Newspaper Page Text
Page 2C
December 28, 2022
t Reporter
Monroe Co. Farm Bureau recognized at State Convention
Monroe County Farm Bureau
(MCFB) was recognized for its
outstanding member programs
and agricultural advocacy activ
ities at the 85th Annual Georgia
Farm Bureau (GFB) Convention
held Dec. 4-6 on Jekyll Island.
Clete Sanders is the MCFB
president. Sandi Williams is the
MCFB office manager.
MCFB received the GFB
Rewarding Excellence in Ag Pro
gram (REAP) Harvester Award
in the organizations medium
membership division. GFB s
REAP award honors county
Farm Bureaus for the organiza
tion/membership, advocacy, lead
ership development, education
& outreach activities they did
between Sept. 1,2021, and Aug.
31. The REAP Awards are divided
into three tiers - Harvester (1st),
Planter (2nd) and Cultivator
(3rd) with five tier winners in
each of GFB s three membership
categories - small, medium &
large.
“Georgia Farm Bureau is
celebrating its 85th anniversary
this year. Our organization has
thrived since 1937 because of
our dedicated volunteer leaders
and county staff who work to
promote agriculture in their local
communities by visiting schools
to teach students how farmers
grow our food and meeting with
their elected officials,” said GFB
President Tom McCall. “It’s a
pleasure to recognize Monroe
County for the work they have
done to promote agriculture in its
community this past year.”
As a REAP Harvester Award
winner, MCFB President Clete
Sanders received an embroidered
Farm Bureau jacket and MCFB
Office Manager Sandi Williams
received a three-day, two-night
trip to her choice from several
destinations.
Founded in 1937, the Geor
gia Farm Bureau Federation is
the states largest general farm
organization, with 158 chapter
offices that cover all of Georgias
159 counties. As a member-
ship-driven, nongovernmental
organization, GFB serves as the
voice of Georgia farmers and
rural Georgia by advocating for
them on legislative issues and
promoting Georgia commod
ities. Its volunteer members
actively participate in activities
that promote agriculture aware
ness.
GFB membership is open to
the public and offers a wide
variety of benefits, including in
surance and discounts for health
services, travel and family enter
tainment. Enrollment in any of
the member benefits is optional
and not a requirement for
membership. For more infor
mation about agriculture please
visit www.gfb.org, like Georgia
Farm Bureau on Facebook or
follow GFB on Twitter.
Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall, left, presents Monroe County Farm Bureau
(MCFB) Office Manager Sandi Williams and MCFB President Clete Sanders with a GFB
Rewarding Excellence in Ag Program Harvester Award in the organizations medium
membership division. The award was presented on Dec. 5 during the 85th Annual Georgia
Farm Bureau Convention held on Jekyll Island. (Photo courtesy of Georgia Farm Bureau)
A short story: The unexpected perfect Christmas
By Sadie Dutton
Monroe County Middle
School journalist
Layla has always had the
best Christmases, from
hanging out with friends
and family to caroling out
in the snow! She wanted
this Christmas to be even
better than ever.
Layla and her parents
had everything set up and
planned ahead. She was
hosting the Christmas
party this year! Layla was
so excited when her mom
told her they were going
to host a Christmas party.
She called all of her friends
while her mom called their
family to invite them over
for Christmas evening. Her
mom was going to cook a
huge meal for everyone,
while Layla made the des
erts. She was so excited.
Layla only had a few
hours to get everything
ready for the Christmas
party. It was Christmas
morning, so once she ran
downstairs and opened
her presents, then she
got dressed. She put her
friends’ gifts under the
Christmas tree, along with
her grandparents’ gifts.
She and her parents
worked really hard to get
everything ready. They fin
ished decorating, turned on
Christmas music, finished
cooking, and lit the Christ
mas lights. Everything
looked perfect, plus, it was
snowing!
Layla made a mug of hot
chocolate and watched
as the snow fell. It was an
alarming amount, way
more than usual. The
snow was beautiful and
covered the ground and
the roofs. The snow wasn’t
slowing down and had
built up to be about two
inches deep already. It also
snowed overnight, so it was
probably about 4 inches
deep now. It was almost
like a blizzard, and it was
snowing more and more.
Layla’s phone rang, and she
excitedly answered. “Hi!”
she said.
“Hi,” her friend Jess said
back sadly. Layla was con
fused why Jess sounded so
sad, it’s Christmas!
“Why do you sound so
sad?” Layla asked.
“I am so sorry, but we
Pictured above, Robs Place founder
and director Ellen Criswell accepts a
donation from Robins Financial Credit
Union. Right, Sametrice Adams-Carter,
director of Monroe County Department
of Family & Children Services, left,
accepts a donation from Robins FCU.
RFCU: 25 Days of
Holiday Giving
Robins Financial
Credit Union will
be giving back to
the community
during the holidays
with their 25 Days
of Holiday Giv
ing. They selected
different organiza
tions throughout
the counties they
serve to receive
a monetary
donation that
will help provide
a little extra magic
during the holiday
season. The follow
ing Monroe County
organizations re
ceived a donation:
Monroe County
Department of
Family & Children
Services in Forsyth
and Rob’s Place in
Forsyth
Robins Financial
Credit Union is a
local non-profit fi
nancial cooperative
with twenty-two
branches in central
Georgia. Robins
Financial currently
provides financial
services to over
250,000 members,
with assets exceed
ing $4 billion.
The Rock Springs Clinic is a free non-profit health care clinic. We provide
free primary health care including treatment and education for acute and
chronic medical conditions and preventive care for those who are unin
sured, under insured, and low-income residents of Georgia.
Call our Forsyth Office on Wednesdays at 478-992-9581 or our Milner
Office on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 678-688-1950 for more information.
can’t go to your house.
The ice is too thick on the
roads, so we can’t drive
anywhere.”
“Oh no! I’m sorry. Well,
Merry Christmas.” Her
friend said Merry Christ
mas back, and Layla hung
up. She told her mom
what Jess had said, and
her mom told Layla that
she had bad news.
“What is it?” Layla asked.
See Short story Page 3C
Remember when...
1992
•Monroe County Grand
Jury recommends construc
tion of a new jail.
•Christ United Methodist
Church celebrates its 12
birthday on Dec. 21.
•Monroe Countians buy
$301,974 in U.S. savings
bonds in fiscal year 1992,
almost 2 1/2 times those
during 1991. Current
minimum rate for bonds
held five years or more is
6 percent.
• 2nd grader Quintrel
Davis cuts a Christmas
tree and drags it to schoo
himself as a present for
classmates in Mrs. Meeks'
room.
• Forsyth Walmart donates
a percentage of its
sales on Black Friday to
Monroe County DFCS for
use in the seasonal utility
assistance program.
•James & Dorothy Pritchett
of Forsyth celebrate their
50th wedding anniversary
with a reception at Mon
roe County Clubhouse
hosted by their seven
children.
• Hubbard Elementary
students enjoy the antics
of 30 clowns, recent grad
uates of a GPSTC course
teaching firefighters how
to entertain children while
getting across important
safety messages.
•The City Hall holds a rib
bon cutting and reception
at the City Hall Annex.
•After 10 years as a
county commissioner Tom
my Wilson ends his tenure
at the December meeting.
•A hallway at Hubbard
Elementary is transformed
into Christmas Lane again
this year with lights, dec
orations and activities for
students and visitors.
•Monroe Academy Mus
tangs have three players
named to All-Star honors
for the 1992 football sea
son: Scott Leverett, Ernie
Dodd, Brian Hortman.
Monroe Academy’s Ath
letic Committee votes to
add soccer.
• David Ellis is Mary Per
sons December Vocationa
Student of the Month.
The Reporter publishes a
special section of Letters to
Santa Claus.
2002
•Monroe County commis
sioners discuss the budget
and how the county can
pay off its $5 million debt,
leaving county employees
to wonder until January to
wonder whether they will
get raises or have their
positions cut.
•The late David King Jr.
is honored by Monroe
County for his public
service, including 20 years
working with the recre
ation department being
a coach and referee for
baseball, football and
basketball and serving 10
years on the District One
planning & zoning board.
• Forsyth city council raises
its millage rate to 71 mills,
up from 5.9 mills.
• Forsyth Presbyterian
Church hosts a Community
Christmas Eve Candlelight
Service.
•The Gifts of Love Com
mittee with the public rais
es toys and other items to
be given to 267 children.
Hubbard Elementary 5th
grade students tour For
syth, including a visit to the
Reporter.
• First Baptist Church Prime
Time Sunday School Class
donates bears to the Mon
roe County Sheriffs Office
CARE Cottage, which
opened in 1993.
•General Motors donates
a new van to the Monroe
County Save the Children
Program of the Community
Improvement Coalition.
• Forsyth Walmart donates
$1,000 checks to Forsyth
Police Department, Union
Hill Baptist Church, Lamar
Electric, Save the Children
and Lamar Emergency
Services.
•Mary Persons will host
its 2nd Annual Christmas
Basketball Tournament.
•Jack Fletcher's huge
snowman made out of hay
can be seen on Highway
41 in Smarr.
2012
•Monroe County com
missioners select Forsyth
native Keith Edge as the
county's new recreation
director.
• Danny Adams, co-owner
of the Thunder Creek SX
Motor Park off of Blount
Road, withdraws his
application for conditional
use in order to hold mud
bogging events at the
High Falls track.
• Forsyth's last locally
owned pharmacy, Lawson
& Cromer, is sold and
will re-open as U Save It
Pharmacy. It was owned
by Jimmy Lawson and
Hugh Cromer.
• For the 5th year Santa
will make a special stop
in Monroe County to talk
with children at the house
of John Zodun on Edge
Road.
•Monroe County Schools
transportation director
John Courson is sus
pended for seven days
without pay for having his
personal car serviced in
the bus shop.
• New Providence Baptist
Church hosts a community
Christmas celebration
at Tift College's Roberts
Chapel.
•Six Monroe County
students in 8th and 9th
grade are charged with
possession of marijuana at
their schools.
•Mary Persons senior
softball star Katie Rowland
commits to play at Berry
College.
• Donny’s Propane Gas
opens its main office at 14
E. Main Street, Forsyth.
•The 2nd Annual Day of
Hope 5K Race, inspired
by a severely abused dog
rescued in Monroe Coun
ty, registers 64 runners.
• H&H Timberlands LLC
makes significant dona
tions, totaling $27000, to
Back Pack Buddies, Mon
roe County Animal Shelter,
Monroe County Library,
Kids Yule Love, Save A
Pet, Monroe County CARE
Cottage.
•The Reporter prints a
special section of Letters
to Santa.
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