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Page 4B
May 4, 2022
30-year Monroe County firefighter Jack Adams retires
fiReporter
Above, Jack Adams is pictured a few years ago with his
son, Doug, and grandson, Joshua, who graduated from
firefighter school in April. Right, Doug and Jack proudly
display certificates proclaiming them the Best of Monroe
firefighter and the Best of Monroe EMT in the same year.
By Richard Dumas
RDumas@monroecoga.org
Monroe County Emer
gency Services (MCES)
honored one of its longest-
serving employees on April
26 with a farewell party
at MCES headquarters
for Firefighter/EMT Jack
Adams.
Adams retired last month
after a 30-year career with
MCES as a volunteer, part-
time firefighter/EMT, and
as a full-time firefighter/
EMT for the past 19 years.
Adams has received
numerous awards and
recognition for meritorious
service during his 30-year
career but said he’s most
proud of being one of sev
eral Monroe County EMTs
honored for saving the life
of a drowning 18-month-
old boy in 2020. Adams
said a particular thrill was
getting invited the follow
ing year to spend the boys
next birthday with him.
Perhaps Adams’ most
lasting legacy at MCES is
his family lineage, which
spans three generations of
MCES firefighters. Adams’
son Doug, who has worked
alongside his father for
more than two decades,
was recently promoted
to Captain while Adams’
grandson Joshua already
volunteers with MCES
and will graduate from
firefighter school in Jones
County this upcoming
Saturday.
Doug Adams said one
of his own greatest career
moments was working
alongside his father as
co-instructors of a rookie
firefighter/EMT class at
the Georgia Public Safety
Training Center (GPSTC)
several years ago, especially
taking a photo together in
their turnout gear.
Doug Adams said of
working with his father:
“It’s been awesome because
he’s got a lot of knowledge
he’s passed down to me.”
Jack Adams said he’s
finished mentoring his son
in the fire service, saying
Doug Adams has been an
outstanding student.
“I taught him well,” Jack
Adams said. “He knows
what to do. I ain’t got to tell
him nothing.”
Jack Adams’ Battalion
Chief, Clay Walton, said
Doug Adams is not the
only firefighter who has
benefited from Adams’
veteran leadership. Walton,
who has served alongside
Adams for the past 15
years, said he too has been
greatly influenced by the
veteran staffer. Walton said
he particularly dreaded be
ing named the senior Ad
ams’ superior seven years
ago because of Jack Adams’
“intimidating” presence.
“I thought to myself: ‘I
haven’t been doing this
very long. How am I sup
posed to lead someone
with that much experience
and that much knowledge?’
Walton said. “And what
I came to find out very
quickly was he was the
best ally I could have at the
time. Because anytime that
I was getting ready to make
a questionable decision or
do something completely
and utterly stupid, I could
always count on that I
would have that one person
who would always tell me
that what I was getting
ready to do was stupid. So
Jack, I appreciate that.”
During a retirement party
that featured heavy hors
d’oeuvres and a large cake
with a fire engine on it,
Walton and MCES Chief
Matt Jackson presented
Adams with several parting
gifts, including a piece of
wood engraved with Ad
ams’ name, dates of service,
and the MCES logo, his
firefighter helmet, and a
commemorative plaque
with a scene depicting fire
service and a parting mes
sage.
In addition to Walton
and Jackson, other speakers
included MCES Adminis
trative Assistant Roxanne
Dewberry and retired
MCES Battalion Chief El
liot Chambliss. Dewberry
said she and Adams long
ago made a pact to retire
together but said Adams
was heading out the door
first. She said she enjoyed
watching Adams raise
his son in the fire service,
showing him the respon
sibilities of a firefighter, a
friend and a family man.
Chambliss, who retired in
2019, said Adams knows
as well as anyone the bond
that firefighters/EMTs have
with one another.
Chambliss said, “Outside
of the lives that you touch
going about your daily du
ties, people that you help,
outside of that the biggest
thing that you’ll ever do in
this fire service/EMS, the
things that you’re going to
take away, are relationships
that you build with each
other.”
Adams agreed with
Chambliss’ sentiment,
saying it’s his friends in the
fire/EMS service that he’ll
miss most.
“I’m going to miss the
guys I work with on the
shift,” he said. “It’s my sec
ond family’’
Adams, a South Carolina
native, came to Forsyth
when his mother and
stepfather moved to town.
He said although he was
always interested in the fire
service, it wasn’t until after
he retired from another oc
cupation that he was able to
make it a full-time career.
Since joining MCES, he’s
worked at a number of dif
ferent stations, opening up
during the daytime hours
Station 11 (Shi Road), Sta
tion 7 (Popes Ferry Road),
Station 10 (Evans Road)
and then serving several
stints at Station 2 (High
Falls), where he has spent
the past six years.
Adams said he first
started considering retire
ment about four years ago
and is looking forward to
a lifetime of fishing and
relaxing.
CALENDAR
Continued from Page 1 B
ing Company) each Friday
through October. Vendors
offer locally grown produce
and homemade goods. For
more information, call 478-
994-7717 or email mcordy@
cityofforsyth.com
May 6, June 3
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Central Ga. present
Duck Scavenger Hunts
The Boys & Girls Clubs of
Central Georgia will host
a Duck Scavenger Hunt on
Fridays, May 6, and June 3
(one rubber duck for each
date). Pink rubber ducks
will be hidden in downtown
Forsyth businesses. Clues will
be posted on B&GCCG
Facebook and Instagram
so be sure to check back
frequently. Find a pink
rubber duck, read the clue
attached to it, and follow
the instructions to claim a
prize. For each lucky pink
duck you find and register,
we will enter a duck in your
name in the upcoming Great
Ocmulgee River Duck Race
in Amerson Park Macon on
June 11 where ducks are
up for adoption for $20,
or 6 for $100. On race
day, adopted ducks will be
launched onto the river and
first duck to get across the
finish line wins $10,000.
Proceeds for the event will
go to Boys & Girls Clubs of
Central Georgia's healthy
lifestyle initiatives. The Great
Ocmulgee River Duck Race
is a win for all involved.
May 7
Jackson-Butts County
Fine Arts Festival
The Jackson-Butts County
Council for the Arts will
present its 25th Fine Arts
Festival on Saturday, May
7 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on
the square in Jackson. Free
admission and parking. The
professional outdoor fine
art sale features award
winning artists in jewelry,
paintings, clay, mixed media,
photography, blown glass,
sculpture, turned wood and
more.
17th Annual
Ft. Hawkins
Archaeology Day
Ocmulgee Archaeologica
Society (OAS) in partnership
with the Fort Hawkins Board
will hold its 17th Annua
Fort Hawkins Archaeology
Day on Saturday, May 7
from 12 -4 p.m. This event is
free and open to the public.
There will be
artifact identification; pottery
making, primitive skills, and
Native American stories
and games sessions, a Fort
Hawkins Tour, and period
reenactors. For more infor
mation, contact OAS at:
ocmarcsoc@gmail.com.
May 9
Monroe County
Amateur Radio S
ociety to meet
Monroe County Amateur
Radio Society will meet on
Monday, May 9 at 6:30
p.m. at Monroe County Fire
Station 1, 693 Juliette Road,
Forsyth. The group meets
the second Monday of each
month.
Mary Persons Choir
Farewell Concert
Mary Persons Choir will
present a Farewell Con
cert on Monday, May 9
at 7 p.m. at the Monroe
County Fine Arts Center, 25
Brooklyn Ave., Forsyth. Free
admission.
May 12
Monroe County GOP
hosts Meet & Greet
The Monroe County
Republican Party will host a
Candidate Meet and Greet
on Thursday, May 12 from
5:30 to 7 p.m. at Fox City
Brewing Company, 45 N.
Kimbell Street, Forsyth. Can
didates for local and state
offices have been invit
ed. Contact 478-737-9802
for more information.
May 14
DOC hosts 8th Annual
Fishing Rodeo
The Georgia Department
of Corrections will host its
8th annual Fishing Rodeo on
Saturday, May 14 from 9
a.m.-12 noon at State Of
fices South at Tift College,
300 Patrol Road, Forsyth to
introduce younger genera
tions to fishing. The event is
open to all children ages
15 and under. There will
be three prize categories:
7 and under; 8-11; 12-15.
Parental supervision is
required for entrance and
participation. Feel free to
bring fishing gear; however,
some will be available for
use. There will be goodie
bags, door prizes and com
petition prizes.
May 18, 31
Dept, of Corrections
Job Fair
Georgia Dept, of Correc
tions will host a Job Fair
at the Monroe County
Workforce Development
Center, 89 Washington
Drive, Forsyth (on the Wil
iam Hubbard campus) on
Wednesday, May 18 and
Tuesday, May 31 from 10
a.m.-2 p.m. Starting salaries
range from $38,040 to
$41,844. Positions include
advancement & career
track, health & dental insur
ance, 401 K plan, paid sick
eave, paid holidays, paid
training.
May 21
Art of the Garden Tour
Jackson-Butts County Coun
cil for the Arts is hosting an
Art of the Garden Tour on
Saturday, May 21 from 9
a.m.-3 p.m. It will include six
uniquely beautiful gardens
with an artist featured at
each site. Tickets are $20
each and benefit the Arts
Council. For tickets or more
information, call Diane
Glidewell at 478-993-
1104.
May 31
WIC Farmers Market
will be in Forsyth
North Central Health
District's 13 county health
departments will host the
annual farmers markets for
participants of the Women,
Infants & Children (WIC)
nutrition program. The mar
ket will be at the Monroe
County Health Department,
106 MLK Jr. Dr., Forsyth on
Tuesday, May 31 from 8:30
a.m.-l p.m. Fresh fruits and
vegetables will be available
free to WIC participants;
others may purchase them
from vendors.
June 10
Teen Safe
Driving Camp
Monroe County Sheriff's
Office will offer the 14th
Annual Teen Safe Driving
Camp for drivers ages 15-
17 at the Georgia Public
Safety Training Center,
1000 Indian Springs Dr.,
Forsyth on Saturday, July 9
from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Cost
is $20, which includes lunch
and T-shirt. Space is limited.
Application deadline is
June 10. For more informa
tion, contact M.C. Sheriffs
Office.
June 18
Citizens’ Firearm
Safety Training
Monroe County Sheriff's
Office will hold a Citizens'
Firearms Safety Training
Course on Saturday, June 18
beginning at 8 a.m. for those
21 years of age and up. It
will cover use, proficiency
and safety and is limited to
those who live and/or work
in Monroe County. A back
ground check is required.
The course is free, but par
ticipants must provide their
own legal handgun, belt,
holster, eye & ear safety
equipment and at least 100
rounds of ammunition. There
is a limit of 30 participants.
Deadline to submit applica
tions, which are available at
the Sheriff's Office, is June
3. For more information,
contact Sgt. Kevin Williams
at 478-994-7048.
Remember when...
1992
Bruce Dodd, president of
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee
School, will become headmas
ter of Monroe Academy, suc
ceeding George MacMillan
who retires after 22 years.
“Fried Green Tomatoes'
draws about 700 people dur
ing its first week at the Nancy
Cinema in Forsyth, and Whistle
Stop Cafe that opened in Ju
liette two weeks ago attracts
overflow lunch crowds daily.
Forsyth is increasing its water
and sewerage rates 90 per
cent while dropping its electric
rates slightly.
Henricks Technologies will
move its corporate head
quarters and a manufacturing
operation from Atlanta to the
former B&R Tire Co. building
on College Street. It will im
mediately employ 15-20.
Three Mary Persons students
receive Doris Grant Me
morial scholarships at the
Olde Order of Tift Alumnae
Banquet: Erica Moreland, Amy
Washinger, Melissa Bugg.
Monroe County Chamber
of Commerce Retail Affairs
Committee chair Jeanette
Tolbert announces Special
Saturday promotions will be
held the fourth Saturday of
each month.
Larry Letson is the new music
director at New Providence
Baptist Church. He is the son
of Mr. & Mrs. Shorty Letson of
High Falls; his father was first
superintendent of High Falls
State Park.
Contractor Bobby McKinnon
finishes installing sewerage
fines in Betsy Lynn Estates,
coming in about $30,000
under estimated costs after
being $90,000 less than the
next highest bidder.
Forsyth Lions Club marks
66 years since the club was
founded in Monroe County,
making it one of the county's
oldest civic clubs. Its list of 27
charter members reads like
a Who's Who of Forsyth. For
about 50 years the club spon
sored Boy Scout Troop 51.
Kindergarteners Megan
Trammell, Whitney Foster and
Lauren Winters perform at the
Monroe Academy Key Club
Talent Show.
2002
Jane Walker, Hubbard Pre-k
teacher, is Monroe County's
Teacher of the Year. Schoo
evel Teachers of the Year are
Joanne Binns, Sue Ann Pannell,
Virginia Pittman and Penny
Howard.
Betty Calloway is a 12-year
cancer survivor who has lost
multiple family members to the
disease.
Hubbard Elementary's “Links
for Life," strips of construction
paper bought for 25 cents
each to form a giant chain,
has raised $1,400 for the
American Cancer Society.
Steve Coleman & Associates is
one of three companies hon
ored with the Torch Award
from the Better Business
Bureau.
Bill Starr retires from the
National Guard after 42
years of service, most of them
in Forsyth.
Forsyth Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce pub-
fishes a Downtown Walking
Tour; text is written by Diane
Crosby, Better Hometown
director.
Mary Persons girls track team
will send two competitors to
the State Meet, sophomore
Amanda Coughenour in the
1600m and 3200m runs and
junior Colette Chambliss in the
ong jump.
Lucas Carron of Bolingbroke
makes a hole-in-one with a
five wood on the 167-yard
seventh hole at the Forsyth
Golf Club.
Dusty Bush, 5, bags his first
turkey with his .410 shotgun.
2012
Six T.G. Scott students run in
the Cherry Blossom Fun Run
on behalf of Alex's House
in Haiti: Amelia Jones, Kate
McAteer, Mary Michael Tane,
Eliza Gavin, Rebecca Jones,
Emmy Tane, and Megan Kelly
runs the 5K.
Former Mary Persons head
coach Rodney Walker says
the 11 signees from the Gass
of 2012 are the most he ever
had during his 43-year coach
ing career.
Conner McPherson, 8, kills his
first turkey, a gobbler with a
12.25-inch beard and spurs
over 1.25 inches, while hunt
ing with his grandfather, John
Ambrose.
Monroe County Hospital's
Tim Allen is named Georgias
2011 Engineer of the Year
by the Georgia Society for
Healthcare Engineers.
Monroe County Fire Depart
ment honors Joseph Smith,
15, for his help preventing a
structure fire at Popes Ferry
fire station when a bird's nest
near a group of floodlights
ignited.
Gregory Schock builds two
benches and a large wooden
holder for flyers to enhance
the Mary Persons counsel
ors' office as his Eagle Scout
project. He is a member of
Troop 161.
Ten law enforcement agencies
join in a pre-dawn sweep of
Monroe County to arrest 29
on drug warrants for ecstasy,
cocaine, meth and marijuana.
Mary Persons graduation rate
of 78.34 percent is the highest
among surrounding counties.
The new numbers are based
on graduations over the last
five years.
Ga. National Guard confirms
plans to move the 148th bat
talion headquarters company
from Forsyth to Macon. A unit
will move from Griffin to the
Forsyth Armory.
Eleven cyclists are hospitalized
on Sunday after bikes crash
on Highway 83 in the 18.8-
mile Macon Cycling Classic
that started from Hubbard
Elementary School.
A Forsyth couple, Glenn &
Tonya Marie Wilson, are
charged with illegally cashing
checks dedicated to their son's
baseball team fundraiser.
Monroe County Hospital's
Relay for Life team will present
The Scrub Team in concert:
Drs. Craig Caldwell, Michael
Dawson, Bob Fountain, Jeremy
Goodwin and J.Ray Grant,
and new to the team, Dr.
Dana Peterman and Tammy
Barnett with the talents of
Wes DeVries, Jason Fountain,
Terry McClellan and Allen
Ralph.
Remember When
This look at what Monroe County residents were reading in the
Reporter 30, 20 and 10 years ago this week is brought to you by...
Monroe County
Memorial Chapel
We set the standards
that others follow 1
Harley Ray "Spanky" Beck
86 West Main Street • Forsyth
478-994-4266