Newspaper Page Text
October 12, 2022
Page 6C
Reporter
GUEST COLUMN by Amanda Harner
Take control of your health
H igh blood pres
sure, or hyper
tension, can
wreak havoc
on your body
and have serious
health conse
quences. The
good news is we
can make choices
and changes that
lower our blood
pressure. Let's try
and understand
high blood pres
sure and what it
does to the important sys
tems that make our bodies
function.
A good way to visualize
what is happening with
your blood pressure is to
think of it like the water
pipes in your house. If
water pressure through a
pipe is too high the pipes
become damaged over
time. They can warp, leak,
and burst. Similarly, your
arteries are like pipes.
When your blood pumps
through your arteries at too
high a pressure it eventu
ally damages your arteries
in several ways.
Your arteries are designed
to be smooth. When we
consume too much fat,
sodium, alcohol, don’t get
enough physical activ
ity and smoke, our blood
pressure increases in our
arteries and eventually
they can't take it anymore.
When this happens, the
human body can eventu
ally suffer from: heart
disease; heart attack; stroke;
memory loss; kidney dam
age or failure; dementia;
aneurysm; sleep apnea; ar
tery damage; heart failure;
sexual dysfunction; osteo
porosis; and/or blurred or
loss of vision.
Anyone who has expe
rienced water damage in
their home knows it is one
of the most challenging
and devastating situations
to deal with. Often water
issues start and
become very ad
vanced in a home
before we realize
there is a serious
problem.
The same is
true of hyperten
sion. Many peo
ple are unaware
they are suffering
from high blood
pressure. Some understand
they are but don't believe
they will encounter the
serious health outcomes
associated with high blood
pressure. It is important to
know these are serious and
life altering health out
comes that not only affect
the individual directly, but
their families, and commu
nity. According to the CDC
high blood pressure has
an estimated $131 to $198
billion-dollar cost to our
nation each year!
Whether you already
have high blood pressure
or you want to prevent it
here are some steps you
can take:
1. Practice well-re
searched nutrition habits.
Eat plenty of fruits and
vegetables, lower your salt
intake, eat a balanced diet
(see myplate.gov), reduce
the amount of processed
foods in your diet, practice
meal planning, pay atten
tion to portion sizes and
reduce fat intake (especially
saturated and trans fats).
If you already suffer from
high blood pressure the
DASH (Dietary Approach
es to Stop Hypertension)
diet is a well-researched,
well balanced approach
to address high blood
pressure. It is a diet born
out of the Mediterranean
Diet - another diet as
sociated with good health
outcomes.
2. Develop consistent and
realistic physical activity
routines. Sometimes we
think of exercise as some
thing that has to result in
extreme exertion. This is
not the case. Many studies
have shown that walking
30 minutes a day can have
a profound impact on your
heart health and mental
wellbeing.
3. Reduce your stress.
Easier said than done! Even
in the most challenging
life situations, we have the
ability to take control of
our thoughts. Taking time
each day to write down the
things you are grateful for
is associated with better
health outcomes.
4. See your doctor. Ask if
you have hypertension or if
you are at risk for it. Follow
the doctor's guidance - it
could save your life.
I will be starting a 30-
day health program on
Oct. 15. It will take place
virtually on Facebook
with some events held in
person. The overall goal of
the program is to provide
a supportive community
to those looking to de
velop good health habits
in physical activity, nutri
tion, and social influ
ences on health. You can
join Monroe County, GA
Walk-a-Weigh Facebook
Group at: https://www.
facebook.com/groups/
monroewalkaweigh
Amanda Harner is the
Monroe County Extension
Family & Consumer Sci
ence agent. Contact her at
Amanda.Harner@uga.edu
or 478-994-7014.
Amanda Harner
HOLMES
Continued from Page 5C
answer. She’s one of the best friends in the
whole wide world.”
Rick Williams, who has served in the
Georgia House of Representatives since
2017 and is now running for the Senate
seat that Burt Jones vacated to run for Lt.
Governor, spoke about what a dynamic
duo Susan and Paul are and what good
examples they have been as state leaders.
He said when he was deciding whether to
rim for the senate seat Jones told him that
he should rim because Susan said so.
“Thank you for your lives,” said Williams.
“You’ve given so much.”
Clint Crowe, who will represent much
of the district Holmes represented in 2023
because of redistricting, said he will “have
an impossible job to do” following her.
Tim Fleming, who will also take over part
of the district that Holmes represents,
commented that it will take two of them to
try to replace her. He said that he attended
a reception for her earlier and hopes that
half as many people like him when he
leaves office as like Holmes.
Saying how strong a supporter of law en
forcement Holmes has been, Fisa Durden,
president/CEO of Jackson Butts County
Chamber of Commerce, introduced Jasper
County Sheriff Donny Pope and Monroe
County Sheriff Brad Freeman for a presen
tation to Holmes. Pope talked of know
ing and admiring Holmes since he was a
little boy, with Holmes being the mayor of
Monticello for 12 years. He said he tried to
model his career in politics, which began
10 years ago, on the service he saw Susan
and Paul Holmes give.
Pope said Holmes was superhuman in
the way she could make things happen
and fix things, often with the use of her
telephone. He said her other super power
was knowing everybody and remembering
everyone’s name, spouse and what sports
their grandchildren played.
“Thank you for sharing your wisdom
with me,” said Pope. “You have represented
your people well; you have always gone
above and beyond.”
“We appreciate what you’ve done for
Monroe County’ said Freeman. He said
when there was talk of defunding law en
forcement, Holmes’ response was, “Honey,
we’re not having that.”
“We couldn’t be more proud of you,” said
Susan and Paul’s son, John Holmes. “We’re
humbled to see so many friends.”
“The words of praise are very special to
us,” said their son, Sam Holmes. “If you
think they’re good at politics, they’re even
better at being parents and grandparents.”
Holmes thanked those who organized
the reception, saying how vital the three
Chambers of Commerce are to the com
munity.
“It’s been an honor to work with so many
of you and get to know you,” said Holmes.
“It’s been a great ride.”
^ State Farm
Tommy Johnston
Serving our community since 2017/
o (478) 992-9945
281 Tift College Drive
Forsyth, GA 31029
Rotary Club meets
new MCAC principal
On Sept. 22, For
syth Monroe County
Rotary Club welcomed
Sarah Alford, new
principal of Monroe
County Achievement
Center (MCAC), as its
speaker.
Alford was approved
by the Board of Educa
tion on Aug. 9 and
began her new role on
Aug. 22. Alford served
as an Assistant Princi
pal for Mary Persons’
Freshman Campus.
She joined Monroe
County Schools in
2001 as a teacher and
was later promoted to
instructional coach. A
Mary Persons graduate
herself, Alford and her
husband, Tony, have
a son, Brandon, who
is a senior at Mary
Persons.
Monroe County Achievement
Center achieved a 100 percent gradu
ation rate in 2022. MCACs student
population is 36.4 percent credit re
covery, 28.3 percent flexible learning,
26.3 percent punitive and 9.1 per
cent atypical students. It includes 28
seniors, 42 juniors, 19 sophomores,
16 freshmen and two middle school
students.
MCAC Mission: To maximize the
effort, character, and potential of
every student served. MCAC Vision:
Empowering students to take owner
ship of their education and achieve
their greatest potential.
Remember when...
1992
• Candidates for Miss
Monroe Academy and their
escorts are April Preston
& Kevin Buffington, Audrey
Pope & Kenny Roberts and
Denise Cox & Robert Harbin.
• Lauren Balkcom, daughter
of Clay & Kathy Balkcom of
Juliette, is 3rd grade winner
in the statewide fire preven
tion poster contest sponsored
by the Georgia Insurance
Commissioner’s office.
• An informal survey of
persons working in Monroe
County public schools shows
70 percent don’t support
Gov. Zell Miller’s proposal to
fund public education through
a state-run lottery and didn't
feel it would benefit public
education in Georgia.
• Monroe County is bidding
to host foreign teams for
pre-Olympic training and
acclimation prior to the 1996
games, offering the 650-acre
High Falls Lake for flat water
events, primarily canoeing
and rowing.
• Approximately 125
Monroe Countians turn out to
participate in the 3rd annua
Life Chain on N. Lee Street in
a pro-life demonstration.
• Denise Cox and Kris
tina Peterson are vying for
Student Council president at
Monroe Academy.
• The 11th annual Mont
pelier Station Arts & Crafts
Festival will be at Tabernacle
Lake on Tharpe Road off
Highway 7A. There will be
more than 100 arts & crafts
makers, food, performers and
a special children's day..
2002
• Two busloads of state
officials and developers visit
the Ga. Public Safety Train
ing Center and Rumble Road
Industrial Park as part of the
Ga. Dept, of Industry, Trade
& Tourism’s "Prosperity Tour.’
• Ga. Dept, of Transporta
tion is re-surfacing Highway
74 from Moseley Dixon
Road to the Monroe County
line and plans to re-surface
all the way to Highway 341
before the end of paving
season.
• Representatives of
Monroe County, Forsyth and
Culloden meet with a media
tor after being at an impasse
for several weeks on how to
divide LOST (Local Option
Sales Tax) funds. The county
wants to reduce Forsyth's
percentage from 33.1 to 26
based on population shifts
and revenue sources.
• Two cousins, Lee An
drews (Lew-e) and Jacob
Hix (Dew-e) compete in the
Southeastern Clown Associa
tion Convention “Healing the
World One Smile at a Time.’
Lee wins first place in the
Junior Individual Skit com
petition as well as numerous
other awards.
• Juliette will host the
Green Tomato Festival Oct.
25-26 with music, contests,
shopping, food and activities
for kids.
• New officers for
Forsyth-Monroe County
Kiwanis Club are Lee Smith,
president; Dr. Clell Morris,
Vice President; Jeff Turner,
secretary; Bill Thompson,
outgoing president. The Club
receives the Distinguished
Chapter Award, the only one
awarded in the 15 chapter
division this year.
• Connie Copelan of the
Backlot Players tells Forsyth-
Monroe County Rotary
Club about the “Raising the
Rose” Theater project and its
$650,000 goal.
• Bobby Lee Smith Jr.,
Mark A. Smith and Tommy
Campbell buy the property
at 44 E. Johnston St. and
remodel it as business rental
space.
• Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce wel
comes Staff Relief, Inc. with a
ribbon cutting.
• Forsyth United Method
ist Church announces its
3rd Annual Pumpkin Patch
fundraiser. Pumpkins are 50
cents to $50 depending on
size and shape and there
are gourds, Indian corn, face
stickers, cornstalks, strawber
ry corn and swan gourds.
• Dan Stewart spots
a mute swan, one of the
country’s rarest birds, on a
Monroe County lake, travel
ing with a flock of more than
30 Canada geese.
• While Mary Persons'
Volleydogs (coached by Dale
Taylor) win 15 of its first 25
matches, the junior varsity
Volleydogs (coached by Lon
nie Wheeler) win their first 15
matches.
2012
Mario Harvey of the NFL's
ndianapolis Colts visits his
hometown and T.G. Scott
Elementary to inspire young
fans.
• The Sertoma Club of Ma
con is sponsoring The South
ern Jam at the Meadows
Gun Club in Starr to raise
funds for the Care Cottage
in Forsyth, Big Brothers Big
Sisters and United in Pink.
• The Department of Cor
rections at Tift College holds
a job fair for six state law
enforcement agencies to
recruit military veterans.
• Lee Hamlin, founder/CEO
of Roofcore, which installs
roofs on industrial buildings
around the South, moves his
warehouse to Benson Ham
Road at 1-75 to escape crime
in Macon, where robbers cut
the fence around his ware
house 19 times.
• The postal service plans
to cut window hours at the
Culloden post office to four
per day.
• Rosemary & Larry Daniels
of Smarr celebrate their 50th
anniversary with a family
cruise.
• New officers of the Mon
roe County Hospital Authority
are Kate Cotton, president;
Katie Cooper, secretary;
Mable Smith, treasurer; Kay
Graves, president-elect; Tul-
ye Ralph, reporter.
• Bolingbroke native and
2006 Mary Persons gradu
ate Alan McGough returns
from a year with the U.S.
Peace Corps in Chantrea,
Cambodia.
• Department of Cor
rections inmates at Phillips
State Prison in Duluth make
Monroe County Historical
Society’s 1942 fire truck look
ike new. The truck served
the city of Forsyth until 1973.
• Monroe County power-
lifter Jim Benson, 26, starts his
own gym, Dirty South Bar
bell, on Old Rumble Road.
He placed 15th nationally
in 2011 in the Powerstation
Pro-Am.
• Mary Persons' cross coun
try runner Anna Leigh Nix
is the girls champion at the
Rock Ranch Invitational with
a time of 19:14. Teammate
Ansley Clark is 12th overall.
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