Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by Georgia HomePLACE, a project of the Georgia Public Library Service.
About The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2016)
PAGE 12A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 BCSO receives donation Banks County public safety departments recent ly received separate $500 donations by Tanger Outlet Center. Banks County sheriff Carlton Speed said the department’s funds will be used for the Choosing Healthy Activities - Methods Promoting Safety (CHAMPS) program. Banks County fire chief Robert Wilkins said the department’s funds will be used to purchase a new Sparky suit and smoke alarms to be given to the community. Speed is pictured with Tanger assistant general manager Elizabeth Evans. Moments of light in times of darkness My sister, Amanda, and I were in the ICU waiting room where we had been for several days. Beyond exhausted and worried about our father, it was a dark time for both of us. The doors opened and two smiling ladies came into the waiting room with a gorgeous yellow Lab. It was Harley, the therapy dog, who visits Athens Regional Medical Center on Thursdays to cheer up the patients. Amanda asked if Harley could go into Dad’s ICU room and, in just a few min utes, we went into the room where Dad was on a respi rator and had many tubes in him, keeping him alive. He hadn’t spoken much since his major heart surgery and was suffering from failing kidneys and lungs but as soon as Harley came in, he smiled and reached out to pet the sweet dog. Spending 20 days in the hospital, with seven being in ICU, is physically and men tally draining not only for the patient but for the family as well. It was a difficult time but my family is so close and our faith and love got us through the dark times. The visit with Harley was just one of the many moments of lightness during those dark days. A few other moments that made us smile and touched our hearts included: •Visiting with the fami lies of other heart patients in the ICU waiting room of the heart unit, a place you never want to be. We met some amazing people, including the Chesser family of Ath ens. When Mr. Chesser left the hospital, Mrs. Chesser and her twin children sent us the sweetest notes to Dad’s hospital room. •People praying for us and with us. We had many instances of this during our time at the hospital. Terry Smith, pastor of Nicholson Baptist Church, prayed with us as Dad’s surgery got under way. One day in ICU, I was alone when another family came in. Their pastor was with them and they had a prayer. The pastor said, “We also pray for the lady in the waiting room with us and her family mem ber.” Early one morning, before daylight, I was leaving the guest house behind the hospital when a lady I had never seen before said, “Are you leaving or is your family member still in the hospital.” When I said my Dad was still in ICU, she said, “I will pray for him and would you please pray for my husband.” • Dad’s friend, Steve Cot ton, stopping by to visit and bring him a warm blanket with a dog on it, which he unwrapped and covered Dad with. The many other friends and family who brought us food and other items that made our stay easier. • The more than 100 friends who visited Dad in the hospital. He wasn’t con scious for most of the visits but we told him everyone who stopped by and he appreciated it so much. One of the nurses told us that she had never seen so many visitors come through for a patient. We had at least 17 people in the waiting room for the four-hour surgery. It was such a blessing to be surrounded by so much love and support. • The morning Mom went to the hospital cafe teria for breakfast and the cashier told her, “Someone has already paid for your meal.” •The smile Dad had on his face every time his grandsons, Jake and Grayson, came to visit. He loves his grandchildren so much and they are so bless ed to have a Papa like him in their lives. Dad is home now and slowly recovering. He has a long road of recovery ahead but is doing so much better. It’s been a very difficult time but he is doing well and we appreciate the prayers and support of all of our family and friends. Angela Gary is an edi tor with MainStreet News papers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@ aol.com. angela gary Whitmire speaks to Rotary Club Banks County Recreation Director Brooke Whitmire spoke to The Rotary Club of Banks County at the weekly meeting on Feb. 24. Whitmire talked to the group about the on-going programs at the recreation department, including T-Ball. Whitmire said the rec department had one field for use in T-Ball and there were 150 kids signed up this year. Whitmire also talked to the group about activities for seniors, including applying to become involved in the Silver Sneakers program that is covered by some insurance carriers. She also talked about the current construction proj ect for the new sports complex that is underway. “We’re here for the community,” Whitmire said of the rec department. “Not just sports and playing around.” Photo by Sharon Hogan Head Start/Pre-K applications accepted beginning March 1 Banks County Head Start/Pre-K will begin, in the next couple of weeks, taking applications for the 2016-17 school year. Applications will be accepted beginning at 8:30 a.m. on March 1. Those entering children for the Head Start program must meet Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines for household income. Chil dren must turn three or four years of age on or before Sept. 1, 2016. When registering, parents must show a birth certificate for each child, proof of household income for the past 12 months, immunizations on Ford 3231, Social Security card (if available) and the child’s insurance card (if available). The Georgia Pre-K enrollment status is on a first-come first-served basis and the child must turn four years of age on or before Sept. 1, 2016. When registering a child for the Pre-K program par ents must show a birth cer tificate, proof of residency (utility bill, etc.), immuni zations on Ford 3231, Social Security card (if available) and the child’s insurance card (if available). Transportation is not provided for the Head Start/Pre-K programs, par ents are responsible for transporting their child to and from the facility at 335 Evans Street, Homer. Breakfast and lunch are served each day for the students. For more information, call center director, Jan B. Bertrang, at 706-677-2963. Homer group named finalist of food contest Judges have selected Homer’s Native American Indian Honey Com pany’s Sweet Georgia Peach Honey as a finalist in UGA’s 2016 Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest. Representatives of Native American Indian Honey Company will compete in the final round of Flavor of Georgia judging at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot in Atlanta March 14-15 along side 32 other products. This year marks the 10th annual Flavor of Georgia contest. Over the last decade, the contest has grown in scope and prestige but remains the state’s premier testing ground for both small, upstart food companies and time-tested products. The finalists, who have passed the first round of judging, were selected from a field of more than 135 products in 11 categories — the largest field in the contest’s history. Finalists will bring their products to the final round of judging as part of Gov. Nathan Deal’s Ag Day at the Capitol. “Each year it becomes more difficult to select finalists because each year the field of products submitted to the Flavor of Georgia contest is better, more diverse and more innovative than the year before,” said Sharon P. Kane, contest coordinator and an economist with the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Develop ment in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. A food business development spe cialist, Kane and her colleagues have organized the annual contest since 2007. Judges for the final round of the contest will include food brokers, gro cery buyers, chefs and other food industry experts. They will judge each entry based on commercial appeal, Georgia theme, taste, innovation and market potential in each category. All finalists receive a one-year, silver-level Georgia Grown member ship from the Georgia Department of Agriculture and a customized Flavor of Georgia logo for their label and promotional materials, along with the opportunity to pitch their product to grocery buyers and food industry pro fessionals who judge the final round of the contest. Category and grand prizewinners will receive trophies, and the grand prize winner receives complimentary exhibit space at the Georgia Food Industry Association’s annual confer ence and consultation services from the UGA Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center. More information about the contest is available at http://flavorofga.com/ and by following the contest on Twit ter at @FlavorofGA and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/flavorofga. Vet Day set March 19 Spring spraying course offered The Jackson County Extension Office will host its spring spraying preparation course on Thursday, March 17, at 6:30 p.m. The welcome and meal will be from 6:30-7 p.m. The pasture and hayfield spraying course will be held from 7-8:15 p.m. This includes one hour of pesticide credit. The event will be held at the First Baptist Church of Commerce, 1345 South Elm Street. For more information, contact extension agent Greg Pittman at 706- 367-6344 or gpittman@uga.edu. The Banks Crossing Saddle Club and Maggie’s Menagerie Veterinary Services will host a spring Vet Day on Saturday, March 19, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Banks County Horse Arena/Pavilion at 211 Hudson Valley Drive, Homer. All dogs and cats must be on a leash or in a carrier at all times. There is no exam fee. Services offered for horses include complimentary health certificate with purchase of Coggins and vaccina tions. Services for dogs include one- year rabies vaccinations for $10 or three-year vaccinations for $15. Heart- worm tests are $15. Additional vac cines are available and dogs receive a complimentary nail trim. Vaccinations are also available for cats. A one-year rabies vaccination is $10; a three-year vaccination is $15. Additional vaccines are available. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required for three-year vaccina- tions.Heartworm prevention, tick and flea products, wormers for all spe cies, and basic equine medications will be available for purchase. For more information, call 770-241- 4707. V V’JV < Arts Festival HISTORIC DOWNTOWN COMMERRCE, GEORGIA COMMERCE CIVIC CENTER MARCH 4-5 2016 110 STATE STREET. COMMERCE, GA 30529 WWW.FOLK-FINEARTS.COM March 4 - Meet the Artist Reception 5-9 p.m. ADMISSION $15 * includes reception, complimentary drink tickets and weekend re-acinissxxi for the entire festival. March 5 - Festival is Open 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. $ 7 ADMISSION 'CHILDREN 10 & UNDER FREE
