Newspaper Page Text
Page 6 — Wednesday, January 12, 2022 The True Citizen
OBITUARIES
James Sims
Najee Kabir Holden
Mr. James Sims, age 67, of Waynesboro, GA entered into
eternal rest on Saturday January 8,2022. Graveside services
for Mr. Sims will be held on Saturday January 15,2022 11:00
a.m. at Rock Creek Baptist Church 151
Rocky Creek Church Rd. Waynesboro
GA. Visitation will be Friday January
14, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Chavous B. Johnson Funeral Service
885 Waters St. Waynesboro, GA 30830
(706)554-7843.
Najee Kabir Holden, age 23, of Waynesboro, Georgia, en
tered into eternal rest on January 7,2022. Arrangements are
incomplete and services will be held in
Newark, New Jersey. uP
Phinazee and Son Funeral Home .A
706-554-5500 PHINAZEE&SON
Mini-grant offers car seats to local families
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
UG A Extension Burke Coun
ty was awarded the 2022 Car
Seat Mini-Grant by the Georgia
Department of Public Health,
Injury Prevention Program.
Through the Mini-Grant,
UGA Extension and the Burke
County Health Department
work together to provide
car seats and education to
financially eligible families
throughout the county.
The program is funded by the
Governor’s Office of Highway
Safety to help ensure Georgia’s
children are safe while riding in
motor vehicles.
Since 2007, the education,
car seats and booster seats
provided through the mini
grant prevented serious injury
or death and saved over 425 of
Georgia’s children who were
involved in crashes, according
to a recent press release.
“It’s our responsibility to
keep our children safe,” said
Terri Black, Burke County Ex
tension Agent. “The Car Seat
Mini-Grant is a great oppor
tunity to help our community
and help protect our children
from serious injuries or death
in motor vehicle crashes.”
UGA Extension educates
parents and caregivers on how
to properly install and use car
seats, offers car seat inspec
tions and provides car seats and
booster seats to financially eli
gible families. For more infor
mation about the Burke County
car seat program, contact Terri
Black at (706) 554-2119.
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01/26/46 - 01/10/21
Mama,
We truly miss you. Nothing is the same
since you left. We love you very much.
BBB TIP
Love your children,
Debbie and Roger
Joining a gym or purchasing at-home
equipment? Avoid new year fraud in 2022
KELVIN COLLINS
The beginning of a new
year is often associated with
increased interest in gym mem
berships, at-home workout
equipment and programs de
signed around living a health
ier lifestyle. As consumers
recover from holiday celebra
tions, including holiday din
ners typically more robust than
the standard fare, the new year
offers plenty of opportunities
to help shed those extra serv
ings of stuffing. However, it is
important to remain mindful of
con artists who take advantage
of shopper trends for their own
gain and keep realistic fitness
goals that consumers can carry
throughout the year.
The current pandemic may
influence typical new year
purchases this year as well.
Rather than signing up for
fitness classes at a local gym,
many consumers may decide
to purchase at-home equipment
to exercise away from the risks
associated with COVID-19.
For the past five years, Internet
searches for ‘workout equip
ment’ peak during January. As
is typical in the new year, BBB
is expecting an increase in re
ports of fraudulent businesses
advertising the sale of workout
equipment that is either never
received or of poor quality.
In January 2021, one con
sumer reported a loss of $2,100
when purchasing an elliptical
workout machine online. After
paying for the equipment via
Amazon pay, the consumer
reported they “received no
confirmation or contact of any
kind. I received no response
when emailing the company.”
During the same month, an
other consumer lost $500 after
purchasing workout equipment
online and stated the company
“will not ship the products you
buy and will not allow you to
cancel the purchases.”
In addition to the challenges
presented by unethical and
fraudulent businesses, consum
ers interested in improving
their physical health in the new
year must also assess their fit
ness goals and determine their
priorities when choosing a
gym membership or at-home
system.
BBB provides the following
tips to get the most out of your
new year fitness goals:
Ask questions about limited
free trials. Gyms often give a
one-week free pass for poten
tial members, and at-home pro
grams provide a trial period to
allow consumers to determine
if it is the right fit for their fit
ness goals. If interested in a
gym membership, spend the
time to realistically determine
what time of the day you would
be available to dedicate toward
exercise and visit the gym
during these times to see how
crowded it is or if there is a
wait for equipment you would
typically use in your workout
routine. Check to see if limited
trials are offered for any classes
or specialized programs.
Don’t feel coerced. Do not
give in to high-pressure sales
tactics to join a workout pro
gram immediately or make
a purchase online without
first researching the seller or
business. A reputable gym or
program will give you enough
time to read the contract thor
oughly, tour the facilities and
make an informed decision. Be
especially wary of claims that
seem too good to be true, such
as a guarantee of losing a large
amount of weight extremely
quickly.
Calculate the trust costs.
Gyms and at-home workout
programs often use introduc
tory offers to encourage new
members, especially in the new
year. However, the price could
go up more than you budgeted
once the initial period is over.
Make sure to read the contract
carefully and understand the
regular monthly fees and what
they include.
Take a tour. If choosing a
gym membership, take the time
to tour the facility and make
sure the gym has the equip
ment, classes and trainers you
need or expect. Pay attention
to the things that are impor
tant to you, whether that is the
cleanliness of the showers or
the availability of Wi-Fi. Ask
questions and make sure you
understand the gym's policies,
including COVID-19 proce
dures and how they maintain
equipment sanitation.
Determine your fitness goals.
Determining realistic fitness
goals allows you to choose a
facility or workout program
that is most appropriate for
you and will prevent you from
failing to follow through with
your workout resolution for
the rest of the year. Be sure
to consult with the physician
before embarking on a new
fitness regimen, especially if
there are medical conditions
that might be of concern.
Figure out your priorities.
What exactly are you look
ing for in a gym membership
or at-home program? Is it a
convenient location near your
home or a chain with numerous
locations around the country
that you can go to while trav
eling? Answering these ques
tions will help you determine
the best fit for your lifestyle
and fitness goals.
Understand the terms. Read
the contract carefully before
signing and make sure that
all verbal promises made by a
salesperson are in writing. Pay
close attention to the cancel
lation and renewal policies.
Some gyms may charge a
cancellation fee if moving or
will automatically renew your
contract at the end of its term.
Use a credit card when shop
ping online. BBB strongly
Bird dog
recommends using a credit
card for all online purchases
rather than a debit card, wire
transfer or mobile banking
app transaction. In case of a
fraudulent seller or business
purchase, credit cards offer
additional protection and the
ability to cancel charges than
other forms of payment.
Visit BBB .org for more tips
on how to have a fraud-free
new year.
Continued from 4
for a moment, our oldest daughter, Mackenzie, graduated from
UGA the week before Christmas. Last week she began teaching
fourth grade in Columbia, South Carolina. Mackenzie attended
Burke County schools from pre-K to graduation and will tell you
there were a number of teachers that left quite an impression on
her. She now hopes to do the same in some other child’s life.
Mackenzie has a far better head on her shoulders than I did at
that age, and her mother and I are proud and excited to see what
her future holds.
For more Burke County political news, follow Bird Dog Politics
on Facebook.
Rich Continued from 5
that Neil was not badly injured though the deer did not fare as
well.
The Peabody is one of our favorites. Inevitably, people will ask
if we have seen the ducks that march down from their penthouse
suite each morning at 11 to the hotel fountain before quitting
work at 5 p.m.
Tink was once an honorary Duckmaster. I believe that Tink is
prouder of that honor than he is of his primetime Emmy award
for best drama writing.
Since my first stay, the rooms have been completely renovated
no fewer than three times. And I have often been there for some
of the banging, nailing, and sawing.
On our last trip, during Christmas, I noted a gold plate at
tached to the wood-paneled wall inside one of the elevators. It
read: “Dedicated to Silas Harris for his 50 years of service to
the Peabody.”
It has always been evident to me that the Peabody appreciates
loyalty and often makes gestures like this. You have only to hear
the chief Duckmaster proclaim the names of those responsible
for creating the much beloved legacy of the ducks, to know that.
But who, I wondered was Silas Harris? I did an online search
and found only one brief mention: an obituary that stated simply,
“Silas Harris, April 21,1941 to November 21,2019.”
I was disappointed not to learn more but I am most impressed
to know that Mr. Harris was a dedicated employee to the Peabody
for 50 years so, thus, he has been remembered with a plaque that
will be viewed by thousands each year in that elevator.
This, I thought too: I will never have such a plaque anywhere
to honor me.
That’s a big deal for Mr. Silas Harris. And it says a lot for the
loyalty of the folks at the Peabody Hotel.
Ronda Rich is a best-selling Southern author. Visit www.rond-
arich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.
CHANCE&HYDRICK
Reuben Chance - Phil Hydrick
Locally Owned A Operated
706.790.8567
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— DeLoach
McKerley-Prescott
FUNERAL HOME
N AND CREMATION SERVICE f
220 East 6th Street - P.0. Box 595
Waynesboro, GA 30830
706-554-3531
www.delonchfunernlhomes.coni
Veil Prescott, Steve Simians, Jason MtKerley
'A Family Tradition
Since 1919”
Phinazee and Son
Funeral Home
Funeral Directof'Embiilmer
Kelsey M. Phlnazec
Manager- Crystal M. Preston
funeral Director' 1 [mbalmer
Almari K. Phinazee
riJLNAZLL it SON
404 W Bill 5t,
Waynesboro, CA»6»
www.rhlrurrtftunfli.rnm
Burke Memorial Funeral Home
w ww.bu rkememorial. com
H Home oj Dependable Service"
842 Liberty Street, Waynesboro, GA
Family owned operated
jane and George DeLoach
706-833-9867 or 706-551-5100