Jamie Tyler, Todd Lunsford, Angelica, Chad Black, and Jason Garrett.
It’s the kind of reunion first responders don’t often get, but the kind they relish when they do. Habersham County Emergency Services personnel recently reunited with a woman whose life they saved three years ago.
On November 27, 2017, Angelissa Pitts suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while traveling in a car. When first responders arrived, they found her unresponsive, lying in the median of Georgia Highway 17. She had no pulse, no breath, and at that moment, it seemed, no future. But thanks to the efforts of the trained professionals who showed up that day – Jamie Tyler, Todd Lunsford, Chad Black, and Jason Garrett – Angelissa survived.
Habersham County Emergency Services shared a photo of their reunion and the events that led up to it on Facebook.
“After a team effort of multiple shocks, drug therapy, and airway maintenance” they successfully resuscitated Pitts and transported her to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, the post stats. “Several surgeries later, an implanted defibrillator, she is married and back at work.”
Pitts met the team from HCES a few days before Thanksgiving. The post accompanying their reunion photo reads, “blessed and a great reason to be thankful this holiday season!”
Habersham County Judicial Center (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
The wheels of justice turn slowly, even under the best of circumstances. Add to the customary legal hurdles the extraordinary challenge of a pandemic, and you end up with a backlog that local prosecutors are just now starting to dig their way out from under.
“We are doing the best we can,” says Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian. “We have had three confirmed cases of Covid-19 between our three offices and have had to quarantine from time to time and work from home.”
In a normal year, the Habersham County Grand Jury would have been seated on July 1. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the grand jury was only recently empaneled. Jurors met for the first time on November 9. They issued a flurry of indictments during their two-day session – the first indictments handed down in Habersham County since courts closed in mid-March.
While Grand Jury proceedings have just recently resumed, the courts have tried to keep up with what they can. Many bond hearings and probation violation hearings are held virtually. Still, it could be well into next year before prosecutors catch a break in their scheduling.
Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian
“What has happened is that those cases that were on a calendar from the January 2020 Grand Jury and those added ‘Accusation cases,’ for the most part, are still pending due to a lack of trial terms after the Georgia Supreme Court issued it’s First Judicial Emergency Order,” explains Christian. “What this essentially means is that we have that calendar and the new calendar (yet to be published) that will need to be addressed in 2021.”
Prosecutors anticipate the total number of cases on those two calendars will be twice as many as they normally address during the same time period. In addition, they’re working on cases for the January 2021 grand jury term. “Those indictments and other filed ‘Accusations’ will be on top of the [other] two calendars,” he says.
Despite the daunting task before them, Christian says everyone associated with the criminal justice system “is dedicated to continuing to perform our jobs under all of the in place guidelines and protocols.” Asked how long he expects it will take for grand juries and prosecutors in the circuit to catch up on pending cases, Christian says, ” I don’t know. There are too many variables.”
The current term of the Habersham County Grand Jury ends on December 31.
Rome's defense swarms Central's QB Joshua Pickett who made an electrifying 80-yard TD run to pull within 7 of the Wolves in the first quarter. (photo by Daniel Purcell)
The opening round of the state playoffs saw a handful of local programs in the big dance. For some, their season ended in Friday night action. A few are still set to play on Saturday. Those who advanced to the next round include Commerce and Dawson County.
#2 Rome 35 – #3 Habersham Central 14
The Raiders were within 14-7 after a quarter, though Rome notched a late TD to close out the first half up 21-7. That score held up to the fourth quarter when Joshua Pickett had an electrifying 80-yd TD run to cut the deficit to 21-14. Rome responded with a TD pass to re-up the lead and extended it to 35-14 a bit later.
#1 Rockmart 48 – #4 White County 35
The Warriors fell behind quickly but ended very strong in a valiant effort. White County was down 20-0 at the end of the first quarter. The rest of the way, the Warriors outscored Rockmart 35-28. J Ben Haynes notched a rushing score to open the second quarter, though Rockmart responded to pad the lead at 27-7. Just before the half, Haynes connected on a 27-yd TD to Darius Cannon to cut it to 27-14. Silas Mulligan’s 1-yard plunge in the third bridged the gap to 27-21 before Rockmart pounded out an 80-yd TD on the ensuing kickoff in response. Mulligan scored again from 7 yards out midway through the third, making it 34-27. Two straight TDs by Rockmart put the game out of reach, though Haynes threw his final TD pass of his amazing career to Reece Dockery to cap the scoring. In his final game, Haynes delivered 2 passing and 1 rushing TD.
#1 Commerce 52 – #4 Manchester 20
The Tigers didn’t disappoint and scored a program record 52 points in a playoff game. Commerce got a Trey Huff first quarter TD, then came one from Elijah Burns, then Michael Sherman in the second. Add in a Diaz FG before the break, and it was 24-0 Commerce. Manchester put 12 points up in the third, but Dreylan Martin got some of that back with a TD run to make it 31-12 going into the final quarter. Martin got another TD in the fourth to make it 38-12, and Manchester pulled within 38-20. Shawn Cunningham had a late score as the Tigers rolled into the second round.
#3 Dawson County 45 – #2 Adairsville 31
The Tigers went on the road and smoked Adairsville, 45-31 to advance to the second round. It looked the part of a low-scoring game, when Dawson went up 7-0 and held a 7-3 lead after one quarter. However, things picked up in the second. A 1-yd Zach Holtzclaw TD run, followed by a Conley Dyer 40-yd TD run made it 21-3 Tigers. The tides quickly turned with a 9-minute flurry of TDs for Adairsville, who took at 24-21 lead into the locker room. Dyer opened the second half scoring with a 39-yd TD, followed by a Holtzclaw 75-yd TD pass to Dakohta Sonnichsen to re-up the lead to 35-24. Caleb Bonesteel hit a clutch field goal before the end of the third, pushing it to 38-24. Adairsville got a big-time TD pass to cut it to within 38-31, and then recovered an onside kick. However, a botched fake punt led to a Dawson TD to seal the win, 45-31. The Tigers advanced to take on powerhouse Oconee County in round two.
Other area games
#4 Martin Luther King, Jr.14 – #1 Clarke Central 41
#4 Franklin County 7 – #1 Greater Atlanta Christian 37
#3 Gainesville 14 – #2 Archer 21
#3 Hart County 21 – #2 Carver, Atlanta 32
#3 North Murray 28 – #2 North Hall 36
#3 Lakeview 7 – #2 North Cobb Christian 28
#4 Lafayette 7 – #1 Cherokee Bluff 35
#4 Douglas County 0 – #1 Buford 48
#3 Discovery 0 – #2 Denmark 63
#4 Hebron Christian 28 – #1 Prince Avenue Christian 63
#4 Westminster 7 – #1 Oconee County 21
#3 Meadowcreek 14 – #1 West Forsyth 39
Saturday, Nov. 28:
#1 Jefferson vs #4 Mt. Zion
Jefferson will play a Saturday afternoon game against Mt. Zion to open their playoff run. Mt. Zion isn’t really in the same stratosphere as the #1 Dragons. Should be over quick.
#1 Rabun County vs #4 Haralson County
Rabun will host Haralson County in the opening round on Saturday. This is probably the biggest game in the 2A bracket in the first round. One win separated Haralson County, who is ranked #5 in 2A by MaxPreps, from the 5-AA region champion team. This is a bonafide top-10 matchup early.
#3 Union County @ #2 Heard County
The Panthers will travel on Saturday to Heard County in the opening round of the playoffs. Union closed the regular season with a much-needed win over Gilmer, but there are still more questions than answers. Will Jonah Daniel play? Ultimately, Heard County can throw when it needs to but has a lethal running game that features 5 players with 300 or more rushing yards.
#1 Callaway 7, #4 Banks County 0 (FFT)
Banks County forfeited their playoff game due to COVID concerns within the program. The Leopards close their season at 1-10 overall.
#3 Luella @ #2 Flowery Branch
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Responding to growing demand and a rising student population, Piedmont College’s Executive and Finance Committees of the Board of Trustees approved construction of a 268-bed residence hall.
The 60,000 square-foot structure, Mystic Hall, will be located near Plymouth Hall on a crest that overlooks the Demorest campus. When completed in December 2021, the facility will be the college’s largest residential complex and pave the way for a string of additional housing renovations.
Despite concerns about the pandemic, Piedmont enrolled 251 first-year students this fall, among the largest freshman classes in the institution’s history. And overall enrollment at the college’s main campus in Demorest has never been higher.
Looking ahead, the college – to be renamed Piedmont University next April – plans to boost its residential student population to 1,000, up from 750. Piedmont also operates an Athens campus, which enrolls approximately 500 commuting students. The college’s overall enrollment is more than 2,500.
The housing addition comes on the heels of other momentous campus improvement projects. The college recently completed a $10.1 million Conservatory of Music and, last month, dedicated the Charles and Catherine Sewell Center for Teacher Education, a 12,000 square-foot building that is located on the college’s historic quad. Piedmont’s new Athens campus, a modern four-story brick building at 1282 Prince Avenue, will open in March. The college is experiencing historic highs in alumni giving and has also purchased 90 acres near the Demorest campus for expansion.
“These projects and our growing level of support illustrate Piedmont’s emergence as a burgeoning comprehensive regional university,” said Piedmont President James Mellichamp.
Construction on Mystic Hall – to be completed by Scroggs & Grizzel of Gainesville – will begin in January.
The residential hall is named after a Connecticut seaport and recognizes Piedmont’s historical ties to Congregational Churches, which were established by Pilgrims throughout New England during the 1600s.
Once Mystic Hall is completed, the college will begin renovating existing housing facilities, according to a college news release. Purcell Hall, which was built in 1969, will be closed for a year-long renovation project. After the Purcell project is completed, Wallace Hall, built in 1959, will be razed to make room for a parking lot, and Getman-Babcock will be converted to administrative offices.
Come Play is a horror movie that utilizes atmosphere and suspense. With effective performances at its center instead of cheap thrills or idiotic characters, this film works well even if it’s not really memorable.
The movie focuses on an autistic boy named Oliver (Azhy Robertson) who can only communicate with a cell phone. His parents (Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr.) are trying to get Oliver to become more social, but their efforts prove to be less than successful as Oliver is bullied by other kids.
Oliver has a scary story downloaded into his phone and it tells about a monster named Larry who communicates with Oliver and tells him that he wants to be his friend.
Soon Larry takes on a life his own which manifests through multiple electronic devices. Oliver does his best to let others know, but as usual, no one takes him seriously.
On the surface, Come Play checks off the boxes of this kind of movie such as the aforementioned reasons about the parents and others not believing the kid in order to advance the story.
What makes it work is the commitment of the actors to their performances as well as a genuine atmosphere that doesn’t call attention to itself. As a result, the actors are able to easily inhabit the atmosphere.
Come Play should’ve spent more time on constructing a story with fewer cliches and more on crafting ways that would make it feel elevated, but it’s solid entertainment that knows what it is.
Grade: B
(Rated PG-13 for terror, some language, and frightening images.)
An 80-year-old Clarkesville man was injured Thanksgiving Day when his pickup ran off the road and overturned in the Soque River. A Habersham Sheriff’s deputy vehicle responding to the call also overturned.
William Walters was driving a Ford-F-150 on GA-197 North south of Batesville when he failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the road. The truck traveled down an embankment, overturned, and came to rest on its top in the Soque River.
William Walters, 80, of Clarkesville, ran off the road in a curve and down this embankment. His truck landed upside down in the Soque River.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, Walters was able to exit from the rear window. A passing motorist helped him climb the embankment to the shoulder of the road.
A K-9 deputy from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office who was in the area responded to the scene.
“While attempting to make the area more visible to oncoming traffic, the deputy backed his patrol vehicle on the right shoulder of GA 197 North,” says Trooper First Class Vance Henry of Georgia State Patrol Post 7 in Toccoa. “The soft shoulder and drainage pipe beneath the roadway gave way, causing the vehicle to overturn.”
The deputy’s Ford Explorer landed on its top. Deputy Jason East and his K-9 both escaped uninjured.
The accidents occurred shortly after 8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day amid dense, foggy conditions. Habersham EMS transported Walters to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment of his injuries.
Habersham County election officials conduct a machine recount of the county's Nov. 3 presidential race. Here they are shown on the first day of the recount on Nov. 24, 2020. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
The Habersham County Board of Elections has completed its state-mandated machine recount of the November 3 presidential race. The statewide recount began on Nov. 24 after the Trump campaign requested it.
This marks the second time Georgia’s votes have been recounted. The first time, election workers recounted the ballots by hand as part of a statewide risk-limiting audit.
Election records show there was one vote difference between Habersham’s certified vote total and the official recount: Biden lost one vote and write-in candidate Howie Hawkins picked up one absentee vote. The recounted totals for Habersham County are as follows:
Donald Trump 16,637
Joe Biden 3,562 (-1)
Jo Jorgensen 232
Write-In Candidates
Gloria La Riva 2
Howie Hawkins 3
Brian Caroll 7
The Habersham County Elections Board will re-certify the results of the recount at 4 p.m. Monday, November 30 at the Habersham County Administration Building.
Habersham set a record 72.59% voter turnout during the general election. While Trump won the county by an overwhelming 81%, he lost statewide. The results of this latest recount are not expected to change that outcome.
RosaLee Wheeler Whitworth, age 83, of Mt. Airy, passed away on Wednesday, November 25, 2020.
Born on December 11, 1936, in Demorest, she was a daughter of the late D.C. and Cora Lee Vinson Wheeler. Mrs. Whitworth was a winder operator at Habersham Mills. She was a member of Unity Baptist Church and loved her family dearly.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Ellison Whitworth; daughter, Lisa Whitworth Thomas; brothers: Doug Wheeler, Paul Wheeler, and Junior Wheeler; and sister, Blondine Whitmore Tomlin.
Survivors include her sons and daughter-in-law, Curtis Whitworth of Atlanta and Cliff and Jessica Whitworth of Toccoa; daughter and son-in-law, Trish and Roy Berliner of Flowery Branch; nine grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; brothers, Bill “Willie D” Wheeler and wife, Elaine of Demorest and Randy Wheeler of Cowpens, SC; and sisters: Linda Sanders of Mt. Airy, Nellaree Ellison of Clarkesville, Dot Hill and husband, Frank of Mt. Airy, and Andrea Catlett of Mt. Airy.
The family will receive friends from 2-4 pm on Monday, November 30, 2020, at McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home.
All attending should maintain social distancing and adhere to public health guidelines regarding COVID-19.
Chattanooga is the perfect place for a brief getaway with the children and/or grandkids. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
One of the most difficult parts of surviving COVID-19 for us has been struggling to spend time with our little grandchildren. At 6 and 3 years of age, they change so quickly. They grow so fast. They learn at such an amazing speed. Even with FaceTime and Zoom, we struggle to keep up with them.
The view of the night sky was completely unbroken for us and the star gazing was spectacular. (Photo by Jenna Williamson)
Recently, we met up halfway between us and our daughter’s family in Memphis for a couple of days of quality outdoor time. Chattanooga was the perfect location with lots to do outside that were safe during a quarantine.
We rented a cabin that overlooked the plateau north of Chattanooga. The cabin was cute, but the views were spectacular. An unexpected treat for us was the unbroken view of the night sky. I don’t ever remember seeing so many stars at night except when we’ve been at sea. Evenings were spent out on the cabin’s deck, wrapped in blankets, using a star-gazing app to help us identify what we saw.
During the days, we set out to find outdoor adventures. The first day was spent in Chattanooga. The second day was spent outside the city. Here’s what we found:
The Chattanooga Choo Choo
The Chattanooga Choo Choo complex has train cars to look at, dine in, and even sleep in. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
We’ve visited the Chattanooga Choo Choo several times in the past and have stayed in its hotel a couple of times. This time, we went back with children who are crazy about trains. They reacted like they had gone to Disney World.
The train station has changed little from the way it looked in the early 1900s. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
We were able to wander around the grounds, and the engine and the caboose were available to climb into or onto.
While there, I snapped a photo of my grandson walking across a bench. It may be my favorite photo at the Choo Choo. It reminded me of the thousands of people who had passed through the station when it was in use for trains––people waiting on trains to take them places or bringing someone to them. It’s a nostalgic place. The children loved visiting the Choo Choo and we thoroughly enjoyed watching them explore the place.
The children were able to climb up on several train cars. (Margie Williamson/Now Habersham)
Also on the grounds, we found a bocce sandpit where the children could play a bit. (Margie Williamson/Now Habersham)
Waiting at the train station. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
There is no charge to visit the Chattanooga Choo Choo and its gardens, but there could be a charge for parking if the area is busy. Masks are required inside the station and recommended while visiting the area.
The Sculpture Garden
The Sculpture Garden is a world-class outdoor art museum. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
The Sculpture Garden is a world-class art museum displaying sculptures from international artists. The garden is a public park with 33 acres of sculptures to see. Within the 33 acres are forty different sculptures. Built over an old dumping ground, the garden has reclaimed the area for the enjoyment of visitors. There is an app you can download and listen to as you tour the sculptures which includes interviews with each artist. Sadly, we didn’t know that while we were there.
The garden is open to the public during daylight hours and there is no charge for visiting. At this time, social distancing and wearing masks are encouraged, even though it is an outdoor exhibit. The garden is located at 1800 Polk Street.
The Sculpture Garden is a world-class outdoor museum. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
Some of the sculptures can be experienced unclose. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
The garden was a great place for our photographer in training to practice. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
Point Park
The entrance gate was built in 1904. Its design was based on the Army Corps of Engineers Insignia. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
Our next stop was Point Park atop Lookout Mountain. Point Park is a ten-acre memorial to those soldiers who lost their lives in the Battle above the Clouds during the Civil War. The park was built as a reminder of the peace and reconciliation the nation reclaimed after the war ended.
The views are spectacular and those interested in Civil War history will enjoy it. The entrance fee was $10 a person and seemed a little pricey to me. However, since I’d never been, it was something I wanted to do. The fee covers the museum as well, but we chose not to visit it. Social distancing and masks were recommended.
Several Civil War canons can be seen in the park. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)The view of Chattanooga and the Tennessee River from Point Park is spectacular. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
Daddy/daughter time at Point Park on Lookout Mountain. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
For the children, this was their least favorite thing we did. There wasn’t much there to grab their attention and we had to keep a close eye on them. The park was fairly crowded, the drop-offs on the side of the park are steep, and parking was limited. However, it did provide some special daddy/daughter time.
Outdoor Lunch
After a full morning of adventures, we ate a late lunch at 1885 Grill, a restaurant with patio dining located at the bottom of Lookout Mountain in St. Elmo, a trendy neighborhood outside Chattanooga.
The food was wonderful, and the atmosphere was great. We also walked across the street for ice cream for dessert. The ice cream totally made up for boring the children at Point Park.
A day with waterfalls, caves, and skipping rocks
Greeter Falls is located in South Cumberland State Park near Altamont, Tennessee. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
On day two, we headed away from Chattanooga and took back roads to South Cumberland State Park. The park is located outside Altamont, Tennessee. We drove to Greeter Falls in search of the children’s first waterfall and their first cave.
The children waded and skipped rocks at the waterfall. (Photo by Jenna Shaw)
Greeter Falls is off the beaten path, and even when you find the parking lot, you may not know where to start. We ate lunch first in the picnic area. Then, to start the hike, go back toward the road you drove in on, and you’ll see the path entrance.
The hike covered just over a mile and was more difficult than we had anticipated for the little ones. It was rocky, often uneven, and had sharp drop-offs on one side. To be honest, though, the children out-hiked the adults and did great.
Along the way were several outcroppings that create small cave-like areas. In the children’s eyes, they had definitely found their first cave.
When we reached the waterfall, the water was calm enough for the children to wade in and they tried skipping rocks for the first time. The children also enjoyed adding rocks to the standing stones already collected–another first. For the little ones, it was a day of firsts.
We stopped at Dutch-Maid Bakery in Altamont. Dutch-Maid Bakery was opened in 1902 and is the oldest family owned bakery in Tennessee. We sampled both the coffee and the cookies. It was a perfect way to end the day.
Why Chattanooga?
Dutch-Maid Bakery is the oldest family-owned bakery in Tennessee.
Chattanooga has tons of activities that are designed for families. We chose not to take in places like the Aquarium, the Incline Railroad up Lookout Mountain, travel on a train, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Rock City and Ruby Falls, or taking a boat tour of the Tennessee River. We skipped these to avoid inside spaces. And, we just scratched the surface of State Parks to visit.
We would go back gladly. Next time, hopefully when COVID-19 is no longer, we’ll take the children on the train. I can’t wait!
Jackson Clouatre carries it into the end zone for the Raiders during the team's 2020 season opener against Madison County. (photo by Daniel Purcell)
The Habersham Central Raiders head to Rome Friday to take on the Wolves in the opening round of the Class 6A GHSA State Championship. The Raiders (6-4;4-2) are ranked third in Region 8AAAAAA. The Wolves (7-3;6-1) are #2 in Region 5AAAAAA.
The Raiders are coming off two huge wins last week, defeating Central Gwinnett on Tuesday, 62-14, and Shiloh on Saturday, 45-37. The Raiders battled back from a 28-point deficit against Shiloh to clinch the #3 seed.
“We’ve got a great group of young men who are playing really good football right now,” says Habersham Central High School Head Football Coach Benji Harrison. “We are excited to be in the postseason. Now that we are in, we want to go play well and try our best to leave Rome with a win.”
The Raiders invite their fans to a community send-off Friday at noon at Raider Stadium in Mt. Airy. A flyer for the event encourages ‘Bring yourself, your energy, and your enthusiasm.’
Coach Harrison says the team “feeds off of that kind of support.” For those traveling to the game, he adds, “I hope our community will do what it always does and travel well.”
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, at Rome High School. The winner will advance to the second round against the winner of the Kennesaw Mtn./River Ridge matchup (see brackets below).
Ann Peterson, volunteer coordinator the Church Relations Team for Northeast Georgia for Operation Christmas Child (OCC), announced that 10,678 shoeboxes have now been sent so far to the Atlanta Central Drop Off for distribution. The region includes four counties: Habersham, White, Stephens, and Rabun.
These shoeboxes represent a year’s work of various organizations, churches, and individuals in the region. Leading churches for this year include: Bethlehem Baptist Church collected 817 boxes through individuals and Life Groups plus the 2000 boxes packed by Redeemed Ministries; First Baptist Church of Toccoa collected 733 boxes, and Hollywood Baptist Church collected 102 boxes. Truett McConnell University collected 494 boxes and Tallulah Falls School collected 194 boxes.
Tallulah Falls School students, staff, and faculty donated 194 gift-filled boxes to Operation Christmas Child. Shown, from left, are Beth Huebner and Linda Harris. (E. Lane Gresham/Tallulah Falls School)
Peterson explains that collecting the shoeboxes regionally and loading the transport trailers that OCC provides also takes a lot of work. Twenty-one volunteers mostly made up of members of Bethlehem Baptist Church, worked a total of 208 man-hours during the week of November 16-23 to make it all happen.
Last year, the region collected 11,956 shoeboxes. Peterson points out that COVID-19 has impacted the work this year. She says, “A number of churches still aren’t meeting or are only recently started. Of the churches who participated this year, many increased and even surpassed what they were able to do in previous years.”
One example of that is Bethlehem Baptist Church. Bethlehem serves as the regional collection point, but the church is also committed to the ministry of collecting OCC shoeboxes to send. Redeemed Ministries, a local ministry that is sponsored at Bethlehem, actually packed 2,003 shoeboxes this year, while last year the ministry packed 1,500 boxes. Each shoebox contained clothing made by volunteers, hygiene items, and shoes, along with things like tools and screws, and activities.
Redeemed Ministries volunteer Cheryl Thompson has participated in OCC for four years. She has a heart for helping children. When she saw the work that Mary Brown and others in Redeemed Ministries were doing to meet the needs of children through OCC, she saw a need she could fill. Because she can sew, Cheryl spent the first three years making pillowcase dresses and tee-shirt dresses for girls. This year, she spent more time organizing other parts of the ministry. Two years ago, her husband Ray Thompson joined the work. This year, he worked with Deborah Whelchel on making over a thousand pairs of shorts for boys. Ray explains, “With my business experience in engineering in the sewing industry and my ability to use a serger, this was a good fit of using my skills in ministry.”
The majority of the shoeboxes collected in Atlanta will be sent to African countries, the Philippines, and other Pacific islands. OCC has eight distribution centers throughout the United States. Each center has a targeted area for distribution.
Peterson explains, “All boxes have been requested by pastors and mission partners in various countries, and are used as tools for evangelism. Giving out boxes is followed up with a voluntary discipleship twelve-week course, after which participants receive a New Testament in their own language.”
The transportation of OCC boxes require unconventional methods in the Pacific islands. (Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)
Processing of the shoeboxes begins on Friday, November 27th, and will continue through mid-December. Volunteers to process shoeboxes are needed to work during on the weekdays. Signup to help at samaritanspurse.org. Children must be at least 13 and accompanied by an adult to volunteer. The Atlanta Center is located in Lawrenceville.
Shoeboxes can still be given locally by contacting Ann Peterson or built on-line, and donations for shipping can be made at Samaritan’s Purse. Shipping costs for each shoebox is $9.
Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief, and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. In 2019, more than 8.9 million shoeboxes were collected throughout the United States. Worldwide, over 10.5 million shoeboxes were collected and distributed in over 100 countries. Since 1993, more than 178 million OCC shoeboxes have been distributed in over 160 countries and territories, changing the lives of children one shoebox at a time.
There’s still time to participate! (Banner courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)
What are you thankful for? That seems like such a loaded question this year. One would be hard-pressed to find someone who says 2020 has been a good year, and yet, here we are, still celebrating and hoping for better days ahead.
It is a testament to the human spirit that no matter how beleaguered we are, we still have within us the capacity to hope and be grateful. American author Melody Beattie sums up the richness of giving thanks:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
Gratitude turns what we have into enough. Think about it. In a society where status is often based on excess – more money, more property, more power, more prestige, simply put, more – having enough is the essence of what this day celebrates. And so, today, we wish you enough. Happy Thanks Giving! – Now Habersham
What are you thankful for? Join our Thanksgiving Day chat on Now Habersham’s Facebook page.
After a full morning of adventures, we ate a late lunch at 
Along the way were several outcroppings that create small cave-like areas. In the children’s eyes, they had definitely found their first cave.
“We’ve got a great group of young men who are playing really good football right now,” says Habersham Central High School Head Football Coach Benji Harrison. “We are excited to be in the postseason. Now that we are in, we want to go play well and try our best to leave Rome with a win.”
