Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Page 4 — Wednesday, December 2, 2009, The Millen News Opinions, yours and ours The Chatter Box By Deborah Bennett Don’t forget that Christmas in Millen is taking place this Satur day. Due to the construction on Cotton Avenue, some of the usual activities will not occur. However, Santa will still put in an appearance. The “jolly old elf’ will be at Papa’s Pizza from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. to hear Christmas wishes and have his photograph taken with local chil dren. The Christmas parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. with line-up at Jenkins County High School at 9 a.m. The parade will proceed down Winthrope Avenue rather than Cotton Avenue before head ing back to the school. Another annual Christmas activity, the decorations contest, is set to take place Monday, Dec. 14, from 6-10 p.m. If you plan to participate, you must leave your Christmas lights on during these hours. Yes, the holiday season is here, and I must admit that I am looking forward to Christmas this year as I will get to share it with our two grandchildren for the first time. They are a little young to know what everything is all about, but that won’t stop Nana and Pa from making a fuss over them. It also brings back many memories of the Christmases I spent with my grandparents. One of my most vivid memories is that of Granddaddy trying to “sneak” a little green rocking chair into his house on Christmas Eve without my seeing him. He got it stuck in the doorway and ended up giving it to me earlier than planned. We are looking forward to making similar Christmas memo ries with our grandchildren in the years ahead. Happy birthday this week to: Tammy Troisi, Larry Thompson, Wanda Rhodes, Fab Black, Justin McBride and Jessica Haley Godbee. Military Active Duty List: PV2 Brianna Joiner, U.S. Army National Guard, Ft. Benning, GA; PV2 Jeremy Johnson, U.S. Army, 59 th Quartermaster Company, Ft. Carson, Colorado; 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, Osan AFB, Korea; SPC 4 Travis D. Motes, 1st Calvary Division, T. Hood, Texas; Capt. Donald Slade Burke, 735th Air Mobility Squadron Detachment 1 Commander, Richmond Royal Australian AFB, Richmond, Australia; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade, 118th Field Artillery, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Ma rine Corps Base Hawaii; Petty Chief Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Norfolk, 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 In fantry 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 Expedi tionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Bagdad, Iraq; Khan Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Robert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Amy, 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. Amy, Camp Adder, Iraq. 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 $33.00 Outside of Georgia $39.00 Don Lively THANKS A LOT Okay, so I’m a week late with my list of things that I’m thankful for. I’ve been busy. Sue me. But honestly, isn’t that happy Thursday in November every year just the beginning of the season when we all begin to focus on the really important things in our lives? We should remain thankful till at least the week after Christmas. You know. When we’re all broke. When the gifts have been stowed away to be re-gifted at somebody’s birthday during the com ing year. When many of us have gained so much weight from the Holidays that nothing we bought FOR the Holidays fits on January 1. When our credit cards are screaming for mercy at the thought of being dragged through one more UPC scanner. In other words, be thankful before if s too late! Okay, enough of the cynical palaver. Because the truth is, I’m one of the few men I know of who actually likes the Holiday Sea son. So, without further delay, here is my already slightly delayed list. For me, thankfulness begins with family. Mine is the best, though I’m sure that you think yours is. Thoughts of my huge extended family start with Mama. The Sun day before Thanksgiving she turned 83. She’ll fuss at me, then for give me for revealing her age. That same day she sang in the same church choir where she has for over 60 years. I’m thankful that she and Daddy found each other and contributed substantially to the baby boom. My two brothers have lived around our hometown all of their lives and, between them, know everybody in the county. I, on the other hand, was gone for thirty years. So, when I need folks to hang with or to fill out a party list, I have to borrow friends from them. Both are also long wed and they let me be the fifth wheel when I don’t have plans of my own. VTiich is most of the time. The bros have my back. I have theirs. My sister, who had the unenviable task of growing up the only sister to three rowdy boys, is the world’s second best cook, right behind Mama. Sis was around recently and baked several batches of cookies for various Holiday functions but she never yelled at me when she noticed a few, okay, more than a few, missing. I blamed it on the mice but I think she was on to me. I also came home one day and found a load of clothes I’d left in the dryer folded and stacked. Trust me, if you live alone and eat most of your meals out of cans, fresh baked cookies and folded underwear are things to be thankful for. Sis has my back too. My oldest daughter looks like Barbie, like her mother. She’s my serious-minded child, thoughtful but also playful. And just as butt headed as me. We’ve had the inevitable father/kid clashes as she matured and I didn't, but she’s always had me wrapped. Still does. She’s my heart. My younger daughter currently has pink and white hair and indescribable tattoos that I couldn’t talk her out of. Even with all the added color, she’s gorgeous. My rebel child. She makes me laugh. She gave me my first grandchild so I forgave her for the tattoos. She’s my other heart. My son has been to war with the Marines twice and has come back both times unhurt. He’ll be out of the Corps in less than a year and has already charted his course for civilian life. Eons ahead of HAWK & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Victor C. Hawk Melissa Detchemendy Need Help? Call: 478-982-4226 (day) or 706-294-4447 (night) American Trial Lawyers Association Southern Trial Lawyers Association Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Office located in The Millen News Building 856 E. Cotton Ave., Millen, GA where I was at his age. No man has ever been prouder of his boy. He’s my third heart. Thrown into that mix are a multi-talented son-in-law who adores my daughter and granddaughter and who will become a millionaire by his own device, and a pretty little daughter-in-law who stood by my son through boot camp and two overseas deployments. I couldn’t begin to list all of the nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins who I also thank God for every day. As I said, it all begins with family. And a church that welcomed me home and put me to work. A soon to be completed new house. A Southern hometown that has embraced me again. A country that I love in spite of a government that I don’t bust. Local football teams that win more than they lose. Friends, old ones, new ones, even borrowed ones. A Lord whose good all the time. And you. Every time you tell me that you like how I fill this space, I’m more thankful than I can ever express. Happy Thanksgiving, a week late, or 51 weeks early. Don Lively is a retired police officer and freelance writer. He lives in Shell Bluff. Email Don at Livelycolo@aol.com. The Millen News Deadlines THURSDAY AT NOON: Wedding Announcements Engagement Announcements Anniversary Announcements Birth Announcements School News Columns Memoriams and Thank You’s General News Items FRIDAY AT NOON: Chatter Box Items, Letters to the Editor, Datebook and Church News Items OBITUARIES Accepted until press time MONDAY-11 AM: Classified & Legal Ads MONDAY-NOON: Retail Display Ads