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DESTINATION
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.
July 12
Bolingbroke Commu
nity Club will provide
information on radon
testing
Bolingbroke Community
Club will host a meeting on
Tuesday, July 1 2 at 6 p.m.
at Mt. Zion Baptist Church,
7015 Rivoli Road to provide
information about well water
testing for radon. Derek
Cooper, with the UGA en
vironmental & human health
department, will speak and
answer questions. He will
have free radon air test kits
and $20 radon water test
kits (usually $40) avail
able with lab test analysis
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 an
nounced. The purpose of the
meeting is to elect District
Post positions.
July 17
Save A Pet, Inc. Annual
Meeting
Save A Pet, Inc. will hold its
Annual Meeting, including
the election of officers and
directors, on Sunday, July
17 at 2 p.m. at the Save A
Pet Shelter, 430 Maynard
Church Road, Forsyth. The
public is welcome to attend.
For more information, cal
478-994-5223.
July 23
The Return performs at
Fine Arts Center
"The Return," a Beatles
tribute band, will perform at
Monroe County Fine Arts
Center, 27 Brooklyn Ave.,
Forsyth on Saturday, July 23
at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-
See CALENDAR Page 3 B
July 6, 2022 “I
Reporter M)
Walsh frame store keeps mom's memory alive
David Walsh in front of a painting by his mother at F.G. Melissa Fine Art & Custom
Framing in Bolingbroke.
By Sloan Oliver
sloanoliver@earthlink.net
F or several years, whenever
I drove through Boling
broke, I wondered about
the new, antique-looking
building that resembles a railroad
depot at the corner of Estes Road
and Hwy 41. On the outside of the
building it says “Group
Three Automotive.”
I had no idea what
the business is or does
because I never saw any
car activity that would
indicate an auto busi
ness. So one day I
stopped by to see
for myself. The first
time I entered the
building I thought I
had walked into a man-cave that
doubles as a museum, disguised
as an art gallery. Welcome to F.G.
Melissa Fine Art and Custom
Framing owned and operated by
David Walsh, who is originally
from Macon.
Walsh was raised equally by his
parents and grandparents (both
sets) whom he credits with im
parting to him a sense of history
and an appreciation for those who
came before - namely his ances
tors.
Possibly because of that, he loves
history, as well as art and auto rac
ing. Those interests are displayed
throughout his business. He has
collected and displays a variety
of artifacts and memorabilia that
mean something to him and/or
to his family/ancestors. He’s the
keeper of family history.
David has a reason for and
the story behind each artifact
and each antique. Walsh realizes
that “I’m the only one left to tell
the story of my ancestors.” For
example, he has a large pot-belly,
wood-burning stove in the shop
area. Asked about it, the stove had
been his uncles who got it from an
old train depot.
Walsh recognizes the impor
tance of the railroad to Boling-
broke’s history and had the
building constructed
recognizing that his
tory. He thought it was
a great compliment
when a woman told
him, “I never knew
this building was here
before you started
cleaning it up.” That’s
because the building
wasn’t there but
designed to look
as though it was.
He has a
number of
RR artifacts
throughout - old
luggage carts, an
old weigh
scale, a RR
crossing
signal, his
great-grandfather’s
pocket watch given to
him when he retired
from the RR (family
and RR history together in one
piece), and parts and pieces of
model railroads. The RR is part
of his family’s history but not the
only part.
Another one of David’s passions
is automotive - both racing and
repair. It’s been in his family for
three generations. You've probably
heard of Walsh Honda and the
other Walsh dealerships in Macon.
That’s the man-cave part of his
business.
At one time, Walsh was avidly
involved in club racing, mostly be
hind the wheel of 3 series BMW’s
in the Southeast racing circuit.
The back half of his building is
dedicated to his auto interest - to
include a lift hidden behind an
antique, metal barn door.
The day I visited, he had a car
on the lift being repaired. Hav
ing raced, David now repairs race
cars; I would say, in his spare time,
but that’s not the case. Automo
tive repair is an equal part of his
business.
Additionally, another man-cave
item is his classic “street rod” car
(about a 2” clearance) next to an
antique gas pump. The street rod/
hot-rod could win trophies and
ribbons at any car show.
As much as I like the history and
automotive aspects of F.G. Melissa,
I most appreciate the fine art / art
gallery part of Walsh’s business.
He does beautiful custom fram
ing. For example, he did a 6-foot
framing of a race driver’s jumpsuit
- very, very cool. He frames sports
memorabilia, personal awards and
medals - such as military dis
plays, photos, posters, and classic
paintings of all sizes. You want it
framed, David can frame it.
And as much as he loves rac
ing, talking with him, I think the
creativeness of art framing has be
come a greater passion. He wants
to know the story behind the item
to be framed to insure he pres
ents it properly; so that the story
behind your item is conveyed as
it’s displayed - that’s his history
interest coming out.
In keeping with his respect and
appreciation of ancestors, Walsh
took over the framing business of
his mother (Melissa) after she died
four years ago. He enjoys serving
his mother’s 40-year customer
base and hearing stories about
their relationship with her.
David said that his Bolingbroke
location is a great fit because he’s
able to see and handle great art
work from all over the world. He
said that Monroe County is rich
with artifacts. The people truly
appreciate art. Since opening his
shop, he’s framed European art
dating to the 1600’s, Ukrainian oil
paintings, classic American art,
family heirlooms, and numerous
pieces by local artists.
David knows that when a per
son wants something framed, it’s
likely because that object, artifact,
work of art or piece of memorabil
ia is emotionally important - such
as preserving the memory of a
parent, a child, etc. or it represents
a significant life experience. The
emotional bond with the item is
what David wants his customer
to feel when they see the framed
object displayed back home.
F.G. Melissa’s is located at 10755
Estes Road (the corner of Estes
and Hwy 41) in historic down
town Bolingbroke. Business hours
are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 5
p.m. Phone number: 478-405-
0012. hike it on Facebook and
Instagram. Better yet, stop by,
share some of your stories and see
what David can do for you.
To advertise your business,
call or text Donna Wilson at
478-718-8302, or e-mail him at
ads@mymcr.net.
:Reporter
Home Inspections
Luke Sanders
Formerly
Collins Home
Inspections
PROPERTY
SOLUTIONS
478.993.6096
BLSpropertysolutions@outlook.com
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Gas Cylinders Refilled at
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Competitive Pricing
3-
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EMERGENCY
SERVICE
LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN BOLINGBROKE
8323 Rivoli Road • Juliette, GA 31046
Forsyth: 478-992-8326 • Macon: 478-474-9773
Office Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Donny McKinney, Owner - dmckinney@dmkpg.com
VOTED BEST PROPANE 2021 BY READERS OF THE MONROE COUNTY REPORTER
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AMY CAMPBELL’S
COLLISION CENTER, INC.
“By Accident We Meet”
• CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR
•4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT
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Hwy. 41 • Bolingbroke, GA
Fax: 478-992-8411 • tommycampbell@bellsouth.net
Hours: Mortday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Bobby Smith, Jr.
Broker
478-731-3828
6241 Hwy. 41 S. Macon, GA 31210
Office 478-474-7320
www.propertiesplusga.com
Are you thinking about buying a
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Vicki Q. Smith
Assodate Broker
478-747-7743
maconrealestate_bobbylee@yahoo.com vickiqsmith@yahoo.com
Located in Beautiful Downtown Bolingbroke
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Specializing in
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Qualifying Agent RL QA003330
License/RLC0003308
P.0. Box 525
Bolingbroke, GA 31004
(478) 256-5668
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994-2803
5877 Hwy. 41
Bolingbroke, GA
Owners:
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Metalworking Woodworking
BlC
BIBB TOOL ANO CUTTEB
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6221 Hwy 41 South - Bolingbroke, GA
Over 50 years combined experience
8499 Rivoli Road • Juliette GA 31046
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Technologies
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478-993-2101 -Office
478-338-4003 - Nick
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