milledgeville scene - march/april 2011

In its former gloryDigital Bridges builds fresh perspectives in renovated andrestored downtown space

The Quality of LifeLive Healthy Baldwin promoteshealthier lifestyles from theground up

GREENWAY

In its former gloryDigital Bridges builds fresh perspectives in renovated andrestored downtown space

The Quality of LifeLive Healthy Baldwin promoteshealthier lifestyles from theground up

GREENWAY

2 • MS • MARCH/APRIL 2011

Photos by Vaishali Patel/The Union-RecorderRandale and Renee Johnson with theirsons Zander Dean and Tyler Snead

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MARCH/APRIL 2011 • MS • 3

scene

Established 2007 • Volume 4 No. 2

PUBLISHERKeith Barlow

MANAGING EDITORNatalie Davis

ADVERTISING DIRECTORErin Simmons

CIRCULATION DIRECTORMichael Evans

CREATIVE MANAGERBrooks Hinton

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSarah Beth AriemmaJonathan Jackson

Jessica LutonValerie NiblettVaishali Patel

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVESChai Giles

Melissa HintonMiriam Lord

GRAPHIC DESIGNERSHamp Jones

Derrick RichmondTheresa Willis

COVER PHOTODanielle Fields

Milledgeville Scene magazine is published by The Union-Recorder bimonthly at

165 Garrett Way, Milledgeville, GA 31061.For more information on submitting story ideas

or advertising in Milledgeville Scene, call (478)453-1430.

GIFT STOREAT THEOLD GOVERNOR’SMANSION

Gifts with a Southern Flair

Tues-Sat 10am-4pm • Sun 2pm-4pm

478-445-SHOP(7467)120 S. Clarke Street (Entrance on W. Greene St.)

It is with great pleasure

Freedom Churchpresents its

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NEWPLAY

April 15-16 7:00 p.m. & April 22-23 7:00 p.m.Nursery Provided • Free Admission

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(478) 452-7694Visit www.freedomchurch.net

Come see a brand new Easter Play at Freedom Church.You will see: a blind man healed, Lazarus raised from

the dead, the whipping post, the crucifixion, Jesusraised from the dead, the ascension,

and many other scenes.


MARCH/APRIL2011CONTENTS

FEATURES

10 In its FormerGlory

16 A Cozy Nest

22 NewBeginning

Calls to us All

28 Green Space

32 The Quality of Life

ON THE COVERPhotographer DanielleFields snaps a wonderfulphoto of the Oconee River

From the Editor 6A little bit about what’s inside from our

very own Natalie Davis

Scene and Heard 5Arts and Culture and news of note

Dining Directory 42Where to find exactly what you’re craving

Sightings 48Scenes from events throughout town

IN EVERY ISSUE


a look at the arts & culture of Milledgeville and Baldwin County

ALLIED ARTS and the GeorgiaCollege Arts Unlimited Committeewill present the Ailey II dance ensem-ble Thursday, March 31 at 8 p.m. atRussell Auditorium.

The Alvin Ailey American DanceTheater was founded in 1958 bydancer, choreographer and visionaryAlvin Ailey in an effort to bringAfrican-American cultural expression

and the American modern dance tradition to the world. AileyII was formed in 1974 as the theater’s junior companydesigned to showcase rising young dancers and choreographers.The universally renowned dance ensemble has been under theartistic direction of Sylvia Waters since its formation. Ailey IIfeatures 12 members from the student body of The AileySchool.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and senior citi-zens, and the event is free for Georgia College students with avalid Bobcat ID.

For more information, call (478) 452-3950 or visitwww.milledgevillealliedarts.com

“MUSIC WILL FILL THEHALLS of the Baldwin Fine ArtsCenter Friday, March 25 as theBaldwin High School and GeorgiaMilitary College Prep School jazzbands and choirs present “A Concertin Springtime” a benefit performanceto support Communities in Schoolsof Milledgeville-Baldwin County.Tickets for the show are $10 generaladmission and $30 for reserved seat-

ing. The reserved seating admission will feature a full-servicedinner and a pre-show performance by the BHS and GMC lit-erary teams. Dinner is set for 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The goal ofthe first-ever fundraiser is to raise $8,000 for CISMBC to sup-port adult education programs and community literacy in aneffort to decrease the local dropout rate. Tickets are available atboth BHS and GMC.

For more information, call (478) 452-3408 or visitwww.cismilledgeville.org.

WE’VE ALL HEARD OF RECY-CLING, but for this Green Issue ofMilledgeville Scene, why not learn abit about up-cycling? GeorgiaMilitary College and Digital Bridgeshave teamed in an effort to take usedcomputers into local schools tobroaden the technological opportuni-ties for local students. Surplus com-puters from GMC are being refur-

bished by the staff at Digital Bridges and given to local schoolsand nonprofit organizations. See page 11 for more details.

GMC replaces more than 200 computers each year, andthus far 40 refurbished computers have been delivered toSinclair Christian Academy and Baldwin County Schools. Thiseffort is the first of its kind in the state of Georgia, providing acost-efficient, environmentally-friendly way to put computersinto the hands of those who could use them. Going greenlocally has never been so studious.

THANK YOUR MOTHER, EARTH THAT IS. Each year,the Georgia College Environmental Science Club organizes activi-ties during the month of April in observance of Earth Day, aimedat showing appreciation for our planet and educating the publicon the value of a clean and healthy environment. Earth Day is thelargest, most celebrated environmental event worldwide. This stu-dent group sponsors environmental forums on topics rangingfrom recycling to global warming. According to its website, thepurpose of the GC Environmental Science Club is to “educatestudents, staff, and faculty on environmental issues, improve envi-ronmental practices on campus and in the community, and spon-sor environmental affairs and events.” Club meetings are heldweekly in Herty Hall. The group participates annually in theRivers Alive Cleanup efforts and conducts its own recycling drives.The 41st annual observance of Earth Day is April 22. To find outmore about the Georgia College Environmental Science Club andits Earth Day activities, visit their Facebook page atEnvironmental Science Club or visit their website athttp://www2.gcsu.edu/orgs/student/esc/

Ailey II dance ensemble

Changes are underfoot in Milledgeville. Spring is upon us, and the skies are just a little bit brighter. As

patches of earth break with the promise of new vegetation, a greener,healthier community is also on the horizon.

In this our annual Green Issue of Milledgeville Scene, we explorethis newfound potential. Not just for the physical, dietary or environ-mental impact alone. These are quality of life issues that affect eco-nomic development, business, tourism and even education. Andinside this issue, we share stories of several locals who are takingcharge and making a difference in this realm, one green initiative at atime.

Inside, writer Vaishali Patel reveals the components of the LiveHealthy Baldwin project and how its successes mean overall gains forthe local community, and Jonathan Jackson explains how it ties heav-ily to the next phase of the Oconee River Greenway expansion.Writer Jessica Luton shares background on Milledgeville’s locallyowned, environmentally sustainable downtown coffee shop,Blackbird Coffee, and Sarah Beth Ariemma shows us how the folks atDigital Bridges are making a green impact while creating greater localaccess to technology. And writer Valerie Niblett gives us details onTom and Jenny Hansel’s somewhat accidental successful businessventure, Ultra Pampering, their all-natural specialty soaps, lotionsand candles.

From the Live Healthy Baldwin project and its community gardeninitiatives and efforts to create biking and walking trails along theOconee River Greenway and surrounding areas, to the Greenway’snext phase and continued expansion to Digital Bridges and BlackbirdCoffee — there’s a connectivity and a communal bond.

It connects transportation, technology, tourism and recreation todiet and nutrition and a greener tomorrow. And by working as a com-munity with the common goal of promoting healthier, greener andcleaner neighborhoods, it all comes together.

Coming together is a beginning. Working together is progress, andstaying together takes a commitment toward success.

E-mail us and tell us what you think of this issue, and pass alongyour ideas for future issues of Milledgeville Scene — [email protected].

NATALIE DAVIS/MANAGING EDITOR


from the editor

Natalie

“To the dull mind all nature isleaden. To the illumined mind thewhole world sparkles with light.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGEA LIBERAL ARTS JUNIOR COLLEGE

By SARAH BETH ARIEMMA


Digital Bridges builds fresh perspectives in renovatedand restored downtown space

Digital Bridges, a part of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, has been activelyimproving Milledgeville’s technological quality of life since its doors opened. DigitalBridges is a venture of Georgia College spearheaded by the Knight Foundation’s grant. Theproject is a citizen-led initiative that involves the innovative uses of technology to improvethe understanding and computer literacy of Milledgeville and surrounding communitiesinterested in seeing how the initiative works with society.

Daniel McDonald, communications coordinator for Digital Bridges, joined the staff lastsummer. Like the facelift Digital Bridges is making throughout Milledgeville in terms oftechnology, the physical building itself, which houses Digital Bridges, the KnightInnovation Center, received a second chance in the 21st century.

“This building is folk-Victorian,” McDonald said. “It is a storefront building and rough-ly 100 years old. People all over the county remember this building in different ways. Beingable to get one of the beautiful buildings downtown has weaved us into the community.We hope to stay emblematic in the direction the community is headed in.”

Leaders of the community-based initiative knew they would need to stay as centrallylocated to the people as possible if they were going to make an impact on how Milledgevilleuses technology. Maintaining the historical structure of the building remained a top priori-ty.

“The renovations have been in an attempt to maintain the character of the building, aswell as function. Our director, Heather Holder, worked with professionals to restore thebuilding to its former glory,” McDonald said.

In an attempt to shop local, Digital Bridges leaders hired only local contractors andartists to restore the building and craft its logo.

“We hired local artist, Matt McGee, to craft our logo. We wanted to highlight the localartists in the area in the spirit of goodwill, as well as remind everyone to shop locally.Holder made sure to hire only local contractors to do the renovations. When we keep ourdollars local, our entire community wins,” McDonald said.

“Digital Bridges commissioned Matt McGee to interpret the organization’s logo in hischosen medium as a means of celebrating the creative and artistic talents present inMilledgeville-Baldwin County,” said Holder in a statement issued about the logo designconcept. “The eye-catching interpretation Matt envisioned for Digital Bridges’ logo is just


one more example of how you don’t have to leaveMilledgeville to obtain creativity and craftsmanshipthat can’t be found anywhere else.”

The money used to renovate the building camefrom part of the grant from the Knight Foundation.Before the Knight Foundation, Ga. Gov. SonnyPerdue awarded a wireless grant to the city ofMilledgeville, making Milledgeville a unique adoptioncenter for widespread wireless Internet throughout arural community. The Knight Foundation wanted tocontinue the grant for three more years and see if tech-nological literacy and the Internet would improve thequality of life, graduation rates and job placementthroughout the area.

“We are trying to raise people’s literacy and helplocal businesses become more efficient online. Whenbusinesses become more proficient, their profits riseand our local economy increases as well,” McDonaldsaid.

Digital Bridges is more than a technological literacycenter. The group is now embarking on a new recy-cling venture.

“We discovered there was a need for disposing oldtechnology. We talked to Marion Nelson with the

Baldwin County Environmental Compliance Officeabout setting up a system to have people safely disposeof their old technologies. The program Nelson hadimplemented was a once-a-year program, but we’d liketo be a year-round drop off point,” McDonald said.“At least once a week now we have someone whodrops off a full trunk of old cell phones, stenographermachines and other things.”

As Digital Bridges becomes full, Nelson collects allof the old technology and sees that the waste makes itsafely to a recycling center in Atlanta.

“We receive a receipt that lets us know how manypounds have been recycled. As of right now we haverecycled two-and-a-half tons of recyclable materials.We’re looking forward to continuing this program andadding more programs like it to our services for thecommunity,” McDonald said.

In a press release McDonald compiled, the exactnumber of recycled pounds was revealed.

“Since it began collecting electronic materials insummer 2010, Digital Bridges has collected 1,037pounds of electronics. Together with the BaldwinCounty Environmental Compliance Office’s efforts, todate, Milledgeville-Baldwin County residents have

Local artist MattMcGee works on theDigital Bridges logodesign on the front ofthe building.


contributed 5,271 pounds of recyclable materials.”Digital Bridges is also home to a professional and safe learn-

ing environment to those who are pursuing higher educationalgoals.

“Because of our relationship with Georgia College, we haveaccess to graduate assistants and other college students. Wealways ask our students to propose new plans and a workablegoal that we can work to achieve together. We had a studentwho wanted to use his IT skills to reformat used and older com-puters to make sure that everyone could have access to a com-puter,” McDonald said.

The renovated space, located at 127 West Hancock St., isalso home to any organization that wishes to have a quiet placeto hold meetings and seminars. McDonald hopes that more stu-dents and businesses will use the Knight Innovation Centerbuilding for both learning and professional events.

“We want to make this a location for everyone. We wantsuggestions always. I always tell people that the greatest initia-tive Digital Bridges is undertaking is the one we don’t knowabout yet — yours.”

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In the midst of the hectic pace of everydaylife, it’s nice to have a home away fromhome. A place to observe a few moments of

peace and quiet, to read a book or just socialize withothers over a cup of coffee.

For many local residents, that home away fromhome is known as Blackbird Coffee, a local independ-ently owned coffee shop that’s been serving up freshlyroasted java in a uniquely friendly atmosphere foralmost six years now.

“We like to think of it as a third place,” said five-year Blackbird Coffee employee and local residentChris Averitt. “You have home, you have work, andthen a third place.”

Blackbird Coffee, which is located at 114 W.Hancock St. in downtown Milledgeville, prides itselfon standing out from the competition, giving cus-tomers a friendly atmosphere to enjoy socializing,reading or surfing the internet and, at the same time,providing an inviting and educational experience forboth coffee lovers and those who have never beforestepped foot in a coffee shop.

“The main reason that we’re different is that we

By JESSICA LUTONPhotos by JAMES MCCUE


roast our own coffee,” said Averitt. “Withother companies, it’s roasted far away,shipped to stores and then it sits on the shelfuntil it’s served. When we roast it, two orthree days later, we’re serving it. It’s a con-stant race to keep it stocked in the store.That’s one of the biggest things that set usapart. After that, I honestly think that wehave a group of people that work here that alot of people just see as baristas, but we tryto create a family unit behind the counter.And that carries out to our customers. As aroaster and one of the general managers, Idefinitely care about the coffee.”

The shop offers three different caffeinatedcoffees on any given day including the houseroast, a rotating roast and a flavored coffee,but the shop offers 13 roasts for customers toenjoy. The coffee beans originate from allover the world and are then shipped to acompany called Coffee Holdings in New

York before being sent down to Georgia.Large burlap sacks filled with coffee beansare then checked, and the roasting processbegins.

Roasting coffee beans, he said, is an artthat’s almost impossible to really fully master,however you can come close.

“I feel like I am better at it than I was ayear ago,” he said. “I understand more what’sgoing on chemically and physically. I have abetter grasp on our machine. I think our cof-fees are better than what they were. Butbecause coffee is just like any other crop and[it] changes with each season, being a masterroaster is a mythical term. I only hope tokeep getting better at it.”

Beyond coffee, the shop also offers a hostof options for those who’d prefer decaffeinat-ed or non-coffee beverages. White chocolatemocha, hot chocolate and handmade sodasare just a few of the offerings for those with-

out an affinity for coffee.A host of delicious breakfast and lunch

items keep customers coming back for more,time and time again. From cinnamon rollsthat are large enough to feed a small family,to scones, biscotti, muffins and biscuits,Blackbird is a hot spot for breakfast on adaily basis. Three types of biscuits, includinga sausage, egg and cheese, bacon, egg andcheese, and egg and cheese are available. Theshop carries banana nut muffins, cranberrynut muffins and blueberry muffins on arotating basis, and four types of sconesincluding blueberry, apple cinnamon, cran-berry orange and raspberry white chocolate.Additionally, fresh bagels are available in sixdifferent flavors including plain, blueberry,cinnamon raisin, everything, wheat andsesame seed. And gigantic cinnamon rollsand biscotti finish out the selection of break-fast foods available at the venue.

For lunch, the shop keeps its offeringssimple, at least for now, by offering twobagel sandwiches.

“During lunch, we offer two bagel sand-wiches. One is the vegetarian delight, whichhas garlic hummus, carrots, roasted red pep-pers, spring mix and white balsamic vinai-grette,” Averitt said. “The other is a turkeysandwich with roasted red pepper sauce,spring mix and oven roasted turkey. We’retrying to develop a few more options forpeople in the future.”

Blackbird offers a unique atmosphere forcustomers, with art from local artists on dis-play on every wall, hip, catchy music playingin the background and an all-around vibethat makes customers feel welcome as soonas they step in the door. For Averitt andother employees of the shop, a friendly, wel-coming atmosphere is just what they strivefor.

We have people willing to wait in line for a bit longer for our coffee.We’ll take you through the menu and help you find the beverage that suitsyou best. OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE, WE’RE REALLY, REALLYGOOD AT IT. I really like the way that people are treated here.


“We have that kind of atmosphere. You comein and we’re going to educate you,” he said. “Wehave people willing to wait in line for a bitlonger for our coffee. We’ll take you through themenu and help you find the beverage that suitsyou best. Our customer service, we’re really, real-ly good at it. I really like the way that people aretreated here. Sometimes when you go to othercoffee shops, you get treated poorly. You have tocreate that relationship. And it’s amazing whathappens out of that.”

As an independently-owned coffee shop,Blackbird has been able to institute some smallmeasures that help reduce the business’s carbonfootprint, even if just a little, he said.

“While we are working toward being moreand more green, we don’t yet consider ourselvesto be a green company,” he said. “One of themore green things we do is roasting our own cof-fee. It’s all done right here. We use biodegradablebags for that. We try our best to recycle our alu-minum as the county permits. We donate ourpost grounds to anyone who wants them. Wehave the in-house mugs. And we’re trying reallyhard to move more and more toward [being agreen company]. It’s hard to balance that withbusiness practices. But we want so badly to makeour footprint as small as possible.”

For Averitt, the sum total experience of work-ing at Blackbird has meant a world of new peo-ple and friends that wouldn’t have been possibleotherwise. The people, he said, are by far hisfavorite aspect of the job.

“The people. I could do all of the coffee stuffat my house if I had the equipment,” he said.“But my relationship with my fiancé built out ofher coming into this shop. A lot of my friendshave come from this shop. The customers aregreat. We just created this atmosphere that Ihave never felt before. I love this place because ofthe people that are here. And access to the coffeeis a plus.”


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New Beginning Worship Center is a place forthe lost to be found, for the hopeless to findhope and the unaccepted to find their family.Pastor Earnest Franklin Jr. and his wife, Co-Pastor Ramona Franklin began New BeginningWorship Center as an answer for those whomsociety had cast out. The church’s structure,located on 200 Southside SE in Milledgeville,was also given a new beginning. The structureonce housed an elementary school that has sincebeen closed.

“We’ve been here going on four years,” PastorFranklin said. “The Lord sent us here and madeall of the plans for us to be here. As far as thevision, it will take this, plus some.”

The church began in 2001. Right away theministry reached out to those who needed a sec-ond chance in life.

“My wife and I had a vision to start a churchto accept people who had been rejected by thecommunity and the other churches. We went tothe Lord for a name, and he gave us ‘NewBeginning,’” Pastor Franklin said.

The church has around 110 members in thecongregation. Co-Pastor Franklin felt verystrongly that New Beginning should truly acceptanyone who walked through the doors of thechurch, no matter their past.

“My philosophy has always been to love peo-ple as they are. We need to bring the love ofJesus to everyone. We have to live the life andlove, not just one day a week, but also every day.We can’t judge others by how they live or dress.In spite of even prisoners, God has given us asecond chance, so we too should give secondchances,” Co-Pastor Franklin said.

New Beginning Worship Center is also partof a very special community effort- theCommunity Garden. The MilledgevilleCommunity Garden is a product of hard work

CHURCH PROFILE

NewBeginning

calls to us allstory and photos by:

SARAH BETH ARIEMMA


and an idea to provide plots of land to anyone wishing togrow fresh fruits and vegetables. Not only does this save par-ticipants money on fresh food, but it also provides a wonder-ful space for the youth in the community to learn about hor-ticulture and grow food.

“When the Community Garden leaders came to me andtold me about their meetings to plan the garden, I was veryimpressed. We had all of this land that wasn’t being used andwe gave it to the garden and the community for everyone touse and enjoy. Next year the garden will have four plots forNew Beginning parishioners so we are very excited aboutthat,” Pastor Franklin said.

Lin McKnight, a former president of the garden associa-tion, went to Pastor Franklin with the idea that the gardenmight fit in perfectly with the unused acres of land behind thechurch.

“The New Beginning Worship Center provides the loca-tion for the garden. We’ve worked with Pastor Franklin ratherclosely since the whole thing began. The church has nevercharged us rent and have been wonderful,” McKnight said.“It has taken us about two years to really make headway withthe garden, but what keeps us going is membership. We’realways looking for as many members as we can find.”

A plot in the garden is a once-a-year fee of $20 (or a $10hardship fee). The garden is always looking for new members,as well as volunteers for the garden.

“Our fruit trees should start producing next year. Everyonecan reap the rewards,” McKnight said.

The church is also planning to open a food bank to assist

the needy during their times of trial. The church is activelypursuing a grant, but until a grant can be secured, the foodbank will be entirely community donation-based.

The come-as-you-are church prides itself on not turninganyone away from its services and assistance. A few years agothe church hosted a tent revival service in MilledgevilleManor. Urging from God brought them to the Manor andthe people.

“We are a non-denominational church. We come and letthe Lord have his way. If you come and get the word, yourconvictions will be strong. We never discriminate against race.We are a multi-cultural church without a dress code. Just bedecent- no hats and First Lady suits necessary here,” PastorFranklin said.

Co-Pastor Franklin began a ladies ministry, “RAMO”ministries. The focus is Women Gone Wise.

“It is meant to encourage women of any age to make wisedecisions in their every day. Everything is Bible-based. Weminister to everyone. We don’t care what you have done. Thisministry teaches love to all, and support to women where theyneed it most,” Co-Pastor Franklin said.

The church has a Praise and Worship team that assistsPastor Franklin in ministering every Sunday. The five-foldministry offers something for any type of worshipper. Thechurch also has a dance team to help minister to parishionersthrough movement.

“I am the Praise and Worship leader,” Co-Pastor Franklinsaid. “We do singing, clapping, screaming, running. The Lordmoves throughout our five-fold ministry.”


New Beginning Worship Center isalso implementing a new program called“Mentor Plus.” Children whose parentsor family members have been incarcerat-ed are eligible to participate in the after-school program. Members of the churchand community teach children mother-ly and fatherly love, as well as give thempositive role models to emulate.

Church services are held everySunday at 11:30. Bible study is held onThursday nights at 6 p.m., as well as aJoy Night at 7:30, which is a regularchurch service. The church is workingon a nursery service currently, howeverboth Rev. Franklin and his wife believeit is good for both children and adults tohear the service together.

New Beginning Worship Center ison Facebook, as well as YouTube. Thechurch also has a website,www.nbwc.thischurch.org, that isupdated frequently to keep parishionersand potential church members abreastof all the latest information available forthe church and programs.

Both Pastor and Co-Pastor Franklinhave hearts wide open for anyone walk-ing through the doors to listen to themessage of God.

“We’re a group of giving people.We’re very giving of our sanctuary andwe help everyone in need of help. We’rethe church that will help you through,and lift you up through the word ofGod.”

worship directoryAntioch Primitive Baptist Church512 NW Monticello Rd.478-968-0011

Baldwin Church of Christ57 Marshall Rd. 478-452-5440

Bible Rivival Church 101 Deerwood Dr. 478-452-4347

Black Springs BaptistChurch673 Sparta Hwy NE 478-453-9431

Body of ChristDeliverance Church140 SW Effingham Rd.478-453-4459

Central Church of Christ 359 NE Sparta Hwy 478-451-0322

Church of God385 Log Cabin Rd.478-452-2052

Church of Jesus Christ1700 N Jefferson St. 478-452-9588

Community Life Baptist Church1340 Orchard Hill Rd.478-414-1650

Community BaptistChurch 143 NE Log Cabin Rd.478-453-2380

Countyline Baptist Church1012 Hwy 49W478-932-8105

Countyline PrimitiveBaptist Church120 NW Neriah Rd. 478-986-7333

Covenant PresbyterianChurch440 N. Columbia St. 478-453-9628

Discipleship ChristianCenter Church113 SE Thomas St. 478-452-7755

Elbethel Baptist Church251 N. Irwin St. 478-452-8003

Emmanuel Baptist Church384 Gordon Hwy 478-453-4225

Faith Point Church of Nazarene700 Dunlap Rd. 478-451-5365

First Baptist Church330 S. Liberty St. 478-452-0502

First Christian Church 555 N. Columbia St. 478-452-2620

First Presbyterian Church210 S. Wayne St. 478-452-9394

First United Methodist Church366 Log Cabin Rd. 478-452-4597

Flagg Chapel BaptistChurch400 W. Franklin St. 478-452-7287

Flipper Chapel AME400 W. Franklin St. 478-453-7777

Freedom Church, Inc.500 Underwood Rd. 478-452-7694

Freewill FellowshipWorship Center115 Cook St.478-414-2063

Friendship Baptist Church685 E Hwy 24 478-452-0507

Friendship Baptist Chapel635 Twin Bridges Rd.478-968-7201

Grace Baptist Church112 Alexander Dr. 478-453-9713

Greater Mount ZionBaptist Church171 Harrisburg Rd. 478-452-9115

Green Pasture BaptistChurch150 N. Warren St. 478-453-8713

Gumhill Baptist Church1125 Hwy 24 478-452-3052

Hardwick Baptist Church124 Thomas St. 478-452-1612

Hardwick UnitedMethodist Church195 Hardwick St. 478-452-1513

Hope Lutheran Church214 Hwy 40 W. 478-452-3696

Hopewell UnitedMethodist Church188 Hopewell Church Rd.478-453-9047

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses2701 Irwinton Rd. 478-452-7854

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses110 NW O’Conner Dr.478-452-8887

Lakeshore CommunityChurch882 Twin Bridges Rd.478-986-7331

Life and Peace Christian Center116 SW Frank Bone Rd.478-453-3607

478-452-3015

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Living Word Church ofGod151 W. Charlton St. 478-452-7151

Milledgeville ChristianCenterThe Sheep Shed120 Ivey Dr. 478-453-7710

Miracle Healing Temple133 Central Ave. 478-452-1369

Missionaries of Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints141 Frank Bone Rd. 478-452-5775

Montpelier UnitedMethodist Church449 Sparta Hwy 478-453-0040

Mosleyville Baptist Church106 SE Oak Dr. 478-452-1723

Mount Nebo BaptistChurch338 Prosser Rd. 478-452-4288

Mount Pleasant BaptistChurch 265 SW Mt PleasantChurch Rd. 478-452-7978

Milledgeville Study Group140 Chase Ct. 478-414-1517

New Beginning Church of Christ 325 Hwy 49 478-454-5489

New BeginningWorship Center200 Southside SE478-696-9104

New CovenantCommunity Outreach Ministries321 E. Hancock St. 478-453-3709

New Hope Baptist Church345 E. Camden St. 478-452-0431

New Life FellowshipChurch123 Ennis Rd. 478-414-7654

New Life FoursquareChurch112 Jacqueline Terrace478-452-1721

New Life Ministries1835 Vinson HWY SE

New Vision Church ofGod in Christ941 NE Dunlap Rd. 478-414-1123

Northridge ChristianChurch321 Log Cabin Rd. 478-452-1125

Northside Baptist Church1001 N. Jefferson St. 478-452-6648

Oak Grove Baptist ChurchNo. 1508 Hwy 49 478-453-3326

Oak GroveIndependent Methodist

Church121 Lingold Dr. 478-453-9564

Old Bethel HolinessChurch866 SE Stembridge Rd.478-451-2845

Pathfinder ChristianChurch120 N. Earnest Byner St.478-453-8730

Pine Ridge Baptist Church657 Old Monticello Rd.478-986-5055

Rock of Ages Baptist Church601 W. Montgomery St478-453-8693

Rock Mill Baptist Church2770 N. Columbia St.478-451-5084

Sacred Heart CatholicChurch110 N. Jefferson St. 478-452-2421

Salvation Army Corps Community Center478-452-6940

Second Macedonia BaptistChurch2914 SE Vinson Hwy478-452-3733

Seventh Day Adventist509 N. Liberty St. 478-453-3839

Seventh Day AdventistChurch of Milledgeville156 Pettigrew Rd. 478-453-8016

Shiloh Baptist Church204 Harrisburg Rd. 478-453-2157

Sinclair Baptist Church102 Airport Rd. 478-452-4242

Spring Hill Baptist Church396 Lake Laurel Rd. 478-453-7090

Saint Mary MissionaryBaptist Church994 Sparta Hwy 478-451-5429

Saint Mary Baptist ChurchHwy 212 478-986-5228

Saint Paul Baptist Church485 Meriweather Rd. 478-986-5855

Saint Stephen’s EpiscopalChurch220 S. Wayne St. 478-452-2710

Tabernacle of Praise 304 Hwy 49 W. 478-451-0906

Torrance Chapel BaptistChurch274 Pancras Rd. 478-453-8542

Trinity ChristianMethodist Church321 N. Wilkinon St.478-457-0091

Union Baptist Church720 N. Clark St. 478-452-8626

Union Missionary Baptist Church135 Prosser Rd. 478-453-3517

Vaughn Chapel BaptistChurch1980 N. Jefferson St. 478-452-9140

Victory Baptist Church640 Meriweather Road478-452-2285

Wesley Chapel AMEChurch1462 SE Elbert St 478-452-5083

Wesley Chapel Foundation House211 S Clark St. 478-452-9112

Westview Baptist Church273 W Hwy 49 478-452-9140

Zion Church of God in Christ271 E. Camden 478-453-7144

1525 N. Columbia St.• Milledgeville, GA 31061

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By JONATHAN JACKSONPhotos by DANIELLE FIELDS

Tucked away in downtownMilledgeville near the river bridge cross-ing is a treasure with a mission and goalto provide green space for the region —a living and breathing area fed by themighty Oconee that is sanctuary, playarea and garden in one.

And it’s all down by the riverside.The Oconee River’s origin is found in

the foothills of the AppalachianMountains near Gainesville in HallCounty. From there, the river makes itsway through Athens, lakes Oconee andSinclair, through Milledgeville to south-east Georgia. The Oconee combineswith the Ocmulgee to form theAltamaha River near Lumber City. Thewaters then flow out to sea nearBrunswick and Jekyll Island.

While winding its way throughGeorgia, the Oconee providesMilledgeville and nearby counties with avast selection of recreational possibilitieson the lakes and on the river itself. Oneadditional area found along the winding

path of the river is home to a plethora ofopportunities for activity and is locatedin the downtown Milledgeville. Theriver and the town share legacies of mak-ing their marks; the Oconee carved itsshape across Georgia just asMilledgeville carved a shape of its own ofhistorical significance that helped deter-mine the course of a nation.

The Oconee River Greenway is locat-ed just off Hancock Street on the westbank of the Oconee River. A spacious lotallows for plenty of parking and is con-nected to a boat ramp that allows boatersand anglers access to the flowing watersof the Oconee. The Greenway opens upto well-maintained green space: pavedwalking trails, planted gardens, riverbank observation decks, enhanced wet-lands, and a large space designed for fes-tival and recreational use.

Dr. Heather Langston is director ofthe Oconee River Greenway, a post shehas held since 2007. Langston said theuse of the Greenway has increased every


year since it was officially established by theGeorgia state legislature in 2002. The OconeeRiver Greenway Authority board met for thefirst time that year, organized, and adopted amission statement.

Some of the board’s goals include the cre-ation of a corridor along the Oconee River forpublic use beginning in Baldwin County andfollowing the Oconee River through othercounties along the river. The authority hopesto eventually involve other cities and countiesin the management of the corridor, promotearchaeological and historical sites along theriver, and provide educational opportunitiesfor users of the Greenway. The authority alsohopes to promote recreation, stewardship andthe balanced co-existence of wildlife and nat-ural vegetation along the Greenway.

“The Oconee River Greenway Foundationis a private foundation that supports theGreenway Authority,” Langston said. “Thefoundation is planning more special events atthe Greenway and wants to promote themmore.”

Langston said there are multiple plans andphases under consideration for Greenwayexpansion, and while some are dreaming big,others are fairly easily manageable and mayhappen soon.

“Ever since I took the job, my dream hasbeen to build an amphitheater down there,”Langston said. “I think that would be a hugeasset to the area.”

The idea for an amphitheater has longbeen touted, but Langston said that portionof the plan so excites her that she won’t letanyone forget about it.

Future expansion plans include a trailalong tributary Fishing Creek that extends tothe property near the Animal RescueFoundation on Wilkinson Street in down-town Milledgeville. Another trail expansion isplanned south of Fishing Creek, but anotherexpansion could soon see benefits for theGreenway and for the community at-large asa proposed second phase.

“There will be more concrete trails northof the bridge, and where the old power plantis we plan to have an overlook,” Langstonsaid. “There will probably be a couple morefishing stations here.”

The park will likely eventually connectwith Buzzard Island near the area of rapidsvisible from the bridge to the north.

The new trail will include a little morethan one mile of paved trail north of thebride, more parking areas and the construc-

tion of a new boardwalk through a wetland.The city of Milledgeville will soon extend

Greene Street into the park. As part of theGreenway’s upcoming second phase, theentrance will hopefully move from the con-gested state Highway 22 to an entrance onGreene Street. This should allow safer entryinto the park by vehicle. The former entrancewill still accommodate pedestrian traffic.

As it is now, the park gets plenty of use.“I took my son down there Sunday after-

noon — he is learning to ride his bike,”Langston said. “There were kids rollerblading,they were on scooters and bicycles, and therewere dogs everywhere. Sometimes you can’teven see them, but you can hear them gigglingas they’re floating between the two wateraccess points. It’s a good addition to the com-munity, and this is fun job to have.”

Langston said wildlife viewing is a fast-growing activity at the Greenway as bird-

watchers are using the area more. Greenwaysupporters are working on a list of birds thatare found in the area for birdwatchers to useas a checklist.

Local garden clubs consistently supportthe beauty of the Greenway with plantings.The Carrington Woods and the local MasterGardeners have placed gardens at theGreenway. Langston said the goal is to usenative species of plants and trees and to addtrees in February to mark Georgia Arbor Day.

There are times throughout the year whenthe Greenway floods. At different times theOconee River overcomes its banks and floods,temporarily submerging the park.

“Any problems we’ve had with floodinghave been human error,” Langston said. “Ithas been built to withstand flooding.”

During flooding Langston said there seemsto be a natural curiosity of all the water, butshe cautions people to stay away as there is a


reason the park closes during periods of flooding.“We don’t allow any kayaking or boating during

flooding,” she said. “You just never know what you aregoing over or what you are going to encounter.”

During summer months when the river is at regularlevels, though, Langston said the park is more popularthan ever. Access to the river is at the swimmer’s ownrisk, and should be carefully considered. Langston saidpeople who access the water should exercise caution.While not unsafe, because of the nature of the flow ofwater based on power generation at Sinclair Dam, peo-ple should be aware.

“This is a working river, especially during the sum-mer. They are generating electricity all day long. Theriver rises one to two feet. The current moves a littlefaster. It’s not unsafe, you just need to pay attention.”

The facilities on the site were all designed andinstalled with flooding in mind.

The large festival area is frequently used by organi-zations including the Animal Rescue Foundation,which holds its annual Pet Walk fundraiser at the park.The Boy Scouts of America have a Walk-a-Thonplanned, and Langston said the participants in theannual April Fool’s Ride sponsored by the local bicycleclub and the Rotary Club of Milledgeville will hold anafter party there. The park is also used for more roman-tic events. Langston said there have been several wed-dings held at the Greenway.

The park is maintained by a collaboration of agen-cies. Langston said the city maintains a portion of theproperty and cuts the grass in the summer. The countytakes turns with volunteer organizations, includingGeorgia Military College, emptying trash cans.Volunteer organizations and GMC cadets, along withthe members of the Georgia College EnvironmentalClub, the Green Extream club at Oak Hill MiddleSchool and other groups including scout troops, frater-nities and sororities help with trash pick up.

The fabric of the Greenway is tightly woven withthat of GMC.

“[GMC President] General [Peter] Boylan is chairof the authority board. The position of President ofGMC is a board appointed position by law,” Langstonsaid.

GMC leases property to the Greenway and providesoffice space for Langston as part of the school’s engi-neering department. Langston is the Greenway’s onlyemployee.

Langston said both GMC and Georgia College pro-vide support for the Greenway, as do city, county andstate government installations and officials.

“Any time people get grumpy and say [the local gov-erments] don’t work well together I remind them thatthis is a community project and I am just organizingit.”

She said the existence of the Greenway is a successstory for intergovernmental cooperation.

“When I need help, I ask for it and seldom see anyresistance.”


The QualityOF LIFE

Live HealthyBaldwin promoteshealthier lifestyles

from the ground up

By VAISHALI PATEL

Live Healthy Baldwinaims to promote healthand exercise by workingto create bike trails andcommunity gardensthroughout the area.

To fight the battle of childhood obesity — that has been themission of the Live Healthy Baldwin project since December2009 by encouraging children and families of Milledgeville andBaldwin County to live a healthier and more active lifestyle.

When the Center for Health and Social Issues at GeorgiaCollege was awarded a $360,000 grant from the Robert WoodJohnson Foundation (RWJF) last year, city and county govern-mental agencies, organizations, businesses, faith-based groupsand educational institutions collaborated to kick off the plan-ning and development of five focus areas throughout the com-munity as part of the Live Healthy Baldwin initiative toimprove opportunities for physical activity and access tohealthy, affordable foods over a four-year period.

“We are hoping that by addressing obesity in school-agedchildren, we will begin to enact change across the board forour community, lower our health care costs and help those lessfortunate because health care is an ever increasing amount,”Bicycling Club of Milledgeville President Adam Heagy said. “Ifwe can improve, then we can become more attractive to others.Health care cost is a big cost to companies, and if we can pro-vide a healthier community for them, it gives them more rea-son to choose our community.”

As one of only 50 Healthy Kids, Healthy Communitiesgrant recipients in the country addressing the root causes ofchildhood obesity, Baldwin County was able to establish acommunity vegetable garden on the former SouthsideElementary School playground using the first $90,000 lumpsum for residents to plant, grow, harvest and share healthyfoods.

“On the big MLK Day of Service, we had 50 volunteers get


the garden ready for the coming growing season byputting in new dirt and mulch and building up theplots to make them fertile. We are expanding thegarden and partnering with Milledgeville HousingAuthority to try to get gardens established on theirgrounds,” Georgia College Center of Health andSocial Issues Director Dr. Jim Lidstone said. “Ourlocal schools also seem to want to create schoolgardens, so we’re working with teachers out thereand making plans to put raised beds in the spring.Midway Elementary School got a [United States Department ofAgriculture] fruits and vegetable grant, so they’ve been implementingfresh fruit and snacks for their students.”

Incorporating nutritious snacks into afterschool programs, such asthe Boys & Girls Club of Baldwin County, 4-H, High Achievers,Youth Enrichment Services and Georgia College Early College, isanother area of concentration in which the Live Healthy Baldwinproject is progressing.

“Instead of the Pop-Tarts and Rice Krispie squares, students canget fresh fruits and vegetables and have healthier options. For thefood that we’re growing at the community garden and school gar-

dens, we want to find a way to get it into theschool food program, that way locally-grown foodcan be used instead of processed food,” Lidstonesaid. “I would love to see local growers in BaldwinCounty ... be able to provide a farm to school pro-gram. If people were interested in agriculture andgetting into producing food for the community,that’s a job opportunity right there.”

Another action team of the Live HealthyBaldwin coalition is working to implement SNAP

and WIC benefits to Milledgeville Marketplace Downtown FarmersMarket shoppers.

“Getting more vendors creates price competition and makes foodmore accessible for people who think might be too expensive other-wise. The SNAP and WIC benefits is an encouragement for peopleto come to the market,” Lidstone said. “We’re also trying to come upwith funding so people can get two for one purchasing power. Faith-based organizations can provide financial supplementals for peoplewho use the farmers market so it makes it inexpensive to access quali-ty food.”

The centerpiece of the physical activity component is the Safe

We are trying to improvethe quality of life by tying in

healthy foods and physical

activity with economic

development and tourism.


Routes to Schools initiative. A 9.36-mile pedestrian and bicycle pathwill travel along Fishing Creek from the Oconee River Greenway onthe easternmost edge of the community to the Baldwin CountyBoard of Education, the local industrial park and the recreationdepartment complex on the west side of town.

“Any neighborhoods in a reasonable distance of school propertycan use the trail to avoid major highways. We hope people use thetrail for recreational purposes and daily transportation, which reducescar traffic and transportation costs,” Lidstone said. “It relieves con-gested parking in downtown areas and contributes to a greener envi-ronment because we don’t get the carbon emissions. And in turn, wehope it contributes to Milledgeville as a tourist destination and beattractive as a retirement destination.”

With the help of a $3 million to $5 million construction grant,the planning and layout of the Fishing Creek Trail began to takeshape. Phase I of the trail extends 1.04 miles, beginning at OconeeRiver Greenway and stretching out to the Animal Rescue Foundation(ARF) on South Wilkinson Street. From the ARF office to CentralCity Park, located off of West Hancock Street, Phase II-A is a dis-tance of 2.46 miles.

“A year ago at this time, we partnered with Oconee River

Greenway to write a $100,000 Department of Natural Resources(DNR) Recreational Trails Program grant to complete Phase I of the[Fishing Creek Trail],” Lidstone said. “Around Thanksgiving, wewrote another $100,000 DNR grant for Phase II-A, and then anoth-er schools grant to cover the cost from the Central City Park to theBoard of Education to school property on Blandy Road.”

While the Live Healthy Baldwin project team waits to hear backabout funding for the trail, fingers are crossed that Phase I will befinished six months after breaking ground later this year.

“[Georgia College Associate Professor of Geography] Doug Oetterhas been there to do survey work and accurate cost estimate to get itout for bid. We hope to bid the first phase of it and have construc-tion start late spring or early summer,” Lidstone said.

“Eventually we want to have an eight-foot-wide concrete trail suit-able for walking, running, bicycling, wheelchairs, skateboards,rollerblades and just any form of active transportation. Depending ifwe get the other grants, construction should start in a similar

timeframe.”Heagy is an advocate of incorporating a network of bicycle lanes

that connect all parts of the community in order to move towardbecoming a “Bicycle Friendly Community.”


“I’m working primarily towardapplications for the League ofAmerican Bicyclists Bicycle FriendlyCommunity Program to hopefullyrecognize our community as incor-porating bicycling, and show thatwe are serving all members of thecommunity in transportationoptions and recreational options.Working toward the BicyclingFriendly Community program is toreally show our part to our city gov-ernment and leadership that we arecommitted to this and we canimplement this to identify lessertraveled streets and maybe includebicycle trails,” he said. “It’s aboutcreating vibrant areas in town andconnecting those areas. I would liketo work to improve the number ofoff-road trails. The only bicyclingfacilities we have are Oconee RiverGreenway, Bartram Forest and anature preserve.”

The deadline to apply for andsubmit the Bicycle FriendlyCommunity work plan is byAugust. Heagy said a presentationdetailing the benefits of increasingbicycling activity in the communityto create a healthier environment isalready in the works as part of theapplication.

“We’re kind of using this to spureconomic development and improvequality of life in our area and beattractive to new start-up businessesand retirees. We’ve been fairly successful with it so far, but our obvi-ous concerns are, for example, educate bikers on how to use bikeracks, both on campus and off. I would like to see bicycle racks inappropriate places downtown because there’s a shortage in downtownparking,” he said. “Gas and insurance keep getting more expensive,and if we continue on the path we’re on we are putting undue bur-den in our community.”

Lidstone and Heagy are set to travel to Washington, D.C. comelate March to represent Baldwin County, along with 15 other com-munities selected nationwide, to participate in Connect Training as away to develop relationships with legislative delegations.

“I’m really looking forward to that as a great opportunity to meetwith our state and national leaders. I know that we are working withissues that a lot of states are dealing with,” Heagy said. “We want tobring recognition to our community, and if we can have success withthis, then we can become a model community throughout the state.”

More than 30 percent of men, women and children in Baldwin

County designated as obese, and one in nine residents, or 10.6 per-cent of the local population, have diabetes.

“We are trying to improve the quality of life by tying in healthyfoods and physical activity with economic development and tourism.We’re trying to increase the opportunities for physical activities andhealthy eating in the population of obese and low-income individualsbecause we do have 23 percent of low-income families in BaldwinCounty,” Lidstone said. “The overall goal of the RWJF project is toreverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. It’s going up rightnow, and we hope to have it trend downward. Our project will endin December 2015, so hopefully these initiatives will sustain on andbe used for generations to come.”

For more information about the Healthy Kids, HealthyCommunities project, visit www.healthykidshealthycommunities.org.For tips and advice on bicycle safety, a calendar of events, local meet-ing dates, discussion forums or to join The Bicycling Club ofMilledgeville, visit www.mvillebikes.com.


We service all makes and models Heating, Cooling and Refrigeration


By VALERIE NIBLETTPhotos By K&B PHOTOGRAPHY

Creativity, ingenuity, resourcefulness and persever-ance: all of these things and a fancy wicker basketmore represent the quiet energetic couple behindInnovative Ideas, Inventions and Improvements?business owned and operated by Milledgeville resi-dents Tom and Jenny Hansel.

Perched in their expansive workshop on a beautiful acre of propertyat the edge of town, Jenny and Tom took a chunk out of their day toenlighten me on what’s new with their home-based business.

“The whole business was originally going to be Tom’s inventions,”Jenny explained slightly sheepishly while surrounded by dozens of soapmolds, countless bottles of fragrances and boxes of candle wax. Tomstood nearby casually leaning against a counter in the lavender paintedshop. Glancing up at him, I caught a hint of a smile as he gazed at hiswife seated in a black leather desk chair at the end of the work islandwe were gathered around.

“Tom’s always been an inventor. He’d invent something, tell some-one about it, they’d get the patent and all the money, and he neverdid,” she said matter-of-factly.

Tom’s been too busy in the past five years to entertain many seriousinventions, but has dabbled in kit cars, custom hot rods and otheractivities that exercise his creative mind.

“We built the shop almost nine years ago,” Jenny continued. “Webought the 1,200 square-foot house brand new for a good price withno idea at the time we’d be building a shop.”

With more than 2,470 square feet of overall space and the upstairs1,000 square footage all by itself, the shop boasts an automotive side,carpentry area, lawnmower shop in back as well as the peaceful lavenderworkroom. With cabinets, work benches, storage and office space inthe workroom, the couple installed a half bath and even insulated it tokeep the heat out in the summer and in during the winter. The entireupstairs is used for storage.

With Tom’s obvious passion for inventing, carpentry and automo-tives, Jenny had a few tricks up her own sleeve as well. It seems the cou-

ple is more alike than they imagined.“I started making my own soaps about 28 years ago out of necessi-

ty,” said Jenny. “My skin is super-sensitive and I hadn’t been able to usea bar soap for ages.”

She’d find a liquid or gel soap she could use for a while, but eventu-ally her skin would become irritated and she’d have to try somethingelse if she could find it.

“It got so bad that I couldn’t use Ivory or even anything that couldbe used on babies,” she continued.

By sheer necessity, she visited a hobby and craft store in southGeorgia and found a book on soap making. Dog-eared and tired, thethin paper pamphlet holds recipes for soaps, lotions, liquids and thelike that are time tested and truly mother approved.

“Old-timey soap making uses lard and lye, which I knew I couldn’tuse. I needed something that was very moisturizing. Things that mostpeople can use like lanolin I’m allergic to so I couldn’t use things likethat,” Jenny explained.

She purchased a clear glycerin soap base at the craft store, read herbooklet and went to work.

She started making herself a few bars of soap using the glycerin andan olive oil base. At Christmas that year, she made a few bars for hersister and nieces. Over the years she has given them as gifts for friendsand relatives. “They’d ask me to make some for so and so. It was ahobby more than anything,” she said.

“Tom and I met about 11 years ago, and I was making soap occa-sionally for myself at that point. Then we talked about wanting to retireat 62 and what we could do to have some more income besides retire-ment,” she said.

They talked about things that interested them individually andthought about their hobbies and crafts.

Besides making soaps, Jenny likes to do just about any craft. Sheespecially enjoys anything to do with the ocean and feels drawn to any-thing nautical in nature. Tom is a hands-on Mr. Fix-It kind of guy dab-bling in woodworking, carpentry and machinery. The two stretchedtheir creative minds and settled on a home business where their skills,talents and interests meet and will still leave them with plenty of timeto enjoy retirement.

“We were going to have six websites, now we’re just going to havethree,” Jenny said of Innovative Ideas, Inventions and Improvements.“One whole part was going to be a nautical theme site, which I’m stillgoing to do with our Nautical and More site. I have boxes of my cre-ations. Seascape Visions will include everything that comes from theocean. The sand, everything like you’re looking at, little pieces of theocean and beach.”

“The other site has to do with stuffed animals and puppets,” Tomsaid as he pushed away from the counter and joined his wife at theworktable. “You can hardly find puppets anymore.”

With a nod and smile, Tom disappeared upstairs to the storageroom while Jenny continued to explain the creatures held captiveabove.

Gift Bears and More is the second website that will be up and run-ning in the near future under the couple’s ownership. These friendlyfuzzy creatures are as cute and cuddly as they are plainly unique innature. Penguins, lambs and bears were displayed in their full glory, allsoft and squishy and completely huggable. A comfortable fit over thehand magically brings these creatures to life. Beautifully made and quitecharming, the beasts make a fantastic display as well as a favorite toy fora tot.

NatureFriendlyTom and Jenny Hansel’s Ultra Pampering is a oncefledging project turned accidental business success


“They’re so lifelike,” Tom said as he pulled a black bear out ofits cellophane wrapper and handed it to me. “This one has weighedpaws to drape over your shoulders. It feels like it’s hugging you.”

Without hesitation, I tossed a softly clawed paw over my shoul-der and settled in for a very nice bear hug.

“All of the different things we make, any of the supplies we buyor any of the items we get from wholesalers are all from right herein the United States,” Tom said with a hint of well-deserved pridein his voice.

Ditz Designs makes the critters, a third generation family-owned business based in Ohio. Another husband and wife teammakes solar chimes that are a visual work of art as well as aural. Asmall solar panel picks up trace amounts of light and createsenough energy to turn the chimes to tinkle angelic tunes.

“We didn’t plan it that way, but it seems that it’s what wefound.”

The third portion of their company is definitely the most wellknown. Going back to what Jenny developed out of necessity, thecouple has transformed making occasional bars of soap for familyand friends into a thriving business.

“Ultra Pampering has taken off like a rocket,” said Jenny ofwhat was once a fledgling project handled out of their kitchen. Itcould be the entire business — and right now it is the entire busi-ness, but it wasn’t intended to be.

“When you’re pampering yourself, it doesn’t have to just be soapand lotion. You’re pampering yourself in the tub when you wantcandles and things,” Jenny explained.

They have candles in three different candle bases. They alsohave a plug in wax melter that uses a light bulb instead of a flameand reed diffusers that send wonderful scents throughout the room.

Gift baskets are available with specialty soaps and lotions as wellas other unique items for special occasions. Although some of theirproducts may be considered pricey, the obvious quality of eachitem, extra effort and personal attention is worth every penny.

The melt and pour soap bases used in Ultra Pampering soapsare made from natural ingredients such as goat’s milk, glycerin,olive oil, aloe vera, honey, oatmeal, silk and shea butter. They comein huge blocks that are carefully measured with other natural ingre-dients and specialty fragrances, then melted and poured into vari-ous moulds.

Children’s soaps are generally made from clear glycerin, lightlycolored and contain a plastic or rubber toy or figurine embedded inthe soap. Customers can choose from delightful frogs on soap lilypads, SpongeBob cheerfully waving hello, any number of Disneycharacters perched atop soap pedestals or interesting lizards deepwithin a glistening bar just begging to be released with avid handwashing.

Bars are generally poured in three ounce or six ounce molds infragrances to please both men and women using the various bases.More than one hundred fragrance bottles line one wall of the work-shop and contain anything from light, flowery scents to deep,earthy tones and nearly anything imaginable in between.

“Some of our most popular soaps carry signature fragrances thatsmell very much like Bath and Body Works, Victoria’s Secret,Armani or Ralph Lauren favorites,” Jenny explained. “CottonBlossom smells like the Bath and Body Works collection and isgender-neutral and has a clean scent.”

Other aromas come from the natural ingredients such as laven-

Above: Tom and Jenny pose with their othercreations from Gift Bears and More.


der blossoms, lemongrass, mint, almond or oatmeal. “We have even made soap with an oatmeal base that smells like

a rich fall lager,” Tom chimed in excitedly as he pulled out yetanother box of carefully wrapped and packaged soaps. Dubbed astheir beer soap, I peered over the edge at the dark bars and inhaleddeeply enjoying the light scent of earthy hops.

Specialty soaps make up a good percentage of Ultra Pampering’ssales. The almond complexion bar contains fresh ground almondsto help exfoliate and absorb excess oils. Teens and adults alike haveused the bar and reported an improved complexion within a fewdays. Among the top sellers is also the calamine lotion bar in a goatmilk base that helps soothe and heal itchy skin following insectbites, poison ivy, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis and other minor skinirritations.

“We think that because it’s in the soap,” Tom explained, “it getsthat calamine down in your skin pours. Plus goat milk itself is veryhealing.”

I popped my nose to the bar and took a tentative sniff, consid-ering I’d heard that goats don’t smell very fresh. Surprisingly, the barhad a light, clean scent from both the calamine lotion and the cot-ton blossom fragrance oil.

“Everyone loves this scent; it’s a neutral smell that guys like, andit’s real clean smelling,” Jenny said. “So far nobody has had a prob-lem with the fragrance oil with sensitivity. I can also make it with-out the fragrance. Calamine lotion itself has its own little smell.”

A fun product for feet or elbows has a perfect slice of loofahembedded in a bar of soap. Liquid soaps are available in an organicgel, goat milk or castile soap base. Scented candles can be orderedor purchased in paraffin, soy or palm bases. Wax potpourri tartswith flame-free wax melters, reed diffusers, wooden rose budssprayed with a fragrance or added to a reed diffuser all send sooth-ing aroma into the space around you.

Handcrafted shea butter, goat milk or yogurt based lotions arealso available in many of the same fragrances to match the soapsmaking for a very nice gift set. Shea butter doesn’t leave skin greasyor tacky feeling. It goes on smooth and absorbs easily leaving gentlemoisture behind without that annoying heavy feeling of some dis-count lotions.

Many more original offerings from Ultra Pampering are avail-able through their website www.ultrapampering.com or by visitingtheir Etsy store www.etsy.com/shop/ultrapampering.

Local residents can drop by the Milledgeville MarketplaceFarmers Market on Tuesdays or Harmony Crossing in Greensboroon Saturdays from May through September to look over the amaz-ing array of handcrafted soaps, lotions and gift items on display. Inthe fall, Jenny and Tom set up at Deep Roots and other festivalsthroughout the area.

“We’re both retiring this year,” Jenny exclaimed excitedly. “We’llfinally be able to give our full attention to what we love to do andenjoy our retirement together.”

Their dogs, Cody and Barney, happily agree by wagging theirstumpy tails. Both dogs relax in the workshop while Jenny andTom are busy. They’ve even created an organic citrusy dog shampoothey sell to bathe and soothe the pooches.

Jenny and Tom’s dream is to eventually move to Blairsville torest their weary bones and live out their days. Selling the house andpacking up belongings doesn’t scare the intrepid couple. With aportable nature-friendly business, the sky’s the limit.

Below: A few of the couple’s soaps and lotionitems.

dining directory

119 Chops30 W. Main St.Milledgeville

AJ’s Hotwings & More2601 North ColumbiaST Suite 4Milledgeville(478) 804-0101

Amici Italian Cafe101 W Hancock St.Milledgeville(478) 452-5003

Applebee’s106 NW Roberson Mill Rd. Milledgeville(478) 453-8355

Asian Bistro & Grill124 W. Hancock St.Milledgeville(478-452-2886

Aubri Lane’s114 S Wayne St.Milledgeville(478) 454-4181

Barberito’s Restaurant148 W Hancock StMilledgeville(478) 451-4717

Blackbird Coffee114 W Hancock St.Milledgeville(478) 454-2473

Bo Jo’s Cafe3021 N. Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 453-3234

The Brick136 W Hancock St.Milledgeville(478) 452-0089

Bruster’s Ice Cream1801 North Columbia StMilledgeville(478) 453-1303

Burger King2478 N Columbia St.Milledgeville

(478) 453-3706

Captain D’s Seafood2590 N. Columbia St,Milledgeville(478) 452-3542

Chick-Fil-A1730 N. Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 451-4830W. Hancock St.,Milledgeville(478) 452-0585

Chili’s Bar & Grill2596 N. Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 452-1900

China Garden1948 N. Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 454-3449

China Wings 31071 S. Wayne St.,Milledgeville(478) 453-3655

Choby’s at Little River3065 N. Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 453-9744

Church’s Chicken620 N Jefferson St.,Milledgeville(478) 414-1808

Country Buffet1465 SE Jefferson St.,Milledgeville(478) 453-0434

Crooked Creek, Bone Island Grill208 Crooked Creek Dr.,Eatonton(706) 485-9693

Dairy Queen1105 S Wayne St.,Milledgeville(478) 452-9620

Domino’s Pizza1909-B N Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 453-9455

Down South Seafood972 Sparta HwyMilledgeville(478) 452-2100

Dukes Dawghouse162 Sinclair Marina RdMilledgeville(478) 453-8440

El Amigo MexicanRestaurant2465 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 453-0027

El Tequila1830 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 414-1702

Golden Corral1913 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 414-1344

Goodie Gallery812 N Columbia St.,Milledgeville

(478) 452-8080

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant1304 N Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 452-5200

Grits132 Hardwick St. Milledgeville(478) 453-2520

Harold’s BBQ411 Pea Ridge Rd. Eatonton706-485-5376

Haynes Snack Bar113 SW Davis Dr.Milledgeville(478) 453-4155

Huddle House300 E. Hancock St. Milledgeville(478) 452-2680206 NW Roberson MillRd., Milledgeville(478) 452-3222

IHOP2598 N Columbia St. Milledgeville(478) 452-0332

James Fish and Chicken905 S Wayne St.Milledgeville(478) 453-8696

Judy’s Country kitchen1720 N. Columbia St. Milledgeville(478) 414.1436

Kai Thai2600 N. Columbia St. Milledgeville478-454-1237

Kentucky Fried Chicken2337 N Columbia St. Milledgeville(478) 453-2456

Kuroshima Japan140 W. Hancock St., Milledgeville(478) 451-0245

Lieu’s Peking Restaurant2485 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 804-0083

Little Tokyo Steak House2601 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 452-8886

Margarita’s Mexican Grill2400 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 453-9547

McDonald’s2490 N Columbia St.,Milledgeville

(478) 452-1312611 S Wayne St.,Milledgeville(478) 452-9611

McDonald’sWal-Mart, Milledgeville(478) 453-9499

Mellow Mushroom2588 N. Columbia St., Milledgeville478-457-0144

Metropolis Cafe138 N. Wayne St., Milledgeville478-452-0247

Mida Sweet201 S. Wayne StMilledgeville(478) 453-8634

Octagon CafeMilledgeville Mall(478) 452-0588

Old Clinton Barbecue2645 N. Columbia St.,Milledgeville(478) 454-0080

Old Tyme Dogs451 W. Montgomery St.Milledgeville

Original Crockett’sFamily Cafeteria andCatering1850 N. Columbia St. Suite 10Milledgeville(478)804-0009

Paradise Country BBQ111 Old MontgomeryHwyMilledgeville (corner Hwy 441 N. & Log Cabin Rd)(478) 452-8008

Papa John’s Pizza1306 N Columbia Street,Milledgeville (478) 453-8686

Papa and Nana’s WangHouse174 Gordon Hwy SW Milledgeville (478) 414-1630

Pickle Barrel Cafe & Sports Pub1892 N Columbia St.,Milledgeville (478) 452-1960

Pizza Hut650 W Wayne St., Milledgeville(478) 453-37032511 N Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 452-7440

PJ’s Steak House3052 Highway 441,Milledgeville(478) 453-0060

Puebla’s MexicanRestaurant112 W Hancock St,Milledgeville(478) 452-1173

Quizno’s Subs1827 N Columbia St, Milledgeville(478) 451-0790

Ruby Tuesday’s2440 N Columbia St.,Milledgeville

(478) 452-5050

Shrimp Boat911 S Elbert St.Milledgeville

(478) 452-0559

Sonic Drive In1651 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 451-0374

Sonny’s Brew’N Que120 N. Greene St.,Milledgeville(478) 452-0004

Soul Master Barbecue & Lounge451 N Glynn St.Milledgeville (478) 453-2790

Subway 1692 N Columbia St., Milledgeville(478) 453-2604

Subway2600 N Columbia St. Milledgeville

(478) 804-9976

Super China Buffet1811 N. Columbia St.,Milledgeville

(478) 451-2888

Sylvia’s Grille2600 N Columbia St.Milledgeville(478) 452-4444

Taco Bell2495 N ColumbiaSt.,Milledgeville (478) 452-2405

Velvet Elvis118 W Hancock St.,Milledgeville(478) 453-8226

Vinson Diner2136 SE Vinson Hwy, Milledgeville(478) 453-1171

Waffle House1683 N Columbia StMilledgeville(478) 452-95073059 N ColumbiaSt.,Milledgeville(478) 451-2914

Wendy’s2341 N Columbia St.,Milledgeville(478) 453-9216

Zaxby’s1700 N Columbia St.,Milledgeville(478) 452-1027

If you don’t see yourrestaurant listed herethen please call us at478-453-1436 to

have it added to ourdirectory.

JANUARY

March 4-5Margaret McCloskey, visiting writing. 8 p.m. Location TBA.

March 5Animal Rescue Foundation Annual Auction. Milledgeville Country Club. 6 to 10:30p.m. Tickets $35.

March 7Faculty/Guest Artist Recital. Wendy Mullen, soprano and Jennifer McGuire, piano.7:30 p.m. Max Noah Recital Hall.

March 12International Dinner. Sponsored by the International Club. 7 p.m. MagnoliaBallroom. (478) 445-4789.

March 13Guest Artist Recital. The Balkan String Quartet. Dr. Gregory Pepetone, piano 7:30p.m. Max Noah Recital Hall.

March 15-18“Milledgeville Memoirs.” By David Muschell/directed by Karen Berman. CampusBlack Box Theatre. In previews for Off-Broadway debut March 24-26.

March 17Georgia College Concert Band Spring Concert. Victor Vallo Jr., music director. RobertSheldon, guest conductor. 7:30 p.m. Russell Auditorium.

March 25“A Concert in Springtime.” GMC Prep Jazz Band, choir/BHS Jazz Band, choir.Benefit concert for Communities in Schools of Milledgeville-Baldwin County. $10admission, $30 reserve seating/dinner. 7 p.m. Baldwin Fine Center.

March 31Ailey II dance ensemble. Sponsored by Town & Gown/Allied Arts. 8 p.m. RussellAuditorium. $12 adults, $10 students and senior citizens. Free to GC students withvalid Bobcat card.

APRIL

April 2“Voices of Earth.” Georgia College Choral Ensembles. Stephen Coker, guest conduc-tor Jennifer Flory, director. 7:30 p.m. First Baptist Church. Donations Requested.

April 4Orchestra Spring Concert. Dan Auerbach, director. The Balkan String Quartet, guestartists. 7:30 p.m. Magnolia Ballroom.

April 13-16“A Celebration of the Legacy of Flannery O’Connor.” Georgia College. Andalusiatours, speakers, short movies and adaptations. $175 registration. Visitwww.gcsu.edu/startlingfigures. Register by March 1 to receive an early registrationdiscount. (478) 445-5277.

April 14Georgia College Music Department Spring Concert. A fundraising concert featuringthe Music Department choral and instrumental ensembles. 7:30 p.m. RussellAuditorium. $10 per person

April 15Guest Artist Recital. California E.A.R. Unit. Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. 7:30p.m. Russell Auditorium.

April 19Georgia College Small Ensembles Spring Concert. 7:30 p.m. Max Noah Recital Hall.

April 26Music Theatre Scenes. Wendy Mullen, director. 7:30 p.m. Max Noah Recital Hall.

April 28“Sound Sculptures 6.” Electronic Music Concert. 7:30 p.m. Max Noah Recital Hall.

April 29“Jazz Fest.” Performances by local middle school and high school bands, and theGeorgia College Jazz Band. 6 p.m. Front Campus

April 30-May 1Georgia College Dance Minor Spring Concert. Time TBA. Russell Auditorium.Tickets start at $11.

ONGOING

2010-2011 President’s Hall Student Exhibition. Georgia College Department of Art.9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday Parks Hall, 3rd floor. Call (478) 445-4572 for moreinformation.

“Labor Behind the Veil.” Old Governor’s Mansion. Tours by appointment only. A his-torically documented tour that provides mansion visitors a glimpse of the workinglives of men and women who lived and worked on the mansion grounds. Call (478)445-4545.

“The Collections Tour.” Old Governor’s Mansion. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday(by appointment only). $15 for adults; $8 for seniors; $10 for groups; $4 for students.Hear an in-depth discussion on the Mansion’s varied material and textile collections,the process of building the collection, recent restoration, and culminating in themethodologies employed in locating both original and period appropriate pieces andmaterials for display within the museum. Call (478) 445-4545.

E-mail your events to [email protected]. Please include time, date, location, including address,

cost for the vent and a contact phone number.

arts & entertainment

THE OLD GOVERNOR’S MANSION

Regular Tour Hours:Tues - Sat 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sunday 2:00 pm - 4 pm

102 S. Clarke St.Call 478.445.45.45

www.gcsu.edu/mansion

Special Curator’s Tour and our new Labor Behind the Veil Tour by Appointment

By VALERIE NIBLETT

Milledgeville resident John Pluta is known throughout these partsfor his delicious honey, quality beeswax, healthful bee pollen andanything else that has to do with honey bees. His blog,georgiabees.blogspot.com, offers a plethora of information regardingbees and was just the place to go to learn a little more about thesefascinating creatures; some of which gift us with golden sweet liquidsunshine.

First things first. Things that buzz make me nervous. I had a diffi-cult experience as a youngster and as a result, any tiny yellow and/orblack buzzing thing makes my heart race. Learning the differencebetween friends and enemies was top priority on my list of things todo.

Since moving to Georgia, I have had the pleasure of making theacquaintance of carpenter bees as they hover around the eavesdrilling bee-sized holes into the wood. According to informationfound on the Georgia Bees blog, while these critters are rather largechubby fellas and can be destructive, they are proposed to be gentle.I’m still giving them their space — and their apartment in my eaves.

Paper wasps have made their presence known with their slimwaists, and long brown bodies. They hang their partially open nestsfrom long stalks under our eaves and other shaded areas. The nests

haven’t been very large and I’ve recently learned that they eat spidersand garden pests. They’re not very aggressive unless provoked. I’mOK with that. You go your way, I’ll go mine.

Bald-faced hornets are shiny, black and white like a sleek car witha loud horn. They sting. More than once, it seems. Their nests arelarge paper orbs usually hanging in trees by late summer. They areaggressive, fiercely protect their nests and are easily agitated. Nothank you.

Then we come to my nemesis, the yellow jacket. It’s shiny like thehornet but with bright yellow and black stripes. It can build groundnests that are dangerous to bare little feet and lawnmowers. It likes tobuild smaller paper orbs in high places, as well. These little devilshold a grudge when disturbed. They sting multiple times and it does-n’t take much to fire them up. Believe me, they have my respect.

Our next fuzzy fellow falls in the friend category. He’s big andbumbly, and is a sucker for pretty flowers. He sort of eases throughthe spring breeze seemingly not much in a hurry falling in and out ofupturned blooms. Pollen sticks to him and he carries it like a sloppydirty dog to the next bloom to roll around some more before shuf-fling off chasing butterflies or what not. The yellow and black bum-ble bee, while still a buzzing thing, gives me pause to thing pleasantthoughts. But only for a moment.

Our last creature and the one we’re most interested in is the hon-

Bees,pleaseLocal beekeeper’s blog gives ussomething to buzz about


eybee. Compact, fuzzy, brown or dark in color and sometimes withstripes, these little guys put the buzz in being busy as a bee.Collecting pollen for food and nectar for honey, they pollinate manydifferent kinds of plants and are nature’s little nurturers. Be sweet tothem, they’ll eventually be sweet to you. But like most folks, theydon’t like to be messed with and may defend their homes with gusto.Be cautious and be careful.

Now that we know who makes the honey that sweetens the tea,how do they do it? Easy beesy. Bees and other critters like wasps andbutterflies are attracted to flowers by the sweet nectar the plant pro-duces. Honeybees collect the nectar in little nectar backpacks, whichis a separate section of their body used to store and transport the pre-cious liquid back to the hive.

Once the worker bee arrives, she’s met by a hive bee and the nec-tar is transferred mouth to mouth. The hive bee fills up and con-tributes enzymes that help break down the nectar into what willeventually become honey.

After the second transfer, hive bees deposit small drops of the liq-uid, which is nearly 80 percent water into the honeycombs. Morenectar will be added and the evaporation and aging process begins.To get to the 12 to 18 percent moisture level, the process is aided byheating and cooling attended to by more hive bees through the fan-ning of their wings.

There’s more to the process and of course many adversities may

come into play, but in a nutshell for the layperson, that’s how honey-bees make honey. The essence or flavor of the honey rests on severalfactors not the least of which is what types of plants the nectar istaken from. The physical location of the bees also plays a part inhoney making as does the type of bee itself.

Collecting the honey is a fete all its own. Some beekeepers useprotective gear from head to toe while others rely solely on gentlesmoke to calm the bees. Some use a combination of both, butregardless of how the honey is collected, the end result is the same:golden sunshine in a jar.

The history of honey can be traced back to ancient times and theviscous liquid has as many uses as my mom used to say Carter haslittle liver pills. Used medicinally and as a food, natural honey pro-vides a sweetness and unique flavor unmatched by any other sweet-eners on the shelf. Nothing beats a homemade cathead biscuitslathered with a thick smear of naturally sweet honey straight fromthe hive. Of course I wouldn’t know that as I don’t keep bees, but theclosest I have gotten is by visiting our local honey man for a fix nowand again.

John Pluta’s honey pot can be found at 165 Sparta Highway tothe right just over the river bridge headed out of town inMilledgeville. Visit his blog at www.georgiabees.blogspot.com formore information on honey, bee-produced products, or on startingyour own beekeeping colony. You may get a bit of a buzz out of it.


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�� Local re-enactors, including Edward Shelor(right) played the key roles of state legislatorsinvolved in the Secession Convention.

��Mayor Richard Bentley and Dr. Todd Groce of the Georgia Historical Society unveil the historic marker in observance ofthe 150th anniversary of the Secession Convention.

CIVIL WAR 150TH OBSERVANCE

Sightings

��Georgia Historical Society President andCEO, Dr. Todd Groce, speaks during the markerdedication ceremony in observance of Georgia’sSecession convention.

��Dr. Todd Groce and ceremony attendees view the historic marker erected in observance of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary.

��Rusty Henderson of Dublin takes on the role of Robert Toombsduring the re-enactment of the Secession Convention debates heldin observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Below,local re-enactors and Amy Wright of Georgia’s Old Capital Museum(second from right), pose for a photograph after the event.

��State Sen. Johnny Grant gives remarks during the markerdedication downtown in observance of anniversary of Georgia’sSecession Convention.

CIVIL WAR 150TH OBSERVANCE

Sightings

��Dr. Bob Wilson of Georgia College was presented acertificate of appreciation for his efforts in preservingthe history of Jarrett Springs during the marker dedica-tion ceremony held in late January.

JARRETT SPRINGS MARKER DEDICATION

�� Milledgeville Mayor Richard Bentley gives remarksduring the Jarrett Springs historic marker dedication cer-emony hosted Jan. 29 by the Colonial Dames XVIICentury.

�� Brittany Curry and Jack Morris take a closer look atthe running springs.

JARRETT SPRINGS MARKER DEDICATION

��Fran Passmore, chair of the Georgia Marking & Preservation Committee views the marker dedicated to Jarrett Springs,the location of Milledgeville’s founding.The marker dedication, hosted by the William Sherrill Chapter of the NationalSociety of Colonial Dames XVII Century, featured a brief presentation on the history of Jarrett Springs, also known asCommissioner Springs.

��Visitors who came out for the Jarrett Springs marker dedicationceremony were encouraged to were period dress.

��Dr. Therry Deal of the William Sherrill Chapter Colonial Dames XVIICentury gives remarks during the marker dedication ceremony.


W hen you are expecting a little miracle of your own, it is a comfort to know there’s an experienced support team waitingto serve you every step of the way. From the earliest stages of your pregnancy, the dedicated staff at Oconee RegionalMedical Center is ready to answer your questions, address your concerns, and share your excitement. We also offer

special childbirth education classes to help make your journey as smooth as possible.

You’ll also find our “Place for Women” offers personal attention throughout your childbirth experience. From compassionate nursing care and skilled physicians to private labor rooms and the latest medical technology, it’s no wonder ORMC’s obstetric services and staff consistently receive high ratings for patient satisfaction.

Call 478-454-3760 to schedule a tour and see the state-of-the-art amenities we have to offer.

www.OconeeRegional.com • 821 North Cobb Street • Milledgeville, GA 31061A Division of Oconee Regional Health Systems

Photo by Kyle Hitchcock Photography

milledgeville scene - march/april 2011

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