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SUNDAY,
JANUARY 16, 2005
V 1
■
Ronda Rich
Columnist
Dixie Dew's Day
The first year I threw a
birthday party for Dixie
Dew, my adorable dachs
hund, muttered rumblings
spread quickly through my
kinfolks and friends when
the invitations were
received. It was the begin
ning of what they had long
suspected would happen - I
was turning into an oddball
eccentric destined to be the
loony old spinster who
leaves her earthly posses
sions to a dog.
For the record, I will
never be a spinster because
I was once married. I like,
however, being known as
eccentric. It is much more
interesting than being nor
mal and in my line of work
as a writer, I have discov
ered it makes me more mar
ketable than the normal
ones. I also like the idea of
my leaving my worldly pos
sessions to my dog. This will
be good for years of animat
ed discussion and will per
petuate my legacy. I don’t
want to be forgotten quick
ly. You know how it is.
People tend not* to talk
about you much after you
die.
From the beginning,
Dew’s birthday parties have
been a great success.
Though the first year, my
sister held her hand over
her face anytime a camera
was near and commanded,
“Don’t take my picture! I
don’t want anyone to know
that I came to a birthday
party for a dog!” This is
especially interesting since
she was the first one to call
the next year and ask,
“When is the dog’s birthday
party? I want to put it on
my calendar so that I don’t
schedule anything else.”
Dew’s annual celebra
tions have become a much
sought-after social invita
tion. People ask to be invit
ed and the ones who phone
with regrets are less than
two percent of those invited.
But who could resist? It’s
such a happy, whimsical
event where laughter begins
the moment I answer the
door and the guest of honor
runs with childish joy to
greet her guests. She then
parades around proudly in
her new dress covered in
lace, satin ribbons and bells
that her grandmother sews
for her. She responds well to
being the center of atten
tion. She prisses, prances
and performs from blowing
out the candles on both
cakes (a bone-shaped one
for just for her) to opening
each gift with the animation
of a precocious child. Her
favorite presents have
included a ham hock bone,
colorful chew toy with rib
bons, a squeaky bear, a bis
cuit with chicken and the
carton of French Fries that
her Uncle Guy brings every
year.
At her last party, I passed
an autograph book around
and instructed, “Everyone
should write a note of
endearment to Dixie Dew
and tell her how precious
she is to you.” From the
kitchen, a few minutes later,
I heard the happy squeals
and silly laughter as the
book made its way around
the room. “Those merry
sounds,” I said to a friend,
“are the signs of a very suc
cessful party.”
My aunt, who has an 87-
year-old perspective on it,
See RICH, page 3C
HAA planning
From staff reports
WARNER ROBINS -
Make a note on your calen
dar. One of Houston
County’s top cultural
events is coming up soon.
The Houston Arts
Alliance will host
Celebration of Culture and
the Arts on Monday, Feb.
7, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at
the Century of Flight
Building.
This is the seventh open
house sponsored by HAA
and co-sponsored by the
Museum of Aviation
Foundation. The event
gives talented Houston
Countians a showcase, and
gives the public an oppor
tunity to meet and talk
with artists, writers and
performers.
The event, which will
include live music and
other performing arts as
well as demonstrations
and exhibits of work by
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Quilting will be on display.
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Art show
There’s a new art display
at Perry City Hall. Artists
with paintings in the show
are Charlotte Washington,
Sara Muse, Gloria
Ragland, Irene Tuggle, and
Donna Tabor. They are all
members of the Perry Arts
League.
Amber update
The community contin
ues to care about Amber
Hunter, 7, who is battling
aplastic anemia. Amber is
doing better. She has com
pleted a course of treat
ment involving daily intra
venous medication, and
may soon be able to return
to school with restrictions
on her physical activities.
This week, members of
the Balvaunuca Club sent a
generous gift certificate to
Amber’s family to help
Lifestyle
skilled artisans and fine
artists, is free and family
oriented.
Refreshments will be
served.
On the performing arts
program for the evening
will be the International
City Ballet, the Rhythm
Nation dance group, the
Simple Heritage singers
and other performers.
Refreshments will be
served.
On exhibit will be work
by the Crossroad Quilt
Guild, the Doll Dreamers,
the Middle Georgia Fine
Art Society, the Warner
Robins Art Association,
the Perry Arts League, the
Spinners and Weavers and
Ikebana International Mid
Georgia- Chapter 112,
among others.
For more information
contact the Houston Arts
Alliance office at (478)
329-0299.
with their everyday
expenses. Robin O’Neal,
who is a member of the
club and wrote a note to go
with the gift, said that she
understood what Amber’s
parents, Donna and Tony
Hunter, are going through.
Robin and Bill O’Neal’s
young daughter, Caroline,
has battled cancer.
On the slopes
Saybra McGlamry, 5,
Chance Newton, 6, and
Jared Bryant, 6, spent the
Christmas, holidays snow
skiing at Breckenridge,
Colo. It was Saybra’s first
skiing trip.
Pillowcases needed
Terry Everett let us
know that Chris Tipton
Sikes, who is herself a sur
vivor of childhood cancer, is
beginning a drive to collect
pillowcases. These will be
personalized for the esti
mated 300 children who
will be diagnosed with
childhood cancer from
Houston County this year.
The kids can take their
own pillow cases when they
must be hospitalized or go
for treatments. Chris
works at the Perry Health
Department. Donations
seventh open house
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Rhythm Nation Dancers
may be dropped off there or
at the Bonaire United
Methodist Church.
Braggin' rights:
Gloria and Robert King
of Henderson are proud of
their daughter Sabre who
is back on the basketball
court with the Perry High
School Panthers after suf
fering severe sinus infec
tions and then breaking
her arm. Her dad, who is
pastor of The Gospel
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These happy neighbors have all been living on Briardale Ave. in Warner Robins
since the late 1950 s and had their picture taken together during the holidays. They
are, from left, Glenn and Margaret Heck, Jack and Ruth Peck, Albert Gould and
Walker Burke. Doris Burke is not shown.
Center, says “We really
appreciate her toughness.”
New officers
New officers of the
Houston Lodge F& A.M.
#35 are Chad Houser,
Worshipful Master, Alan
Shaw, Senior Warden,
Franklin McDowell,
Junior Warden, Charles
Collins, Treasurer, Neil
Langston, Secretary, M. M.
Cloud, Chaplain, Scott
Barefield, Senior Deacon,
SECTION
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John Croom, Junior
Deacon, Ron Griffin,
Senior Steward, Joe
Goodroe, Junior Steward
and Sherman Rankin, Pas t
Master and District
Master, Director of
Uniform Works.
Do you have a news item
for this column ? Just call
Charlotte Perkins at (478)
987-1823, ext. 234, or e
mail your news to Charlotte
at cperkins@evansnewspa
pers.com. The deadline is
Tuesday at 5 p.m.
The
Simple
Heritage
Singers
will per
form
old-time
music.