that
there have been a total of
1,011,807 cases of COVID
19 in Georgia, resulting in
17,480 deaths. This total
includes 2,271 probable
COVID deaths and 15,209
confirmed deaths.
Time to spring forward
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Local fire officials
are reminding folks that
“springing forward” this
weekend is not just about
changing clocks.
Daylight Saving Time
begins this Sunday, March
14, at 2 a.m., and Robert
Parrish, Waynesboro’s Fire
Chief, says it’s the perfect
time for residents to change
the batteries in their smoke
detectors. While we move our
clocks forward by one hour,
this annual event can also be
used as a schedule of sorts to
help people develop a routine
that could ultimately save
their lives. “Many clocks and
cell phones are programmed
to adjust to time change,
but batteries aren’t going to
replace themselves,” Parrish
says. “Change the batteries
in your smoke alarms. They
can’t save you if they don’t
work.” He added that folks
should also test them once a
month and replace detectors
once they are 10 years old.
“Reliable smoke detectors
are relatively inexpensive,”
Parrish says, “and for the
protection they offer, it’s an
investment worth making.”
They are available in most
stores where home supplies
are sold and can be purchased
for as little as $10.
In addition to the upkeep
of smoke alarms, Parrish
says residents should also use
this time to ensure there are
fresh batteries in flashlights
and weather radios. “It’s also
a good time to develop an
emergency plan for severe
weather and to inspect tires,
safety belts and fluids on
vehicles in preparation for
spring and summer trips,” he
adds. “Just taking a few extra
minutes to do these things
helps to make sure that the
coming months will be safe
for you and your loved ones.”
330 US HWY. 25 NORTH, WAYNESBORO ■ 706-554-2114 - www.mizellford.com