SATURDAY March 24, 2018 BARTOW COUNTY’S ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER 75 CENTS EMS celebrated at CMC BY JAMES SWIFT CMC Emergency Preparedness Coordina- That includes rescuing people from the [email protected] tor Brad Cothran. “This is a way to pay brink of death, said CMC Chief Nursing them back and tell them ‘thank you for Officer Jan Tidwell. Cartersville Medical Center (CMC) hon- what you’re doing.’” “Sometimes, we have members who ored ten local emergency services An employee of Bartow County EMS will actually reach a patient and apply an providers at their third annual “Heart of for 22 years, Cothran said the hard work of emergency device to an individual and start Service” awards program Friday. emergency responders often goes unsung the process that will save their life,” she Representatives of Bartow County Emer- — if not completely unacknowledged. said. “We like to celebrate those successes gency Medical Services (EMS), the Bartow “A lot of times EMS was forgotten, be- and great outcomes.” County Fire Department and the City of cause EMS services are incorporated with Bartow County EMS personnel honored Cartersville Fire Department were recog- fire. We just want to make sure we recog- at the event were Ryan Barnett, Jamie nized for going above and beyond to serve nize those individuals, also,” he said. Grano, Fred Jordak, Nina Piatt, Landon JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS the Bartow community at the ceremony. “Today is just a day to recognize those guys Sutton and Callie Wiggins. Ten local emergency responders were recognized at Cartersville Medical “Being in the field so long, you kind of and girls who go out into the community Center’s “Heart of Service” awards banquet Friday. get used to not getting a ‘thank you,’” said and step above their regular, normal duties.” SEE SERVICE, PAGE 2A Nelson named GUNNING FOR GOLD Advocates’ interim executive director BY MARIE NESMITH [email protected] Patrick Nelson is serving as the interim executive director for Advocates for Children as the nonprofit searches for permanent leadership. The Rydal resident, who also is the community redevelopment coordinator for Bartow County government, is temporarily filling the position recently vacated by former Advocates President and CEO Karen White. “My ties to the organization through my mother, Terry Nelson, are deep. I remember her working with others to help start the or- ganization and the struggles that came in those early days to ensure its success,” said Nelson, referring to his mother who served as Advocates’ first executive director. “My opportunity to have an impact on the organization and help during this transitional time was important for me. “The work Advocates does in our community is vitally impor- tant and the children they serve often have no other voice. How- ever, I love the work and impact I can have in my role with Bartow County and did not want to have to let that go. Commissioner [Steve] Taylor gave his blessing to the board and myself to allow me to pull double duty for a while and help Advocates during this time. The faith and support I have gotten from all sides has been overwhelming, and I am blessed to be able to serve in this way.” Formed in the 1980s, Advocates is a Cartersville nonprofit that assists more than 3,000 area youth and families each year. Along with operating Flowering Branch Children’s Shelter, the organi- SPECIAL zation provides numerous programs that aid in the awareness, pre- Performing the drill that won them the Armed Squad state championship are, from left, T.J. Bosdell, Jody Sutton, David Mahan, vention and treatment of child abuse. Zach Ashley, Jacob Brown, Timothy Crane and Commander Steven Lynch. According to Advocates’ news release, Janet Tharp with J&L Advisors will conduct the search for the nonprofit’s next leader, who is expected to be selected within six months. “Patrick’s leadership skills, dedication to our community and JROTC drill team brings home 2 state titles to AHS ability to connect with people make him the best candidate to over- see the day-to-day operations of Advocates for Children as we BY DONNA HARRIS and 31 other schools, respectively, begin our search,” said Advocates’ board chairwoman, Tina Hud- [email protected] in the event to bring home the son. team’s first state championships Joining Advocates during an “exciting” period of activity, Nel- Adairsville High School’s since 2015, according to Army in- son will help the nonprofit as it gears up for numerous benefits and JROTC program continues its structor 1st Sgt. Jerry Queen. awareness campaigns. legacy of bringing home state ti- “It is so hard to win first place,” “I have had the opportunity through various things I have done tles. he said. “If a mistake is made that in my career, as well as the work started here by my mother and The program’s 30-member drill is obvious to all the judges, you others, to be a small part of groups doing some of the incredible team won state championships in have no chance to win so it takes things,” Nelson said. “We are blessed in Bartow County to have two events at the Georgia State almost a mistake-free routine. so many wonderful organizations working to serve others and so Drill Championship March 17 at When a team puts in as much many more that support this work with their time, talents and Griffin High School and brought work as these teams did, it is ex- money. home trophies for Top 5 finishes tremely rewarding to me to see all “Advocates was one of the first and has grown exponentially in five other events. their hard work be rewarded with since then through the efforts of so many. My part here is a small Nine of AHS’s 10 teams quali- a state championship. Finishing one but at a critical time, and I hope I can work to ensure the staff fied for the state competition by second or fourth is nice, but there is able to continue doing the incredible job they do every day serv- finishing in first or second place is nothing like beating everyone ing the children, and the board can have time to find the exact right in the area qualifier, and seven of and being the best.” SPECIAL person to take over for the foreseeable future.” the nine placed in the Top 5 at Senior Army instructor Maj. Showing off the state championship trophy they won in Armed state. David Sexauer said it’s “very hard Platoon are, front from left, senior Andrea Paniagua, senior SEE , PAGE 7A ADVOCATES The Female Armed Platoon, for the cadets and instructors to Sydney Edwards, senior Maggie Rutledge, junior Sandi Nally, commanded by junior cadet Emily prepare to excel in two very dif- junior Emily Carter, senior Emily Carter and sophomore Ashleigh Carter, and the Male Armed ferent events.” Stancil; back from left, sophomore Taylor Brown, senior Andrea Squad, commanded by sophomore Fritz, sophomore Mallory Woodall, sophomore Lauren Fine, cadet Steven Lynch, defeated 20 SEE CHAMPS, PAGE 7A junior Bethany Kubala and freshman Olivia Campbell. 17 Cartersville students awarded GateKey Scholarships RANDY PARKER/DTN Advocates for BY DONNA HARRIS good grades and stay out of trouble group was a little bigger than we 2.0 or better average in all classes, Children Interim [email protected] for the rest of their academic ca- had originally planned.” have good attendance and behavior Executive reer. Bell said she has the “best job in and are drug- and crime-free may Director Patrick Another 17 deserving students This year’s group of scholars — the world because I get to work be nominated by anyone for a Nelson shares a have earned their way to college which tied with last year’s for the with some of the most amazing GateKey scholarship. The program smile with his through the Cartersville Schools second-largest class of GateKey kids.” receives more than 100 applica- mother, Terry Foundation’s GateKey program. Scholars, behind the group of 18 in “Some of these have stories that tions each year, according to Su- Nelson, who served as the The group of sixth- through 2014 — is “just unbelievable,” would break your heart, and then perintendent Dr. Howard Hinesley. nonprofit’s first 11th-graders joined the ranks of foundation President Lisa Bell to see how they just fly through When the scholars graduate, the executive GateKey Scholars after Friday said. school — the grades that they get program will pay for tuition, fees director. morning’s 11th Annual GateKey “It was really, really difficult to and the drive that they have — de- and books for two years at either Scholarship Contract Signing Cer- make the selections,” she said. “In spite what might be going on in Georgia Highlands College or emony in the Cartersville High fact, we didn’t plan on signing 17, their lives outside of school is ab- Chattahoochee Technical College, School auditorium. but there was no way that we could solutely just amazing to me,” she but students who want to go to The new class of scholars and pick some above the others be- said. “I’ve got so many of these other colleges and universities can their parents/guardians signed con- cause they were just so amazing — kids up on a pedestal because I petition the foundation to use their tracts that will grant the students a their grades, what they’re involved don’t know how they do it.” allocated funds elsewhere. two-year college scholarship when in in school, their internal drive Students in grades 6-11 who re- they graduate if they maintain and just the personalities.