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Page 4 — Wednesday, June 17, 2009, The Millen News
Opinions, yours and ours
“It’s the best gift I could think of!
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!"
Jim Hite
LOCALS MUST SUPPORT MAGNOLIA SPRINGS STATE PARK
The Chatter Box
By Deborah Bennett
Helen Boone of Millen received word last week that her
son, Ronnie Perryman, was wounded in Afghanistan. Ronnie
serves with the Charlie Troop, 108 th Calvary Division, 4 th
Platoon. He was hit by shrapnel from an explosion.
Despite his injuries, Ronnie remains in the field with his
unit, and I am sure a few cards and letters from Jenkins
County citizens would be appreciated. You may bring them
to Helen at The Millen News building, and she will see that
they get to Ronnie.
All of our troops certainly need our prayers and support
daily!
The Millen News will publish in its July 1 edition a “Sa
lute to Local Law Enforcement”. The names and photographs
of all local law enforcement officers will be published as a
show of appreciation for them and the service they render.
Businesses, clubs, churches, individuals and other organi
zations may participate by becoming a sponsor. The cost is
$15 and will include the business/club name and a logo, if
one is provided. To become a sponsor, call The Millen News
at 982-5460 and give us your information.
Happy birthday to: Jeana Jenkins, Patrick Barnette, Harry
Jackson, Karla Gay, Susan W. Godbee, Brittany Morris, Josh
Fleming, Mary Troisi, De De Motes, Elaine Williams, Jas
per McKinzie and David Brown.
Celebrating wedding anniversaries are: Mr. and Mrs. David
Gay.
Military Active Duty List: Ronnie Perryman, Charlie
Troop, 108 th Calvary Division, 4 th Platoon, Afghanistan;
Lance Cpl. Adam Lanier, U.S. Marines, 8 th & I Marine
Barracks, Washington, D.C.; E-4 Sr. Airman Roy Davis,
U.S. Air Force, RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom; Lance
Cpl. Patrick Barnette, U.S. Marines, Baharia, Iraq; Sgt.
Adam Demshar, 44th Signal Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq; Cpl.
Lee Ogden, U.S. Marines, Camp Pendleton, CA; E5 Petty
Officer 2 nd Class Eric B. Kelsey, U.S. Navy, NSA Naples,
Italy; Senior Airman Charles F. Woods, Moody Air Force
Base, Valdosta, GA; Stuart Burrus, U.S. Air Force,
Barksdale AFB, Bossier, LA; SPC 4 Travis D. Motes, 1st
Calvary Division, T. Hood, Texas; Capt. Donald Slade
Burke, 735th Air Mobility Squadron Detachment 1 Com
mander, Richmond Royal Australian AFB, Richmond, Aus
tralia; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade,
118th Field Artillery, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie
A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Petty Chief
Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Nor
folk, Va.; Stephanie Crosby, R.N., U.S. Navy, Lafayette
Destroyer; Jimmy Cooper, U.S. Army National Guard, 878th
Engineering Battalion-Augusta, Persian Gulf ; 1st Lt. J.R.
Taylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division,
Iraq; SPC. Daniel Stuart, 18th MEDCOM, 121 General
Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Jeffrey Sweat, U.S. Navy, USS
Kauffman, MM3 59/E-Division, A-Gang, Norfolk, Va.; Cpl.
Larry Lamont Clark, U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd Marine Ex
peditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Bagdad, Iraq; Khan
Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Rob
ert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Army, Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Ga.,
Mission Kuwait; Arnold R. Mosley, 2nd Lt., U.S. Air Force,
Randolph AFB, Texas; and Debra A. Mosley, Tech. Sgt.,
U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and SPC Charles
“C.J.” Amerson, U.S. Army, Camp Adder, Iraq.
Georgia is blessed with natural treasures.
The 45 state parks, three state historic parks and 15 state historic
sites cover 84,000 acres with over 530 miles of hiking, biking,
nature, canoeing and equestrian trails; 375 cottages; 2400-plus sites
at 41 campgrounds; and more. Over 100 million people visit each
year.
Here in Jenkins County we have our own treasures, Magnolia
Springs State Park and Camp Lawton Historic Site. We have shel
ters, campgrounds, fishing, hiking and biking trails, swimming pool
and programs of all kinds throughout the year.
According to the state of Georgia, in 2008 Magnolia Springs
had 86,000-plus visitors with a financial impact of over $5 mil
lion.
All of us are aware that the souring economy is impacting the
park system. Jobs lost, positions left vacant, transfers and cutbacks
in services are touching the entire system, including Magnolia
Springs.
Many arc upset with the effect these economic decisions are
having on our local treasure. And well we should be.
However, it is now time to go beyond being upset and talking
about what “they” should do about it. We must become “they.” It’s
time for us to act, to walk the talk.
For example, how many of us have at least a yearly Park Pass?
How many have purchased membership in Friends of Georgia State
Parks and Historic Sites over the years?
In last week’s Millen News, there was an article about the forma
tion of the Friends of Magnolia Springs State Park. We now have
our local unit of Friends, which is our vehicle to help the park, our
opportunity to put in our time and effort on behalf of Magnolia
Springs.
Working with Park Superintendent Andy Barrows and his staff,
members of Friends will help with everything from planting flow
ers and dealing trails to greeting visitors and helping with pro
grams and fund-raising activities.
The cost of membership brings a good number of “perks” for the
members as well as for the park, one of which is that for each hour
of volunteer work, the park will receive $2 up to $4,000 per year.
So come on and let’s put our time and money where our talk is.
For details, call Magnolia Springs at 982-1660. And the next time
Friends of Magnolia Springs State Park meets, the announcement
will be in The Millen News.
See you then!
Letters policy
Letters to the editor of The Millen News are welcomed and
encouraged. These are pages of opinions, yours and ours.
The unsigned editorials generally appearing on the left side of
the editorial page represent the opinion of the newspaper and not
that of any one person on our staff. Personal columns represent
the opinions of the writers whose names appear on them and are
not to be considered the opinion of this newspaper, its manage
ment or owners. Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the
newspaper’s readers.
The Millen News reserves the right to edit any and all portions
of a letter. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters must
include the signature, address and phone number of the writer to
allow our staff to authenticate its origin. Letters should be lim
ited to 400 words.
The deadline for letters is Friday at noon. You can email letters
to themillennews@yahoo.com.
Chartered 1903
The Millen News is published weekly by Chalker
Publishing Company, 601 E. 6th St., Waynesboro, Ga.
The Millen News
856 East Cotton Ave. • Millen, Ga. 30442
Phone: (478) 982-5460 • FAX: (478) 982-1785
Periodical postage paid at Millen, Georgia.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Millen News
P.O. Box 909
Millen, GA 30442
USPS No. 349-660
Walter Harrison
Editor 1946-1985
Frank M. Edenfield
Editor
1985-1998
Roy F. Chalker Jr Publisher
Bonnie K. Taylor General Manager
Deborah Bennett Editor
Lavonna Drawdy Advertising Composition
Subscription Rates (Includes tax):
In Jenkins County $23.00
Elsewhere in Georgia $26.00
Outside of Georgia $29.50
Local Happenings
Garden Council meets
The Garden Council met May 4 in the Educational Building at
the Jenkins County Hospital.
Beckie Becton, president, presided and welcomed the large
attendance.
The items of old business were discussed, and she asked Jane
Johnson, flower show schedule chairman, for an update. Martha
Sue Wilson is chairman of the show. The artistic designs will be
scheduled in Johnston’s home. The horticulture specimens will
be displayed in the Jenkins County Memorial Library March 6,
2010.
Art Johnson, chairman of Millen Better Hometown, solicited
support and attendance for the scheduled community events.
Notices will be announced in The Millen News.
The next council meeting is scheduled for Aug. 31 at the same
location.
Magnolia Garden Club meets
The Magnolia Garden Club met April 8 at the home of Sandy
Lanier.
After installation of officers, the meeting was brought to order
by President Jan Williams. Club business was discussed, and the
meeting was then turned over to Mrs. Lanier. She gave a pro
gram on how to make hypertufa pots. She provided materials for
each member to make their own pot.
The club members enjoyed the hands-on project.
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