Newspaper Page Text
June 29, 2022
MONROE COUNTY
Community
Calendar
Calendar items run free
of charge as a community
service each week as space
allows. Mail items for the
Community Calendar to Diane
Clidewell at newMmymcr.net
by 8 a.m. on Monday.
June 29
Forsyth unveils unity
sculpture
The city of Forsyth will unvei
its commissioned unity sculp
ture, "Infinite Unity& Flames of
Perserverance," in front of
City Hall, 28 E. Main Street,
on Wednesday, June 29 at
5 p.m.
July 2
Fireworks & concert in
Forsyth
The City of Forsyth will spon
sor fireworks near downtown
(from the open lot near the
Public Safety Complex) on
Saturday, July 2. There will
be a concert on the square
featuring the band 'Conta
gious' that will begin before
the fireworks display, which
wi II be about 9:30 p.m.
July 3
Independence Day
celebration with Jason
Hoard & Friends at For
syth UMC
“Jason Hoard & Friends," a
bluegrass Christian band
that calls Nashville & Griffin
home, will be headliners for
the annual Independence
Day celebration at Forsyth
United Methodist Church
on Sunday, July 3 at 10 a.m.
Jason has played with Third
Day, Crowder, and many
other national Christian artists.
He brings with him some of
Nashville's best musicians as
they lead us in their energetic
style of bluegrass worship.
This will be a combined ser
vice of the church. Pastor Billy
Beard invites all churches in
the community to participate.
A continental breakfast will
be served prior to 10 a.m.
July 4
High Falls Boat Parade
The High Falls Lake Associa
tion's Annual July 4th Boat
Parade around the lake will
start staging at 9:45 a.m. in
the area between the ranger
station and the swimming
pool. Parade start time is 10
a.m. Plans are to have the
High Falls rescue boat lead
the parade, followed by a
very distinctively decorated
pontoon. Put a flag on what
ever boat you have and join
us in a show of pride for this
great country.
July 12
Bolingbroke Community
Club will provide infor
mation on radon testing
Bolingbroke Community Club
will host a meeting on Tues
day, July 12 at 6 p.m. at Mt.
Zion Baptist Church, 7015
Rivoli Road to provide infor
mation about well water test
ing for radon. Derek Cooper,
with the UGA environmental
6 human health department,
will speak and answer ques
tions. He will have free radon
air test kits and $20 radon
water test kits (usually $40)
available with lab test analy
sis included. Please reserve a
kit if you would like to have
one. This will not be a dinner
meeting.
July 14
Monroe Co. Democratic
Committee to meet
Monroe County Democratic
Committee will meet at 6:30
p.m. on Thursday, July 14 at
a location to be announced.
The purpose of the meeting is
to elect District Post positions.
July 18-22
Robotics Camp
The Mary Persons Robotics
Team will host a Robotics
Camp for 7-11-year-olds on
Monday-Friday, July 18-22
from 9 a.m.-12 noon at the
Mary Persons Main Campus.
The camp will be based in
Room 220 (back entrance).
“Bots for Tots" will get the
campers involved with STEM
and spark an interest in
technology. Snacks, drinks
and a t-shirt will be provided.
The fee for the week is $100.
Space is limited. Contact
Delaney Olson at Delaney.
olson@Tncschools.org to sign
up.
See CALENDAR Page 3C
C ommunity
Around Monroe County ► ► Forsyth • Juliette • High Falls • Bolingbroke • Culloden • Smarr
Peaches & Politics: A sweet time at Dickey Farms
Above, Rep. Robert Dickey introduces his family. Top right, Monroe Countians at Peaches & Politics included, from left, Sheriff Brad Freeman, com
missioner Eddie Rowland, school board members Stuart Pippin and Greg Head, Reporter columnist Sloan Oliver and Forsyth mayor Eric Wilson.
Right, escorted by two cub scouts are James Pippin, Laurie Pippin, Movene Futch and Development Authority CEO Joyce White.
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Robert and Cynde
Dickey hosted the 12th
Annual Peaches & Politics
summer rally on Thurs
day, June 23 and saw their
peach market shop filled
with local and state office
holders, candidates and
supporters. Summer heat
gave way to slightly cooler
evening temperatures as
friendly folks mingled,
talked politics and enjoyed
freshly made ice cream
and treats from Georgia
farms.
Redistricting after the
2020 census has taken
almost all of Monroe
County, except Culloden,
out of Robert Dickeys
District, which will change
from
District
140 to
District
145 with
this
election.
However,
it was
obvi
ous that
Dickey
still has
Monroe
County's
support
after rep
resenting
much
of the
county in
the Geor
gia legis
lature for the last 11 years.
It was easy to find Monroe
Countians in the crowd at
Peaches & Politics, includ
ing at least four members
of the Board of Educa
tion, the Forsyth mayor
and a council member or
two, at least two Monroe
County commissioners,
the Monroe County sheriff
and several of the Forsyth-
Monroe County Chamber
of Commerce directors.
Dickey Farms has been
operated by the Dickey
Family since 1897, and
Robert Dickey announced
that it was the 94th
birthday of his father, Bob
Dickey, who was at the
event, along with his wife,
greeting the many visitors.
Robert Dickey thanked
Cynde and their son and
daughter and their spouses
for taking care of the farm
while he serves in the
legislature.
After District 144 Rep.
Danny Mathis offered the
invocation and all joined
in the pledge of allegiance,
The Republican candi
date for Georgia com
missioner of agriculture,
Tyler Harper, spoke. He
said he plans to take over
from Gary Black as com
missioner of agriculture
keeping food safety and
security paramount.
“It’s great to be in a peach
shed with someone who
fights every day to make
Georgia a great place to
work, live and raise a fam
ily’ said Harper of Dickey.
District 169 Rep. Domi
nic FaRiccia of Douglas
presented Dickey with a
resolution proclaiming
Dickey Farm as a 125-year
family farm. FaRiccia, who
didn’t seek reelection this
year, said he will miss sit
ting next to Dickey in the
legislature.
Bruce Thompson, can
didate for Georgia Com
missioner of Fabor, spoke
of his platform, includ
ing getting people off of
welfare and back to work.
He praised the steps Gov.
Brian Kemp has taken to
reduce unemployment in
Georgia, keep gas prices
lower than in other states
and keep people safe. He
said the governor needs
leadership in place to
make his programs work.
Fritz Johnson, incum
bent candidate for the
Georgia Public Service
Commission, said his
platform is to keep utility
rates as low as possible and
to keep energy clean and
sustainable. He said in his
11 months on the com
mission he has learned
how complicated the job
is. He commented that the
atmosphere at Peaches &
Politics was outstanding.
Dickey recognized other
legislators, dignitaries
and leaders in Georgia’s
Republican Party who
were present at the event
and introduced his family,
including granddaugh
ter, Scarlett, whom he
proclaimed “the prettiest
peach of all.”
Mary Persons Class of 1958 reunites
Pictured, left to right, seated, are Eugene Whitehead, Mary Emily Doster Butler, Kimbell Duckworth;
2nd row, J.T. Bunn, Anne Hatfield Tripp, Betty Ann Johnson Haygood, Elaine McLaughlin Bonds, Rosalyn
McGee Hardback, Charles Holloway; top row, Bill Grubbs, Ruth McGaha Allison, Clarise Taylor Dur
den, Nell Sanders Joseph, Lee Willingham, Bobby Jackson, Doug Fincher. (Photo compliments of Karen
Hardcastle)
On Friday evening, June
17 sixteen 1958 Mary Per
sons classmates and guests
met at Fox City Brewery to
begin their 64th reunion
weekend. The group en
joyed a time of fellowship
along with a dutch treat
dinner.
Twenty-four classmates
and guests met on Sat
urday, June 18 at Forsyth
United Methodist Church
to enjoy a delicious lunch
catered by Cathy Stevick,
Sandy Watson and Bonnie
Grizzard. Preceding the
meal, the annual class
photo was taken and a
time of remembering and
sharing was enjoyed by all.
Fee Willingham presided
over the business session
during which time Clarise
Durden gave the financial
report and Fee updated
out-of-town classmates
on places of interest in
Forsyth. Brochures about
Forsyth and the 1823
Artisan Gallery were given
to all attending.
A Memorial Table dis
played the names of the 26
classmates who had died
since our 1958 graduation.
Maynard Watson was the
classmate lost since our
2021 reunion. Notes were
read from
Joan Glad
ney and
Chrys Wat
son thank
ing the class
for dona
tions made
in their
husbands’
memories.
On
Saturday
evening, six
classmates
attended
the Monroe
County
Sports Hall
of Fame
Induction
Ceremony.
Three of
the induct
ees, April
Willingham
Cassel, Fee
McGee and
Benson
Ham, have
family con
nections to our 1958 class.
Attending one or more
of the reunion events were
Ruth Allison (Clarks
ville) and her sister, Betty
Kitchens; Elaine Bonds
(Griffin); J.T. Bunn; Mary
Emily Butler (Snellville);
Kimbell Duckworth and
his wife, Dot; Clarise
Durden; Doug Fincher
and his wife, Barbara;
Bill Grubbs and his wife,
Betty (Savannah); Rosa
lyn Hardback; Betty Ann
Haygood; Charles Hol
loway (Jackson); Bobby
Jackson (Alpine, Ala.); Nell
Joseph and her husband,
Kelly; Glynn Stuart and his
wife, Finda (Macon); Anne
Tripp and her husband,
Vinson (Greensboro);
Eugene Whitehead and his
daughter, Karen Hardcas
tle (Orange Park, Fla.); Fee
Willingham and his wife,
Jeanine.
Thanks were expressed
to the reunion planning
and decorating committee
for a successful and fun re
union along with instruc
tions to begin planning for
2023.