Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 5A
Saturdays in the Park
Countians visit Niagra Falls
I can see it now! Saturdays in
the Park! Vegetable trucks
lining the square, older men
in their suspenders and hats sit
ting in the shade, ladies tapping
on watermelons, smoke rising
from the grill, a bit of music com
ing from the Celebration Stand
and friends catching up on the
latest!
The Downtown Development
Authority board, has but one
purpose, to make Homer a bet
ter Hometown for you. It is a
great little town but we have been
working hard to spruce up our
sweet Homer and it is starting to
pay off for all the hard work that
many people have put in. You
may notice quite a bit of paint
here, a new porch roof there, a
few flowers in the park, cleared
brush, new sidewalks, and lamp
post that light up the night. And
this June will start “Saturdays in
the Park” for you to enjoy.
Harmony Baptist Church is
going to kick off the summer by
providing breakfast, lunch and
music. The farmers will be around
the park with their produce
that is picked fresh and local.
Katherine Shubert always has a
“mess” ready in bags for you!
What the farmers garden has not
yet produced, David and Katie’s
will have all that you would
need. They already have deli
cious watermelons and Georgia
strawberries! As the summer pro
gresses, more and more vegetable,
flowers, plants, fresh eggs, and
homemade bread will be avail
able.
Harmony Baptist Church will
be in the park the first and second
Saturday in June and has many
things planned for the money
that they hope to raise. Their
Youth Group needs another van
as the first one is full to capacity,
more sports equipment, music
equipment, and sponsorships for
camps. The Ladies Ministry has
wonderful conferences and teas
that they offer to the community.
And the Vine Ministry, “I am the
Vine, you are the branches...”, is
going all out to meet the needs of
the people. They will help pro
vide food for Banks County as
they partner with First Redeemer
in Cumming, with their “There’s
Hope for the Hungry” Ministry.
A huge tractor trailer will pull up
in the church parking lot, stocked
full, and give out food freely to
the hungry.
Harmony Baptist wants to meet
their physical need, offer financial
counseling, and help them in their
spiritual need.
The Vine
Ministry
also looks
for where
God has an
opportu
nity ready to
reach teens.
They will
go and play
music the
teens like, hang out with them,
build relationships and share the
gospel. Steve Tillia, a laymen in
the church, seems to be on fire
to touch the community. He is
a fireman! For God by day and
Gainesville by night. He shared
a lot of things that the church is
doing and said, “It shows that you
care when you actually step out
and do something for people.” I
can hear Jesus say to Harmony
Baptist, “When I was hungry,
you fed Me. When I was thirsty,
you gave Me drink. When I was
rained on, you gave Me a new
roof. When I was in need, you
gave Me your last two dollars.”
Glory Baptist Church will be
in the park the third Saturday for
their VBS kickoff. They always
have many things for the kids to
do on that day. It looks like a fun
fest when you drive by and you
just have to stop and join in on
the fun! I know they would love
for you to stop by! If Charlotte
Maxwell is there, it’s guaran
teed fun! You will just have to
come and see and enjoy!
Homer Presbyterian Church has
a fundraiser the fourth Saturday
in June, and will be ready to serve
you! They will have just finished
up their VBS and already starting
on new projects and activities.
Bill and Teresa Ford are some of
the nicest and most genuine peo
ple I know. The Church recently
invited me and my daughter,
along with 100 other mother
and daughters, to their Mother/
Daughter Tea. It was the most
meaningful event that my daugh
ter and I have ever been to. They
did not leave one stoned unturned,
going above and beyond what
they needed to do. It didn’t cost
us a thing, and we received many
blessings! The invitation was a
cut out tea cup with the tea bag
as the invitation! Cute, cute, cute!
And, we will always cherish our
geodes. The ladies had us break
open this average looking rock
but when you looked inside it
was a beautiful crystal, showing
how beautiful a mother daughter
relationship could grow! The deli
cious fest was wonderful and kept
coming and coming. Thank you
ladies for a beautiful evening! You
made each of us in the room feel
like the guest of honor!
That’s what is happening in
June! Anyone can join in on the
fun! Whether you are a farmer, a
church, a child or an adult, you
can be a part of “Saturdays in
the Park.” Remember, there is
no charge at all. Churches and
farmers keep 100% of what they
make.
Farmers: Bring your truck full
of your harvest. It has to be grown
in Banks County and on your
farm. It is better for the economy
to buy local and it’s about as fresh
as you can get! Plus, it is just
great fun to visit with everyone in
the park.
Churches: Call the Downtown
Development Authority to sched
ule your Saturday in the Park.
706.654.7288. The Presbyterian
Church is graciously offering
their Annex Parking lot (old Post
Office) for you to set up your
breakfast and lunch station. You
will need to be open from 8-1:00
and provide a bit of live music.
During breaks you can put in a
CD for easy listening. A public
restroom will be open downstairs
in the Fire Station.
Friends and Family: Come on
down and support our local farm
ers and businesses! Come early
and get your fresh tomatoes,
pole beans, corn of the cob, okra,
cucumbers, and yellow squash.
I saw my first squash on May
9th and I will have much more
to come! Come by my stand and
get you several baby ones. Cut
it long ways, put a little butter
and salt on it, and stick it in the
microwave for about 2 minutes.
Yummy!
Come on down each Saturday
in the Park throughout the sum
mer! Shop the vegetable trucks
and local stores, grab a bit for
breakfast and lunch, enjoy some
music, see old friends, meet some
new friends, and help the church
es change lives along the way!
Besides, there is nothing like a
tomato sandwich on white bread
with mayonnaise, salt and pepper,
a tall glass of sweet milk, sitting
on the porch swing with a cool
summers breeze blowing through
your hair! Everyone will be wait
ing on you and I’ll bring the salt
and pepper!
Janice Tennent is a resident of
Homer. She writes an occasional
column about the people and
places of Banks County.
K enny and Joyce
Crumley, along
with Mary Parson,
all enjoyed a trip last week to
Niagara Falls in New York. They
also crossed to the Canadian side
of the falls. They returned home
on Thursday afternoon. They all
had a great time.
Brenda and Billy Whitfield,
along with the Austin, Calen,
and Grayson, all enjoyed the
Memorial Day weekend camping
on the lake.
Thanks to everyone who helped
with Relay for Life. With your
help, we raised over 47,000.
This was more than $5,000 more
than was expected to be raised.
Thanks to all the survivors who
came out to walk. We’re look
ing forward to next year. If you
missed the relay this year, make
a note to be there with your team
next year.
Silver Shoals Baptist Church
will hold VBS June 2 through
June 6 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Everyone is invited to attend.
Brent Cantrell was honored with
a graduation party at his home on
Friday evening after graduation.
We wish him the best as he starts
this new chapter in his life.
The community was saddened
to hear of the death of the mother
of Edger Crow Jr. His mother,
Gladys Crow, lived in Cornelia.
Remember her family and host of
friends when you pray. She will
be greatly missed.
Those in our community who
are overseas fighting or state-side
being trained to defend our coun-
Dear Editor:
I would like to commend
Chief Gary Pollard of the Banks
County Fire Department for standing
up for what is right! He went to bat
for a former employee and asked for
permission to rehire her after being
ordered to fire her recently due to
her felony record. He was willing
to put his reputation on the line for
a woman who has proven to have
given her all on the job and wasn’t
willing to take no for an answer.
I believe that her felony record
should not block her from doing
what she is trained and loves to do...
The following local government
agencies hold regular meetings
which are open to the public:
•Maysville City Council, 7 p.m.,
first Monday of each month at the
Maysville Public Library.
•Banks County High School
All-Sports Booster Club, 6:30
p.m., first Monday of each month,
BCHS library.
•Maysville Planning and Zoning
Commission, 7 p.m., last Monday
of each month, Maysville library.
•Banks County Planning
Commission, 7 p.m., first Tuesday
of each month at the courthouse.
•Gillsville City Council, 7 p.m.,
first Tuesday of each month at city
hall. A work session is held at 7
p.m. on the third Thursday of the
try include: Gary Hogman, Jason
Ledford,
David
Willoughby,
Sgt. T.J.
Brookshire,
Kyle
Delaigle,
David
McWhorter, John Groves III,
Clint Medlock, Timothy Reems,
Richard Davenport, Kyle Pilgrim,
Russell Cantrell, Shawn McClure,
Sgt. Amanda Justus, Matthew
Sutton, Justin Johnston, David
Puttnum, Alex Head, Tiffany
Sorrows, James Sullivan and
Mark Sullivan Jr.
Those who are sick in our com
munity include many who have
cancer and need our prayers.
Those on the sick list are:
Barbara Sue Holcomb, Kenneth
Parson, Carolyn Standridge,
Julie Davenport, James “Shorty”
Bellotte, Stephanie Randolph,
Ray Bellamy, Robert Wood,
Joe Vaughn, Cindy Hogman,
Erika Barker, Gracie Turpin,
the Rev. Leon Brown of North
Carolina, Mildred Garrison,
Perry Smith, Horace Whitfield,
Penny McClure, David Dunson,
David Campbell, Mae Chitwood
Smith, Ruth Evans, Dristan
Tyndell, Trinity Brown, Elizabeth
Cook, Juno and Bobbi Samples,
Cranford Smith, David Smith,
Ruby Nix, Roy Broome, Royce
Jones, Steve Fattig, the Rev.
Leroy Burns, Blanch Burns, Odell
Wade, Zine Bell Wade, Claudette
Griffin, Loy Palmer, Van Chase,
Allene Montgomery, Wayne
and that is to fight fires! She has
done her time and now deserves to
be given an equal chance at being
successful in life! Being gainfully
employed with a meaningful career
will allow her to pay taxes, proba
tion payments and gain self-esteem
that is crucial to reducing her risk of
recidivism! We are building prisons
in the state of Georgia faster than we
can release inmates and taxpayers
are the ones that are paying the price,
so why wouldn’t we, as a society,
want to invest in giving ex-offenders
a chance to redeem themselves and
pay back society?
month.
•Banks County Board of
Education, 7 p.m., third Monday
of each month at the BOE office.
The work session is held on the
Thursday prior to the regular meet
ing.
•Baldwin City Council, 7 p.m.,
second and fourth Monday of each
month at city hall. A work ses
sion is held at 6:30 p.m. on the
Thursday preceding each regular
meeting.
•Homer City Council, 6 p.m.,
second Tuesday of each month at
city hall.
•Banks County Board of
Commissioners 6:30 p.m. second
Tuesday of each month at the
Holcomb, Joshua Thomas, Dennie
Maxwell,
Karen
Adkins,
Angie Roach,
Henry
Galloway,
Mrs. Bobby
Blackwell,
Mary Sims, Darian Gray, Jerri
Gray, Frank Cronic, Dan Tomlin,
Jerry Poole, Greg Baker, Cidney
Wilson, Jeremy Gaddis, Johnny
Westbrook, Tommy Gray of
Cornelia, Jerry Carlan, Luther
Campbell, Echo Evans, Carol
Dean Beck, Johnnie Dalton,
Allan Poe of Commerce, Chad
Standridge, Scott McClure,
Winford Baker, the Rev. Jerry
Smith, Coy Marlow, Betty Griffin,
Bennie Jackson, Clifford Wilson,
Elizabeth Wilson, William
Wilson, Christine Chitwood,
Johnny Smallwood, Eddie
Borders, Pauline Arfin, J.D.
Pritchett. Crystal Medlock, Joann
Broome, Michelle McClure, Mary
Bell Echols and J.R. Boswell,
Remember our family when you
pray. If you know others who are
sick, please call me so I can add
their name to our prayer list.
Happy birthday to: Michael
Pace, Martha Campbell, Anita
Bonds, Whitney Black, Angela
Boling, David McWhorter, Twana
Wood, John Owensby and Ricky
Carroll. Happy anniversary to
Daryl and Beth Gooch and Colby
and Kathy Turpin.
Willene Parson Boyle is a com
munity columnist for The Banks
County News.
I am so proud of Chief Pollard
and what he was willing to do and I
know that he has made a difference
in Banks County by helping this
woman to regain her career! He has
also changed the course of her life
forever. Isn’t that what God com
manded all of us to do? To love and
forgive one another just like he
forgave us? We could all take notes
from Chief Pollard on how to stand
up for what is right and to not give
up when the going gets tough.
Sincerely,
Melisa Fincher
Chairman, WCMTF
courthouse. A work session is held
at 3:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday
of the month at the courthouse.
•Alto City Council, 7 p.m., sec
ond Tuesday of each month at city
hall.
•Lula City Council, 7 p.m., third
Monday of each month at city hall.
A work session is held at 11 a.m.
on the Thursday preceding the
regular meeting.
•BJC Medical Center board of
directors, 1:30 p.m., third Monday
of each month in the conference
room of the hospital.
•Banks County Middle School
Booster Club, 6:30 p.m., third
Monday of each month at the
BCMS lunchroom.
janice
tennent
Letter to the Editor
Commends fire chief
Meetings citizens can attend in county
News From
Poplar
Springs
By Willene Parson
Boyle
GARDEN FRESH GOODS TO BE OFFERED
Fresh vegetables will be offered at the park in downtown Homer on the first Saturday of each
month. Local farms and business owners will be at the park.
mainstreetnews.com
Your patronage helps provide for those in need.
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706-335-7793
215 Mercer Place,
P. O. Box 1241
Commerce, GA 30529
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Gmail: drlpitts@drlpitts.com
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plus registration fee
For more information, call Preschool at
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