Celebrating ‘Tifton Strong'

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

MUSEUM SHOWCASES PEOPLE, PLACES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

As Tifton responds to the pandemic , the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage wanted to showcase the strength of the community – its people and places.

The museum created the “Tifton Strong” arts contest seeking original, Tifton-themed artwork. "Arts can represent unity during difficult times," the Tifton Museum noted on its website.

"Entries featured recognizable Tifton buildings, parks, farms, and characterized the strengths of our town and the people who live here," said Joy Yost , museum administrative coordinator.

On Monday , the museum announced the contest winners .

In the Adult category, Daniel Shippey captured First Place with his black-and-white photograph of the "Black Lives Matter – Peaceful Protest Rally" on Juneteenth outside the Tift County Courthouse. Shippey receives a prize of $250 from Main Street Tifton.

Second Place went to Leslie Larson for the rendering of the Chapel of All Faiths on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Larson receives a $200 gift card to The Local restaurant.

In Third Place was Ridge Harper 's portrayal of the Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts in Downtown Tifton. Harper receives a prize of a $150 gift card to Fresco Italiano restaurant.

The three winners in the Children category received gift cards to Cole's Cakery and a medal.

They are:

First Place – James Yost (age 10), sketch of the Town Terrace Motel sign; Second Place – Stella Bryant (age 10), drawing of a farm house; and Third Place – Verity Burchell (age 7), sketch of a Tifton water tower .

Visit the “Tifton Strong” Virtual Art Gallery by Clicking Here!

Children winners: 1st Place at left; 2nd place, middle; 3rd place, right.

STATE VIRUS CASES RISE BY 3,413 WITHIN ONE DAY

The Ga. Department of Public Health (DPH) on Tuesday reported nearly 149,000 total COVID-19 cases in Georgia, up by more than 3,400 cases in 24 hours – the biggest one-day increase in two months.

The state had a total of 148,988 cases with 78 new deaths within a day for a total of 3,254 deaths, according to the DPH.

Tift County had a total 1,088 cases with 29 deaths. Tift’s cases represent 2,665 per 100,000 population, the DPH reported.

For much of the first half of the month, the Georgia Department of Emergency Management (GEMA) had listed Tift among the state’s “most impacted counties” with the coronavirus. As cases surged, Tift Regional Medical Center found itself with every ICU bed filled and with having to divert some patients to other hospitals.

Last week, the nine-county GEMA region encompassing Tift and Lowndes had only two critical-care beds available throughout the region. By Tuesday , the condition had lessened somewhat with 10 critical-care beds available in the region. Statewide , 16 percent of critical-care beds were available Tuesday.

Health officials say that not all critical-care beds are filled with COVID-19 patients.

PREP FOOTBALL TO BEGIN LATER

Georgia High School football is scheduled to continue this season, but two weeks later.

On Monday , the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) voted unanimously to continue the football season with games beginning Sept. 4 . The 10-game schedule remains in place, as does a five-week postseason schedule.

Prep football programs may begin July 27 ; padded practices may begin Aug. 1.

All other GSHA sports remain as previously scheduled.

On Tuesday , the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) also adjusted its sports calendar with football programs beginning Aug. 3 , practice in pads starting Aug. 17 , and games starting Sept. 4 .

Tiftarea Academy , which plans to reopen campus on Friday, Aug. 14 , is part of the GISA.

From left are Tammy Hobbs, Walmart human resources manager; Mandy Brooks, TRMC Foundation executive director; and Greg Smith, Walmart operations manager.

WALMART DONATES TO TRMC FOUNDATION

Walmart recently presented the Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) Foundation with a $2,500 donation. The funds will be used to assist employees and patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The TRMC Foundation is appreciative of the community support during these challenging times,” said Mandy Brooks , executive director of the TRMC Foundation.

For information , call the Foundation at 229-391-3310 or visit www.trmcf. com

FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY TOURISM GRANT PROPOSALS

The Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association is accepting grant proposals through Friday under the Community Partners Program to financially assist projects, events and conferences that bring visitors to Tifton and Tift County.

Proposals are limited to two typed pages with a maximum of five pages of supporting materials. In the past 27 years, the Tourism Association has granted more than $950,000 in this partnership program.

“We believe that one of the best ways to utilize the tourism funds provided and increase

visitors to Tifton is to assist the volunteers who have successful events and programs, and to help them grow and expand,” said Kathleen Moore , Tourism Board chairperson.

Tourism Coordinator Tyron Spearman said the program has been successful. The proposals are evaluated on a point system involving the economic impact on tourism, investment by the sponsoring organization, whether a project is a multi-day event that brings overnight visitors, and if proposals actively promote visitors from outside Tift County.

Guidelines also include listing the anticipated attendance of an event or conference, as well as expected hotel-room nights to be used. The marketing and advertising plan

must also be clearly stated in the proposal.

Grants must be used to promote Tifton and an event through marketing and advertising.

Deadline for proposals is noon Friday, July 24 . Fund requests will not be considered throughout the year unless a new event is organized.

Proposals may be mailed to the Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association , P. O. Box 273, Tifton, GA 31793, delivered to the Spearman Agency at 115 West 2nd St., emailed to spearmanagency@friendlycity.net or faxed to 229-386-8757 .

Questions should be directed to Tyron Spearman , coordinator, or to Angela Elder , assistant coordinator, at 229-386-0216 .

LOWE’S DONATES MASKS TO SRTC

Heather Farley , representing Lowe’s of Tifton , presents Southern Regional Technical College President Jim Glass with a donation of 1,000 N-95 masks and 1,000 surgical masks to be used by students, faculty and staff. Farley is an alumnus and former employee of SRTC Tifton .

Pat Bateman, from left, Freda Bateman, scholarship recipient Jaylen Bryant, Cindy Spurlin, and Brooke Spurlin.

ANTHONY BATEMAN #4theBaTe SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS FIRST RECIPIENT

Jaylen Bryant was recently honored as the first recipient of the Anthony Bateman #4theBaTe Scholarship .

The scholarship was established in memory of Coach Anthony Bateman , a longtime Tift County High School staff member and coach of multiple sports who died in August. The scholarship is awarded to an outstanding senior for their athletic and academic performance throughout their high school career.

Bryant will attend Georgia Southern University in the fall and plans to major in computer science.

“I am excited about attending college, and I will be forever thankful for receiving your thoughtful gift. Because of your scholarship , I will be able to pursue my dreams of becoming a top-notch chief information officer at a major corporation,” Bryant said.

The scholarship was funded by the Tift County community through sales of "#4theBaTe" T-shirts. Brooke Spurlin , a Tift County High student, designed the logo for the shirt and organized the sale that raised more $4,000 .

Freda Bateman and members of the Spurlin family selected Bryant for his academic achievements and participation in multiple sports, including basketball, football and soccer.

Initial funds will provide scholarships during the next three years – one scholarship for every grade that was being coached at the time of Bateman’s death. Donations may be made to the scholarship fund at Ameris Bank or by mailing a check to #4theBaTe, P.O. Box 7566, Tifton, GA 31793. T-shirts are also still available by emailing cindyspurlin@spurlinlaw.com

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Grace Child Care

111 W. 11 ^th St., Tifton

July 16

AVAILABLE NOW THROUGHOUT JULY!

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S PET OF THE WEEK

This kitten is among those available for immediate adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter . Visit the Animal Shelter from 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

Pets of the Week are sponsored by:

Branch's Veterinary Clinic

205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055

TIFTON'S CATTLE ROUNDUP ON CITY STREETS

– JULY 22, 1910

Tifton's police chief turned cowboy , on July 22, 1910 , led a half dozen rangers to descend upon " bovines , where they were peacefully sleeping and comely chewing the cud of contentment in the cleanest places in the city streets , and, without warning, landed them in the city pound ,“ according to press dispatches.