Newspaper Page Text
January 26, 2022
Page 3C
n
Reporter
Tourism is great for
Forsyth-Monroe County
By Gilda Stanbery
City of Forsyth
National “Plan for Vacation Day?’
celebrated on Jan. 25 this year, is a good
time for the City of Forsyth Convention
& Visitors Bureau (CVB) to highlight the
role that tourism and travel play in the
economic vitality of our communities,
including rebuilding our economy and
reconnecting with each other across the
country
According to the latest report (Tour-
ismEconomics.com report to State of
Georgia, December 2021) from the Geor
gia Department of Economic Develop
ment, the economic impact of domestic
travel in Forsyth and Monroe County
is $45.4 million in visitor spending; 724
jobs; and $14.4 million in labor income.
This saves each Monroe County house
hold $381.50 a year in taxes!
Tourism creates jobs directly and also
indirectly in sectors such as retail and
transportation. When these people spend
their wages on goods and services, it
leads to what is known as the “multiplier
effect,” creating more jobs. In 2021, tour
ism accounted for 6.1 percent of employ
ment in Monroe County.
In 2020, our Forsyth hotels brought
in $7.4 million; restaurants brought in
$14.2 million; retail brought in $9.4 mil
lion; and $6.9 million in transportation
in domestic travel spending. Visitors
generated $3.7 million in state and local
tax revenues. Tourism is great for Forsyth
and Monroe County!
The tourism industry also provides
opportunities for small businesses, which
is especially important in rural com
munities. Tourism generates extra tax
revenues, such as hotel taxes, which are
used for schools, housing, and hospitals.
The City of Forsyth collects hotel-motel
taxes from 12 hotels and the KOA Camp
ground. Sixty percent of the hotel-motel
tax goes to the City’s general fund, and
the remaining 40 percent goes to the
Convention & Visitors Bureau to pro
mote more people visiting Forsyth and
staying longer.
“While we faced extraordinary chal
lenges over the past two years, our hotels
and tourism partners have provided our
visitors with clean, safe, and comfortable
experiences. We are excited to share the
full power of tourism and travel, and the
strength and spirit of Forsyth and Mon
roe County as we continue to recover.”
stated Gilda Stanbery, City of Forsyth
Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive
Director /CEO.
The CVB is here to help people plan
their vacations to Forsyth and the sur
rounding area. For those that want to
stay close to home, we can help plan fun
things to do that you might not know
about. Look for posts on Facebook.com/
forsythevb and on Instagram @forsyth_
cvb for ideas or go our website www.
forsythevb. com
Gilda Stanbery is the Convention & Visi
tors Bureau Executive Director /CEO.
Pictured, left to right, front, are members of the Bicentennial committee Nolan Howard,
Ralph Bass, Clarice Durden, Gilda Stanbery, Winifred Berry; back, members and profes
sional appointees of city council, Chris Hewett, Melvin Lawrence, Bobby Melton, Eric
Wilson, Janice Hall, Greg Goolsby, Julius Stroud III.
Bicentennial Committee thanks Forsyth
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Five members of the Monroe County
Bicentennial Committee presented a final
report to Forsyth city council at its Jan. 18
meeting. Ralph Bass thanked the city for
its financial and other support during the
year-long celebration of the county’s 200th
birthday and the culminating festival on
Sept. 25-26.
Bass said that with the support of local
governments and businesses the Bicenten
nial Committee was able to operate in the
black. He thanked Forsyth for display
ing Bicentennial banners, closing streets,
taking care of clean up after the event,
coordinating the invitation to Gov. Brian
Kemp and otherwise working with the
committee on the celebration.
He noted that Forsyth’s Bicentennial will
be coming in a little over a year. Bass said
that the committee will plant a gingko tree
in Forsyth in February in honor of the
bicentennial.
“It was an excellent team,” said Bass.
“We’ll take a breath and rev up again.”
Gilda Stanbery shared copies of the 2022
History Calendar published by the Bicen
tennial committee with council members.
She said it includes historic dates, tidbits of
information from local history and photos
of Monroe County in addition to impor
tant dates in 2022. The calendars are avail
able for sale at the Forsyth Convention &
Visitors Bureau. She also gave the commit
tee’s final report to council members.
Because space at the Monroe County
Annex wasn’t available during November
and December, the last two months of the
Bicentennial Exhibit will be on display at
the Annex during January (writers) and
February (businesses).
MONROE IN COLLEGE
Kayley Dale of
Forsyth has been named
to the President's Honor
Roll at the University
of North Georgia
for achieving a 4.0 grade
point average during fall
2021. Students enrolled in
12 or more credit hours in
bachelor's degree pro
grams who achieved a 4.0
grade point average were
named to the President's
Honor Roll.
Mercer University
announces the President's
List and Dean's List for the
fall 2021 semester. Inclu
sion on these lists requires
students to meet rigorous
GPA standards specific
to the college or school
within the University. The
following students earned
a place on the lists: From
Culloden: Jada Gresh
am, sophomore, College
of Liberal Arts and Sci
ences, Dean's List;
Isaiah Hoffman,
senior, College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences, Presi
dent's List
From Forsyth: Sarah
Boyer, sophomore, Col
lege of Liberal Arts and
Sciences, President's List;
Bryce Floyd, junior,
School of Business, Presi
dent's List;
Evan Floyd, junior,
College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences, Dean's List;
Stanley Hickman,
senior, College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences, Presi
dent's List;
Abby Hodges,
junior, School of Music,
President's List;
Brianna Morgan,
senior, College of Educa
tion, President's List;
Ella Neal, freshman,
College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences, Dean's List;
Anniston Nooks,
junior, School of Business,
Dean's List;
Hunter Powell, ju
nior, School of Engineer
ing, Dean's List;
Whitney Ray,
junior, College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences, Dean's
List;
Hugh Sosebee,
sophomore, College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences,
Dean's List.
A total of 11,979 stu
dents enrolled during the
fall 2021 term at The
University of Ala
bama were named to the
dean’s list with an academ
ic record of 3.5 (or above)
or the president’s list with
an academic record of 4.0
(all As). Dylan Cox
of Lorsyth was named
to the Deans List. Ava
McKallip of Forsyth
was named to the Presi
dents List. The University
of Alabama, part of The
University of Alabama
System, is the state’s flag
ship university.
Did you know?
Snapshots from
Monroe Co. History
D id you know
that bricks were
once made
in Monroe
County?
In the 19th century,
when builders wanted to
construct with bricks, they
typically used locally made
bricks. Several examples of
those brick buildings still
stand today.
When William Da
vis built his house in
Culloden, he used locally
made bricks. Those bricks
withstood a fire in the ear
ly 20th century, and today
the residence is still there,
almost two centuries after
its construction.
When James S. Pinck-
ard constructed the
residence at what today
is 219 Brooklyn Avenue,
he had the bricks used in
the walls, both
interior and
exterior, made
on the creek be
hind the house,
where both clay
and water were
available.
In 1878 when W. H.
Head and W.J. Dumas
needed bricks for build
ings they were construct
ing in downtown Forsyth,
they returned to this creek
bed and its nearby clay
for their bricks instead of
buying costly ones from
Macon.
The traditional brick
making process involved
harvesting the clay and
then screening it to
remove rocks and clods.
Next, the brick maker
mixed sand and water
with the clay until he was
BICENTENNim
* CELEBRATING EDO YEAR5 *
E5T. 1821
confident of its proper
consistency. The sand,
water, and clay mixture
was poured into molds
and left to dry for several
weeks before the bricks
were baked in a kiln. For
good quality bricks, the
fire and temperature had
to be even throughout the
burning process.
When James M. Ponder
at the end of the century
needed a million bricks
for his new textile mill,
he did not, however, have
them made in Forsyth. He
ordered them from the
industrial brick yard of
Jelks in Macon.
Remember when...
1992
Monroe Countians awake
on Sunday morning to as
much as 8 inches of sleet and
snow in northern parts of the
county.
Superior Court Judge Byron
Smith rules that Monroe
County and Culloden can’t
intervene in a lawsuit filed
against Forsyth by local busi
nessman N.A. Hardin to en
sure Forsyth doesn't misspend
special sales tax revenues.
Mayor Paul Jossey will deliver
the keynote address at the
Monroe County Chamber of
Commerce banquet at the
Mary Persons cafeteria.
Monroe County Sheriffs
Dept, reports that a 15-year-
old Culloden girl reported
missing last weekend has
returned home safely.
In a four-hour meeting, Forsyth
shaves off nearly $400,000
to come up with a $7.7 million
balanced budget.
Forsyth Monroe County
Kiwanis Club names Jackson
Daniel, editor of Monroe
County Reporter, Kiwanian of
the Year.
Brandy Pope, who represent
ed Monroe County at many
functions over the last year as
1991 Miss Monroe County,
will pass on her crown at the
pageant sponsored by Forsyth
Jaycees.
At the suggestion of library
patron Gael Bostick the
library hangs a picture of
the original library building,
which was incorporated into
the new library constructed in
1981 and is now the library's
meeting room.
2002
Mercer University awards
the 2002 Bessie W. Tift
Scholarship to Natalie Grant,
daughter of Dr. Jesse Ray and
Leigh Grant of Forsyth. The
four-year full scholarship cov
ers tuition, room and board.
She plans to major in biology/
pre-med.
A community-wide youth
rally will be held at the Old
Mary Persons Auditorium &
Lunchroom Jan. 25-27 for
all races and denominations,
including food, fellowship &
worship. Featured speaker is
Bill Gravell of Texas.
Girl Scout Troop 333 visits
with residents of Forsyth's
Carousel House.
Local talent Sandy Buckner
will perform at the Valentine
Ball at the Al Mahdi Shrine
Temple in Macon.
Heather Eidson of Forsyth,
daughter of Marcus & Sarah
Eidson, is one of 12 Georgia
Southern students to gradu
ate from the University's Fall
2001 Eagle Leadership EDGE
program.
Mayor Paul Jossey will pres
ent the keys to Forsyth to
Milton Hudson of Macon
County at the beginning of his
2,400-mile Run for Literacy
from Savannah to San Diego.
Hilltop Nursing Home cel
ebrates Clown Month and
enjoys the antics and balloon
animals of local clowns Lew-e
(Lee Andrews) and his younger
cousin Dew-e (Jacob Hix), 4.
2012
Monroe County siblings Trellis
Grant and John Belknap
overcome health challenges
of lupus and a paralyzing
vehicle wreck.
Forsyth’s Floyd Cragg, 83, is-
making a miraculous recovery
after wreck.
Forsyth Fire Department,
under Chief David Herndon,
employs 10 full time firefighters
and 10 part time firefighters
and answered 1,004 calls in
2011. 761 (75.5 percent) of
the calls were for hazardous
conditions, no fire.)
The criminal investigation
division of the Forsyth Police
Department worked 235
cases in 2011, from shoplifting
to aggravated assault, and
cleared 131 of them. Police
Department employees com
pleted 2,967 hours of training
during 2011. The FPD is under
the leadership of Chief Keith
Corley.
Tristan Hunt shows a big turnip
(5 lbs. 2.5 oz, 22.5 inches
around) that he grew with his
granddad, Morgan Harvey,
and Ricky Harrington in their
Treadwell Road garden.
Kinsey Rowland, Tyler Moss,
Ashley Harvey and Quin High
write and perform a school
song for Monroe County
Achievement Center.
Mary Persons 2012 STAR
student is Lauren Maxwell;
her STAR teacher is Martin
Magda.
Forsyth city administrator
Thomas White announces
Forsyth is getting its first new
apartment complex in years
as plans are made for 79
units on Brentwood Lane near
Freeman Funeral Home.
Alan Walden of Bolingbroke
shares his memories of per
former Etta James after her
death.
City of Forsyth and Monroe
County struggle with cutbacks
in budgets. The city must fill
a $1.4 million hole, and the
county must cut $2.5 million
in spending.
For the fifth year in a row
fewer homes are built in
Monroe County than in the
year before; 2011 saw only
47 permits for new homes in
the county.
Ronnie Daniel, owner of the
Forsyth Dairy Queen, will
give away chocolate ice
cream at a party to celebrate
Katie Sanders' completed
radiation treatments. Katie, 15,
had a brain cyst removed in
October.
The Exchange Club of Forsyth
presents its “Proudly We Hail"
award to Howell Newton.
FFA alumni are selling raffle
tickets for $1,000 worth of
processed beef (half a cow)
at $20/ticket or 6 for $100.
An estimated 10,000 gallons
of raw sewage is released
into Rock Branch from the
Forsyth water system because
of a broken line near Pinkney
Circle.
Mary Persons cheerleading
coach Penny Pitts is named
the 2011-12 winner of the
Touchdown Club's Twelfth-
Man award.
Remember When
Monroe County
Memorial Chapel
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