Newspaper Page Text
Page 1 B
November 16,2022
^Reporter
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.
Nov. 17
Mary Persons presents
"A Disney Cabaret"
Mary Persons will present
“A Disney Cabaret" on
Thursday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.
and Saturday, Nov. 19 at
2 p.m. at Monroe County
Fine Arts Center, 27 Brook-
yn Ave., Forsyth. Admission
is $10 cash only.
Until Nov. 18
4-H Poinsettia Fund
raiser
The Annual Monroe County
4-H Poinsettia Fundraiser
will be Oct. 3-Nov. 18.
Poinsettias come in red,
pink and white. Large are
$20 and medium are $15.
Order through a 4-H'er or
through the M.C. Exten-
sion/4-H office, 484 Hwy
83 S, Forsyth. All orders are
due by Nov. 18. Pick-up is
first week of December at
the office. All proceeds go
to support the 4-H program.
Nov. 19
Walking tour of histor
ic Forsyth
Red Dirt Vagabond will
conduct a walking tour of
historic Forsyth on Saturday,
Nov. 19. Guides will point
out historic places and
recall the stories told about
them. Walkers should gather
at Lee Street Park, 68
North Lee Street (between
Middle Georgia Realty
and the former Welcome
Center), by 10 a. m. The
tour takes about an hour
and a half. Tickets are $10;
proceeds benefit Monroe
County Historical Society.
Nov. 20
Seasonal Show at
1823 Artisan Guild
The 1823 Artisan Guild will
have its first show at its new
ocation (30 East Main St.,
Forsyth-across from City
Hall) on Sunday, Nov. 20
from 2-5 p.m. There will be
Artisan creations with an
emphasis on gift giving and
decorating, Artisan demon
strations, hot apple cider
and other holiday goodies.
Dec. 1
Hometown Holiday
Parade
Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce will
present the 33rd Annual
Hometown Holiday Parade
on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7
p.m. The parade, sponsored
by Forsyth CableNet, will
follow the traditional route
through downtown Forsyth.
The 2022 theme is “Under
the Mistletoe.’
Dec. 3
Rotary sponsors Com
munity Clean Up Day
Forsyth Monroe County
Rotary Club will sponsor a
community clean up day on
Saturday, Dec. 3 from 9-11
a.m. The public is invited
to join in keeping Forsyth
beautiful. Rotary Club will
furnish pick up sticks, trash
bags and gloves.
Dec. 6
Empty Bowls
Mary Persons Visual Arts
will host Empty Bowls on
Tuesday, Dec. 6 from
5:30-7:30 p.m. at Monroe
County Fine Arts Center,
27 Brooklyn Ave., Forsyth.
All proceeds will benefit
Monroe County Backpack
Buddies. Tickets are $20
and include admission,
one student-made ceram
ic piece, a soup dinner
and entry into a raffle for
assorted prizes. Attendees
are invited to wear “ugly
sweaters)
Dec. 7
Hospital Authority to
combine meetings
The Hospital Authority
of Monroe County will
combine its November
and December meetings
because of the holidays
and will hold one meeting
on Wednesday, Dec .7.
The regularly scheduled
See CALENDAR
Page 2B
County salutes veterans
them install U.S. flags around the
courthouse square in recognition
of Veterans Day. This year they also
added flags representing the var
ious branches of the U.S. Armed
Forces.
Following an invocation by
Rev. Wanda Crowder of Towaliga
County Line Baptist Church, those
present joined in singing “The Star
Spangled Banner” and in reciting
the Americans Creed and the
pledge to the Georgia flag.
Doster asked veterans present to
stand as the Mary Persons band
played the fight song of their
branch of service. She noted that
the U.S. has added the Space Force
as a new military branch and that
the Memorial Committee received
its first application for a paver hon
oring a member of the Space Force
this year.
Barbara Fincher spoke about
the veterans of World War II and
“The Greatest Generation” they
represent. Monroe County has
identified six WWII veterans who
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Monroe County held its Veterans
Day Program on Friday, Nov. 11
at the traditional 11th hour of the
11th day of the 11th month. The
date and time are in honor of the
signing of the World War I armi
stice in 1918, when a program to
pay tribute to U.S. veterans began.
The program was moved to Mon
roe County Clubhouse from the
courthouse lawn because of rain
and wind but, as Master of Cere
monies Dr. Priscilla Doster pointed
out, the filled-to-capacity venue
testified that neither the reality of
a wet, rainy day nor the threat of
hurricane winds deterred Mon
roe Countians from gathering to
honor the
The well-attended Monroe County Veterans Pro
gram touched a chord emotionally with many of
those attending, including veterans, family of veter
ans and those just grateful for the sacrifices made
by veterans. Pictured above, front, are Samantha
Stephens, Sandy Watson, Sam Studsill; back,
Dovene Bowdoin, Barbara Fincher, Barbara Howell,
Lamarcus Davis, Dr. Priscilla Doster, Eric Wilson,
Rev. Wanda Crowder, Rev. Keith Harris.
Pictured left, U.S. Marine Corps veterans stand as
the Mary Persons band plays the Marine Corps
anthem. Below, the audience joins in the pledge of
allegiance to the U.S. flag. (Photos/Diane Glidewell)
veterans
of Monroe
County
and to
the many
others who
served to
guarantee
the free
doms of
everyone
in the U.S.
The pro
gram was
organized
by the
Monroe County Veterans Memo
rial Committee and incorporated
contributions from many in the
community. Doster followed her
welcome to everyone with an
update about Monroe County
Veterans Memorial, which is on
the courthouse lawn. Original
members of the committee began
work on the Memorial in 2003.
Doster noted that one of the
members of the original commit
tee, Korean War veteran and long
time community leader Glover
Stuart, passed away the day before
the program.
The Memorial currently has 659
pavers engraved with the names
and service dates of veterans with
Monroe County connections.
There were 49 applications submit
ted for the engraving of additional
pavers to honor veterans during
the past year, for a total of 708
pavers, exceeding the initial goal of
700 engraved pavers.
Doster said the engraving has
been delayed because of supply
chain issues, but she expects to
see the new pavers completed and
installed before long. She said the
ultimate goal is to have pavers at
the memorial recognizing all Mon
roe County veterans.
Members of the Mary Persons
band brought energy to the open
ing of the Veterans Day Program
and contributed their musical
talent at key points of the program.
Mary Persons JROTC color guard
presented the flags and Breyona
Wilson led the pledge of allegiance
to the U.S. flag.
Doster thanked Claude and Mar
ty Curlee and those who helped
currently live in Monroe County.
Two of them were present at the
Veterans Day Program, Henry Self
and Sam Studsill. Studsill wore his
military uniform to the program.
Fincher said that 12 million
Americans served actively in
WWII. Tom Brokaw coined the
term “The Greatest Generation” in
a book. She said the generations
commitment to doing the right
thing, to supporting family, com
munity and country made it the
greatest generation the world has
ever produced. The generation was
frugal, committed to using what it
had or making do without it.
She said Monroe Countians did
their part in WWII as is reflected
in newspaper articles of the time.
Monroe County hosted the Royal
Air Force at Tift College in January
1942, even before the U.S. entered
the war. Citizens supported food
and other rationing, collected scrap
iron and rubber, answered civil
ian defense calls and bought war
bonds. There were special editions
of the newspaper to let citizens
know about events in the war, and
the paper reported when the first
local soldier was killed in the war.
It also urged citizens to thank the
returning veterans for the Amer
ican freedoms they continued to
enjoy.
Sandy Watson, accompanied by
Samantha Stephens, presented two
songs that became popular during
the WWII era. Watson spoke
of how the life of Irving Berlin,
an immigrant from Russia who
composed “God Bless America,”
exemplified the American dream.
Appreciation was expressed for
veterans who served in conflicts
since WWII, veterans who served
stateside and during peace time
(wherever they were sent) and to
all the families of veterans. Doster
thanked the members of the
Association of Vietnam Veterans
Chapter 946 who continue to serve
the community, even setting up the
chairs for the Veterans Day Pro
gram after it was moved indoors.
Laying of wreaths at the Memo
rial was deferred until weather
was appropriate. Others who
contributed to the program in
cluded Commissioner Lamarcus
Davis, Forsyth Mayor Eric Wilson,
Culloden Mayor Lynn Miller,
Barbara Howell, Doveen Bowdoin
and Rev. Keith Harris. Jeffrey Edge
ended the program playing “Taps”
on his trumpet.
For information about having
a paver at the Monroe County
Veterans Memorial engraved in
honor or in memory of a veteran,
contact Dr. Priscilla Doster at 478-
993-7166.
Rev. Whatleys flock celebrates him with HallelujahFest
By Iris Rutherford
New Macedonia Mis
sionary Baptist of Culloden
kicked off the sixth anni
versary of its pastor, Rev.
Rufus J Whatley, with four
days of celebratory events.
A spirit-filled two-night
revival service led up to
the anniversary weekend.
Guest ministers Dr C J
Thrower with Hopewell
United Methodist and Pas
tor Timothy S Starks with
Kingdom Baptist Interna
tional Ministries were the
special guests.
Hallelujahfest and What
ley Day were in full effect
on Saturday, Nov. 5 from
11 am to 4 pm. The gates
at Ellis Field in Culloden
were filled with vendors
of all types ranging from
food trucks, sweets, treats,
bouncy houses to creams,
oils, body butters, t-shirts,
jewelry, arts and crafts
and so much more. There
was also face painting and
hayrides for the young and
young at heart.
The Grand Marshal
Honoree was escorted to
the field via parade in a
chariot in the form of a vin
tage Chevy Chevelle. Along
the route, well-wishers
lined Main Street wav
ing and holding signs
to show their admira
tion. The processional
included NMMBC,
Union Hill, St Paul
and Pleasant Grove
Baptist Churches, all of
which he pastors. There
were also motorcycles,
AT Vs, Hubbard Alum
ni, Monroe County Fire
Department, family and
friends in the celebra
tory carcade.
Upon arriving on the
grounds, the sounds of . . . . ..
music and applause rang roug eam 61 See WHATLEY Page B3
Children enjoy a hayride in Culloden at the HallelujahFest on
Nov. 5 honoring Rev. Rufua Whatley, right.