Tifton’s Animal Welfare Heroes

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

TWO TIFTON WOMEN RECEIVE AWARDS AS 'ANIMAL WELFARE HEROES 2022'

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Two Tifton women are among those named Animal Welfare Heroes for 2022 in a contest by a South Georgia animal foundation: Candas A. Bennett placed first, and Leah Robbins placed third.

The Burton Fletcher Foundation for Animals held the contest to recognize some of the top individuals working in animal rescue in South Georgia.

For receiving the First Place Award, Candas Bennett of Tifton is receiving a $1,250 prize benefitting Paws Furever Home Inc., a Tifton-based animal rescue organization.

“I am more than honored and can't say thank you enough to the judges," Bennett said. "This award comes when donations are down, dogs are dumped at alarming rates, and animal abuse/neglect is high. This award will go a long way towards our extremely high vet bill.”

For receiving the Third Place Award, Leah Robbins of Tifton gets a $500 prize benefitting Tift Animal Rescue Inc. of Tifton.

“This contest has helped me in many ways. To read the kind words and compliments from those who nominated me and the comments on social media from those who voted for me, made me realize people noticed my hard work and appreciated my dedication,” Robbins said.

Second Place went to Michelle Lynn Dupree of Statenville, receiving $750 for Echols Animal Rescue Inc. in Statenville.

The Burton Fletcher Foundation for Animals is a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation dedicated to improving the plight of abused, injured, abandoned, and feral animals in South Georgia with the purpose of finding them homes.

The foundation had 32 nominees who participated in the contest.

“We are grateful to those who nominated these wonderful individuals and recognized them for their service to the animal welfare community. We are incredibly appreciative to senior judge Linda S. Cole and judge Katie Parsh for their hours of service in screening and selecting the winners from this year’s impressive nominees," said Burton Fletcher, founder, president, and director of the foundation.

TIFT REPORTS 5 NEW COVID CASES DURING PAST WEEK

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tift County reported five cases of COVID-19 in the past week and no related deaths, according to data from the Ga. Department of Public Health (DPH).

Tift reported a total of 18 positive cases within two weeks. That represents 44 cases per 100,000 population. In the previous two-week period, Tift County had 23 positive cases.

During the recent period, Tift's testing positivity rate was 4.4%.

Tift has recorded a total of 6,284 confirmed cases with 163 deaths, the DPH said.

The state reported 506 positive cases Tuesday with 24 additional deaths and 80 new hospitalizations. Georgia reported a total of 1,940,176 cases with 31,215 related deaths, according to the DPH.

DAVE HETZEL, LONGTIME MEMBER

OF TIFTON CITY COUNCIL, DIES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Longtime Tifton City Councilman and community volunteer Dave Hetzel has died, just four months after his wife Louise.

Details of his death were unavailable late Tuesday. Keep Tift Beautiful, on whose board Hetzel served for years, announced his death.

Hetzel served on City Council for 16 years, 1996-2012, representing District 2. He was also known as an indefatigable volunteer who served with many community organizations, including Keep Tift Beautiful, Save our Pets Foundation, Easter Seals, the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Tift Theatre, First Methodist Church, Georgia Agrirama, the Tift County Commission on Children and Youth, and many others throughout the years.

A Bakerton, W.Va., native, Hetzel came to Tifton in 1991 after serving as the security consultant for all governmental buildings for the County of Los Angeles. Before that he served in many military posts across several countries in the Far East and Asia, and taught ROTC at the university level.

Hetzel was a retired lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. During the Vietnam War, he worked evacuations for Operation Babylift, a U.S government program that transported more than 3,300 Vietnamese orphans out of the country. Hetzel was the last Air Force major to fly out of Vietnam at the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.

The Peanut Museum at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture will be the site of the semi-formal Wiregrass Ball, celebrating Tifton's sesquicentennial.

'WIREGRASS BALL' TO SPOTLIGHT LOCAL AGRICULTURAL OFFERINGS

As part of Tifton's 150th anniversary, a "Wiregrass Ball" – a farm-to-table dinner – is scheduled Saturday, May 14, at ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture's Peanut Museum & Pole Barn.

The ticketed event will highlight agriculture's impact in Tifton during the past 150 years.

A cocktail hour and live music begins at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7:30 p.m. The menu, which will include locally grown products, will be overseen by Chef Jay Johnson, head chef at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Homegrown entertainment will include live music and square-dance calling by Tifton-Tift County Tourism Executive Director Tyron Spearman.

“We are so excited about celebrating our rich heritage in agriculture with this unique event,” said Angela Elder, assistant tourism coordinator. “Dust off your boots and join us to fellowship around the table of locally grown goods.”

Attire is semi-formal, and boots are recommended. Tickets at $55 each are available at wiregrassballtifton.eventbrite.com

For information, call 229-382-8700.

'BASKETS ON PARADE' RAISE FUNDS FOR LITERACY IN TIFT COUNTY

The recent "Baskets on Parade" Facebook-based auction was a “complete success,” according to Bonnie Sayles, president of the board of Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County.

“The number of businesses and baskets increased this year, and the event raised $1,300,” she said. "Our Vice President Hannah Holmes Lovelace came up with the idea of the fundraiser last year."

Celebrating spring, the event featured 19 baskets of items and services from more than 30 local businesses.

“Our new Executive Director Andrea McLemore was able to involve a number of new businesses, and some of our longtime supporters of literacy came through for us again,” Sayles said.

A photo album of all the baskets was hosted on the agency’s Facebook page. Individuals posted bids on the photos, and the highest bidders were announced after bidding closed Friday night. Baskets remained at sponsoring businesses, and winners are visiting the businesses to collect their baskets.

Baskets receiving the highest bids were Plantation 59/Surchero’s and The Howard Diet Center. Additional local sponsors of baskets and gift certificates were: Aero Boutique, Belle’s Flower Truck, Black Gold Cotton Compost, Bob's Flowers, Calhoun Produce, Carroll’s Sausage & Country Store, Central Avenue Salon, Cole’s Cakery, Georgia Grazing Co. & Miller Boardworks, the Georgia Museum of Agriculture, the Georgia Peanut Commission, Lowe’s Home Improvement, The Market at Rutland Farms, The Party Station, PetSense, Pineapple Post, Savor the Flavor, Simply Sweet Celebrations, Southern Grace Farms, Southern Pickers, Southern Pride Produce, Southwell, Spring Hill Country Club, SpringHill Suites, T&L Collectibles, and Vintage 41.

“Every business and individual that participated showed that they cared about improving the educational, social, and economic opportunities of people in our community,” Sayles said.

Funds will be used to provide transportation to free GED classes in adult education at Southern Regional Technical College in Tifton. Literacy Volunteers also recruits and trains tutors to help local residents improve reading skills, work toward earning GEDs, or learn the English language.

For information, email tiftlv@gmail.com or call 229-391-2527.

LEADERSHIP TIFT HOLDS EDUCATION DAY

Leadership Tift held its Education Day this week, with participants learning more about the Tift County public school system and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Leadership Tift, sponsored by the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce, is a program that meets monthly throughout the year and helps emerging community leaders become better educated about the community at large.

In the above photo, Tift County School Superintendent Adam Hathaway gives participants a crash course in the school system's operations.

Participants learn more about Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in the photo at right.

The Leadership Tift program will continue through early December.

For Information, Click Here!

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

"Bella," a female kitty, is among those available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter. To adopt Bella and see other pets available, visit the shelter between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).