Friday, Dec. 22, 2023
Tifton, Georgia
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Graphic Art by Nick Sayles Design | |
By FRANK SAYLES JR.
Tifton Grapevine
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He almost was one of the lost children, a mere statistic.
When he was five years old, he already was one of three small kids in the family. He had been born when his parents were teenagers. The father worked two jobs and went to night school to better himself and his growing family.
And growing it was; the boy’s mother was pregnant again, and this pregnancy was difficult. With three small children already, one of them autistic, the mother had all she could handle.
And so when the five-year-old stopped eating – every time he ate he vomited – no one really noticed at first. Eventually he became lethargic, lying on the sofa and watching the world become dimmer and dimmer through his young, tired eyes.
When he finally was taken to the hospital, a doctor took the father aside and said it was uncertain if the child would survive. But after several weeks of treatment at a children’s hospital, the boy rebounded.
He was one of the lucky ones. Dehydration is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children worldwide. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 760,000 children die worldwide every year from dehydration-related issues.
It was many years later before the boy came to understand how near death he had been as a child. But from a young age, he had developed a deep appreciation for life. He felt things intensely.
One evening near dusk when he was eight years old, he walked down a neighborhood street at Christmastime and stopped briefly outside a home brightly lit with holiday decorations. From the street, he could see folks talking and laughing through a window as the bright yellow light from within spilled out onto the lawn. He could imagine the gaiety and happiness that must be within that room as the people celebrated. He wondered who they were and what kind of lives they lived.
He was part of the scene yet apart from it, a mere observer.
Decades later when the boy had become a man and had his own family, he found himself outside in front of his own home after dark one Christmas Eve. He looked toward his brightly lit home and could see his family through a window. He imagined folks driving by and observing the Christmas cheer on the other side of that window and wondering who were those people and what kind of lives they were living.
For that man who had once been a boy who had stared down death, he knew that whatever life was being lived on the other side of windows was of value, no matter where those windows were located. Life is the greatest gift of all and should be celebrated and appreciated.
And while we breathe, we should always work toward – although it is elusive – peace on Earth and goodwill toward our fellow man.
A light in a window can remind us that there is always hope and happiness to be found, and it begins at home.
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Photo by Bonnie Sayles
Residents have been surprised to discover the mailbox is gone from the drive-thru lane at the Tifton Post Office. The box was broken into and vandalized; a more secure one is on the way.
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DRIVE-THRU MAIL DROP VANDALIZED AT POST OFFICE
BOX TEMPORARILY REMOVED, WILL BE REPLACED
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By BONNIE SAYLES
Tifton Grapevine
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Many residents attempting to drop off their Christmas cards and other mail have been surprised to see no mail receptacle in the drive-through lane at the Tifton Post Office.
The receptacle was broken into and vandalized sometime overnight Sunday, Dec. 10, according to U.S. Postal Service Supervisor Mike Harpe in Tifton.
He said a new, more secure mail receptacle has been requisitioned but has not yet arrived. In the meantime, the outgoing mail slot inside the Post Office lobby is available 24 hours.
The drive-thru mailbox was vandalized, Post Office staff surmised, because criminals may have been seeking gift cards in addition to cash enclosed in Christmas cards.
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TIFTON WOMAN NAMED SRTC's TOP ADULT ED STUDENT | |
Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports | |
Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) has named Brittnee Mathis of Tifton as the college's top adult education student for 2024, nominating her for statewide Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) recognition.
The Dinah Culbreath Wayne EAGLE Program celebrates adult learners in pursuit of excellence. The statewide program recognizes and honors students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in adult education classes.
Adult education instructors nominate students at the local level to participate in the EAGLE recognition program at the state level.
“Brittnee exemplifies honesty, trustworthiness, dependability, motivation, and charisma. She would come to class every day and work diligently. Her hard work paid off for her in earning her high school equivalency quickly," said Kelley Tucker, Mathis’ nominating instructor.
Because of a complex family situation, Mathis was removed from formal education in the fifth grade and attempted to return to school several times. As teenagers, she and her sister took fulltime jobs at Chick-fil-A to support their family. There, she found a support system and opportunities for personal and professional development.
A Chick-fil-A operator encouraged her to earn her GED through SRTC’s Adult Education program in Tifton, which is where she met Tucker.
“She absolutely astonished me when I asked her about her goal,” said Tucker. “When Brittnee told me she wanted to own her own Chick-fil-A restaurant, I knew I was dealing with a very special individual. This young lady would come to class after working a 12-hour shift on her feet making chicken sandwiches and running a hectic afternoon shift. She would be attentive. I could see the information being absorbed. She took all the necessary notes and paid attention to every word I spoke. She was and still is the model of a studious learner.”
Mathis earned her GED less than four months after enrolling in the Adult Education program. She plans to earn a business management degree at SRTC before moving on to earn her bachelor's of business. She will soon be the first person in her immediate family to earn a college degree, and one day, she plans to become the first person in her family to own a Chick-fil-A restaurant.
“It won’t be easy,” she said, “but I know I can and will accomplish it.”
Mathis and Rhea Brashear of Thomasville, SRTC's Adult Education Teacher of the Year, will represent SRTC at the annual EAGLE Leadership Institute in Atlanta next spring.
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Please join us at Tifton First United Methodist Church this Sunday, December 24, for our Christmas Eve Services. We will have two services beginning at 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. We look forward to seeing you at this special Candlelight Service as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. | |
CITY NAMES POLICE LIEUTENANT EMPLOYEE OF YEAR | |
Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports | |
The City of Tifton has named Police Lt. Lee Dunston as the city's 2023 Employee of the Year.
Dunston celebrated 18 years of service with the Tifton Police Department in May.
"He has shown great leadership, and leads by example. We are grateful to have such tremendous employees like Lieutenant Dunston serving and protecting our community," the city said in a statement.
In photo at right, City Manager Emily Beeman poses with Lt. Lee Dunston.
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All are welcome to celebrate the birth of Christ
at St. Anne’s this Christmas Eve!
Midnight Mass begins with a prelude concert at 10:30 p.m.;
the worship service with Communion starts at 11 p.m.
A reception follows the service in the Parish Hall.
Professional nursery care is available in the Ministry Center.
The church is located at 2411 Central Ave. North in Tifton.
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TIFTON VETERINARY CLINIC NAMED
VETERINARIAN OF YEAR FOR GEORGIA
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Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports | |
SpayGeorgia has selected Branch’s Veterinary Clinic in Tifton as one of just two Veterinarians of the Year in Georgia for 2023, along with Commerce Veterinary Hospital in Jackson County.
“These clinics are committed to the spay/neuter solution to pet overpopulation and promote the widespread efforts of SpayGeorgia,” Jean Ebert, the organization’s executive director, said in a letter to SpayGeorgia members.
In 2023 alone, the two clinics have spayed or neutered more than 500 animals, Ebert said.
Branch’s Veterinary Clinic has held three spay/neuter marathons and will hold a fourth one Jan. 3 for low-cost spaying and neutering of pets.
“We appreciate all of our outstanding veterinary clinics that participate in our low-cost spay/neuter program,” Ebert said. “We enjoy success because of their humanitarian efforts.”
“SpayGeorgia is an amazing organization that helps pet owners be able to get their babies spayed and neutered,’’ said Dr. Kelly Aldridge of Branch's (pictured above). “We are grateful to be able to honor their certificates and help our community in another way.”
For information on how to obtain low-cost spay neuter certificates or Free Fuzzy Feral certificates for feral cats, click here!
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From left, Emily LaMontagne; Southwell volunteer services director; Brittany Felthauser, TRMC mammography; Bonnie Bailey, mammography volunteer; Julie Matthews, TRMC mammography; Debbi Dillard, TRMC mammography; Gayle Cooper, Auxiliary Board president; Stacey Nelms, women’s health navigator; Dawn Law, women’s health navigator; Lois Cromer, mammography volunteer; Amyie Mathis, mammography supervisor; Tina York, gift shop manager; Mandy Brooks, TRMC Foundation director; and Audrey Deshazer, TRMC mammography department at thew check presentation. | |
SOUTHWELL AUXILIARY DONATION BENEFITS TRMC BREAST HEALTH PATIENTS | |
Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports | |
The Southwell Auxiliary recently donated more than $3,200 to the Breast Health Fund of the Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) Foundation.
The funds were raised from sales at the TRMC Gift Shop during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. TRMC is the main hospital of Southwell.
“Twice a year, the TRMC Pink Ladies and Red Coats give 25% of monthly gift shop proceeds to the foundation, benefitting the Breast Health Fund in October and the TRMC Heart and Vascular Center in February,” said Gayle Cooper, hospital volunteer and Southwell Auxiliary president. “TRMC staff members and visitors make these donations happen by shopping at the gift shop throughout the year.”
The Breast Health Fund assists area breast cancer patients with mammograms, biopsies, and medications that are not covered by health insurance or other programs.
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Tifton’s Locally Owned Digital Newspaper | |
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To Contact Us, Call 478-227-7126
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COVID-19 data released from the
Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of Dec. 20:
TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 7,144 ....................................... TOTAL TIFT DEATHS: 181
CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 18 ....................................... DEATHS - Past week: 0
CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 63
TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 154
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GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,417,050
GEORGIA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - Past week: 3,409
TOTAL GA DEATHS: 35,970 ..................................................... GA DEATHS - Past week: 28
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YOUR GUIDE
TO ACTIVITIES
THIS WEEKEND
IN THE TIFTAREA
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The evening of Sunday, Dec. 24, is Christmas Eve. Celebrating it derives partly from Christian liturgy starting at sunset, which is inherited from Jewish tradition and based on the Book of Genesis’s story of Creation, saying the first day starts in the evening and ends in the morning. It is also believed that Jesus of Nazareth was born at midnight in the region of Palestine. Many historical conceptions on ancient traditions contributed to the development of eve celebrations, which persisted in the early Christian calendar.
Christmas Eve marks the end of the Advent season, the period of preparation for Christmas. It was on this night that shepherds keeping watch over their flocks outside Bethlehem saw the bright star in the sky that signaled the birth of Jesus Christ.
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FRIDAY, DEC. 22
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Santa at the Mall, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Tifton Mall, Tifton
SATURDAY, DEC. 23
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Santa at the Mall, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Tifton Mall, Tifton
SUNDAY, DEC. 24
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Services, 4:30 and 6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, Tifton
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Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, 11 p.m., St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Tifton
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ADVERTISE YOUR
YARD SALE HERE!
TO ADVERTISE YOUR RESIDENTIAL
YARD SALE, CONTACT US at
IHeardIt@tiftongrapevine.com
or 478-227-7126
Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance
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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S DOG OF THE WEEK | |
Excitement is building in Whoville as "Cindy Lou Who" counts down to Christmas! Come meet this sweet girl and visit other pets available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, open between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387). | |
DEC. 14
Kathy Hayes, 76, Nashville,
Monroe Deese, 78, Fitzgerald
Terry Wayne Edge, 71, Omega
DEC. 15
Reba Ann Bennett Cross, 68, Omega
Danny Lamar Harrell, 68, Lenox
Everett Afton Haney, 58, Fitzgerald
Bobby Gene Barfield Jr., 63, Ocilla
DEC. 16
Diane Folsom Beck, 68, Ellenton, formerly of Adel
Don Powers, 84, Nashville
Sandra E. Martin Calhoun, 73, Fitzgerald
DEC. 17
Robert Vernon “Bobby” Welch, 71, Tifton
Douglas Turner "Doug" Mills, 66, Braselton
Ruth Virginia Gibbs, 93, Adel
Christopher Lamar Wilson, 34, Ashburn
DEC. 18
Evans Randolph McDuffie, 72, Tifton
Mamie Hilda Gaskins Schultz, 87, Nashville
Marcus Barrett, 54, Hahira, formerly of Tifton
DEC. 19
Maria Louise Winser, 62, Nashville
DEC. 20
Dr. Ronald Mitchell Hughes, 84, Tifton
Grover L. Presley, 74, Fitzgerald
Frankie Mae Moss Collier, 79, Tifton
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DEC. 21
Elizabeth Jackson, Tifton
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Tifton Grapevine
e-published every Tuesday and Friday
Frank Sayles Jr.
Editor & Publisher
Bonnie Sayles
Managing Editor
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A Service of Sayles Unlimited Marketing LLC, Tifton, Georgia
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