Michael and Amanda Higgins transform an old warehouse into a vibrant center for community celebrations.
KEEPING A COMMUNITY COVERED IN HER OWN WORDS
Creating a legacy based on faith, family and hard work
Robin Griffin’s journey reflects resilience and the power of words
BUILDING BACK
Local landscapers help reclaim normalcy after Helene
18
KEEPING A COMMUNITY COVERED
Creating a legacy founded on faith, family and hard work.
28 A SERVANT’S HEART IN LIFE & DEATH
In his memoir, Ronnie Stewart recounts his life’s journey of ups, downs, funerals and marriages.
40 BY WAY OF THE DAHLIAS
Michael and Amanda Higgins turn an old depot into a lively center for community celebrations.
52 BUILDING BRIDGES OF HOPE & HEALTH
Pro-life advocacy led Luis Gonzalez to Rachel’s House–a local organization serving compassionate, Christ-centered care.
64 IN HER OWN WORDS
Robin Griffin’s journey from teenage rebellion to purpose-driven service reflects resilience, faith, and the power of words.
77 BUILDING BACK ONE YARD AT A TIME
Landscapers are part of a group of unsung heroes that brought us back to normalcy after the storm.
78
FAITH, FIELDS & FREEDOM
As a first-generation immigrant, Luis Nino embodies the American Dream
84 ROOTED IN COMMUNITY
Andy Woodruff has built his business on community involvement, trust and hard work.
90 THE WORKING MINISTRY
Blake Parker turns a passion for hands-on learning into a business that doubles as a ministry.
100
50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP
Lyons Senior High celebrates 50 years of friendship and stories.
106 78
106
ANCHORED IN FAITH, GROWING IN LEGACY
In a region rich with history, Brian and Janet Patrick are cultivating a legacy of faith that echoes the values of the past.
128 LAST WORDS
Parenting never ends...as it should be.
home 16 PARTY PLEASERS
Add these simple, delicious recipes to your holiday party menu.
focus on health
EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES
Memorial Health Meadows Hospital’s mission for saving lives is rooted in prevention and compassion.
114 & 115 | The Local Market
116 | Greater Vidalia Chamber of Commerce
118 | Downtown Vidalia Association
119 | Hometown Happenings
124 | Lyons Main Street
125 | Scenes of Toombs
127 | Advertiser’s Index 28
About the Cover
Not long after moving to Vidalia for work, Amanda Higgins discovered a deteriorating 10,000-square-foot building in downtown Vidalia that was originally a train storage depot and later a grocery warehouse and printing company. She immediately envisioned its potential as a modern event venue and enlisted designers Chase and Rosalie Tipps to bring her vision to life. Today the Dahlia is a beautifully preserved space for community events and a reflection of the Higginses’ commitment to their new community.
Roots and Treasure
Last December, after Helene, I was surveying some tree growth at the farm with renewed hope, and I thought, surely 2025 will be better. But yall, I’m not gonna lie, it’s been a tough year. When people ask how I’m doing, I’ve realized that responding with “meh” is okay after all. After finally getting over the setbacks of Helene, we had to navigate beating Tommie’s cancer and the sudden passing of my dad. Tough. But as always, redemption came. In October, my sister and I took my mom on a river cruise down the Siene in France. It was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. We saw idyllic scenery, ate all the cheese, reveled in history, shared stories, remembered my dad, and talked about life and about roots.
Toombs County MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER
Red Door Design & Publishing, LLC
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Stephanie Williams
CREATIVE | DESIGN
Stephanie Williams
ASSISTANT MANAGER
My dad was a genealogy buff. He loved roots. He was also a great writer. Most days he would arrive at my office around 10:00 AM, whistling a tune with a coffee in hand, and sit at a spare computer I kept around just so he could work on his genealogy research. Occasionally, he would tell the computer that someone’s grandfather was listed incorrectly, or tell me a story about a distant relative he just discovered (some roots should stay hidden), but for the most part we would both work silently, side by side until he announced he was leaving for the gym. After he passed, I was working on “his” computer and came across some things he had written and stored in an obscure folder. It was deeply soulful and rich. A treasure for me to cherish. Later, we started searching his phone and his laptop. It turns out he had lots of these writings–he even had a blog that we knew nothing about. His stories and thoughts were glimpses into his highs and lows, his visions, his love for God, his heart. All treasures. All part of the roots he left for us to tend to.
I have read that the root system of a tree can be as massive as its drip line above ground. The roots provide a tree with nutrients and help it hold on in tough times. Sometimes the roots of one tree actually help anchor and stabilize the ground, so others can be supported. One might think that cutting the roots will kill the tree, but just like pruning branches above ground, this can make the tree stronger.
Maybe you see where I’m going with this. Roots are the unseen stuff legacies are made of. The tree is obvious, but the roots determine its direction. What we prune and care for deep inside affects those around us as well as our future generations. When we started working on this issue of TCM, I noticed the word “roots” reappearing. We also have several stories on family legacy. The two are intertwined. If you want to leave a legacy for your family, start with good roots.
Vincent van Gogh’s last painting, now called Tree Roots, hung upside down in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam for years because curators, believing it to be some kind of abstract work, didn’t know what they were looking at. By piecing events of his last days together, researchers discovered that the painting is actually a grove of roots a few steps from his residence in Auvers-sur-Oise. Today, the roots are still there, and they are an exact match to the painting. He wrote in a letter that he saw the roots as a representation of the struggle for life. My dad could probably agree, but he would also say, “the real story is that the roots are still there, still standing, still what keeps the tree’s story alive.”
keeping the stories alive,
Stephanie Williams Executive Editor
To discover more that Toombs County has to offer, see our business index on page 127!
To share a story, send a note, or just get information: toombscountymagazine@gmail.com • (912) 293-0063
For more stories, visit us at www.toombscountymagazine.com
All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice.
Tree Roots by Vincent Van Gogh
Experienced Legal Advice For Families And Small Businesses
A tent for every event
–JEFF HOLLOWAY & BRIAN CORRIGAN, CO-OWNERS
acon Tent Rentals is proud to serve individuals, event planners, caterers, and bridal parties with over-the-top attention to every detail that keeps our clients coming back celebration after celebration. Whether you have a wedding, a 16th birthday bash, a 50th anniversary celebration, or a corporate ground breaking, you can always expect a pristine, quality tent with all the fixtures professionaly installed by Macon Tent Rentals.
You can rest easy when Macon Tent Rentals is entrusted with your once-in-a-lifetime special occasion!
A
At Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, early detection is more than a message. It is a mission.
Each screening, each conversation, and each event is guided by one goal: helping our neighbors catch cancer early and live longer, healthier lives. Prevention starts with awareness and continues through action. Every effort at Meadows centers on protecting what matters most: our families, our futures, and our community.
A Pharmacist’s Perspective
For Dr. Michelle Cox, Director of Pharmacy at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, prevention is the most powerful medicine of all.
Her own story is proof of that.
“In October 2023, I signed up for my mammogram right before our Pink Out event,” Dr. Cox recalls.
Early Detection Saves Lives
At Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, our mission for saving lives is rooted in prevention and compassion.
take action that would ultimately save her own life.
“The Lord used Donna to save my life,” Dr. Cox says.
Dr. Cox’s mammogram revealed ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the earliest, noninvasive form of breast cancer, often found during screening before it can spread. Because it was detected early, her care team was able to treat it quickly and effectively.
“One of my best friends from high school was being treated for breast cancer at our cancer center and was declining. I had seen her earlier that day and told Melony we needed to schedule ours. She said hers was at the end of the month, and I said, ‘I’m going to see when they can work me in!’”
That moment changed everything. Her friend, Donna, passed away five months later, but not before inspiring Dr. Cox to
She was able to seek care right here in her hometown of Vidalia, surrounded by the same colleagues and community who have worked beside her for decades.
“Being able to receive expert care close to home meant everything,” she says. “It made an overwhelming time feel manageable. I was cared for not just as a patient, but as family.”
Today, she shares her story to encourage others not to wait. “Screenings give us time. Time to act, time to heal, time to live,” she says. “If my story helps even one person schedule their mammogram sooner, it is worth sharing.”
Pink for a Purpose
Throughout the year, the hospital hosts numerous awareness events, but
none shine brighter than the annual Pink Out Women’s Event. What began as a small gathering has grown into one of Toombs County’s most beloved traditions, filled with laughter, love, and powerful reminders to schedule screenings.
The event honors survivors, educates the community, and celebrates the strength of women who support one another through every stage of life. Guests leave with more than pink ribbons and giveaways. They leave with a renewed sense of hope and purpose.
“It is not just about raising awareness,” Dr. Cox says. “It is about reminding people to take care of themselves, to show up for their health, and to know that we are here for them every step of the way.”
Prevention Starts With You
Memorial Health Meadows Hospital encourages everyone to make cancer screenings a regular part of their wellness routine. Screenings can help find cancer at an early stage, before symptoms appear, when treatment is most effective. Talk with your physician about what screenings are right for you.
Dr. Cox has served as Director of Pharmacy at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital since August 1997, leading a team that ensures safe, personalized medication management for patients across every stage of care. She combines clinical excellence with a deep commitment to compassion and community, believing that the best outcomes begin with awareness and prevention.
KNOW YOUR SCREENINGS
• Ages 25 + – Cervical cancer screening / pap smear, skin cancer screening, and testicular cancer screening
• Ages 40 + – Breast cancer screening / mammogram
• Ages 45 + – Colorectal screening / colonoscopy, lung cancer screening* (for those at risk), and prostate cancer screening.
Talk to your physician to determine if you are eligible for certain screenings. When cancer is found early, lives are saved. At Meadows, that is what every conversation, every screening, and every event is about: helping our community to thrive and stay healthy.
If you’re a woman over 40, now is the time to start getting annual mammograms. Taking time out to get regular screenings is the best way to catch breast cancer in its early stages, when it’s the most treatable.
Visit MemorialHealthMeadows.com or scan the QR code.
party pleasers
The weeks between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are often filled with holiday parties and family get-togethers. Whether you are tasked with bringing a dish to a gathering, or serving appetizers as a host, these easy party recipes are delicious and simple enough to get you through the season.
BAKED BRIE WITH CRANBERRYPECAN-BACON CRUMBLE
From the FOOD NETWORK KITCHEN, this cheesy, melty dip is guaranteed to start any party off on the right note!
Ingredients
4 strips bacon
2 tablespoons candied pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried cranberries, finely chopped (cherries, raisins, dates and figs work well too!)
One 7- to 8-ounce round high-quality Brie, preferably from France
Sliced baguette, crackers and apple and/ or pear slices, for serving
Instructions
1 | Preheat oven to 325˚ F. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Drain the bacon on paper towels, let cool, then finely chop.
2 | Combine the bacon, pecans, cranberries, apricots, rosemary, vinegar, pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl.
3 | Remove the Brie from its packaging. Cut off the top rind of the round of Brie, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges (use a sharp knife and go in from above at a slight angle). Discard the rind you have removed. Put the Brie in a small baking dish. Top with some of the cranberry-pecan-bacon crumble, and scatter the rest around the Brie. Cover the dish with foil, and bake until the cheese is warm and gooey, 30 to 35 minutes.
4 | Serve with bread, crackers and apple and/or pear slices for dipping.
Rich and garlicky, this FOOD NETWORK KITCHEN dish commands attention.
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons plain dried breadcrumbs
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp, tails discarded, cut into 1/4inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Slices of crusty bread and/or crackers, for serving
Instructions
1 | Position an oven rack in the top position, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2 | Beat the cream cheese, mozzarella, sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to add the shrimp.
3 | Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
CREAMY SHRIMP SCAMPI DIP
Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp just start to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes (there will be some liquid left in the skillet). Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the shrimp cool completely.
4 | Meanwhile, mix together the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter, the lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
5 | Stir the shrimp, pan sauce and cream cheese mixtures together to combine; transfer to a 2-quart flameproof baking dish. (The dip and breadcrumb mixture can be covered and refrigerated overnight separately at this point.) Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the dip, and bake until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Switch the oven to broil, and cook until the top is golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes, then serve hot with bread and/or crackers.
COOL WHIP COOKIES
4 ingredients–it doesn’t get easier than that!
Ingredients
1 box Devils Food Cake Mix
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip
1 large egg
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
1 | Preheat the oven to 350° with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2 | In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat cake mix with Cool Whip and egg until smooth and dough has a taffy-like consistency, about 1 minute.
3 | Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough into the powdered sugar and roll to coat completely.
3 | Arrange each ball 2” apart on prepared baking sheets and bake,
Instructions
rotating the trays halfway through, until cookies crackle and are set but still slightly soft in the center, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
CHRISTMAS PUNCH
Simple ingredients, customizable, delicious and easy to make–this drink from Rebecca Hubbell at Sugarandsoul.com has it all! Serve non-alcoholic or with your favorite liquor.
Ingredients
1 orange sliced, plus more for garnish
1 cup cranberries plus more for garnish
½ cup pomegranate seeds
2 cups cranberry juice
2 cups orange juice
1 cup pomegranate juice POM brand recommended
2 cups lemon-lime soda or ginger ale
1 cup white rum optional
ice
fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
1 | Add the slices from 1 orange, 1 cup cranberries, and ½ cup pomegranate seeds to a large pitcher or punch bowl. If using a really gallon-sized bowl or dispenser, you can double the recipe.
2 | Pour in 2 cups cranberry juice, 2 cups orange juice, 1 cup pomegranate juice, and 2 cups lemon-lime soda. You can also add 1 cup white rum or alcohol of choice if including.
3 | Serve in glasses over ice and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs extra orange slices, and cranberries.
Azure Bailey Rountree was a business owner, homemaker, autism and women’s health advocate and public speaker, and, most importantly, wife and mother of four beautiful children. Her love of cooking and sharing recipes earned her much notoriety and two published cookbooks, “Family Favorites” and “Kid Friendly Recipes.” Her recipes could be found in publications throughout Southeast Georgia and were shared among Southern Living and Pottery Barn Blog. Tragically, Azure passed away in August 2025. A former Vidalia High School student and Georgia Southern University graduate, she was known across several counties for her gentle spirit, and love of God and family. We at Toombs County Magazine are heartbroken over the loss of this sweet soul and our prayers remain with her family. Thank you Azure for your contributions that made cooking and entertaining delightful for so many of us.
Keeping a community covered
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
PHOTOS BY THE FULLER EFFECT PHOTOGRAPHY
Hurricane Helene...a name we'd like to forget. She left behind a trail of destruction in Toombs County, with significant damage to the roofs of many homes and businesses. Blue tarps were applied like Band-Aids to wounded homes. In the months that followed, roofing companies in our area played a vital role in the restoration work. One year later, AAA Roofing, a third-generation family of roofers, had successfully repaired or restored over 1,200 businesses and/or homes.
Founded
on faith, family, and hard work, the Beasley generational legacy continues through Asbel and Katie, who now lead the company with the same integrity and community spirit that began in 1973.
Before starting his own company with his son, Asbel, and his wife, Angela, Dwayne worked with his father, Billy Beasley. In 1973, Billy left his job with Federal Pacific to start Beasley and Sons Roofing. “He told Grandma, ‘I’m either going to sink or swim with roofing,’” said Asbel. Soon, the name Beasley became synonymous with quality roofing.
For twenty years, Dwayne worked with his father and two younger brothers. In 1999, Dwayne, his wife, Angela, and son, Asbel, branched off to form their own roofing company. They named their company AAA Roofing, which was a combination of the first letters of their three names, Asbel explained. “I’m actually a Jr.,” he said. “My dad goes by Dwayne, but his first name is Asbel, and my mother’s name is Angela.”
Asbel was still in high school at the time, but he had been climbing on roofs since he was six. Roofing was second nature. He was a Beasley, after all. After graduating from Vidalia High School in 2004, Asbel left home for college but returned two years later when his father’s six-man roofing crew left. That was nineteen years ago, and Asbel has been working alongside his father ever since.
AAA Roofing covers a radius of approximately 200 miles. “We do anything needed to make sure our homeowners and business owners are taken care of,” said Asbel. “Reroofing, new constructions for general contractors, both residential and commercial. We do TPO [Thermoplastic Polyolefin] roofing, flat roofs. We don’t shy away from anything related to roofing. We do it all.”
The year 2012 was a year of both joy and loss. First, it was the year Asbel and his wife Katie were married. Then, five months later, Katie unexpectedly lost her father. He was only fifty-five years old at the time. In the same year, Asbel’s grandfather, Billy Beasley, fell from a ladder and broke several ribs. The fall was enough for the family to insist that, after forty-three years, the days of roofing for the seventy-four-year-old were over. Eventually, Dwayne’s two
younger brothers followed different career paths, “and they closed the books on Beasley Roofing,” said Asbel.
Representing three generations of roofers, AAA Roofing carries on the Beasleys’ legacy of excellence. A vital part of that legacy has involved the women of the family. Asbel’s grandmother Joyce did all the booking for Beasley Roofing. When Dwayne started AAA Roofing, his wife Angela provided that same support.
In January 2025, when Asbel’s father shifted more responsibility onto his son’s shoulders by appointing him CEO of AAA Roofing, Angela passed on the responsibility for the bookkeeping to the capable hands of Asbel’s wife, Katie. (Katie also serves as Patient Services Manager at Rachel’s House Pregnancy Clinic in Vidalia.)
“If we have questions, Asbel’s parents are still here to help us,” said Katie, which was the reason for the timing of the transition. “Asbel’s dad is still here to go out with him on jobs and make sure we’re checking all the boxes and doing it right. It’s important that we have their oversight and input while they are here to give it to help keep the integrity of the business.” Katie paused. Her eyes filled with tears. “I’m really thankful for them.”
In 2024, three months before the storm hit, Katie lost her mother, Julie McMichael. She was only sixty-one years old at the time of her passing. “Losing my biological parents has taught me to cherish my parents by marriage,” said Katie. “They're the only parental figures I have now, and picking up the torch with the family business has been such an honor.”
During the first few days and weeks following Hurricane Helene, Katie would take her husband’s and father-in-law’s cellphones each night to go through all the text messages and voicemails with requests for service. After adding the names and numbers of callers to a spreadsheet, calls were returned. “There were
ABOVE Dwayne Beasley, LEFT, grew up roofing with his father Billy. Eventually, he started his own roofing company with his wife Angela and son Asbel, RIGHT. Today, Dwayne has shifted responsibility of the company to Asbel and his wife Katie, passing the torch on to the next generation.
about three hundred messages to go through and record every night,” said Katie. To date, AAA Roofing has repaired or completely re-roofed approximately 1,200 homes and businesses damaged by Hurricane Helene in our community and surrounding areas.
“We couldn’t have done it without the help of Asbel’s sister, Alexys,” said Katie. Asbel was an only child until he was seventeen years old, and his parents chose to adopt her. “Alexys helped answer the phones, took notes, and helped babysit our two boys while we gave estimates
during those first few weeks after the storm.” AAA Roofing is truly a family business. It’s no wonder the business received 1st Place in The 2025 Best of Greater Vidalia contest for “Best Roofing Services.” The contest was held by the Greater Vidalia Chamber of Commerce, and winners were chosen by Chamber Members.
Asbel and his wife Katie are committed to upholding the honor and integrity of the Beasley name for generations to come. “I just want to uphold what Grandpa and Dad built,” said Asbel. The Beasley legacy is much more
than a roofing business. It’s about serving the community as a family business.
“I may never nail a shingle on a roof,” said Katie, “but I treasure the conversations I have getting to know clients and hearing their stories. While Asbel measures a roof for an estimate, I get to listen to war stories, stories about grandchildren, and sometimes find old classmates and friends of my parents.”
I had one last question for Asbel that had absolutely nothing to do with roofing. “What is the origin of your name? Is there a story behind it?”
Names can reveal a great deal about a person, their family history, and much more. Asbel was a name I’d never heard before.
“It was my grandmother’s father’s name,” he said. “Asbel Siler.” Asbel’s grandmother, Joyce Beasley, named her second son, Asbel Dwayne, after her father, whom she describes today as “a devoted man of God.” In turn,
“I may never nail a shingle on a roof,” said Katie, “but I treasure the conversations I have getting to know clients and hearing their stories.”
Asbel’s parents passed the name on to their son. Interestingly, the name has Hebrew origins. It means “God is my strength.”
As Dwayne and Angela pass the baton, Asbel’s mother had this bit of common-sense advice: “Nothing is free. If you want to be successful, you're gonna have to work hard.” With a name that speaks of God as his source of strength and the legacy of those before him, together Asbel and Katie proudly accept the mantle of this responsibility. Family and faith are woven into every aspect of their lives. As for their sons, Kamden (12) and Micah (7), they have already found their way up a ladder and onto a rooftop. They are, after all, Beasley boys.
Asbel and Katie's two boys are already learning the roofing trade.
Monday-Friday: 8 AM–5 PM
(seasonal): 9 AM–12 PM
Your Child, Your Trust, Our Care
Our Providers
Front row: Shayla Sellers, FNP-C, Etta Boss-Cole, MD, Leah Waller, PA-C, Back row: Amanda Shea
RONNIE STEWART’S MEMOIR RECOUNTS HIS JOURNEY FROM POVERTY TO BECOMING A DEDICATED FUNERAL DIRECTOR, SERVING THOUSANDS WITH COMPASSION THROUGH A LIFE MARKED BY HARDSHIP, OVERCOMING...AND MARRIAGES.
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
In Life Death & R A Servant's Heart
onnie Stewart was sixteen when he observed his first autopsy and assisted with the embalming that followed. Throughout the process, he asked the Lyons funeral director, Mr. Cooper, a thousand questions. That night, as he lay in bed going over every detail, he knew without a doubt that he wanted to become an embalmer. Many years later, Mr. Stewart would reflect on that day as a pivotal moment in his long career as a funeral home director. At the age of sixty-six, he documented his journey in an autobiography, which he entitled Sixty-Six Years, Thousands of Funerals, & Five Wives.
To be perfectly honest, it’s doubtful I would have read a book about the life of a funeral director, but the “Five Wives” got my attention. After finishing the book, I can say that the story is much more than I imagined. In fact, I believe every high school student in our county would benefit from the historical context of Mr. Stewart’s book.
Some will appreciate his story for the memories it will invoke. Others will call to mind stories told by older relatives of people long gone and places that no longer exist. However, for Mr. Stewart, the book was written for the thousands of families who entrusted him with their loved ones during a difficult time of loss.
Ronnie’s story begins in North Carolina, where he was born. In 1951, when he was about four years old, his father, Fred Stewart, moved the family to Lyons, Georgia, where they worked as sharecroppers alongside Ronnie’s paternal grandfather. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing in those early years. The toilet was an outhouse, and water was drawn from a well. (Theirs had two catfish in it.) His mother did all the cooking on a wood stove inside the house, regardless of the season. And twice a week, the ice man delivered a fifty-pound block of ice wrapped in burlap. It was then put in a hole about two feet deep and six feet long underneath the house, which was built high off the ground for ventilation.
When Ronnie was eight, the family moved to Santa Claus and worked as sharecroppers for Mr. W. J. Culberson. Still, there was no plumbing, and water was drawn from a well. In summer, it was Ronnie’s job to harrow the cotton, which was done with a wooden farm implement and pulled by the family’s two mules. “At eight years old, I simply didn’t have the strength to hold the plow to the proper pitch in the front in order for it to dig in, which is what it had to do….” But his father had a fix for that. He “built a little seat in front” of the wooden plow for Ronnie’s four-year-old sister, Punk, to sit on to weigh it down.
RONNIE'S EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR MR. COOPER AT THE LYONS FUNERAL HOME WHEN HE WAS SIXTEEN HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON HIS CAREER PATH. HIS HIGH SCHOOL'S DIVERSIFIED COOPERATIVE TRAINING PROGRAM GAVE HIM A START, BUT HIS DIRECTION WAS SHIFTED BY VIETNAM...AND LIFE. HE EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO MORTUARY SCHOOL IN DALLAS, TEXAS, BEFORE RETURNING TO TOOMBS COUNTY TO START HIS OWN FUNERAL HOME.
Ronnie was about eleven when the family moved to Lyons for his father to open a slaughterhouse. Ronnie and Punk were often sent out to a farm with the family truck to chase hogs and cows to load and bring back to be slaughtered, which was also part of the children’s regular chores. Occasionally, writes Mr. Stewart, Lyons would get the excitement of a loose animal in town. “Once a cow even went crashing through a plate glass window of a restaurant…” wrote Stewart.
In addition to the slaughterhouse, there were holding pens for the animals, a meat market, a small grocery store, a café, and their little house, which was all on a “threequarter plot of land.” Location is everything, they say, and the location said it all. Even though the house sat “in the poorest part of town,” it had an indoor bathroom and tub, which made them all feel as close to royalty as it could get in Toombs County.
There will be those who remember Dot’s Drive-In, named for Ronnie’s mom, a small drive-in his dad added to the little plot of land. According to Ronnie, the other drive-in in town, called The Snack Ship, served a different class of people than Dot’s Drive-In. The family’s drive-in on the wrong side of the tracks was Ronnie’s escape. Every day after school, he went to work at the slaughterhouse. When it closed for the day, he and his sister Punk ran the drive-in. It’s no wonder he did poorly in school. After failing tenth grade, Ronnie dropped out.
But his experience with Mr. Cooper at the funeral home had impacted him so much that he enrolled in Lyons High School to repeat the tenth grade to train with the funeral director through the school’s “diversified cooperative training program.” In May 1965, Ronnie graduated from high school, and made plans to go to embalming school. It was certainly not the typical teenage dream job, but it was still a mighty lofty dream for someone living in the poorest part of town.
After a few months of internship at a funeral home in Salem, Georgia, Ronnie’s father and a family friend
helped him get a bank loan to go to embalming school in Nashville, Tennessee. On the way, he met a car on a curve on a rain-slick mountain road and went off the side of the mountain. The car was totaled, but he still had to make the payments, “as there was no insurance,” he writes. Ronnie returned to Lyons to work again, cutting meat and helping Mr. Cooper part-time at the funeral home. He had only been back in Lyons a few days when a young woman he had been seeing in Salem, named Jill, showed up with the news that she was pregnant. The two were married
the following weekend. Ronnie was eighteen at the time. It didn’t take long to discover Jill had lied about the pregnancy, but she assured Ronnie the motivation for lying was love. She wanted only to be with him. (Hold that thought.)
In the meantime, it was the height of the Vietnam War. Knowing his number would soon be called, Ronnie enlisted in the Army and signed up with the Medical Corps. After boot camp and advanced individual training as a medic, he was assigned to a contagious ward at the San Antonio Hospital in Texas. He loved everything
about the work at the hospital and even got a job working nights and weekends at a local funeral home for more experience.
In 1967, Ronnie shipped out to Udorn, Thailand. Five months into his overseas tour, he received a “Dear John” letter from his wife, Jill, to inform him that she had found someone new and wanted a divorce. I don’t want to spoil the story, so I’ll leave the events that followed to the reader.
Ronnie finally made it to mortuary school in Dallas, Texas, in 1969. After a year in Lawrenceville, Georgia, working with Tom M. Wages Funeral Service, Ronnie returned to Toombs County and partnered with county clerk of court, Fred Tippett, to purchase Frank Murchison Funeral Home in Vidalia. “I didn’t know a dozen people by name when I came to Vidalia. Those five miles between Lyons and Vidalia were a long five miles in those days.”
The 9th chapter of the book is informative. For a layperson with a queasy stomach when it comes to such things, Ronnie’s description of how things used to be done in the funeral business, as told to him by Vidalia’s longtime Funeral Director Frank
Murchison, is horrifying. But it’s also fascinating. I was like the person in a scary movie with my hands over my eyes, watching between the gaps of my fingers. Even so, his rendering gave me pause. “As primitive as this may sound,” writes Ronnie, “it was a way of life and truly a special event in the community back then…. Families and communities were much closer and cared more for each other.”
Ronnie married Joyce on December 31, 1969. He was certain she was his true love. He and Joyce, had two children, Jamie and Christi. On April 1, 1971, at the age of twenty-four, Ronnie opened his first funeral home business called Stewart and Tippett. His first call came nine days later when his cousin, Jimmy Stewart, was killed in an automobile wreck. “…it tore me to pieces,” he writes. This was what Ronnie had signed up for, but that didn’t stop it from breaking his heart. Even so, he found comfort in preparing his cousin’s body so that the family could have those last hours together.
Nineteen months later, due to Fred Tippett’s failing health, Ronnie bought out his partner, and the funeral
home became Ronnie L. Stewart Funeral Home. Serving a community as a funeral director takes a special kind of person. I guess that’s obvious, but Ronnie’s book brought that home. Not only does the director navigate decisions with families during their most difficult time, but he also walks with them through their grief, offering guidance as well as comfort. I honestly had no idea how demanding the work involved in this profession was. Not only is a funeral director on call twenty-four hours, seven days a week, but they must also be available at a moment’s notice.
“In the late 1990s and early 2000s, corporations swept the state of Georgia, promising the moon and stars to funeral homes,” said Ronnie. He sold the funeral home in 2000 to an Atlanta-based operation and worked for them until 2006. Disgusted by their operation practices, Ronnie resigned in 2006, and, brokenheartedly, watched it fall apart. In 2011, the corporation offered it back to him, and he bought it back and picked up proudly where he left off.
Ronnie and Joyce were married for almost twenty years. When their marriage ended, Joyce was the one who
Ronnie and Carol celebrated their nineteenth wedding anniversary in 2025.
left. Even so, nowhere in Ronnie’s story does he shift blame for his own mistakes and failures. “Over the years,” he writes, “I have fallen off the wagon, climbed back on, fell off, climbed back on. I have been weak, then strong, then weak…”
His words reminded me of passages from the Psalms. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (ref. Psalms 51:3 NIV).
It’s one thing to put “and five wives” in the title of your book; it’s another thing to live to tell about it. Never did Ronnie imagine that he would go through divorce again. But, as the title implies, it would not be the last time. In fact, Ronnie would marry and divorce twice more before he married Carol.
Ronnie and Carol, his fifth wife, celebrated their nineteenth anniversary this year (2025). Perhaps calling her the love of his life seems satirical, but it’s true, nonetheless. Ronnie Stewart has never worked or loved with less than 100% of his heart, and his love has finally been reciprocated in his marriage to Carol.
When I finished Ronnie Stewart’s book, Ernest Hemingway’s famous quote immediately came to mind: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” It was a brave thing to share
“I’ve lived a life of service,” said Ronnie, “And I’m so thankful for the life I’ve had.”
his story, I told him. But I don’t believe he’s concerned by the judgment of the judgers. That sort of thing has a way of coming back around. The book’s purpose was to show his appreciation to those who trusted him with their loved ones. I still say it was a brave thing to do.
Knowing his love for the work, I asked, “Why sell in 2021?”
Ronnie’s answer was simple and to the point. “Age.” With no one to take over the business in the event of illness or death, he sold Ronnie L. Stewart Funeral Homes in Vidalia and Glenwood. “But after three months of misery, and not knowing what to do with myself, I opened a business selling storage buildings, gazebos, and such on the outskirts of Vidalia on Mt. Vernon Road.”
He also purchased two vehicles, equipped them as mini-hearses, and opened a transport company supporting other funeral homes. With a couple of relief drivers, he transports coroner calls for Toombs County and several other funeral homes in the area. So, if you visit the storage building sales office and there’s a note on the door, he’s out on a transport call.
Ronnie is back on 24/7 call again, which is just how he likes it. “I have a saying,” Ronnie smiled, “If you recline, you decline; you slow down, you go down; and if you don’t use it, you lose it.” His transport company has taken him as far West as Wichita, KS, North to New Jersey, and South to Miami.”
Even at seventy-eight, Ronnie Stewart cannot settle down with a glass of tea and a rocking chair. Perhaps it’s the result of his upbringing. Or perhaps it’s his way of continuing to help families in their darkest hour. “I’ve lived a life of service,” said Ronnie, “And I’m so thankful for the life I’ve had.”
In all truth, the odds were against him. But when others turned away from the dead and those who grieved, he turned to them and served them. While everyone else looked for a reason not to attend a funeral, Ronnie walked with mourners and laid their loved ones to rest.
There’s no way to prepare for some things in life, especially the loss of a loved one. But at that moment, we never forget the kindness from family and close friends who walked beside us during that time. For the thousands of families Ronnie Stewart has served with compassion and excellence, we want to give our thanks. Thank you, Mr. Stewart, for weeping with those who weep.
Sixty-Six Years, Thousands of Funerals, & Five Wives is available on Amazon.
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
By Way
of the Dahlias
Amanda Higgins brings her vision to life by creating an award-winning event venue that honors Vidalia’s railroad heritage while serving as a vibrant center for community gatherings and celebrations.
WWhen Amanda Higgins chose to rescue the old building on the corner of SW Main Street in Vidalia and transform it into an event venue, she turned to the origin of the city’s name for inspiration. At the center of the stories and legends sat the railroad, the undeniable catalyst for Vidalia’s commerce and growth. The town was initially called Jenkins Station. W. T. Jenkins was the proprietor of the naval store that sat next to the Savannah, Americus, and Montgomery (SAM) train depot. But when the town was incorporated in 1890, it was named Vidalia. And here is where Amanda discovered the perfect name for her new venture.
The legend goes that a daughter of Samuel Hawkins, president of the Savannah, Americus, and Montgomery (SAM) Railway “…may have found the name on a document or map referring to Vidalia, Louisiana, or she may have contracted the words ‘via’ and ‘dahlia’ (by the route of the dahlias) to form the name” (toombsconnect.com). Like any good legend, the truth cannot be verified. But the legend was enough to inspire Amanda to name her new event venue “The Dahlia.”
The old building was built to serve the Union Depot. According to the Ray City history blog, “In 1912, the Georgia & Florida Railroad constructed a Union Depot at Vidalia, GA, about 100 miles above Ray City. The station would also serve the Seaboard Air Line Railway and the Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad, creating a significant transportation hub” and included “the passenger depot, baggage room, express office and a restaurant” (raycityhistory.wordpress.com). According to
the blog, the Union Depot was “torn down around the 1970s to make way for US Highway 280,” but the old train storage building remained and had, in fact, continued to serve the community.
When a friend learned that Amanda was looking for a building, she suggested the old railway storage warehouse. Amanda was certain it was a waste of time. Not only had the building sat vacant for many years, but it also covered 10,000 square feet. “That was much more than I was looking for,” she said. But the friend insisted she take a look. As soon as Amanda stepped inside the crumbling, dilapidated building, she was overcome with a sense of nostalgia for a past she had never known. In what could only be described as a vision, she said, “I instantly saw what it could be.” When she shared her ideas with her husband, Michael, he said, “Okay. Let’s do it.”
It was not exactly how Amanda and Michael imagined they would spend their years in “retirement.” Originally from Southern Illinois, Amanda had served for 11 years as district director for former Illinois state senator Dale Righter before taking a position in human resources at Marathon Petroleum, where she and Michael first met. Michael worked in operations with the company for twenty-five years. “They moved us to Dickinson,
North Dakota, for him to run the site there,” said Amanda.
After Michael retired from Marathon, the couple made plans to move to Georgia. “We had talked about moving to Georgia when we retired, and it seemed the right time,” said Amanda. “It was our ‘adventure.’” When Amanda was offered a job with Superheat in Augusta as their business development manager, it confirmed their decision, and they moved from North Dakota to Augusta, Georgia, in 2021.
Soon, Amanda was traveling all over the southeast with her new job. In the meantime, it took Michael all of one month to decide he had had enough of retirement. When he accepted the position of Operations Manager with LanzaJet in Soperton in 2022, the couple moved to Vidalia to be closer to the refinery.
Amanda had been in Vidalia for only a year when the idea for a new business venture sent her to the old building on the corner of SW Main. Before the couple decided to invest time and resources in restoring and renovating the building, they had a structural engineer from Savannah conduct an inspection. “He works with their historic buildings there, so we really trusted his opinion.”
The engineer later told the Higgins that when he first pulled up to the building, he was sure it would be to condemn it. “He walked every inch of it, taking detailed notes and making sketches,” said Amanda. “Surprisingly, there was very little structural work to repair.” That is not to say it would be easy. After
Photo from Ladsen Geneological Library
purchasing the old building in early 2023, Amanda began a search for the right contractor. “When we met Kelvin Manning,” owner of MMI Construction & Engineering Inc., “we knew he was the right one for the job,” said Amanda.
Along with some structural work on the foundation, the entire front part of the building was gutted. New walls were constructed. New electrical and plumbing systems were also needed. “There was just one tiny
bathroom in the front part of the building,” said Amanda. A kitchen was added to the front of the building, and large bathrooms to the back.
In addition, the building would get a new heating and air system, a sound system, and a fire suppression system. With a name like The Dahlia, landscaping was an essential part of the project and entrusted to the capable services of Vidalia’s GG's Landscaping and Design, Inc.
When Amanda met with Chase
and Rosalie Tipps and described to them some of the things she envisioned for the building, she said, “They saw what I could only imagine. I hired them to turn what I saw in my head into reality. I would describe the ‘feel’ I was looking for in a certain space, and they would make it happen.”
Today, Chase and Rosalie’s work is visible in every corner of the building, giving warmth and life through colors and decorative touches. Several
Amanda and Michael Higgins moved to Vidalia in 2022, but it didn't take long for them to become a vital part of the community.
Events at the Dahlia range from weddings and proms to Christmas parties and corporate gatherings. They have also partnered with local civic organizations to host a variety of community events.
pieces in the event center were hand-built by Chase, including a beautifully designed, handmade bar that is absolutely breathtaking. “It’s the centerpiece of The Hall,” said Amanda. (The Hall is a 5,000 square foot area that serves as the main event space.)
“Chase also built the shelving and the island,” she added. Without a doubt, the work of this talented couple brings magic to the space.
The Dahlia held its first event in February 2024. “It was the annual fundraiser for the Gardens of Hope and The Forge,” said Amanda. “But our first booking was for November of 2023 while we were still ‘mid-mess.’” Amanda smiled. “It was made for Robert Toombs’ upcoming prom in April 2024. In all, The Dahlia hosted 49 events in its first year of operation. “For 2025, we already have 59 events booked,” and this was only August, “and ten already booked for 2026.”
Past events at The Dahlia include weddings, proms, fundraisers, baby and bridal showers, school teacher retreats hosted by school systems, Christmas parties, and celebration-of-life events. The event venue has accommodated countless corporate events that have included “…city police training for local agencies, managers’ quarterly Georgia Power meetings, the Onion Association’s annual event, and many others.”
In 2025, The Dahlia hosted its first annual wedding expo, which was a great success. “We plan to continue the tradition each year,” said Amanda. “We’ve also partnered with the City of Vidalia, the Downtown Vidalia Association, the Greater Vidalia Chamber, and the Vidalia Onion Festival to host a variety of events.” Amanda currently serves
“From the electrical to heating and air, from flooring to appliances, it was important to us to spend local as much as possible,” said Amanda.
In each step of the renovation process, Amanda and Micheal were intentional about seeking local contractors and suppliers whenever possible. With this in mind, they tapped into the skills of local designers Chase and Rosalie Tipps (left) as the lead for turning Amanda's vision for the building into reality.
on the Vidalia Onion Run committee and uses her facility to host the official After Run Party. “Additionally, we proudly host Bingo Night and other events in partnership with the United Way,” she added.
Amanda serves on the United Way board of directors and several of its committees. She’s also a member of the Kiwanis Board of Directors and a graduate of the Greater Vidalia Chamber Leadership Program, Class of 2025.
With a full schedule of events, Amanda now dedicates all her time to managing The Dahlia, while Michael works
part-time in consulting. For the Higgins, the sense of community here was like coming home. “We both grew up in small rural towns in southern Illinois.” Amanda smiled, adding, “You've got Chicago, and then you've got the rest of the state. We grew up in the rest of the state with corn fields in a small community where you respected your elders and went to church on Sunday.” Even so, she did confess that the heat in South Georgia took a bit of getting used to.
During the renovation, many locals stopped by to share bits and pieces of the building’s history. “From what we’ve been
The Higgins had their work cut out for them. The original storage depot had sat vacate for many years and they weren't sure about its structural integrity. As Amanda began searching for a suitable contractor, she met Kelvin Manning, owner of MMI Construction & Engineering. “ We knew he was the right one for the job,” said Amanda.
able to gather, we believe it was built by the railroad in the early 1900s,” said Amanda. A short YouTube video posted by the Georgia and Florida Trail, entitled “Vidalia, Georgia began as a Railroad Town,” provides a fantastic account of the railway in Vidalia’s early days, featuring historic photos and maps of the downtown. The presentation ends with a tribute to Amanda and Michael Higgins for the renovation and restoration work on The Dahlia, which was first built by the railroad for storage and supplies. “The train would come in on the track that ran this way,” pointing to the right side of the building, “and load up trucks on the loading docks.”
According to Amanda, the Tollisons were the first private owners. In fact, “Tollison and Company” was still faintly visible on the building the first time she saw it. “From what we’ve gathered, the Tollisons used it as a grocery warehouse.” Mary Helen Moses, the daughter of June (Tollison) Moses and the granddaughter of Mr. Tollison, was one of many visitors who shared information about the building's history with Amanda.
After June Moses’ passing on June 21, 2024, the family planned a Celebration of Life service at The Dahlia. The service was scheduled for September 28, 2024, which
was also the weekend Hurricane Helene decided to pay us a visit. “Needless to say, they canceled that weekend,” smiled Amanda. The family of June Moses rescheduled the event, which was held at The Dahlia on January 25, 2025. In appreciation for the new life Amanda and Michael have given the place that holds such wonderful family memories, “The family gifted us with the piano from Ms. June's home. It was the piano that the whole family had learned how to play on throughout the years,” said Amanda.
After Tollison and Company closed, details about the building are unclear. But in 1980, Arlis Rigdon moved his printing presses into the building and opened Rigdon Printing. According to his obituary, Mr. Rigdon started his career with The Advance in 1941. “After a 39-year career with the Vidalia Advance, he founded Rigdon Printing in Vidalia, which he successfully operated for 35 years.”
“When we began renovations,” said Amanda, “his daughter, Diane Rigdon Miller, was one of the first people I spoke with. In our conversations, we learned that the printing press we saved and have on display in the building was Mr. Rigdon’s favorite printing press.”
The Dahlia is an integral part of the history that made
109 CHURCH STREET • VIDALIA, GEORGIA (912) 538-8981 www.arlenesfinejewelry.net
Vidalia what it is today. In fact, the business was awarded 1st Place in Best Event Services/ Venues in a contest held by the Greater Vidalia Chamber of Commerce. (Chamber Members chose the winners.)
Whether Vidalia was named from a map of Louisiana or for the meaning: “by the route of the dahlias,” The Dahlia honors the history of Vidalia and the families who made it what it is today. Like the Higgins, the dahlia is not native to this area but originates from Mexico and Central America. And like the Higginses, our area has provided this beautiful transplant the perfect conditions in which to flourish.
For more information or to book an event, visit: www.thedahliaga.com
Looking to the Future
This aerial view of the Dahlia prior to renovation indicates its location next to a portion of the Georgia Florida Rail to Trail (G&F Trail) that will run through Vidalia. The G&F Trail project aims at converting abandoned portions of the historic Georgia & Florida Railroad corridor into a multi-use trail for biking, walking and other recreational activities. It will eventually cover 200-plus miles from Augusta to Madison, Florida. To make this possible, the trail has been divided into project sections. The Sweet Onion Rail Trail (SORT) is the section that runs through Vidalia and construction began in August 2024. To learn more visit www.youtube.com/@georgiafloridatrail1196
Ethan and Haley Morrison
Building Bridges of Hope and Health
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY THE FULLER EFFECT PHOTOGRAPHY
After careers in banking and healthcare ministry, Luis Gonzalez's pro-life advocacy led him to Rachel’s House–an organization which has served thousands through compassionate, Christ-centered care.
In a survey sponsored by Care Net, a nonprofit organization supporting more than 1,100 pregnancy centers across North America, researchers found that many women with unexpected pregnancies go silently from the church pew to the abortion clinic making the need for compassion and care more important than ever. (focusonthefamily.com)
In 2025, Luis Gonzalez became the executive director of Rachel’s House Pregnancy Clinic and associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Vidalia. Although the religious community has sometimes been a place of judgment and shame for those facing an unplanned pregnancy, these two positions come together in Christ for Luis. Rather than condemn, he accepted both positions for the same purpose: to help, support, and encourage those in need with a message of “truth, hope, help, and healing.”
From a young age, Luis felt a calling in his heart to ministry. He prepared for whatever the future might hold by pursuing a degree in Christian Ministries at BrewtonParker College (now BrewtonParker Christian University). While in college, he served in various leadership roles at South Thompson Baptist Church and worked part-time at Handy Andy’s Home Center in Vidalia.
Luis also filled in for church services whenever needed. “In the Baptist Church,” he explained, “they have something called ‘pulpit supply.’ If the church is without a pastor or if the pastor will be out on a particular Sunday, I would go and preach. I did that for about ten years.”
After graduating from BPC in 2011, he took a position as a teller at BB&T (now Truist) and quickly advanced to branch manager. With his excellent leadership skills and financial expertise, Luis was soon managing both the Vidalia branch and the Swainsboro branch.
While at South Thompson Baptist Church, Luis met his wife, Kristen, also a graduate of BPC. The two married in January 2013 and served as youth pastors for a time. With a degree in early childhood education, Kristen also taught at Vidalia Heritage Academy for several years. Today, she considers homeschooling the couple’s three children, Adelaide (8), Nolan (5), and Nathaniel (2) as a personal calling.
After five years with BB&T, Luis took a lender position at the Bank of Soperton (now Georgia First). In 2019, while continuing to work for the Soperton Bank, he accepted the pastoral position at Ailey Baptist Church. Two years later, Luis left banking to take the position of Director of Ministry at The Mercy Ministries. As a bi-vocational pastor, he worked full-time at Mercy while continuing to serve in his position as pastor of the church in Ailey.
Since 2009, The Mercy Ministries mission has been “dedicated to serving our community, ensuring patients receive the support they need while demonstrating God’s love through every service.” The ministry “provides
Luis stepped into the position of Executive Director at Rachel’s House in June 2025. (Above) He works with staff members Jill Miller, Nurse Manager, Alexandria Royal and Katie Beasley to ensure the clinic runs smoothly focusing on the well-being of the women it serves.
essential healthcare to over 600 low-income, uninsured adults in South Georgia, offering compassionate, highquality medical care” with clinics in Lyons and Graham. (In 2025, The Mercy Ministries received 1st Place for Best Civic and Service Organization in the Best of Greater Vidalia® competition.)
Luis loved the work at Mercy and might still be there today had it not been for a trip to the Capitol to attend a hearing concerning House Bill (HB) 441, known as the “Georgia Prenatal Equal Protection Act.” The bill introduced “…new provisions that would treat an unborn child as a legal person at all stages of development, with criminal and civil protections similar to those afforded to born persons” (billtrack50.com).
When Luis learned about HB 441, he and his wife made plans to attend the hearing. He had always been a strong advocate of the pro-life cause. “As a Christian, I was
burdened by the cultural view that the baby in the womb is just a clump of cells.” To better understand the issue, he had done his research and looked at the information and procedures offered to pregnant women by pro-choice agencies. It was a message he could only describe as a dark hole of lies and deception. If anything, he felt even more compassion for those who found themselves in an unplanned pregnancy without being given all the options and the true costs mentally, physically, and emotionally, so that a more informed decision could be made. Now, for the father of three, the spiritual and moral issue of abortion weighed even more heavily on his heart. Even though the bill did not pass out of committee this past legislative session, Luis and other advocates remain hopeful that it will get another chance in 2026.
Luis was not looking to leave the ministry at Mercy. It was work for which he felt a deep passion. However,
Luis and his wife Kristen met at South Thompson Baptist Church. They have three children–Nolan, Adelaide and Nathaniel–that Kristen, an educator, homeschools.
his presence and support for HB 441 at the hearing were noted by others in attendance who were involved in the ministry at Rachel’s House Pregnancy Clinic in Vidalia. When board members at Rachel’s House began searching for a new Executive Director, Luis’s name came up repeatedly from both board members and pastors as well as ministry leaders in the community.
Luis stepped into the position as Executive Director at Rachel’s House in June 2025. But it would not be the only change the year would bring for him and his family. Three months later, he left his position as pastor at the church in Ailey to accept the position as associate pastor at First Baptist Church Vidalia. His path in ministry had always been organic. It wasn’t forced or pursued. The calling to ministry was always about “following Christ” rather than pursuing a title or position.
“Sometimes we think, ‘If I'm not pastoring or if I'm not a missionary, then I'm not doing the Lord's work,’ said Luis. “But that's not the case. God wants us in the workplace, in the school systems, in the home, honoring him and obeying his word.” It’s doing the work of the ministry in all the world, and in every place as Christians are instructed to do by Jesus in Mark 16:15.
“Ministry is definitely broader than we may think,” said Luis. “As pastors, we want to equip people for the ‘work of the ministry.’” For a biblical reference, see Ephesians 4:12. “This is not intended to detract from the need and purpose of the church. But many organizations are Christ-centered and doing much-needed work in the community, and this is also fulfilling a calling to ministry.”
For Luis, God’s calling has been known through an ongoing relationship with Jesus. “It’s been a very organic experience,” he said. “God has moved and placed me with the right people in different places at the right time. The journey is a step here and a step there process.”
This past September (2025), Rachel’s House brought board members and donors together for an appreciation dinner at the old train depot in Lyons to celebrate the 15 years Rachel’s House has been in operation. Luis shared with those gathered the origin of Rachel’s House. “The idea for a pregnancy center originated from a conversation between Bucky Kennedy, then pastor of First Baptist Church in Vidalia, and Jan Holt.”
In 2010, Rachel’s House saw its first patient. Between that time and 2024, the clinic has seen nearly 6,000 patients and performed over 3,600 ultrasounds. Studies show that among women who have undergone an ultrasound, 78% choose to continue their pregnancy.
“We are technically a medical clinic, offering a range of medical services that include education services, as well as several programs that also include abortion recovery,” said Luis. “Our vision is to be the first
choice for women in unplanned pregnancies. We want to be there to support them with compassion through what is often the most difficult time of their lives.
“We are a Christian ministry, so we strive to honor the Lord in everything we do as we promote life,” said Luis. “As a ministry, Rachel’s House enables us to share the gospel with our patients. To date, we’ve shared Jesus with nearly 2,000 patients and distributed over 1,100 Bibles. Most importantly, there have been over 300 decisions for life, meaning patients who were considering abortion chose instead to give birth and parent their child. And that is why we exist—to equip pregnant women to make life-affirming decisions.” In 2024, patients at Rachel’s House participated in 186 parenting classes through BrightCourse, an online video streaming service that offers educational videos to patients.
Abortion is a hot topic in many places. “Our community is unique,” said Luis. “Organizations like ours in major cities near universities face challenges we don't encounter here. But we can be certain that as soon as our children go to college, they will encounter the propaganda of the pro-choice message. As parents, we should not—I dare say cannot—assume
“God has moved and placed me with the right people in different places at the right time,” said Luis. “The journey is a step here and a step there process.”
are equipped with the truth simply because of where they grow up and/ or go to church on Sundays. It is our responsibility to teach and train our children the truth at home, not merely with words, but also with our lives, so that when faced with a choice, they at least have something inside of them that sets off a warning when they hear half-truths and propaganda. For example, there is much misinformation concerning the ‘Morning After Pill,’ an abortion method easily obtained through the mail without any parental or doctor’s knowledge.”
Hearing an opposing message is not the issue, according to Luis, when we have provided our children with a foundation of truth at home to equip them to make informed decisions, knowing that at some point, convictions and beliefs become personal decisions, as they must. “Outside of the ministry of the church, this is the most important work to be done today. And I don't know if you could convince me otherwise.”
Day 1: fertilization: all human chromosomes are present; unique human life begins
Day 22: heart begins to beat with the child's own blood, often a different type than the mothers
Week 8: Every organ is in place, bones begin to replace cartilage, and fingerprints begin to form. By the 8th week the baby can begin to hear (https://sacfl.org)
“Even though we have a six-week ban on abortion in Georgia,” said Luis, “there will still be, on average, over 30,000 babies aborted in our state this year alone.” According to the Guttmacher Institute, a leading research and policy organization, “New findings from the Monthly Abortion Provision Study show that an estimated 1,037,000 abortions
Designs that welcome you home
occurred in the formal health care system in 2023…. It is also the highest number and rate measured in the United States in over a decade” (www.guttmacher.org/).
“The only reason I'm at Rachel's House,” said Luis, “is because the Lord was doing something in my heart when I couldn’t even see it.
I had this passion within me to learn and know as much as I could so that I was not just critical, but knowledgeable.” As a community, we are grateful for this important ministry and the minister who allowed God to define his calling to ministry.
Agent Kailey Dees’ daughters, Ruthie and Emi
Kailey Debbie Daisy Linda Baleigh
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY EVAN RIEKHOF, EZ-E PHOTOGRAPHY
IN HER OWN WORDS
She thought she was missing out. All the other girls in Freehold, New Jersey, were going places she wasn’t allowed to go. Doing things she wasn’t allowed to do. She tried sneaking around behind her parents’ backs, but somehow her dad’s blackand-white police car would always show up. He was a police detective, after all. Finally, Robin decided she had had enough. With a tilt of her chin, the young fifteen-year-old girl announced she was done with school. Although Robin had no plan beyond what she would not do, Robert Lee and Beatrice Wilson did.
“My parents sat me down and said, ‘We want you to do well. So, we’re going to give you the opportunity to spend your sophomore year of high school with your grandparents.’” Robin’s maternal grandparents, Harry Lee and Catherine Murphy, lived in Vidalia, Georgia. When given the chance to live with them and go to school for a year in Vidalia, Robin thought it was her ticket out. But it was here in Toombs County’s small-town way of life that Robin found her footing. And once she found it, there was no stopping her. A purpose had been planted in her heart
in Vidalia. Her introduction to the power of words through literature, writing, drama, and theatre had awakened a calling. And with it, she was going to change the world.
When Robin returned home to attend the following year of school in New Jersey, she took as many classes as she could in the humanities. After graduating in 1983, she continued her education with vocational courses in New Jersey and Raleigh, North Carolina, and earned a certification in child development. Home economics had also become a focus for Robin. She believed the two went hand in hand. Good nutrition was, after all, an important part of a child’s healthy development.
In 1988, Robin returned to Georgia. “I just felt my home, my family roots, were here.” Only, this time, it was with purpose and with a plan. Her plan was simple—she believed she was called to change the world, and words, both spoken and written, were a vital part of that mission.
Robin first settled in Soperton, where she met and married her husband, Joseph Griffin. While raising their young daughter, Shanta, Robin began classes at Swainsboro Technical College. Although she had not yet completed her
Robin Griffin’s journey from teenage rebellion to purpose-driven service reflects resilience, faith, and the transformative power of words.
degree, a VA-supported facility in Soperton with a ward for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients offered her a job and additional training.
“It was a unique experience,” said Robin. “When the memory is lost, many times that person will return to the helplessness and innocence of being a child again.” For five years, Robin used her voice to bring comfort, reassurance, and love to those she served.
As she and her husband continued to build a life together in the small-town community of Soperton, one of the people Robin came to know was Ms. Yvonne Mosley, the owner of a large daycare in town. “I was visiting her at the daycare one day when she told me she was looking to sell her daycare. Then she said, ‘I would love for you to buy it.’” Robin smiled. “I went home and asked my husband whether they could manage the $75,000 she was asking. I was so excited. He said, ‘Robbie, how are we going to pay that?’” She laughed. “But somehow, we worked it out.”
In 1993, Robin obtained her Family Child Care Learning Home (FCCLH) license to begin caring for children in her home. In 1995, she obtained her Child Care Learning Center (CCLC) license for a non-residential facility, which she named Harvest Time Daycare Facility. With the opening, she made history. “I became the first African American to own and operate a daycare facility in Treutlen County,” she smiled.
Even so, Robin faced many obstacles in making her business a success. “Ms. Mosley had mostly
Caucasian children in her daycare. When I opened, all but two of them left.” But that just made room for others whose lives would be changed by the love and life of Robin Griffin. “We had a mixture of families come in. We were all together,” as it should be. And the children came in droves. Robin served 100 children ages infant to eighteen.
“When I first opened, the welfare system had created generational mindsets for many of these families. It was more profitable not to marry. Fathers weren’t there, or if they were, they weren’t recognized on birth certificates because it would affect the Welfare check the family received. I saw twenty-three-year-old unmarried mothers with six and seven children,” said Robin.
This wasn’t something that had happened overnight. In 1935, the government implemented a program called “Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).” Over generations, it had evolved into an entitlement program. The more babies an unmarried woman had, the bigger the paycheck she received. It
in childcare to a young mother,” said Robin. “It makes me want to cry even now, thinking back on those times. I thought, ‘Who will speak up for these children and help bring change to their families?’”
wasn’t until 1996 that legislation was passed to bring about change. “The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996” was known as welfare reform legislation. “The main purpose of this bill was to repeal Title IV of the Social Security Act of 1935, and the program then known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). This is the only program from the 1935 Social Security Act to ever have been repealed,” according to the official Social Security government website (ssa.gov). Robin paused. “That’s not how I was raised. It did something to me to see the condition of so many homes. My parents had values. My mother cleaned houses and later became a social worker, and my father worked in construction before working with the police department as a police detective.” Robin’s home life provided a foundation that pulled her through even her short period of teenage rebellion.
“When I say that words have impact, that can sometimes mean giving knowledge and basic instruction
Every day, Robin saw firsthand the impact of her words on the lives of these young mothers, the grandparents raising their grandchildren, and, most importantly, the children in her care. “Words give hope. Words can literally change a child’s life.” There were also times when a parent would give Robin guardianship of a child through the court system until they “got themselves together.”
All the while, Robin and Joseph’s own family was growing. In 1990, Joseph was born. Two years later, their daughter, Shadasheia, was born. In 2006, the couple’s youngest son, Joshua, was born.
At the daycare, Robin came to understand the many ways she could influence change, and she took advantage of them all. “When a parent is missing, it’s not the child’s fault if he’s not eating healthy or if his hair is not groomed,” said Robin. “Through
my love and care for their children, parents noticed the difference in their child’s confidence when the child was cared for.” Over time, trust was built, which opened the door for Robin to speak words of wisdom into their lives concerning financial responsibilities and the importance of home life for a child.
Like Mary Poppins, she knew when the wind changed, and it was time to move on to her next mission. “I went to the unemployment office in Dublin, Georgia, and the lady who was helping me said, ‘There’s a company coming here that you may be interested in. You would have to go to school, but it would be paid for.’” The company was Valmiera Glass, which was based in Latvia, a country in Northern Europe. According to their website, “Valmiera Glass Group is one of the leading manufacturers in Europe of products based on glass fiber…” (valmiera-glass. com). Out of the three hundred who applied, twelve were chosen, and Robin was one of them.
She began her training with courses at Oconee Technical College in Dublin. The next step in the process was training at one of two plants in Europe. “There was one plant in Latvia, and one in Germany,” said Robin. “My assignment was in Oschatz, Germany.” For the next three years, she traveled back and forth to Germany. The purpose was to prepare her for work at the new plant that Valmiera Glass was opening in Dublin.
“I would be in Germany for five weeks and home for two,” said Robin. Her husband, Joseph, who works with Beasley Timber Company, cared for their youngest son during that time. “All the rest of the kids were grown by then.” One of Joseph’s schoolteachers became especially important in her son’s life.
“Jonathan Tillery was my son’s teacher. I just loved him. He was phenomenal, and an important part of the team that surrounded my son with love while I was away those five weeks.”
On the surface, the job with Valiera Glass seemed a complete change of direction for Robin. But her life mission had never been limited to a place or
ABOVE When a local judge referred Robin to Blake and Ashley Nicole Tillery to work as a nanny for their two sons, it seemed divine intervention. Robin's years of working with children as well as her faith and compassion made her the perfect fit.
a position. In Robin’s heart, she saw everything she did and every place in which she worked as a ministry. Bringing light and love to the world was not defined by having the “right” job or a particular title. In everything Robin did, and in every place she worked, she served with the same purpose: to change the world, and words were still an important part of that mission even at a glass plant in Germany.
In June 2019, word came that the Dublin plant would close immediately. Local news headlines read: “No warning, no couple of weeks, no
nothing: More than 350 employees affected after Valmiera Glass plant closes.” For explanation, the article stated, “Due to the Latvia proceedings, financial support for the Dublin plant from the mother company is no longer available” (www.13wmaz.com). With the sudden closing of the Dublin plant, Robin was among those out of a job. Some might have considered all the training and traveling a waste of time, but not Robin. Her purpose was not based on the job she held, but on affecting the people she was with.
Back home in Soperton, Robin noticed restoration work on an old
house in Tarrytown. “I learned that Jill and Janice Warner were restoring their father’s old house to open a restaurant. I just said out loud one day, ‘I’m going to work there.’” And when Windmill Restaurant opened for business, that’s precisely what she did.
Robin was still working at the Windmill Restaurant when she got a call. “A judge in Mount Vernon had recommended me to Senator Blake Tillery, who is an attorney, and his wife, Ashlee Nicole Tillery, who is a medical doctor. Their son, John, had just been born, and they were looking for a nanny.” Robin was the fifth person the
Tillerys interviewed for the position. She was offered the position that same day. “They told me they hired me because of my belief and love for God, and that they believed I would love their son,” she said proudly.
In an interesting twist, Robin realized that the young teacher, Jonathan Tillery, who had been such an invaluable support for her son while she was working in Germany, was also her new employer’s younger brother. (Jonathan Tillery now works as an Architectural Draftsman/ Media Marketing Manager for Longleaf Builders, Inc.)
Robin had been with the Tillery family for about three years when she received a phone call with devastating news concerning her son, Joseph. “He had just moved into a new place in Lyons,” said Robin. “His dad had had breakfast with him the day before. It was my day off, so I was home just taking it easy. The man who called didn’t say, ‘Do you have someone with you? Are you sitting down?’ He just said, ‘I went in your son’s room and he’s dead.’”
Although her son had struggled with drug use in the past, he had turned his life around and moved home to be closer to family only a few days earlier. Later, she would learn that her son had been given something laced with fentanyl, which proved fatal.
In that moment, the reality that her son was gone was too much to bear. “I don’t know what a heart attack feels like, or a nervous breakdown, but when I heard those words, I felt as if I would die from the pain of it.” It was only when the Tillerys and other close friends prayed with her that Robin felt the Spirit of God bring a powerful, comforting presence into her heart. The love that surrounded her through these spoken prayers was another reminder of the physical, mental, and emotional power of our words.
As Robin continues to care for John (4) and now William (1) Tillery, she has come full circle. These children are not only “precious in His
NEW SEASON
EFFICIENT HEATING
sight,” but precious in her sight as well. “There’s no greater purpose for our lives than to love a child that is born in this world. To give them love and hope is the greatest ministry of all,” said Robin.
This past November (2025), Robin published her first children’s book entitled Nanny and the Miracle Onion: Nanny's Secret Seed. Her target audience is ages 6 to 10, but this story is one that everyone, regardless of age, will enjoy. The theme that runs through the storyline carries a message of “healing from emotional wounds, deliverance from fear, the power of love and community, faith-based miracles, and divine intervention.”
Since we can’t all have Robin Griffin for a nanny, reading her book to our children and our grandchildren is surely the next best thing. Robin's book can be purchased on Amazon or ordered by email: newhouse821@gmail.com
Building Back One Yard at a Time
This past September 27, 2025, marked one year since Toombs County was hit by the effects of Hurricane Helene. The following dialogue was taken from a conversation with the Mayor of Vidalia, Doug Roper:
“I don’t think anyone could have imagined the level of devastation we received from Hurricane Helene this far inland. Sustained 100 mph winds certainly left a lasting impact, not only on our community, but in our hearts and minds as well. When your community has never been through such an event, coupled with the fact that this storm did not come with a manual or playbook, it required our community to come together like never before.
“In the midst and throws of the aftermath, it was so humbling to witness so many working seamlessly as one. From elected officials, city and county staff, hospital leadership, law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, churches, school systems, several local tree service companies, and untold numbers of volunteers; our community was an example of how to ‘weather
the storm.’ While our landscape might have been permanently changed, or at a minimum, set back several decades, the fabric of what makes us who we are was only strengthened.”
Among the many businesses and organizations that worked to restore our community, landscaping companies literally had their work cut out for them. Not a property went unscathed. On the morning of September 27th, our hearts were heavy with the weight of all the destruction. But with the resilience that makes us “Toombs Strong,” our landscapers helped us remove what was broken and plant something new that will hopefully speak about our community and the hope we have for generations to come.
Many great landscaping companies served and continue to serve our businesses and homes in this county. Although we could not write about them all, in telling these stories, we hope that our gratitude is evident for each and every one of them.
LUIS NINO
Faith, Fields & Freedom
First-generation immigrant Luis Nino, embodies the American Dream through hard work, wisdom and landscaping.
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER
By 6:00 a.m., young Luis was in the strawberry fields in Guanajuato, Mexico. He picked enough strawberries to pay for his lunch and was at school by 8:00 a.m. As one of seven children, he made it as far as the fifth grade before the needs of the family required him to seek full-time employment. Born in 1965, Luis was twelve years old when he got his first fulltime job feeding pigs.
With 1,000 pigs to feed, he worked seven days a week, regardless of whether it was a weekend or a festival day. Many nights, he stayed up to shoot rats that tried to get
into the pig feed. He counted them as he piled them into a wheelbarrow to be paid one peso per rat. When Luis began having seizures, he was taken to a doctor. The diagnosis was simple, the solution, not so much. The seizures, he was told, were caused by a lack of sleep.
By the time Luis was in his teens, he had come to a decision. He could not change the poverty in which he lived, no matter how much or how hard he worked. According to Mark Overmyer-Velázquez’s book Beyond la Frontera: The History of Mexico-U.S. Migration, “Because most ordinary people did not qualify for legal immigration because of U. S. policy changes that took effect after 1965, the only alternative for determined workers became illegal immigration." In 1984, Luis Nino became one of them.
He was 19 years old when he climbed into the trunk of the car with two other people and a spare tire. The only thing greater than the heat was his fear. Luis understood that at any time, the trunk might open, and he would be arrested, or worse, killed by the “coyotes” he had entrusted with his life.
History would look back on the 1980s as Mexico’s “Lost Decade.” The political corruption, drug cartels, and population explosion culminated in a desperate situation for many. The timeline of events would be marked by the 1982 Debt Crisis, the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City, and the notorious political corruption surrounding the 1988 presidential election. “It would take years for Mexico to recover from the devastating crisis of the 1980s,” writes Overmyer-Velázquez.
“When they say they’re going to bring you to the United States, you didn’t know where they’re going to bring you,” said Luis. When the car finally stopped, and the trunk opened, he was relieved to find he was in Texas.
ABOVE Thirty years ago Luis began selling pine straw to Georgia Pine Straw in Lyons and developed a long lasting relationship with its owners, the Williams family. While Luis's landscaping business has grown, he continues to maintain these friendships and to do contract work with Micah Williams.
But the relief Luis felt was short-lived. For four months, he literally begged on the streets for food. He spoke no English, and those from his own country treated him as a threat. “It was not like in Mexico,” said Luis. “When you needed something, the neighbors were there.” But in Texas, it was a “dog-eat-dog” world among the immigrants. If someone found work, those without work were resentful.
When Luis learned that a group of sixty immigrants was traveling to Lyons, Georgia, for fieldwork, he joined them. But when he arrived, there was no work. Luis moved into a trailer with twelve other people. One of the local crew leaders loaned each one $10 a week, and they pooled the loaned money together for food.
Finally, Luis approached the crew leader to ask for a loan. “If you will lend me $500, I will go to Florida and pick strawberries,” he said. “That’s what I was doing in Mexico.” The crew leader agreed to give him the loan, and Luis went to Florida. When the strawberry season ended, he returned to Lyons and repaid his debt. The crew leader was more than a little surprised, but Luis was a man of his word. For the next two years, he followed the planting and harvesting seasons, picking strawberries and cucumbers in
Florida, sweet potatoes and peppers in South Carolina, and tomatoes in Ohio.
For four years, Luis worked and lived under the fear of deportation. He once had to hide in the woods until the risk of capture had passed. Desperation to survive had led him to risk the illegal crossing, but he had no desire to live every moment of his life looking over his shoulder. Until November 6, 1986, it seemed there was no other option but to hide when necessary and work under the radar. But on that momentous day, President Reagan signed into law the “Immigration Reform and Control Act.”
“Among the provisions of the new law was a generous legalization or amnesty provision that allows persons who are unlawfully in the United States to become legal residents if they meet certain requirements” (reaganlibrary. gov). Marlin Fitzwater, Assistant to the President, wrote in April 1988:
By their actions in this country over the past 6 years, they have demonstrated that they deserve the privilege of remaining here in a fully legal status without having to live in an underground society and fearing discovery of their unlawful existence in this great nation. Like other immigrants who have come through normal, lawful channels, they have shown a great willingness to work and contribute to our nation while sharing in our economic well being.
The deadline to apply was May 4, 1988. For Luis, it was the chance of a lifetime. “I think it cost about $500,” he said. Along with proof of employment for a specific period from his employer and a clean record, Luis began the process of citizenship. But many other illegal immigrants were suspicious and, unfortunately, did not take advantage of the opportunity.
When Luis returned to Lyons, he married and started a family. In 1989, his son, Jose Manuel, was born. Around
that same time, Luis met Tommie Williams and his brother, Clint, then owners of Georgia Pine Straw, and he began selling them straw. That was over thirty years ago. He continues to do contract work for Clint and his son, Micah, to this day. To the Williams family, Luis is family, and he, along with his wife, Claudia, his sons, Jose and Angel, and his stepdaughters, Adamary and Monce, are a vital part of our community.
About fifteen years ago, Darrien Ramsey, a partner
Luis's son Jose now helps him full time at Nino's Landscaping.
in Georgia Pine Straw at the time, gave Luis his first two lawnmowers and his first landscaping job. From there, Luis built Nino’s Landscaping. Today, he maintains a long list of clients and provides a wide range of yard maintenance services, including laying pine straw, installing irrigation systems, erecting fences, and planting flower beds.
For Luis, America is home thanks to Ronald Reagan’s Immigration Reform and Control Act. The plan not only provided a path to citizenship but also worked to remove those immigrants who were criminals and/or unable to prove themselves as employed and contributing members of society.
Mexican immigrants have a long history with America. One of the most well-known government programs was the Bracero Program (1942-1964), established during World War II to address labor shortages in the agricultural and railroad industries. When no longer needed, the story of immigration turns ugly. It’s literally been the same political song sung to different tunes over and over again: “We need you to work in our fields, coal mines, and railroads, etc.,” but then cast blame on the same immigrants for the lack of jobs for unemployed Americans.
An article titled “When The U.S. Government Tried To Replace Migrant Farmworkers With High Schoolers,” written for npr.org by Gustavo Arellano, posted on August 23, 2018, recounts the government’s disastrous attempt in 1965 to replace Mexican workers with high school students while on their summer break. The Bracero Program had just ended (another story for another day). Secretary of Labor W. Willard Wirtz, at the time, came up with a plan called the “A-Team,” which stood for “Athletes in Temporary Employment as Agricultural Manpower.” “At the end, the program was considered a giant failure and was never tried again,” writes Arellano.
The path to citizenship is complicated. Besides the expense, there is a risk for illegal immigrants that, in pursuing citizenship, they will be separated from their families for an undetermined amount of time, or worse, deported. Luis had a simple solution.
“Like President Regan did, let them go to the courthouse, pay a fee, and get a Social Security number. Then they could get a driver’s license and work legally. After two or three years, if they have any violations, they get sent back. No questions asked.” It made a lot of sense to me and to a lot of other people I’ve talked to in our community.
“Some Americans who could work don’t because they
abuse the welfare system,” said Luis. “If that were not an option, many would go to work.” It’s difficult to understand a lack of work ethic, and, honestly, a lack of character, for someone like Luis who considers work a privilege.
About five years ago, Luis came down with an unexplainable illness. For three years, he continued to work even though he was in severe pain and had lost a great deal of weight due to the illness. One doctor said it was his gallbladder, so he had it removed. When the pain continued, he visited a doctor in Mexico while visiting family. The doctor diagnosed him with internal shingles. With the correct diagnosis, he made a full recovery.
Luis did not risk his life to come to America for a bigger paycheck. He came because he was hungry. He came hoping to find work. But today, he said, “The situation in Mexico is not the same as it was when I came. There is help and opportunities I did not have.” His advice to anyone hoping to come to America for work is to do so legally. “Apply for a work visa,” he said, as many of his family members and friends have done in recent years. “If you’re willing to work, there are opportunities available.”
Illegal immigration is once again a hot political topic, and for good reason. In recent years, our borders have been unprotected. Although a handful of countries maintain agreements for open borders within specific regions, no country has open borders. At least none that I could find in my research. The reason is straightforward: a country’s national security depends on the safety of its borders.
We could use a lesson from President Reagan’s plan, which not only dealt with illegal immigration but also provided a way for working individuals, families integrated
into communities, and children caught in the middle to make American citizenship official. It’s an important issue for our elected officials to take to heart as we take to the polls in the months ahead.
There are two things that Luis values above all else. First, loyalty. He can never forget those who helped him, trusted him to repay his debt, gave him work, and became his friends. Second, family. Today, his son, Jose, attributes his own strong work ethic to his father. “Growing up, I didn’t understand why I had to work every day. I thought everyone else was having fun, and I was having to work. But I know now that he was doing a good job as a father. The work ethic he instilled in me is worth more than gold to me now.”
In this room where I often write, there is a Mexican saddle. A Charro saddle. It was a gift from Luis to my husband many years ago. He brought it to Clint after a trip to see his family in Mexico. Every time I glance up and see where it sits on its saddle stand, I am reminded of Luis and the gift of his friendship to our family.
Faith, family, and friendship are the foundation of our nation—a nation with a diversity of ancestral roots. Whether we are aware of it or not, most of us have an immigration story in our family history. Although it may not be as recent or dire a circumstance as Luis faced, it most likely had its own complexity and difficulties.
The bonds we form through grit and trust have made us one nation, under God. May we remember the power of our words in prayer for our country to restore its borders while continuing to uphold its pledge as “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
ANDY WOODRUFF
Rooted in Community
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY DAPHNE WALKER
From his
start at the Vidalia Golf Club to leading major local projects and recovery
efforts, Andy Woodruff has spent over 25 years growing a successful business rooted in trust, hard work, and community.
Trust, understanding, and connection. These are a few of the qualities that have guided Andy Woodruff as the owner of Progressive Landscaping and Irrigation for the past twenty-six years. His relationship with Toombs County began at the age of twelve when his father took the position of vice president of Southeastern Technical College and moved the family from Waycross to Vidalia. Today, his roots are as much a part of our community as those of any individual who came before him.
Andy wasn’t even old enough to drive a car when he started working at the Vidalia Golf Club picking up pine cones and washing golf carts. It didn’t take long before Andy was learning to cut a tee box properly and given charge of cutting the greens. The artistic precision of the well-kept course was all the inspiration needed to turn his thoughts toward a career in landscaping.
Andy also loved the game and was good enough to receive a golf scholarship from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) after graduating from Vidalia High School in 1995. Of course, things are never that simple. A short time after beginning classes, ABAC lost all funding for its golf program. But it only seemed to confirm that his place was back in Toombs County, where he could return to his job at the golf course and attend classes closer to home at Southeastern Technical College.
In a twist of fate, Andy’s return to the golf club came just before all four of the club’s groundskeepers resigned. Instead of a leisurely part-time job, Andy was now in charge of upkeep for the entire grounds. It wasn’t the workload but the work schedule that finally persuaded him to do something different. “Golf is a weekend sport,” said Andy. “As the sole groundskeeper, I needed to be there six and seven days a week.”
Andy left landscaping for a year and a half to manage Louie Thompson’s bark mill, Georgia Nuggets, in Mount Vernon. Then, in 1999, he and his friend, Darrien Ramsey, started Progressive Landscaping and Irrigation. About six months later, Andy bought out his partner, and he’s been the sole owner and operator ever since.
As he continued to build his base of knowledge through programs offered by the University of Georgia (UGA), he learned more about the science of agrostology, which is a fancy word for the study of grass. “You need to know what type of grass does well in certain areas,” said Andy. “What to do when you see drought in grass or an infestation
of bugs or disease.” In addition to certifications in both landscaping and turf management, he also holds a spray license, as required by the state of Georgia.
Today, Progressive Landscaping and Irrigation employs fifty-two fulltime employees. Services available include landscape and hardscape projects, grading, clearing, site
prep, drainage work, and pipework. Andy’s company currently services about 65 regular accounts, which include everything from large company contracts to contracts with homeowners.
“This past spring and summer season proved especially challenging,” he said. “With so much rain, we get drainage issues. This occurs when
water seeps under the root system and remains there with nowhere to go. When the water stays at the bottom of the root system, it creates a fungus,” thus, mushrooms, a fungus that will kill the grass. To deal with the issue, Progressive Landscaping and Irrigation will “pull the water off the ground and install French drains or some other drainage system. Then, we
Andy's contribution to Toombs County involves many volunteer hours with organizations like the Onion Festival Committee, Toombs County Boosters, the SECCA Board of Directors and the Sweet Onion Golf Authority.
"... make time for each other and for family. Don’t let anything be more important to you than that," said Andy.
Andy with his wife Sabrina and son Drew.
will spray a fungicide to remove the fungus.”
After the devastation brought to our community by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, Progressive Landscaping and Irrigation contracted with the cities of Vidalia and Lyons, as well as with FEMA, to clear the streets and roadways so the power companies could get to work. “That was our number one goal right out of the gate,” said Andy.
As he drove down every street and road throughout the county, he got a firsthand look at the extent of the devastation. “It was just heartbreaking. Trees that had been here for hundreds of years were on the ground. Family homes were destroyed,” he said.
Andy’s landscaping company was one of many that worked tirelessly to restore our community. In addition to his contract work, Progressive Landscaping and Irrigation spent countless hours of their own time volunteering, whether that meant helping in the rescue of an elderly woman trapped in her home by debris or transporting those in need of immediate medical attention to the hospital. “It’s just what we all did,” he insisted. “We were all in this together. It was about everybody unifying to make it happen.”
Sometimes, it takes a crisis to bring people together. When it does, like it did in Toombs County, it’s a powerful thing. Even so, Andy’s response was consistent with his engagement with the community
at any given time. His care for the people in his community has proven strong through countless acts of service that include serving on the Vidalia Onion Festival executive committee for sixteen years and working as chairperson of the festival, not once, but four times. In 2025, this event alone brought in 15,000 people to our area. It’s an economic impact that benefits us all.
Currently, Andy serves on the Toombs County Boosters and the SECCA Board, and as chairman of the Sweet Onion Golf Authority, spearheading the new Warmouth Sands Golf Course project at the Regional Sports Complex on Ezra Taylor Road. To note, this is Andy’s volunteer work. And I can unequivocally say you don’t do this kind of volunteer work for a line on a resume. Only someone who cares deeply for the community would go to such lengths, which explains Andy’s willingness to give so much without monetary return.
I began this article by highlighting the values that guide Andy’s business and the importance he places on a strong relationship between an owner and his employees. But that’s not where his values begin; it’s where they extend. Andy’s values originate and operate first and foremost in his relationships at home, with his wife, Sabrina, who has served for many years as the Toombs County Special Education Director and
has been a true pioneer for children with disabilities, and his son, Drew, a senior at Toombs County High School this year. Most weekends, Andy enjoys a round of golf with his son, who has inherited his father’s love and talent for the game.
“If I could advise a young couple just beginning their careers,” said Andy, “I would tell them to make time for each other and for family. Don’t let anything be more important to you than that.”
It’s a rare gift these days to have a true connection with the employees in your company. But “trust, accountability, and compatibility” are values that make for strong companies. According to Andy, these qualities create a solid foundation for authentic interaction between friends, and anyone who works at Progressive Landscaping and Irrigation is Andy’s friend. For that reason and so much more, both he and his company are a vital part of what makes us proud to be Toombs Strong.
BLAKE PARKER
The WorkingMinistry
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
Blake Parker built Sweet City Landscapes on faith, hard work, and service—turning his passion for hands-on learning into a business that doubles as his ministry and inspires others to find purpose in their work.
Work was not something Blake Parker planned to wait for and begin as a career after finishing high school or college. As a young child, he could never just stand back and watch someone else work without jumping in to help. He wanted to learn, and “learning by doing” was just common sense to Blake. And if that learning was physically demanding, all the better.
At fourteen, Blake convinced the concrete crew putting in a pool at his family home in Valdosta, Georgia, to hire him for the summer. “I was out there watching and trying to help,” said Blake. “Finally, they just hired me, and my mama would drop me off wherever they were working each day.”
In 2005, during Blake’s last year of high school, he acquired his real estate license. At seventeen, he became the youngest real estate agent in the state of Georgia at that time. While working a full-time job in real estate, he started college classes at the Georgia Military College satellite campus in Valdosta. But it didn’t take Blake long to decide that college wasn’t for him. “For me, pursuing a college degree was a waste of time and good money.” His energy and quick wit were evident.
Besides real estate, Blake undertook various construction projects, which provided ample opportunities for on-the-job learning. After six years in real estate, he took the position of assistant manager for Firestone Complete Auto Care. Around that same time, he met Crystal (Maddox) from Vidalia, Georgia, who had just graduated from Valdosta State University with her degree in psychology. Their life experiences were “polar opposites.” But a year before they met, Blake had experienced a spiritual awakening that transformed his life. That common ground brought them together. And in 2011, that common ground became the foundation of their life together in marriage.
Shortly after Blake and Crystal married, the Firestone Complete Auto Care store in Jacksonville, Florida, offered Blake a managerial position, and Crystal, who had begun
a teaching career at a school in Valdosta, took a teaching position at a school in Jacksonville. The frustrations of city traffic, combined with Blake’s long work hours made the move difficult. And, it was the greater distance from both families that weighed on their hearts the most.
When Crystal’s father became ill in 2013, Blake immediately gave the auto store a six-month notice. His next response was to call Scott Morrison. “Scott was Crystal’s youth pastor at First Baptist in Vidalia,” he explained. After the couple married, Scott and Blake became good friends. “I told Scott what was going on and asked him to pray. He said, ‘If you could choose anything, what would you want to do?’ I didn’t have to think twice. I said, ‘I would work with discipling young people,” said Blake. “Scott said, ‘Come have lunch with me.’”
Scott introduced Blake to Drew Reed, who was the chief operating officer at the Paul Anderson Youth Home (PAYH) at the time. When Drew offered Blake a job, Blake and Crystal made the move to Vidalia. While Blake worked with the young men at the youth home, Crystal taught school at Vidalia Heritage Academy and later at J. R. Tripp.
Today, she continues to use her teaching skills as a home school mom.
The year 2015 was a period of significant growth for Blake on multiple levels. First, it was the year his son, Sam, was born. It was also the year he began working with Emory Mixon at Mixon Pecan Company. Blake had done everything from waiting tables and washing dishes to managing his own store. He had worked with concrete, sold real estate, and occasionally taken side jobs in landscaping. Now, he added his CDL license to his resume, allowing him to load pecans and operate equipment.
In every job Blake had taken, he had learned new skills and gained invaluable experience. However, working with the man who would lay the foundation for the irrigation systems at the Firestone Rubber Company in Liberia in 2016 and 2017, and then teach the process to Firestone workers on what is the largest, contiguous rubber plantation in the world, was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Not so long ago, skills were passed from one generation to the next by apprenticeship training. Today, there are still construction jobs and skilled trades that
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." –Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
offer on-the-job training. The pay often rivals salaries projected for those with college degrees. In an article by Ashley Mowreader entitled “Report: Young People Want to Get to Work Sooner,” she presents findings by the American Student Assistance (ASA) and Jobs for the Future published for insidehighered.com: “Younger adults are looking for opportunities to learn and grow but do not want to ‘put their lives on hold for four years and accumulate life-changing debt in the process,’...”
Regardless of the path, success requires initiative and hard work, and Blake had a proven track record of both. Of all the things he had learned along the way, landscaping was the one thing he enjoyed most. In 2016, he started his own landscaping company. Sweet City Landscapes was the fulfillment of a long-time dream. The following year, Blake and Crystal’s daughter, Josephine, was born.
Blake started Sweet City Landscapes with a pickup truck and an old, beat-up trailer. The work was simple and long. In those early days, he cut grass six and seven days a week. Whenever someone asked Blake if he could do other landscape and hardscape projects, his answer was
In addition to residential properties, Blake's company also maintains many commercial properties like the new Toombs County Courthouse and Memorial Health Meadows Hospital.
always, “Yes.” He would then figure it out through research or from a knowledgeable friend.
As the business grew, Blake took courses from suppliers and manufacturers in everything from how to install low-voltage accent lights to designing and laying pavers. Today, Sweet City Landscapes does everything from design to installation and maintenance.
“Outside landscaping typically includes installing and maintaining living elements like trees, plants, and grass. We also install hardscape features, including irrigation systems, patios, lighting, and retaining walls,” said Blake.
Like many others, Blake walked out of his home on the morning of September 27, 2024, to a changed landscape. In fact, he is still working to repair damage to the Sweet City Landscapes facilities in Vidalia. Blake immediately responded with equipment and operators from Sweet City Landscapes to help address issues in the community. This wasn’t Blake’s first experience with the work involved following a natural disaster. He had served as a volunteer in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and again in 2017 with a crew from Sweet City Landscape following Hurricane Irma’s destructive path in the Florida Keys. However, this was the first time the damage had occurred in his own community. The damage was personal.
These were his people, his community, and his home.
In 2026, Sweet City Landscapes will celebrate ten years of service in our community and is professionally qualified to design and install both landscapes and hardscape. With some fifty commercial contracts and services, about the same number of residential clients, Sweet City Landscapes speaks for itself. One of their more recent jobs was the new Toombs County Courthouse. “We just completed that project, and we're continuing to do the maintenance there. It’s my goal for our growth as a company to provide jobs and services to those in our own community,” said Blake.
As a Georgia Certified Landscape Professional certified through the University of Georgia, he spent the last year collaborating with UGA’s Ag Extension office to develop a satellite program in Toombs County. “The program would offer a landscaping curriculum and administer a Proctor test to participants to serve those interested in landscaping as a trade,” said Blake. Much like the heavy equipment operations pathway offered to students at Toombs County High School, the program would provide hands-on skills and educational opportunities for those looking for an alternative to college.
Sweet City Landscapes is not only Blake’s work, but also his ministry. In his opinion, “The two can’t be divided. I see my work as a landscaper and business owner as the same as the work I did at the Paul Anderson Youth Home,” said Blake. “I’m still discipling young men. For me, business is a tool for ministry.”
As part of C12, an international organization, Blake’s employees have access to chaplaincy programs and support services. According to their website, “C12 Business Forums is the world’s largest peer-learning community for Christian CEOs, business owners, and executives…. C12 integrates work, life, and leadership transformation, equipping leaders to steward a Business as a Ministry (BaaM) vision and build great businesses for a greater purpose” (joinC12.com).
Choosing a career path right out of high school can be a challenging decision, especially when four years of college debt are at stake. Apprenticeship learning is a way to gain skills and get paid for the work in the process. For Blake, nothing was wasted whether waiting tables or discipling young men in a youth home. Everything has been an opportunity to learn from others and give himself fully to the work at hand. His willingness to learn by doing is a model of success that inspires and motivates many young people today who are seeking a career path that best fits their future. For Blake, Sweet City Landscapes is the ministry of work. And, in turn, the ministry of work is the work of the ministry. It’s a calling that is heard in the heart by those willing to work at whatever their hands find to do.
Blake sees his business as an opportunity to disciple young men and teach them good work ethic. It's a lesson in relationship.
In addition to general landscape maintenance, Sweet City Landscapes offers a variety of outdoor services including hardscape installation, lighting, irrigation, and debris removal.
50 Years of Friendship
During the weekend of October 18th, the Lyons Senior High School Class of 1975 celebrated 50 years of enduring friendship and long-lasting memories. The celebration kicked off at Booster Stadium and continued throughout the weekend with fun and storytelling at Rocky Creek Lodge.
PHOTOS BY KRISTEN HARTLEY
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50 Years of Friendship
On October 18th, The 1975 Lyons Senior High School Bulldog football team also celebrated the 50th anniversary of winning the Class B State Championship title. For many, this coincided with the Class of '75 celebration. Events were held at Booster Stadium, Elements Bisyto and Rocky Creek Lodge.
Owners Brandon & Ashley Smith
Anchored in Faith, Growing in Legacy
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY THE FULLER EFFECT PHOTOGRAPHY
In the heart of a region rich with history, Brian and Janet Patrick have spent 25 years cultivating a legacy of faith and family that echoes the enduring values of the generations who came before them.
LLike most young people, Brian Patrick’s eyes were on the future when he graduated from high school in 1993 from Robert Toombs Christian Academy. With plans to major in computer science, his destination was Pensacola Christian College. However, a revival at the college during his first year changed those plans, and he turned his heart to theology to prepare for Christian ministry.
While in Pensacola, Brian met Janet, an English Education student from Jesup, Georgia. In May 1997, Brian and Janet graduated with their respective degrees in Theology and English Education. The following August, the two were married and moved to Cowpens, South Carolina, to serve at Mountain View Baptist Church.
The couple had been teaching in a Christian school and working in the church in South Carolina for almost two years when Brian received a call from a man named Ross Kight. “I didn’t know him,” he said, “but he knew I was originally from Vidalia. He told me that he had started a church in October 1999 in Mount Vernon, Georgia, and asked if I was interested in coming home and taking it over.”
Even though Ailey and Mount Vernon, the site of Brewton-Parker College, were only six or seven miles west of Toombs County, Brian had only passed through the area a couple of times. Still, he said, “I had just told my pastor that we would be looking for a church to take.” And so, in June 2000, he and his wife and their one-month-old baby, Katelyn, came down and drove through Ailey and Mount Vernon, which took less than five minutes total.
The church, they discovered, had only two regular members and less than a dollar in its bank account. Even so, they prayed and felt confirmation in their hearts to
When the Patricks first came to Ailey to pastor Calvary's Grace Baptist Church there were only two regular members. Today the church is thriving. "We felt like God was showing us the work was His," said Brian.
take it on. The first course of business was to purchase and remodel the building. But not even a fresh look seemed to make a difference in attendance. That first year, Calvary’s Grace Baptist Church averaged seven people, including Brian and his family. As the church continued to struggle, he took on various jobs. With the birth of their second child, Luke, their family was growing faster than the church membership.
By Labor Day weekend of 2001, Brian and Janet felt they had done all they could. They talked with the other two members and decided to give it until January. One month later, two families joined, and others soon followed. “We felt like God was showing us that the work was His. It wasn’t about us. He took over when we realized we couldn’t do it ourselves.” By 2010, the church acquired property in Ailey for a new sanctuary and dedicated the building in 2014.
Early on, the church purchased twenty-three acres of property in Wheeler County for a future youth camp, which was Brian’s vision to impact the next generation. “Every year, we worked on it to add cabins and other facilities,” he said. The inaugural camp was held in 2007, and every year since. The heart of the ministry was for the youth of smaller churches to have a place to come together. “The Oconee Baptist Camp is one of the most important outreach ministries for Calvary’s Grace and a big part of our church. It’s all volunteer labor. Our church builds the facilities and does all the upkeep and maintenance.”
This year, the camp will host about 200 eight to twelve-year-olds in the first week of June and some 250 teenagers in the third week of June. During the eighteen years of camp meetings, four to five hundred youth have made commitments to follow Christ.
As the Patrick family grew, Janet put her English education degree to work in homeschooling her children. This was no small task, considering there would be seven alltogether: Katelyn (b. 2000); Luke (b. 2001); Rachel (b. 2005); Emily (b. 2008); Jonathan (b. 2010); Lydia (b. 2013); and Levi (b. 2018).
But it was the children, not the church or even the camp ministry, that brought the Patrick family to our attention. Ms. Lynn Skinner, an exceptional writer of children’s books from Ailey, has employed each of the Patrick children when old enough to help her with yard and/or housework. She has been so impressed by the children’s work ethic and contributions to the community through their various small business endeavors over the years that she wrote us, saying, “…. because of the way this family lives, the values they hold dear, the principles they teach, and the Biblical truths they exhibit every day…” her faith has been restored in the idea that “making America great again” might be more than a cliché.
Ms. Skinner’s praise for the Patrick family’s “amazing contributions not only to the church but to the community of Ailey” means something because Montgomery County
is her home. But why should the Patrick’s contributions to our neighboring county matter to readers? The answer to that question may surprise some of our readers, which is why we must be reminded to honor our roots.
Montgomery County was created long before Toombs County was even a thought. Formed in 1797, it was one of Georgia’s first counties. Over one hundred years later, Montgomery County would actually give up land to help establish Toombs County in 1905.
Many historic buildings from Montgomery County’s early years remain, including two houses in the BrewtonParker Historic Village: The Cooper-Conner House from 1798 and the Littleberry "Berry" Columbus Thompson log house from 1842. Some early Scottish families from North Carolina to Montgomery County would later settle in Toombs County, where some of their descendants
The Patricks have seven children (top photo) who were all raised with Biblical values and a strong work ethic. ABOVE The Patrick's oldest son Luke is a fireman for the Lyons Fire Department.
When the Patrick children became old enough to work, Skip and Lynn Skinner often hired them to do chores around their house. The family's work ethic and dedication to the community of Ailey is an inspiration to Mrs. Skinner.
remain today. In fact, North and South Thompson communities were established by descendants of Littleberry Thompson.
Local history is a history of families and the land. The two cannot be separated. The numerous undocumented historic structures throughout the county of Montgomery are a reminder of these early families. Photographer Brian Brown has photographed and posted several of them on vanishinggeorgia.com, including pictures of abandoned farms, log houses, old barns, tenant houses, chapels, cottages, and storefronts. Because eyewitness accounts of history are often lost within three to five generations, the only stories that remain are these ghost stories — buildings haunted by stories that live only in the imagination.
One of the most intriguing historical sites in Montgomery County is the Dead River Cemetery, which contains the graves of at least three known Revolutionary
This year, Brian and Janet Patrick will celebrate 25 years of ministry at Calvary's Grace Baptist Church in a history-laden town they have come to call their own.
soldiers. The surnames Thompson, Conner, Ryals, Moses, Morris, McArthur, Sharpe, Mobley, Martin, Scott, Hall, and Bryant are just a few found on the old tombstones—surnames with deep roots in the history of Montgomery and Toombs Counties.
As we honor Montgomery County and the history we share with our neighboring county, we also join them in celebrating the 25th anniversary of Brian and Janet Patrick’s ministry at Calvary's Grace Baptist Church. We appreciate the legacy that continues to shine through their lives and those of their seven children and four grandchildren. If our small-town communities are to survive the cultural and economic shifts of the
day, it will be because of families like the Patricks establishing new roots in old soil. Perhaps Ms. Skinner is right. America’s best hope just might lie in the simplicity of loving homes, Christian morals, and strong relationships with others in the community, whether through work relationships, a church, civic club, or some other community function. With that in mind, we commend all the churches, businesses, and families serving the communities of Toombs and Montgomery counties. Turning the tide of American culture will take all of it – the love and the work. And as long as there are discerning observers like Ms. Skinner, stories of families like the Patricks will not soon be forgotten.
ABOVE The Littleberry C. Thompson house is located on the campus of Brewton-Parker College.
Since Dot’s founding in 1960, our focus has been on giving our employees the resources they need in order to grow and succeed. And that’s been our ongoing mission here in Vidalia since joining the community in 1999.
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Business Expo Showcases Local Offerings
The community had so much fun at the Business Expo! We had over 70 businesses in attendance showing off their business to nearly 300 attendees. This event is always open to the public and gives our members the opportunity to highlight their products and services in order to earn more customers.
Presenting Sponsor: Paul Thigpen Automotive Group
Gold Sponsors: Community Hospice Georgia Hospice Care, and Johnson and Johnson Transport, LLC
Montgomery County High School: Evan Hardeman and Aaralyn Little Robert Toombs Christian Academy: Autumn Moore, Mekhia Bell, and Madaline Wolfe Toombs County High School: Mareli Luna-Munoz, Ella Kate Adams, Jean Peterson, Jordan Brannen Clark, Jack Williams, Sarah Ellis Walker, and Aubrey Gay Vidalia Heritage Academy: Anna Nalley, Teagan Carney, and Brannen Brantley
Vidalia High School: Ava NeeSmith, Kalli Jo Roberson, Hillaree Hankerson, Alexander Muzafarov, Kingston Ryals, Laylah Brantley, Lake Wright, Anastyn Blewett, Emily Coleman, Emily Kicklighter, Sadie Berry, Helen Blount, and Nicholas Matthews
32ND GREATER VIDALIA® LEADERSHIP CLASS:
Representing a wide range of industries, experiences, and perspectives, this year’s Leadership class is made up of: Lesa Brown, Vidalia City Schools; Katie Collins, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital; Trey Cranford, Chick-fil-A of Vidalia; Herron Gardner; Jody Gilreath, STS Group; Josh Green, Community Hospice, Inc; Jay Howard, Dot Foods; Jessica Jones, Toombs County Schools; Jansen Killian, The Tillery Firm; Zac Moore, Parlor Marketing; Michael Stanley, Montgomery County Development Authority; Lisa Strickland, Ameris Bank; Scott Tuck, Robert Toombs Christian Academy; Bradley Williamson, Toombs County Tax Assessors; Alex Zamorano, Walmart.
A great gift for anyone on your list! Shop Local with Community Bucks!
Community Bucks are checks that can be spent at over 80 chamber member businesses. There is no fee to purchase a gift check. A complete list of accepting businesses, can be found by visiting www.greatervidaliachamber.com, click on Member Directory and search for “Community Bucks Participants.”
Why Buy Community Bucks? The Chamber provides this as a service to our members and to encourage residents to Shop Local.
Rooted in Every Layer
Become part of the Greater Vidalia® Chamber The Greater Vidalia® Chamber is working for you!
Summit Continues to Inspire
On Thursday, September 25, the Greater Vidalia Chamber proudly hosted the Summit Business & Leadership Conference at Southeastern Technical College. Nearly 100 attendees gathered for this half-day event, designed to inspire, educate, and equip local business leaders and professionals with tools for growth and leadership in today’s rapidly changing landscape. The conference featured a powerful lineup of speakers who brought unique perspectives and expertise to the stage:
· Dr. Ande Noktes of the Lucas Center for Entrepreneurship, who shared insights on innovation, entrepreneurial leadership, and building resilient businesses.
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Secretary of State, who addressed the importance of integrity, accountability, and leadership in both public service and business.
· Kris “Tanto” Paronto, a hero of the 2012 Benghazi attack, who inspired the audience with his story of courage, perseverance, and the leadership lessons he learned under extreme
circumstances.
With engaging presentations, thought-provoking discussions, and a strong sense of community, the Summit proved to be a valuable experience for all attendees. The Greater Vidalia® Chamber was honored to bring this level of programming to our region, underscoring our commitment to supporting the growth and success of businesses and leaders across Toombs County and beyond.
The Chamber extends its gratitude to Southeastern
Learning About the State of Healthcare
The Greater Vidalia® Chamber hosted it’s State of Healthcare Luncheon on Thursday, October 2nd, at Lyons First Baptist Church, bringing together community leaders, healthcare professionals, and local business representatives for an insightful discussion on the current landscape and future of healthcare in Georgia.
This year’s featured guest was Caylee Noggle, President and CEO of the Georgia Hospital Association, who delivered a compelling keynote address focused on the challenges and
opportunities facing hospitals and healthcare systems across the state.
Noggle spoke on the importance of collaboration among hospitals, community organizations, and local governments to ensure access to quality healthcare for all Georgians. She highlighted how Georgia hospitals continue to adapt in the wake of workforce shortages, rising costs, and changing patient needs, while maintaining their commitment to innovation and community wellness.
Your Business Success Starts Here
Technical College for hosting and our sponsors who make this event possible. Presenting Sponsor- Southern Nuclear; Gold Sponsors- Garbutt Construction and Terry’s Flooring and Blinds.
Attendees gained valuable insights into the state’s healthcare priorities, including workforce development, rural hospital sustainability, and the critical role of technology in improving patient outcomes.
The event also provided a meaningful opportunity for networking and discussion among chamber members, healthcare administrators, and local officials— each sharing a common goal of building a stronger, healthier region.
As the largest business/leadership organization in our community, the mission of the Greater Vidalia® Chamber (GVC) is to prepare, develop, and promote our businesses and community for economic growth. Simply put: We’re in business to help business. If you want to start a business, grow a business, take part in leadership development or advocacy programs, GVC is for you!
Mike Hagan and Michele Johnson with Caylee Noggle.
Downtown Vidalia: A Year of Resilience and Renewal
It’s hard to believe that just a year ago, we were still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Trees were down, roofs were ripped off, and Downtown Vidalia looked very different than it does today. But as always, this community rolled up its sleeves, worked together, and got the job done.
Fast forward to now, and Downtown is looking better than ever! Roofs have been repaired, the streets are clean, and fresh landscaping adds a beautiful touch to every corner. We’ve welcomed new businesses, and our new parklet has quickly become a favorite spot — a place where all ages can relax,
swing, and enjoy the heart of our city.
Our Shop Eat Spend Local promotions have also been a big success, proving just how much our community believes in supporting small businesses. Over $35,000 was spent locally in June and July, which are typically slow sales times, through these efforts — a huge win for our shops, restaurants, and service providers!
As we wrap up 2025, Downtown Vidalia is ready to celebrate with plenty of fun shopping and holiday events to keep the season merry and bright. And 2026 is shaping up to be even better, with a full calendar of events —
including some long-time favorites and a few exciting new additions we can’t wait to share.
Be sure to follow along on our social media pages or visit downtownvidalia.org to stay in the know. There’s so much happening in Downtown Vidalia — and we hope to see you there!
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
UNITED WAY VICTORY CELEBRATION
EAGLE SCOUT CEREMONIES
THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, PLAY
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
LIAM TIPPS
NICHOLAS MATTHEWS
TRACE TIPPETT
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
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LIP SYNC BATTLE FOR THE ALTAMA MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
Photos by Evan Riekhof/EZ-E Photography
IN TOOMBS COUNTY
“Live in Lyons” at 304 Society Garden
The Fall Concert Series, which began this past September at the beautiful downtown park at 304 Society Garden, is now completed and was a huge success. Each of the free concerts offered a local food truck vendor and live entertainment from local talent. The events provided lots of fun and fellowship for the entire family. A spring concert series is currently being planned and will begin in March. Come out to connect with friends and neighbors in the heart of our community. It’s just one of the many events we have planned to bring Lyons together.
Join the Main Street Movement and Shape the Future of Lyons
Lyons is more than just a town—it’s a vibrant, growing community full of heart, history, and hope for the future. At Lyons Main Street, we believe in building a stronger Lyons from the inside out, and we need you to help make it happen.
We’re inviting residents, business owners, and neighbors of all ages to be a part of something special. Whether you’ve lived in Lyons your whole life or just arrived, your voice matters.
Share Your Story with Lyons Heart & Soul
The Lyons Heart & Soul initiative is currently gathering stories and experiences from people just like you—stories about life in Lyons, what makes this town special, and what your hopes are for the next five years. This project is about listening, learning, and building a community vision based on what matters most to those who live here. Your input will help guide decisions about development, events, and projects that shape our town’s future. So tell us: What do you love about Lyons? What do you want to see change or grow? Visit www.lyonsmainstreet.com and fill out our Heart & Soul survey to leave your comments and help us shape the future of our community.
Now is the perfect time to step in, step up, and become a part of something bigger. Whether you’d like to volunteer, attend events, share your story, or help shape community initiatives, Lyons Main Street wants YOU on our team.
Together, we can honor the past, celebrate the present, and build the future of Lyons—one story, one event, and one person at a time.
Let’s make Lyons better—together.
Visit us online or stop by our office to learn more about upcoming events and how you can get involved. Questions? Ideas? Stories to tell? We’re all ears— and we can’t wait to hear from you.
Scenes of Toombs Co.
If you were born in the South, it’s likely that by January you’ll be praying for an early spring. Even at their mildest, Southern winters can feel bitterly cold and melancholy. But winter is a great time to rest, reflect and prepare for the busy months ahead. “To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold,” said Aristotle. Sometimes we have to endure the hard, cold days of life in order to recognize the fantastic joy of living in
Toombs County!
photo by | DIANNE S. MIXON
photo by | ED WONN
photo by | DIANNE S. MIXON
photo by | RUTH ENGLISH
photo by | ED WONN
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LAST Words
Growing with your Children
Parenting truly never ends...and that’s how it should be
Being a parent feels like a seasonal thing. It’s like we are constantly waiting for the next season, the next change. We can’t wait until they can talk, walk, get out of diapers, feed themselves, dress themselves, and go to school all day. We will be so glad when we don’t have to help with homework, when they can drive and can do our errands for us. We look forward to high-school graduation, college, good jobs that allow them to care for themselves, spouses, children, etc. It is a constant and everchanging mental list of “If we can just get to the point where they can…” Don’t misunderstand me, I have loved and valued every one of these stages, some way more than others. At the time, I mourned some stages deeply but also got over it fairly quickly. Just to be real.
I cannot, however, think of a stage of parenthood that I have enjoyed nearly as much as the one that I am currently in. Karl and I hit the motherload with our three girls and I am not ashamed to brag on them. They are all very happy, very successful (by their own standards of ‘success’ which means it is my standard for them, as well). They are beautiful, have tremendous work-ethics, funny, compassionate, love Jesus, and love their daddy and me really well. My two son-in-laws and 3 grandchildren are an added bonus that we thank God for every single night as we say our prayers. Life is really good.
And then one of them decides to move back home with you. Wait…what? But it was all going so well! I thought we were done with the seasonal changes–except for maybe that one where we get old and they have to wipe our bums or take away our car keys. I wasn’t prepared for this one. I had heard about it, but it wasn’t going to happen to us, right? No way.
So, yeah, the youngest, the last born twin, my Hannah and her fam,
are venturing back home for a period of what we are calling “6 months” while they build their forever home at our farm. I don’t ever recall agreeing to it, but I do remember very vividly her looking at me with those big, brown, puddle-of-mud eyes, saying they would like to move in with us for awhile and that her daddy said it would be fine. I got lost in those eyes, the implications, the magnitude of it all, and maybe I said it was ok, I just don’t remember much after that because it’s all a blur.
We’ve officially been empty nesters ever since the very second I watched her daddy walk her down the aisle in March, 2021. We mourned, we went through a period of adjustment, but then we got in a groove that we both very much enjoy. Our house is quiet in the mornings, and there is virtually no conversation except for the usual “Have a good day” as the husband leaves for work. Our night-time routine is also quiet as we eat dinner, catch up on our day, and then he retreats to his recliner to watch British television, something historically based, or sports, and I retreat to our bedroom to watch true crime documentaries or play Mahjong, passionately trying to beat someone that I don’t know. On the weekends, he leaves to do something somewhere, and I stay home to do something here. It’s our life, and we like it that way. My husband, so much more than I, is a very regimented creature of habit, so this whole change should prove to be very interesting.
And now we add our daughter, her husband, a 3 year-old, and two dogs into the mix. How will this affect his oatmeal cake, glass of milk, and devotional time in the morning? How will it change my quiet, dinner-for-two and sometimes no-dinner-at-all evenings? We have had to totally reconfigure and give up 3 bedrooms and one bathroom to give them adequate space to live comfortably,
and I have no idea where I’m going to put all my stuff that I have stored in every corner of every room. We are losing our privacy, our downtime, and our routines. We walk around in our underwear a lot, and I guess that will have to change.
But here’s the reality, if I’m going to be totally honest: there is a certain part of me that is very excited about this change that I didn’t see coming. I’m looking forward to having my girl join me in bed at night so I can rub her head after a long day; I apologize in advance to her husband because there are some things that only a mama can do. I am looking forward to spending so much time with my grandson and all the snuggles and book-reading and make-believe that will happen. I am excited for Karl and time with his sonin-law that he loves and respects so much, and for me and his most excellent grilling capabilities. I am also, selfishly, excited about their house-keeping and organizational skills because I am neither of those things.
So, here’s the takeaway…you’re never, ever done parenting. It doesn’t matter how old they are or what stage of life they, or you, are in; once you give birth, they are there forever. You will always have to lend them money, feed them, babysit, lend support, listen to their heartaches and stresses, and tell them how to navigate life. They are never too old to need their parents, and, that we are able to do things for them is what life is all about. Do not set a timeline or a season because the season as a parent never ends. There is something so beautiful about that.
Also, to our son-in-law, I’m sorry, dude. We love you, but we pray that you will not be scarred for life at the vision of us in our underwear on the weekends. My suggestion is to just always keep eyecontact and never look below the chin.
Ann Owens is a writer, creative genius, entrepreneur, mother, and wife who enjoys pondering what makes the world click
