The 2006 Leadership Colquitt class held its graduation ceremony at the Tarrer Inn on Monday, November 13, 2006. The evening was the culmination of an eight week course in which the class participated. The leadership classes began in 2002 and have had great success in Miller County. The Colquitt-Miller County Chamber of Commerce and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership sponsor the program. Louise Hill from the Fanning Institute commented that Colquitt is “one of the cities in Georgia whose leadership program has continued to flourish.” Mrs. Hill was the speaker on September 25 and provided a “hands-on” way to understand leadership. Throughout the course, the participants heard from various city, county, and state leaders as they spoke about their various jobs and what it takes to be a leader in their particular field. Sue Ford from the Georgia Small Business Development Center and Latoya Butts from the Georgia Department of Economic Development raised awareness of the possibilities for new small business development with their creative ideas and informative presentation. As with the previous Leadership classes, the “students” were treated to a bus trip on Monday, November 6. After having breakfast at the Chamber of Commerce, the buses were loaded and the adventure began. The members were thrilled to get a peek at an actual commercial set being built at the SWGA Film Commission. Ralph Wilcox was able to speak with the group regarding upcoming projects before he had to get back to work. The class was ready to be in the movies before they left. The remainder of the day included a scenic tour of the Coheelee Creek Park and covered bridge, a tour of Birdsong Peanuts, lunch at Georgia Brown, tour of Nantzee Springs and a tour of Stillpond Winery. The graduation ceremony included a delicious meal at the Tarrer Inn and Representative Gerald Greene as the speaker. Representative Greene praised the class for participating in the leadership program and offered words of encouragement to each member. Veryl Garland Cockey and Debra Atkinson then presented the class members with their graduation certificate.
The members of the Leadership Colquitt 2006 class are Lynda Boyd, Nancy Brock, Donald Brooks, Thai Cao, Peggy Chambers, Venson Godwin, Emma Hallmon, Norma Hornsby, Ronald Lovering, Thomas Maine, Eloise Parkins, Martiele Pickle, Teresa Roberts, Sherri Shaw, Johnathon Stober, Rebecca Thomas, Sharon Thompson, and Donna Weeks.

The official holiday season opened this past weekend in Colquitt as Hometown Holidays got underway Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m. and lasting until 5:00 p.m.
Even though shoppers awoke to chilly temperatures, it didn’t dampen the afternoon as shoppers filled the stores early to find bargains that the stores had to offer for the annual event. Most people stated they were more in the Christmas spirit since the weather was cooler outside.
Some of the merchants were offering refreshments for the customers to enjoy as they browsed around looking for that perfect Christmas gift.
And getting in the Christmas spirit would not be possible without the arriving of the jolly old man, Santa Claus. He arrived by fire truck on the courthouse square at 2:00 p.m. to brighten the eyes of each and every child that was awaiting his arrival. He assured everyone he would make several more trips to Colquitt before the holiday season was over.
The drawings for the Colquitt Coupon winners took place at 5:00 p.m. Each merchant drew the name of their lucky winner or winners. They are as follows: A+ Car Wash, April Butler; American Pie Etc., Selena Warren; Badcock Home Furnishings; Mary F. Cox, Shannon Sheffield, Angie Roland, James Glover; Ameris, Inelle Williams; Barnard’s,Christy Hornsby; Bevis Furniture Co., Iva Tabb, Milas Grant, Margie Lewis, Cleo Mock; Bleu’s Coffee & Cream, Misty Hayes, Jessie Bodrey, Leslie Freeman, Monica Posey, Suzanne Wells; Blooming Business, Becky Braswell; Bride & Gift Gallery, Jessie Bodrey, Patrina Newton, DebJuan Morgan, LeeAnne Sheffield; Cedar Head Mayhaw Co.,Veryl G. Cockey; China Buffet, Horace Worsley; Colquitt/Miller Arts Council, Elaine McMillian; Country Boys’ Petro, Susan Kelley; Crooked Oak Golf Course, Tammy Richardson, JenniLee Cook, Sherry Morse; Grow Drug Co., Rita Phillips, Martha Cox, Virginia Warren; Fre-Jan’s, Susan Kelley, Melissa Harris; Hardees, Bo Haywood, Felix Tabb Jr., Cathy Gardner; Helen’s Pirate Cove, Juliette Imperial; Kay Ford, Jessie Wright; Looksmart Uniforms, Rita Phillips; Madison Avenue, Iva Tabb, Ina Hornsby; Market on the Square, Sherry Morse; Miller County Liberal, Chris Johnson; Miller Nails, Kim Davenport, Jewella Lovering, all other coupon entries receive a pedicure and manicure for $25, reg. $35; Moore’s Hardware, Curlie Kyles, Joyce Jones; Pat Sammon Chevrolet, Debbie Henry; PeopleSouth Bank, Krystal and Willie Griffin; Pic-N-Save, Jewel Maddox, Michael Joiner; Red Hot Tanning,not available; Red’s Liquors,not available; Road Runner Seafood, Cheryl Gammage, Gloria Roberts; Ron-Cam, Rosa Lee Miller; Southern Traditions,Monica Posey; Subway, Jewel Maddox; Tarrer Inn, Emms Smith; The Posie Patch, Martiele Pickle; Twelve Oaks Antique, Joanne Holland, Renee Spence; Wearhouse Etc., Martha Cox; and Wilkin’s IGA, Hannah Garney.

Three officers were recently elected for the 2007 year at a meeting of Golden Triangle, Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D). The new officers elected were Billy W. Roland, president; Luther Clearman, vice president; and Wallace O'Neal, treasurer.
Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council is a partnership between the United States Department of Natural Resources, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and rural communities. It was created to assist local people in planning and carrying out activities that conserve natural resources, support economic development, enhance the environment, and improve the standard of living for all citizens. The partnership is made up of locally organized, led and sponsored groups called RC&D Councils which receive technical and financial support from the USDA. Each Council identifies problems, develops strategies and implements projects to benefit the community. A broad range of public and private entities collaborate to assist RC&D Councils in achieving goals and objectives.
Current President, H. Joe Nichols thanked President-elect Billy W. Roland for his assistance these past years. Mr. Roland has served as a member of the executive board for RC&D, treasurer, vice president and now incoming president.
Roland represents the Flint River Soil on the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership, serves on the Natural Resource committee, is a member of Georgia Co-Op Industries, a member of Outdoor Classroom group and many other agriculture programs in the state.
RC&D is working with the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribal Town in Whigham, and the Baker County Composting Site known as the SW Ga. Poultry Waste Management Project, the Targeting on Aquifers Program (TAPS) Program
Since 1993, the Golden Triangle RC & D Council has been a 501(c)3 non-profit, nonpartisan group based in Southwest Georgia. The counties served by this organization are Calhoun, Dougherty, Early, Baker, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Decatur and Grady.
Current projects are Chancey—The Enviro-Turtle, Agritourism Initiative, Forestry Resources, Spring Creek Watershed Partnership, Georgia Co-op, SWGA Composting Project, Wheels to Work, Coheelee Creek Bridge, No-Till Farming and SWGA Film Commission.
Some of the success stories for Southwest Georgia are dry hydrants, Chehaw train, Flint Riverquarium, congressional tour, ecological outreach, small farmer assistance, forest eco-park, outdoor adventures, and shittake mushrooms.
The mission of the Golden Triangle RC&D is to assist the residents in achieving sustainable development while enhancing human and natural resources.
The office of Golden Triangle RC&D Council is located in Blakely.

A messenger, three special gifts, a distant journey and the arrival of a first-born son. It’s Christmas - but not the first Christmas, and it’s not in Bethlehem.
It’s Christmas time in Miller County, 1942, and the last person anyone wants to see is the telegraph messenger. Doors are locked, and shades are drawn as town folks avoid his arrival. With a bundle of special deliveries that need to be made by Christmas Eve, Andy the telegraph man has to find some pretty inventive ways to deliver his news. A soldier’s long awaited journey to be home for Christmas hangs in the balance.
Cotton Hall Christmas, a nostalgic glimpse into regional stories from the World War II era, and filled with traditional Christmas tunes of the time, promises to become a new family tradition in Colquitt, Georgia. Guaranteed to warm the hearts of young and old alike, Cotton Hall Christmas presents the stories of every-day miracles that happen around us, even in difficult times. And above all, it delivers the true meaning of Christmas.
Cotton Hall Christmas, written by Jules Corriere and directed by Richard Geer, opens in the historic Cotton Hall Theater in Colquitt, on November 25, and will run through December 16.
For more information on performances dates and times, or to purchase tickets, please call 229-758-5450 or go to: www.swampgravy.com
Shows
Tuesdays – 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Wednesdays – 10:00 a.m.
Thursdays-Saturdays – 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Week of November 19, 2006