About The Madison County journal. (Hull, Ga.) 1989-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 2025)
PAGE 2A - THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025 Social ROTARY CONSTRUCTS RAMP FOR MIKE LANE Members of the Rotary Club of Madison County and volunteers constructed their 973rd handicap ramp, a 16-foot access ramp with a 4’ by 5’ landing, on Thurs day, March 6, for Mike Lane who lives on Cotton Street in Commerce. “Mike has been blessed in the last year by recently moving closer to family and winning the hand of his bride, Candice,” Rotary leaders said. “So, luckily, he is surrounded by a loving and caring family, especially Candice’s grandfather, Ricky, who suggested the ramp and assisted the ramp crew. But unfortunately, Mike is also being severely tested by fighting complications from diabetes, which has already claimed one of his feet. Mike worked for almost 10 years at the Chic-fil-A in Oakland, Georgia and is now aspiring for a scholarship offered by Chic-fil-A to become a Professional Christian Life Coach.” Candice and Mike joined the ramp crew in the accompanying photograph, and they made a welcome donation to the Rotary Club for its ramp program. This week’s ramp crew: Don Sullinger, Artry Bishop, Walton Hill, Alan Phillips, Floyd Phillips, Gerry Carroll, Nev in Belsen, Johnny Minish, Ed Brown, Bruce Gandy and John Taylor. District 10 constituents invite Collins to town hall Many changes in federal poli cy and federal funding affecting constituents and businesses in Representative Mike Collins’s district have occurred since President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. Voters in Dis trict 10 are eager to hear ' about these changes from their rep resentative in Washington but have not yet had the opportunity. To give Collins and his con stituents a chance to discuss the changes, a group of constituents invited Collins to appear' at a Town Hall meeting at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 18. The event will take place in the community space in the Piedmont Oconee Health Center off Jennings Mill Road in Watkinsville. According to town hall or ganizers, this invitation follows many attempts by District 10 constituents to meet with their representative. In October last year', in response to the school shooting in Barrow County, a group of almost 100 constitu ents rallied in Monroe in front of Collins’s office to request an opportunity to speak with him. They also delivered a letter ' with approximately 400 constituent signatures asking for a meeting to discuss Collins’s positions on gun regulations. He did not re spond to the requests. On Feb. 20, 42 constituents traveled to Collins’s office to request a meeting. Although he was on break from Congress, he did not make himself available, nor did he respond to the request for a meeting. In the meantime, many voter's have called his of fice in Monroe and in Washing ton, asking for an opportunity to meet. The request to Collins to ap pear' at the scheduled Town Hall in Watkinsville, during another congressional break, was made formally through his website, yet no response has been re ceived. The Town Hall will take place with or without the con gressman in attendance to give his constituents a chance to air then questions and concerns. “A member' of Congress rep resents every constituent in his district, not just those who voted for him,” said Barbara Burl, a member of Indivisible Georgia 10, one of the groups organizing the Town Hall. “This is an hon est attempt to hear ' directly from our representative in a public fo- rum. We need to know what is happening and what he is doing to protect us. He needs to hear' what constituents are concerned about. Some have lost their jobs, others are worried about losing government benefits or services, still others are concerned about the cost of groceries and other necessities. These are not trivial concerns.” Athens Tech Foundation plans Third Annual Illuminate Gala The Athens Tecli Foundation will hold its third annual Il luminate Gala on April 17 at The Classic Center. The event highlights Athens Technical College’s impact on workforce development and raised over $150,000 last year. Janis Mangum, former Jackson County Sheriff and 2023 Georgia Sheriff of the Year, will deliver the keynote address. The Athens Tecli Foundation supports students througli scholarships and emergency assistance, GED® vouchers, and funding improvements to the campus, helping the col lege stay connected witli the community at large. In 2024, the Foundation awarded over $92,000 in merit and financial need scholarships, $23,000 in retention grant funds, and over $14,000 in emergency support grants for tuition, books, program materials, and supplies not covered by financial aid. The evening will include a cocktail reception, silent auc tion, wine pull and testimonials from student scholarship recipients. Tickets are $160 per person, witli sponsorships starting at $500. For details, visit AthensTech.edu/Foundation_Illumi- nate or call 706-355-5025. Community Calendar: Week of March 12 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION COMING UP ON MARCH 26, 27 The Madison County School Sys tem’s kindergarten registration will be taking place on Wednesday, March 26, and Thursday, March 27. Registration is by appointment only. Parents are encouraged to call their home school to schedule an appoint ment. Kindergarten registration is for chil dren who will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2025. Registration will take place at the Madison County Board of Education located at 800 Madison Street, Daniels ville. Habitat for Humanity hosting ‘Buy-A-Box’ sale on March 22 The Madison County Habitat for Hu manity’s Re-Use Boutique will host a Christmas clearance “Buy-A-Box” sale on March 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Patrons can pick and choose from a collection of various Christmas items to fill a box. Boxes will be available in small, me dium and large sizes, costing $1, $3 and $5 respectively. The Madison County Habitat for Hu manity is located at 1956 Main Street, Comer. County rec. dept, offers yoga The Madison County Recreation De partment offers a yoga class on Mon days at 6 p.m. Yoga is held in the Old Danielsville Gym, located at 91 Albany Ave., Dan ielsville. Pre-registration is required and the cost is $10. Bring your own yoga mat, bottle of water and workout towel. For more information, visit https:// www.madcorec.com/home/programs/ yoga Oglethorpe Library’s Big Spring Book sale happening March 13-15 The Friends of the Oglethorpe Coun ty Library will be having their Big Spring Book Sale on March 13, 14 and 15 in the library’s multipurpose room. Thursday and Friday hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and prices are $1 for hardback books and 25-50 cents for pa perbacks. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday will be fill-a-bag for $5. Cash and check only will be accept ed. All proceeds benefit the Oglethorpe County Library. BBQ Benefit for Andrew Bridges on March 15 The Vine and Branches Sunday School Class of Gordon’s Chapel Meth odist Church is sponsoring a chicken BBQ on Saturday, March 15, to benefit Andrew Bridges. Bridges was involved in an airplane accident and remains hospitalized with severe injuries. All donations and pro ceeds will fund Bridges’ recovery. Take out plates will be available from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Sanford Community Center located at 6495 Nowhere Road, Hull. Tickets are $12 each. For tickets, contact a member of the Sunday School Class or call Lynn Hix at 706-224-3187 or Jonathan Hix at 706-308-5048. Checks should be made payable to Vine and Branches Sunday School Class. Sharing and Caring Meal to take place in new location on March 15 The free Sharing and Caring Meal in Comer, which occurs every third Satur day of the month, will have a new home as of March 15. The new location is the former police office for Comer, which is located at 2180 Spring Circle, Comer. The time remains the same: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We are excited to announce our new location, which is thanks to the City of Comer. We will have a much big ger space that will also house the free Clothes Closet,” explains Nell Gantt Browne, the program’s coordinator and cook. This week’s menu is ham, green beans, corn, roll and cobbler. These meals are available for take-out, home delivery or for eating at the new loca tion. For more information or to place your order, contact Browne directly at 757-286-4132. Georgia Options’ Casino Night on March 15 Georgia Options will be hosting a Casino Night on Saturday, March 15, from 6 to 11 p.m., at the Classic Center in Athens. The event will offer classic casino games like Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, Craps and more. “Enjoy classic casino games, deli cious food and lively entertainment — all while supporting Georgia Options’ mission to empower individuals with disabilities to live independently in their communities,” organizers said. The event will also feature dinner, drinks, a silent auction and dancing. All proceeds from this event directly support Georgia Options, helping indi viduals with disabilities achieve greater independence and quality of life as they thrive in the community. “Whether you’re a seasoned player or a first-time gambler, this will be a night to remember,” organizers said. For more information, visit https:// onecau.se/gogiving or contact ckester- son@georgiaoptions.org Scheduled Town Hall with District 10 Congressman Mike Collins on March 18 Congressman Mike Collins has been invited to meet with his District 10 con stituents in a Town Hall-style gathering on March 18, starting at 5:30 p.m. The event will take place in the Com munity Room at Piedmont Oconee Health Center, located at 1305 Jennings Mill Rd., Watkinsville. Collins may not appear, and has not yet responded to an invitation, accord ing to organizers. “However, we will hold the gathering whether he decides to participate or not,” organizers said. “He has many constituents with serious questions about major changes hap pening at the federal level, those that directly affect them locally as well as those having statewide repercussions.” For more information or to set up interviews, contact Lucette Bernard at lucetteb423@gmail.com or 404-788- 3817 ‘Dancing Through Frozen’ showing at Morton Theatre on March 20-21 Dancefx Athens will present “Danc ing Through Frozen” this month at the Morton Theatre in Athens. Showings will be Thursday, March 20, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., as well as Friday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. The show will feature songs from the soundtrack of the movie “Frozen” and dancers in the roles of Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven. Tickets for the Matinee show are $5. Tickets for the evening shows are $10 for children, students and seniors 60+, and $13 for adults. Comer Annual Kite Flying Party coming up on March 22 The yearly opportunity to celebrate spring by flying kites will return to Comer on Saturday, March 22, starting at 11 a.m. Participants are encouraged to bring their own kites, picnic lunch, chairs, blankets, sunscreen and “good spirits,” according to organizers. Beverages and desserts will be pro vided. For safety purposes, guests are asked not to bring pets. The location of the Kite Flying Party will be 181 Meadow Street, Comer. For more information, contact Bruce and Betsy Gandy at 706-783-8024 MCSO offering Ladies Self Defense Class on March 22 The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is offering its Annual Ladies Self De fense Class on Saturday, March 22, at 9 a.m. with Sergeant Brandon Moss as instructor. Only 20 spots are available. To re quest a spot in the class, email Chief Deputy Jeffrey Vaughn at jvaughn@ madisonco.us The class will take place at 729 Mad ¬ ison St., Danielsville. St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital Wellness Walk and 5K on March 22 St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia will host a Wellness Walk and 5K, as well as a one-mile Fun Run for kids, on Saturday, March 22, at 8 a.m. Race-day registration will start at 7 a.m or participants can register in ad vance at www.runsignup.com/Race/ GA/Lavonia/WellnessWalk5K All proceeds from the event will ben efit the Sacred Heart Hospital Cardiac Rehab Department. Cardiac rehab is designed to help people who have ex perienced heart problems such as heart attacks, bypass surgery or who are liv ing with heart failure recover faster and improve their quality of life. For more information, please con tact Shawn Carter at Shawn.Carter@ stmarysathens.org. Piedmont Athens Regional Teddy Bear Clinic on March 22 Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital will host a Teddy Bear Clinic on Satur day, March 22, from 9 a.m. to noon, to celebrate Child Life Month. The free event is for children ages 3-8 to explore common medical proce dures through play. Registration can be completed at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904 0848A5A72EA6FE3-53197640-pied- mont?useFullSite=true#/ Chamber of Commerce holding ‘State of the County Address’ on March 27 The Madison County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual “State of the County Address” on March 27, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Jackson EMC. “This event is the County’s premier intergovernmental gathering where governing bodies report on the previous year and deliver outlook on the current year,” Chamber leadership said. The event will serve as an opportu nity to network and hear about various key topics that affect the community. Speakers will include representa tives from each of the county’s cities, the Board of Commissioners, Board of Education, Industrial Development & Building Authority and the Chamber of Commerce’s Agricultural Promotions Committee. Jackson EMC is located at 85 Sprat- lin Mill Rd., Hull. 4F Renaissance Festival open throughout April The 4F Renaissance Festival will be open every Saturday and Sunday throughout April, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival will feature a selection of vendors, activities and demonstrations for visitors who wish to immerse them selves into Renaissance culture. Games for children will also be available. Cost of entry is $15 per person. Chil dren five and under get in free. The festival is located at 132 Gos nell-Hutto Rd., Danielsville. For more information, call 706-207- 7080 or email 4FVendor@gmail.com 2025 Canna Pageant to take place May 10 The 2025 Canna Pageant will take place on Saturday, May 10, at 6 p.m. Contestants must live in Madison County and currently be between Pre K and 12th grade. (Must turn 5 on or before September 1). The entry fee is $50 and can be paid by the contestant or sponsor. Entry forms can be picked up at Col bert City Hall, Colbert Bread Basket or by calling 706-202-3481 or 706-714- 4082. Forms will also be available at the mandatory meeting on April 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the Colbert Auditorium. ••• Submit your event for the community calendar To have your event placed in the community calendar, email news@ mainstreetnews.com. The deadline to submit is noon on Friday prior to the date of publication. Priority will be given to imminent upcoming community events. BUYING OR SELLING? 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