Newspaper Page Text
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 Glidewell at news@
mymcr.net by 8 a.m. on
Monday.
Sept. 28
Mary Persons Fall
Band Concert
The Mary Persons Fall Band
Concert, "The Darkness is
Always Soft," will be on
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 6
p.m. at Monroe County Fine
Arts Center, 27 Brooklyn
Ave., Forsyth. Admission is
free.
Herschel Walker to
visit Monroe County
Herschel Walker, candi
date for U.S. Senate, will
visit Meadows Clay Sports,
1064 Rumble Road, Forsyth
on Wednesday, Sept. 28
from 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
as part of the Unite Geor
gia Bus Tour. The public is
invited to welcome Walker
to Forsyth.
Oct. 1
Monroe Academy
Reunion
The Monroe Academy
Class of 1987 is celebrat
ing its 35-year reunion
Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Of course
no class stands alone, and
the Class of '87 invites all
Monroe Academy alumni,
families and friends to come
to the Taproom at Fox City
Brewing Company, 45 N.
Kimbell Street, Forsyth on
Saturday, Oct. 1 from 7
p.m. until closing for live mu
sic, fellowship and the UGA
game. For more information,
contact Vence Harbuck at
904-742-9509 or BigDaw-
gFan 1969@yaFioo.com.
Community Yard Sale
on the Square
Forsyth Main Street will
host a Community Fall
Yard Sale on Saturday,
Oct. 1 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
on the Square at Jackson
St. There will be face
painting, crafts, a bounce
house, baked goods, games
and more. Vendor spaces
are available for $5. For
more information, contact
Rebecca Headley at Main
Street, 478-994-7747.
Oct. 1-2
Auditions for 'The Best
Christmas Pageant
Ever'
The Backlot Players will
have auditions for “The Best
Christmas Pageant Ever", di
rected by Elizabeth Hunter,
on Oct.l and Oct. 2 at 6
p.m. at the Rose Theater on
the square. Lots of youth
are needed! The cast will
be 6 women, 4 men, 9 girls
and 8 boys. Show dates
are Dec. 9, 10 and 11.
Oct. 2
Monroe County Life
Chain
Monroe County will be a
part of Life Chain on Sun
day, Oct. 2 from 2:30-3:30
p.m. To join this peacefu
and prayerful statement
by thousands of Christians
nationwide on behalf of
pre-born children, meet in
the Truist Bank (formerly
BB&T) parking lot at 101 N.
Lee St., Forsyth by 2:15 p.m.
to pray and receive instruc
tions. Participants will stand
10 ft. apart, lining both
sides of N. Lee Street.
Oct. 3-4
Evening hours at Mon
roe County Library
Evening hours at Monroe
County Library, 62 W. Main
Street, Forsyth will return on
Monday, Oct. 3. The library
will be open from 9 a.m.-7
p.m. on Mondays and Tues
days. It will be open 9 a.m.-
6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday.
Closed on Saturday and
Sunday. 478-994-7025
Oct. 4
Mary Persons FFA Fall
Plant Sale
Mary Persons FFA will be
having its Fall Plant Sale on
Tuesday, Oct.4 from 7 a.m.-
4:30 p.m. Bedding plants
will be $ 12/flat or $3 a 6/
pak. Choose from pansies,
snapdragons, ornamental
cabbage, flowering kale,
collard greens, brocolli,
See CALENDAR
Page 7C
sReporter
September 28, 2022
Pregnancy Center welcomes new director
New executive director of the Pregnancy Center of Monroe County
Ashley Mulvihill is pictured in front of the Center with some of the ad
vocates who assist at the Center: left to right, Cindy Warren, Mulvihill,
Ginger Vinson, Anna Shearouse.
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Ashley Mulvihill is the new ex
ecutive director of the Pregnancy
Center of Monroe County. She
took the reigns from Jessica Scott,
who was named director in 2019,
on Sept. 1 after working with Scott
during the transition through
August.
Mulvihill comes to the Pregnan
cy Center at a time of change and
expansion. The Center celebrated
its 30th anniversary in 2019 and
last December moved from its
long time location on the Square
to a new home at 562 N. Lee
Street, where it has more room
inside and much more accessible
parking outside.
The Pregnancy Center is near
ing a long time goal of becoming
a medical facility by adding the
capacity to do sonograms for ex
pectant mothers. This new service
is the culmination of extensive
fundraising and certification
procedures.
Ashley says she didn’t see herself
in this position as she was grow
ing up or beginning her college
studies, but she said that God had
a plan and that this is definitely
where she is supposed to be now.
She said He guided her to this new
role step by step.
Ashley grew up in South Caro
lina and thought it would always
be her choice for home. She
began life in Greenville, moved to
Charleston with her family while
her father attended medical school
and most recently called Ander
son home, where she attended
Anderson University.
She is currently a senior at
Anderson University on track to
receive her Bachelor of Arts in
Christian Studies in December.
Three years ago she moved to
Middle Georgia, which her hus
band, Shaun, calls home.
“I didn’t know if I could love
another place as much, but I do,”
she said of Monroe County. “This
community takes care of each
other.”
She and Shaun have a 12-year-
old son, Aiden, and a two-year-
old son, Killian. Still adjusting to
a new community and a tod
dler and working on her college
degree, she wasn’t looking for the
responsibilities of serving through
the Pregnancy Center, but it found
her.
“If you asked me what my plans
were as I began studying for
my degree in Christian Studies,
I would have told you I wasn’t
sure—just not women’s ministry’
said Ashley.
However, that changed this sum
mer when she made a mission trip
to Kentucky with New Providence
Baptist Church.
Initially those on the mission
trip were to hold Vacation Bible
School at a church and it seemed
a good fit for her family, includ-
Ashley Mulvihill
ing the two-year-old. She had
never been away from him before.
But at the last minute the church
postponed VBS and then Killian
developed croup. The decision
was made for him to stay with
grandparents; Ashley felt that God
was calling her to go anyway.
As the rest of the mission group
headed out one morning to muck
horse stalls, one member, a hair
stylist, wasn’t feeling well and
Ashley volunteered to stay with
her. When everyone else had left,
a member of the Kentucky com
munity ran in saying there was an
emergency and could anyone do
hair. The drug rehabilitation cen
ter had welcomed a new resident
who had a terrible “rat’s nest” in
her hair.
The hair stylist said she felt well
enough to help the new resident,
and she and Ashley headed out,
feeling they were called. Ashley
said she talked about Jesus, heard
the stories of the residents, cried
with them and heard their hopes
for new lives while the hairstyl
ist did radical cuts and styles for
about 25 women.
“I was called to women’s minis
try’ said Ashley.
She said it is undeniable that
women have a profound impact
on the family and therefore on
the world. Not long afterward two
members of the Pregnancy Center
board of directors asked her to
consider the executive director
position, telling her they thought
she would fill the position well,
and she felt it was in God’s plan
for her.
She said as she moved to Middle
Georgia with a new baby and not
knowing anyone, she knew how it
felt to be overwhelmed and have
no support system. That is how
many of the women who come to
the Pregnancy Center feel.
“We’re here to stand in the gap,”
said Ashley. “To support, to listen,
love and protect both them and
their babies.”
She said most think the Preg
nancy Center is just here to help
for the nine months of pregnancy,
but those at the Center maintain
relationships with those who want
support for as long as the client
wishes. The Pregnancy Center of
fers a wide variety of classes, from
parenting to managing finances
or diet.
The Pregnancy Center has a
one-hour Bible Study every Mon
day at 12 noon. Everyone, regard
less of gender or age, is welcome
and children are welcome to come
play at the Center during the Bible
Study as several of the Center’s ad
vocates come to help and are glad
to watch the children. Lunch is
provided, and the Center eagerly
seeks businesses, organizations
or individuals to sponsor lunch.
No previous Bible knowledge is
needed.
A special event coming up on
Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10:30-
11:30 a.m. is a Butterfly Release to
honor the families and celebrate
the lives of babies lost to miscar
riage, still birth and other causes
during pregnancy and infancy.
Ashley said the number of babies
lost is astronomical and that every
life is important, regardless of how
brief.
Angie Walls of Macon, who
personally experienced infant loss,
will speak about finding peace and
joy. There will be worship songs,
each child’s name will be read and
each family will be presented a
gift. A time for refreshments and
fellowship will follow. Ashley said
the whole community is invited
and donations of finger foods are
appreciated.
Ashley said she feels she has
some big shoes to fill following
Jessica Scott, who created many
positive relationships in the com
munity and was passionate about
the mission of the Pregnancy Cen
ter. She is excited about the new
See Pregnancy Center*
Page 8C
Starting Friday, enter the madness of Edgar Alan Poe at The Rose
By Connie Copelan
ccopelan@bellsouth.net
Everyone loves a good spooky
story, especially near Halloween.
From wry-laugh inducing one-lin
ers to a viscerally mimed dungeon
experience, the actors in “Nightfall
with Edgar Allan Poe” by Eric
Cable provide a sweeping range
of moods for an audience to enjoy
and immerse themselves. This
production touches on a number
of Poe’s classic works just in time
for the Halloween season.
The macabre world of Poe pro
vides an escape from the realities
of this world. The cast is excited to
share the stories of “The Raven,”
“The Fall of the House of Usher,”
“The Pit and the Pendulum” and
“The Tell Tale Heart,” some of
Poe’s darkest and most dramatic
works.
Poe stands alone in the flicker
ing darkness of his mind, trying
desperately to convince himself
— and us — that he's not mad. The
spell he weaves brings us a highly
theatrical adaptation of the four
tales Poe himself considered his
best. Despite the heavy themes,
the show manages to keep its head
4
■ [! NwKJ 1 '-A
1
^ abH
Pictured is the cast of Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe, left to right: back,
John Young; Jacob McClendon ; Matt Robichaux; front, Allie Humphreys;
Jessi Pace; Stephanie Houseal; Miley Humphreys (Photo/Connie Copelan)
above water and still provide an
enjoyable experience for Poe fa
natics and more casual audiences
alike. Enter the world of Poe and
check your heartbeat at the door!
“Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe”
opens at The Rose Theater on the
Square in Forsyth on Friday, Oct.
7 at 7:30 p.m. and runs Saturday,
Oct. 8 and Friday-Saturday, Oct.
14-15 at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday
matinees at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 9
and 16.
“Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe”
is sponsored by Stephanie Houseal
and directed by Matt Robichaux.
The cast includes: John Young
- Roderick Usher/Old Man;
Stephanie Houseal - Madeline
Usher/Sante/Police Officer; Matt
Robichaux- Edgar; Jessi Pace - The
Raven/Police Officer and Jacob
McClendon as Poe.
The production features an
original song by Mary Persons
Alumni Stevie Nix entitled “Deep
in Earth”.
Ticket prices are: $18 for adults;
$15 for seniors, students, or mili
tary; and a special rate of $12 for
groups of 10 or more. (This show
is appropriate for those aged 13
and older.) Tickets are available at
Tickets to the City.
The Box Office will open 2 hours
prior to show times (5:30pm
Fridays and Saturdays/ 12:30pm
on Sundays). For assistance with
ticket purchases, email: Back-
lotreservations@gmail.com.
Connie Copelan is the VP of
Sales & Marketing for the Backlot
Players.