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VOL. 106, NO. 19, NOVEMBER 25, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY
MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Counting her blessings
Millen resident rises above life’s obstacles
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Bom with cerebral palsy and
confined to a wheelchair, some
might assume that Frankie
Wright. 55, would find little for
which to be thankful this
Thanksgiving holiday. That,
however, is far from the truth.
Frankie not only counts her
blessings but also works daily
to improve her situation.
Frankie did not attend school
until she was 15, and, therefore,
did not receive a formal educa
tion. Determined to overcome
that barrier, she has been attend
ing the Southeastern Technical
College (STC), Jenkins Center,
two days a week for over 10
years working on basic skills
with hopes of getting her Gen
eral Education Diploma (GED).
Her ultimate goal, she said, is
to become an advocate for the
handicapped.
“I just want to show everyone
that you can do whatever you
want to do,” Frankie said.
Her optimism is also an inspi
ration to those she encounters,
said STC instructor Elaine Wil
liams.
“Frankie always has a posi
tive attitude and is very dedi
cated. Once when she didn’t
have a way to get to the learn
ing center, she crossed busy
Highway 25 in her electric
wheelchair and came. If Frankie
can do that, then none of us have
any excuses,” commented Wil
liams.
Overcoming obstacles is very
familiar to Frankie. When her
primary caregiver, Dorothy
Wright, her mother, passed
away five years ago, Frankie
knew she would have to make
her home handicap accessible in
order to continue to stay there.
She sought and received assis
tance with the task from Con
gressman John Barrow and Dr.
Kyle Gay, and now has a home
in which she can do things for
herself. Frankie does require
assistance with some daily ac
tivities from a home health aid,
and also relies upon her niece,
Tammy Ward, and boyfriend,
Samuel Phoenix. Still, she is de
termined to be as independent
as possible.
“I try to live my life as full as
I can live it. I don’t let this chair
stop me,” Frankie said.
And when her family and
friends celebrate the Thanksgiv
ing holiday this year, they will
gather at Frankie’s home to do
it. There they will find Frankie
counting her blessings as she
continues to make lemonade
from the lemons life has dealt
her.
Frankie Wright, center, is shown with personnel at the
Southeastern Technical College, Jenkins Center, where
she is studying with hopes of receiving her GED. Shown
with her, from left, are Elaine Williams, instructor; David
Smith, instructor, and Linda Beck, secretary. (Staffphotos
by Deborah Bennett)
Frankie Wright and Samuel Phoenix are shown in the
kitchen of her home which has recently been made
handicap accessible.
New
wheels
Jenkins County Fire Chief
Dwayne Herrington shows off
the county’s new fully
equipped fire truck. The ve
hicle was secured with a
$213,000 Assistance to Fire
Fighters grant. (Staffphoto by
Deborah Bennett)
The One Act Play cast is shown in costume. From left, are Nicholas Williams, Whitley Clark, Marc Holley, Bailey
Alsobrooks, Luann Brown, Jacey Youmans, Ayana Walker, Sabrina Allen, Lavonte Lovette, Josh Sipes, Lorando
Evans and Jonathon McBride.
JCHS wins Region 3A One Act Play Competition
The Jenkins County High
School (JCHS) One Act Play cast
traveled to Southeastern Techni
cal School in Vidalia Thursday,
Nov. 5, to compete against nine
other schools in the Region 3A
One Act Play Championship.
JCHS, defending region One Act
Play champions, captured first
place again beating out Savan
nah Christian, Savannah Coun
try Day, Calvary, Wheeler
County, Claxton, Bryan County,
Johnson County, Metter and
Treutlen County.
The cast performed “The
Devil and Daniel Webster” writ
ten by Stephen Vincent Benet .
Benet’s play centers on a New
Hampshire farmer who sells his
soul to the Devil and is defended
by Daniel Webster.
Nicholas Williams was cast as
Jabez Stone, Whitley Clark as
Mary Stone, Marc Holley as
Daniel Webster and Jonathan
McBride as Mr. Scratch (the
Devil). The cast also included
townspeople Lavonte Lovette,
Courtney Johnson, Henry
Yarbrough, Luann Brown, Ayana
Walker, Josh Sipes, Lorando
Evans, Sabrina Allen, Jacey
Youmans, CJ Elmore and Bailey
Alsobrooks.
The play was directed by Kim
berly Dasher. The cast travelled
to Warner Robins High School
Saturday, Nov. 14, to compete
for the State One Act Play title.
Members of Jenkins County High School’s One Act Play
cast are, from left, first row: Jacey Youmans, Lavonte Lovette
and Luann Brown; second row: Kimberly Dasher, Sabrina
Allen, Bailey Alsobrooks, Josh Sipes, Ayana Walker, Whitley
Clark and Courtney Johnson; and third row: Marc Holley,
Henry Yarbrough, Nicholas Williams, Lorando Evans,
Jonathan McBride and CJ Elmore. (Photos contributed)
Arrest made
in recent
burglaries
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
On Thursday, Nov. 19, Burke County Sheriff’s Office
deputies arrested Henry Mick Leonard McGee Jr., 30, of
Waynesboro based on a warrant issued by
the Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office. The
warrant was issued on Nov. 10 and charged
McGee with the burglary of a home on Fred
Chance Road in Jenkins County.
At the time of his arrest, McGee had in
his possession two firearms and other prop
erty that was stolen during a Hwy. 17 south
burglary in Jenkins County. That incident
had been reported only hours earlier. The
arrest of McGee was made when deputies
in Burke County spotted a vehicle match
ing the description of one that was reported
as being seen in the area of the Hwy. 17
burglary.
During the investigation, 22 fire arms stolen in the bur
glary were recovered with 20 of the weapons being returned
to their owner. The Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office ex
pects to issue additional warrants this week, and the inves
tigation of numerous other burglaries will continue.
Jenkins County Sheriff Robert Oglesby commended all
of the residents of Jenkins County as well as law enforce
ment officers in surrounding counties for their help in solv
ing these and other cases.
“We have gotten a lot of help from our good citizens
during the past several months that has significantly as
sisted us in solving crimes,” said Sheriff Oglesby.
“People have been calling with information, checking on
each other’s homes and property and have been observant
of what has been going on around them. With their help
and the cooperation of neighboring law enforcement agen
cies, we have been able to get some criminals off the streets
and in the jail where they belong. Also, a good bit of sto
len property has been returned to its rightful owners. We
even have a group of local citizens that have formed a
neighborhood watch type program and have people riding,
looking and staying in contact with us. Thank you to all
that have helped, and keep up the good work.”
The sheriff also reminds citizens that
historically, thefts and burglaries increase
during the holiday season. He asks that
everyone continue to be obsenmnt and contact
the sheriff’s office if anything out of the ordinary
is witnessed.
HENRY MICK
LEONARD
MCGEE JR.,