Lake Park, Ga
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PRICELESS JUNE 2017 - 2018 DINING | EVENTS | KID STUFF | LODGING | RECREATION | VENUES A MESSAGE FROM The Editors After exploring South Georgia recently with JUNE 2017-2018 EDITION a family who was moving from another country, it gave EDITED & PUBLISHED us a whole new perspective on people who South Georgia Connections From sweet tea and BBQ, schools, houses are moving to our area for the first time. EDITORS and even driving rules, life moves at a Patti Minton & Karen Reissiger the new folks love how nice and helpful different pace. It was so great to hear that LAYOUT & DESIGN people are to them and how wonderful AnnJannette Atkins Salad, peach tarts, performing arts, one daythe foodoutings is here.and events From thatsalsa capture to Swamp the SPECIAL THANKS hearts of each community, we will help South Georgia Connections Greeters, DeMariah Newsome, you discover more about the surrounding and Wenda Bailey, photography, Joan Jerokvich towns than you ever dreamed possible. All content copyrighted by youOur Georgiawill take Grown advantage Trail ofoffers all that local is flavor close and a taste of South Georgia. We hope that South GA Connections -Karen and Patti OURto your MISSION home. Our mission is to assist new families with relocation services and orientation to their new community, to inform newcomers available in the area, and to promote local and local residents of benefits and services P.O. Box 2414 Valdosta, GA 31604 businesses and agencies that can provide O: 229-245-8383 F: 229-245-8344 mission through the leading of God’s Holy these resources. We accomplish this [email protected] www.sgaconnections.com encourage you to become an integral part of Spirit and the help of many other people. We your South Georgia community. Embrace others, lift them up, applaud their achievements, show them love. 4 We all walk through this journey of life together. Rent A Car or SUV with us Today! Get Your Quote Now! Call 229-242-4242 Located at the Valdosta Regional Airport 1750 Airport Road, Suite 2, 31601 We Support Our Troops. Ask about our military discounts. www.fyisouthgeorgia.com 5 What’s Inside this issue 12 Adel 78 Education 16 Hahira 85 Football Schedules 20 Lakeland 92 Events & Attractions 28 Lake Park 96 Faith & Fellowship 32 Moody AFB 100 Healthcare 38 Nashville 108 Kid Stuff 42 Quitman 112 Places to Stay 46 Tifton 114 Day Trips 50 Valdosta 114 Sports and Recreation 56 Businesses and Services 122 Venues 68 Cultural Arts 124 Volunteering 72 Delicious Recipes 126 Index (by town) 74 Dining 6 2017-2018 FYi* South Georgia 82 TIFTON 8282 8282 121255 8282 NASHVILLE 31 37 37 37 ADEL 37 COMMUNITIES MAP LAKELAND 37 84 121222 7676 HAHIRA MOODY AFB 84 84 VALDOSTA QUITMAN 7676 LAKE PARK www.fyisouthgeorgia.com 7 NEW TO TOWN? WELCOME TO SOUTH GEORGIA! South Georgia Connections has a welcome packet filled with resources to assist you in your move and numerous coupons to enjoy around town. It is our desire to help each newcomer get connected in their new community and to call it home. Contact us today to receive your free Welcome Packet. Visit us online at sgaconnections.com or give us a call at 229-245-8383. South Georgia Connections Greeters & Staff (Above, Bottom Row: L to R): Sara McArthur, Millie Jennings, Mary Walker (Back Row): De’Mariah Newsome, Zellna Shaw, Patti Minton, Mary Alice Griffin, Nina King, Kaye Hunt, Karen Reissiger Tifton Greeter Tifton Greeter Lakeland Greeter Owners Melody Johnson Bonnie Sayles Zellna Shaw Patti Minton & Karen Reissiger 8 2017-2018 FYi* South Georgia NEWCOMER TESTIMONIES Dave Wilber “I didn’t When Dave Wilber decided to relocate from expect a Virginia Beach, VA., to Tifton, GA., for a career human being opportunity, he conducted an online search of to actually the community and found the South Georgia show up..” Connections website (sgaconnections.com). “I was just looking for some basic information on the community,” he said recently. “I didn’t expect a human being to actually show up and tell me all about Tifton - which was great! People do that here.” South Georgia Connections “helped me figure out the town before my wife got here, especially the maps and restaurant coupons”, he said. A lot of the materials in the welcome packet were things his wife was looking for, such as pet care. Wilber is director of Diversified Enterprises, which employs 125 people and provides support services to people with developmental disabilities in eight counties in South Georgia. Gary & Sue Smith We moved to Lakeland from Pennsylvania. My son and family who were stationed here at Moody Air Force base, liked Lakeland so well they decided upon retiring and making Lakeland their permanent home. Zellna Shaw, who represented South Georgia Connections, visited us to give us information and coupons to help us get acquainted with the community. First of all, I must say Zellna has such an outgoing personality, you couldn’t help but like her. She sat down with my husband Gary and I and showed us all the information, from the churches in the area, of which we joined one, to the local attractions, to the many businesses. Thanks to your service, we are truly blessed to now be part of this community. Sincerely, Gary & Sue Smith www.fyisouthgeorgia.com 9 GETTING CONNECTED Moving is not easy; adjusting to living in a new city can be painful and difficult. However, it’s also a chance to start your life in a new community and make it even better than it was before. Whatever your attitude toward the move, the fact is there are a lot of decisions that have to be made. You will more than likely need to find a new house, a new school if you have children, new job, new doctors, new friends, and new routines. Here are a few things that can help you see the brighter side of a move and appreciate your new beginning: 1. Moving means relinquishing control of all your material possessions as soon as the moving truck leaves your driveway. Remember that the most important things in your life are the people in your life, not things. 2. Good communication is the key to making a smoother transition in a new place. Talk to your spouse about how you are feeling and be open to the needs of your children. Everyone adjusts differently to a move. 3. Experience your new culture by seeking out local restaurants and cultural opportunities. 4. To find where the locals like to eat, visit www.fyidining.com. This directory will also show what restaurants offer military discounts and kid’s specials. 5. Think permanent, not temporary! Oswald Chambers once said, “Many of us refuse to grow where we are put; consequently, we take root nowhere.” Resolve to bloom where you are planted. 6. Settle in with rituals and traditions! Start a new tradition with this move, or continue with an old tradition that brings continuity to your family. 7. Southern Hospitality is part of our culture. Be a good neighbor. Often, we wait for the neighbors to reach out first. Take the first step, share fresh baked cookies with your next door neighbor. This could be a great beginning to a new friendship! Patti Minton and Karen Reissiger, co-owners of South Georgia Connections, have been welcoming newcomers to the South Georgia area for over 20 years. They strive to help new families get orientated to the community and connected with trusted local businesses and services. South Georgia Connections did a great job of helping our family in our move from Germany to South Georgia. With the outstanding support of Karen, we found a new home and school for our child within a few days. She was well prepared and did a great job helping us to quickly fall in love with the South. The Till Family 10 2017-2018 FYi* South Georgia RAISED BED VEGETABLE GARDENING Raised vegetable beds are a great way to get started if you are new to vegetable gardening. They are relatively easy to build and you can make them fit into the space that works in your yard. To build your raised garden bed, you first need to choose a sunny, level location and design the area that you plan to use. Most beds are 3 to 5 feet across for easy access and length is limited only by your imagination. Leaving pathways around the beds keeps soil from being compacted and endangering your plants. Use lumber to build the beds and lay down landscape fabric on the bottom of each bed area, to allow water to penetrate and keep weeds from growing. After building your raised beds, you will need a truckload of top soil with a compost mixture. This soil will be loose and fertile, have good drainage, aeration, and roots will penetrate easily guaranteeing you a better yield. After filling your raised bed half-full of soil, cover your entire raised bed with plants, following the recommended planting depths and distances between rows. Raised beds for vegetable gardening come in various sizes. Lowndes County Master Gardener, Annie Barbas says that one 4 X 8 box can feed a family of four all winter with collards, broccoli, carrots, and radishes. Nine of our local schools have been helped through local businesses and the master gardeners in the area with producing some of their own food for the children. At the schools, students are taught to use raised beds and have also planted orchards. Locally grown food not only tastes better but also encourages children in learning to grow their own food.