Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

DECEMBER 19, 2002 lime flies ft® *■ **a!si' M /.i iWst Jackie Cooper Columnist jkershawcooper@aol.com Can you believe Christmas is here again? It was just a few months ago that we were cele brating it, or so it seems. This year I just wasn’t ready for it to get here. There were sup posed to be lots of shopping days between Thanksgiving and now. Where did they go? This is going to be one of the best Christmases ever. The reason is that my granddaugh ter Genna is almost three and I will get to see Christmas through her eyes. She is already talking about what Santa is going to bring her and her brother Walker. Being able to see her face when she actu ally gets her presents, well that will be worth everything. I think too that seeing Christmas through her eyes reminds me that the holiday isn’t just about presents. It is about the wonder and the awe of the Day. There is a spirit of love and fellowship that comes into our lives during this spe cial time of the year that should be there year round but isn’t. Christmas is a time for mir acles. Even if you don’t believe in them 364 other days, you must believe in them on Christmas Day. And boy do we need them now. With the world on the brink of war and enmities accelerating, can’t we use a miracle to calm things down? Wouldn’t it be nice to get just a small measure of security in our lives. I think at this time of the year it can happen. So I pray for miracles. I also want miracles for all the people who are suffering from horrendous illnesses. I want them to be cured, and if not cured then at least given Find M/hat qou need in ®lje JSame faurnal Place qour Classified Ad in Todaq to get results! Answers to Tuesday’s puzzles ANAGRAMS OF STATES f?T| solution I 331 (n a otjKr na) § • I 'vv ■ | (gyNP WON I j3I 31 / I 201 <f\ Nk n*r u~h~a) - —-— * [ U pi r / / yI .p 1151 ©I \pv(TO'Mk ICON ■. -I. 11. I I ■—ly—■ ° \\Xcwv r~ n y A 101291 R \\ J M E R ■ „ - t - 1 - q-ro^Ovv-?»me s|£E>|2s| |20|15|24|31123*| King Crossword Answers ■I 1 111 11 pBWXTTTr~BBTriT|Trir G R 1 " H c Q N H E X _AM .i. A ¥- A 3BpE e w s D w A _SL o. J. Jji pT a gBBT q d e l s ILAIL2- Q u elMid t x i e O X E nJßy' A kMr I T E D E B A RpBR I V E T E D T N[jMfs'T Q O L Z O N E|c O BMP N L Y 1 R 1 S» c u rlr U j N P 1 E 1 L 1 fM~A|N|A~^BBTIoTx^ peace of mind and soul. It seems this year I have heard about more of my friends hav ing terrible sicknesses than at any other time in my life. Maybe it is my age and the fact my friends are getting older, but some of the bad things are happening to really young friends of mine. So I pray for miracles. Some of my friends are fac ing career challenges. It might be that they want to change careers, or maybe their careers have left them. Jobs have been lost, and money depleted. I always think it can’t happen to me or mine but it can. It has happened to those who are close to me. The security of a job and a paycheck are there one day and gone the next. So I pray for miracles. My church is my refuge. The place where I restore my faith and renew my commitment. It is God’s place and is there to serve Him. But ordinary peo ple worship there, and try to run it for Him. Sometimes they make mistakes and some times they forget why they are there. I don’t like harsh words in my church. I don’t like threats and bitterness. I think people should always remem ber they are there for God and to serve His will. But human beings lead imperfect lives and words can be said that hurt. It happens. It shouldn’t but it does. So I pray for miracles. Christmas is when people should be at their best. They should be at their most loving and caring. They should be full of good cheer and good will. They should put aside their pettiness and their meanness and do good things. So if you are entering the Christmas season with hard feelings or ill will towards someone, shouldn’t you remember what time of year it is and change? That majtes sense to me. I hope it doei fo you. After all it is the seasqn of miracles. And if we can become better, so can the world. Merry Christmas! ptoustott pfome A collector of sorts I am a collector of sorts. Not that I have an outstanding collection of anything, but I do have collections of several things. I believe that I have had the inclination to collect all of my life. If you will recall, I wrote a few weeks ago about our Science Club which, when I was a child, met under the big fig tree in our back yard. We collected bugs and insects of all kinds and I dis tinctly remember thinking that we had some pretty neat things in our Mason jars with holes punched in the metal tops. Also, I was inspired by my first cousin, James Maddox, who is a near genius, if not a genius, and his outstanding collections even when a child of stamps and coins. I wonder whatever happened to his collections? Well, I have collections of model cars and trucks - not very many - and baseballs - about 15, or so, with one signed by Greg Maddox, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Steve Avery, and one given to me by my friend, Billy Bledsoe, signed by all of the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers. Unfortunately, apparently ball point pens were just first being used and the signatures of Walter Alston, Preacher Roe, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Carl Erskine, Gil Hodges, Joe Balck, Clem Labine, Billy Loes, etc., are somewhat faded. Still, I am very proud of this ball. Smith receives service award Dr. J.C. Smith of Warner Robins was recently awarded the 2002 Chairman’s Award from the American Chiropractic Association for “Outstanding Service to the Chiropractic Community.” Dr. Daryl Wills, the ACA President, made the presentation at the recent Georgia Chiropractic Association’s convention in Atlanta. Dr. Smith is a renowned writer and journalist in the chiropractic profession, having written four books, over 40 published articles, and he publishes a weekly political commentary online that is sent to hundreds of leaders within the chiropractic community. He operates the Smith Spinal Care Center in Warner Robins, and his wife Megan is the president of the Chamber of Commerce in Perry. JB » m n M fi I HB . M ■ :;% '£y&ffl«Er., X •&»-•£' -•■. *pt > - s ■ ajgsoßsg| Or. Daryl Wills, left, presents Dr. J. C. Smith with his award Trees for Life Pa ipiiaißSlaiip Jik# r 'flk ’• ’• aaoPr j»t .JS t l , - • Special Photo Bert Rumble students are shown preparing to plant a tree for life at the school. Virginia Pine saplings were donated by the Georgia Forestry Commission. Friday, each student planted their own sapling for the holiday season. The students signed ‘contracts’ saying they will be responsible for their tree. Si . I Larry Walker Columnist lwalker@whgbc.com At one time, I had an outstanding collection of shotguns. I acquired this collection from my uncle, Jim Maddox, but have sold most of the guns. Still, I have a few nice shot guns. Perhaps I can add to this col lection in the future. We have a few native American artifacts (arrowheads, etc.) and a rather nice collection of sea shells. Some of the best shells came from Marco Island in the Gulf of Mexico just east of Miami. I do have two collections of which I am proud. One is a collection of ticket stubs from events Janice and I, and I, by myself; have attended throughout the years. I have a stub from the movie, Cleopatra, which I attended in Dallas, Texas with Jerry Wilson, Jerry Horton and Bobby Jones in July of 1963.1 have a 1936 ticket stub from a Cab Calloway at the Cherokee Casino concert that was given to me by Tommy Champion. I have many University of Georgia football game stubs and many stubs from events at the Ag Center. I have a stub from the Grand Opera in Munich, Germany and from the “Philharmonisches Orcehester” in Berlin, Germany. Also, stubs from the U.S. Open, the Kentucky Derby, the Winter Olympic Athletes at the White House, Miss Saigon at Broadway and 53rd Street in New York, the Ambassador of Japan’s home in Washington, D.C., the Peabody Awards at the Waldorf- Astoria in New York, etc., etc. I also have a collection of letters written to me over the years. There are letters from many politicians - former President Jimmy Carter, Senator Richard Russell, Senator Sam Nunn, Governor Joe Frank Harris, Governor Zell Miller, etc. I have a letter from Winston Churchill’s grandson, Nicholas Soames, at that time, a Member of Parliament. I have letters from family friends and legislative col leagues. But, there are three letters of which I am particularly proud. One is dated June 20, 1949, and is from my first grade teacher, Frances Coney. Another is from my mother, Hilda Walker, and was writ ten to me asking that I vote against the lottery - which, as you would suspect, I did. And the third one §£ette/ts SETo Qditoti Editor. Coach Eric E Staples, beloved former longtime basketball coach at Perry High School, has been nominated for induction into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. A nomination package, complete with coaching records and newspaper articles has been submitted to the proper authorities by Billy Powell. Powell is currently a citizen of Fort Valley and formerly a Perry resident and member of a Staples’ team. “Fessor”, as Coach Staples is still affectionately remembered by former Perry High students and fans, is already enshrined in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame. “Fessor’s” loyal supporters believe he is worthy of this highest honor of national recognition. Truly outstanding is Coach Staples’ record of 924 wins against only 198 losses, eight state championships, and twenty-five region titles. Competition at this national level, however, is very keen and includes college players and coaches and big-name professionals - with certainly more recent credentials than the Perry legend. To gain attention of the selection committee, a ground swell of support is needed from former players, students, friends and admirers in the form of endorsement letters to the Hall of Fame. The necessary information for such correspondence, which must be received by the fifteenth of January 2003, follows: National Basketball Hall of Fame Attn: Robin Deuutsch, Director of Media Operations 1000 W. Columbus Ave. ‘ Springfield, Mass. 01105 Email address: Robin@hoophall.com Jeanne Bledsoe Mi up more sales , <*> if Place an Ad in If flrl Jinmc jf Journal Call 987-1823 or 329-9900 Best Cooks in Perry! green dettn -75 Exit 136 » 987-8877 Junior Executive Membership jl was written to me by Mr. Aaron Welsh, whom I met one time, when he brought me a walking stick to my office (incidentally, I have a few walking sticks). This is so profound, I would like to share it with you. It reads as follows: “Stick processed in Bonaire, GA, Co. of Houston on Dec. 18 & 19 - 1998. This walking stick made for the Honorable Larry Walker. Dear Larry. It is my pleasure to present to you this gift of respect. I harvested this stick on my prop erty, July 4, 1992. The sapling is of the wood wild Hawthorn, related to the one called May-haw. This stick is not intended in any way as a crutch, but as a thing of pride for the receiver as well as the giver. I pray with you like this rod, though it is not the rod of Aaron it was in fact processed by Aaron, Welsh that is, and its intent is meant to be fillfilling. May God guide you well.” Aaron Welsh Unfortunately, Mr. Welsh died about a month after sending me this letter. When you read Mr. Welsh’s letter, and if you could read Frances Coney’s and Mother’s and many of the others, I believe you would understand why I have kept them and why I am a collector of sorts. Every Day Is Super Savings At Q?(mm When you think about Strauther Harris Jewelers, you think about High Quality Jewelry... 50% OFF On Loose Diamonds And Everyday A Different Department Is Featured! Galleria Mall * Centemlle, 6A * 478-953-9628 BILL HARDIN MUSIC FACTORY OUTLET 5-Piece £E-a-t- Junior DRUM oJp’li DRUM SETS mSb*' SETS 5 299 5 99 WARNER ROBINS MACON MACON 1835 WATSON BLVD. COLONIAL MALL l-475@US. 80 329-1135 471-1115 781-1112 LANDINGS Golf Club Single <tczoo qJOD /Month Ages 18-35 [No Initiation Fee with I year Commitment) Full Membership Privileges Golf / Tennis / Swimming (478) 923-5222 309 Statham’s Way Warner Robins, GA 31088 www.landingsgolfclub.com PAGE 5A Family (to COO IPOiJ /Month