The Reading Capital Captains

July 26, 2016

Tifton, Georgia

(478) 227-7126

www.tiftongrapevine.com

'LEADERSHIP CHAIR' HONORS

MIKE & MOPPY BRUMBY

TIFT COUNTY FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE'S

NEW ENDOWMENT NAMED FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WIFE

Picture this: A football stadium packed with people of all ages reading a Dr. Seuss book in unison; a busy banker taking a reading comprehension test alongside a first grader; a grateful teacher accepting an award for her excellent teaching; a team of vocational students building an energy-smart house; a group of youngsters welcoming their favorite children's author to their school....

All this and much more is evidence that the vision of the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence in the public schools has taken root and is shaping the learning opportunities in the community.

Driving this success is the leadership and energetic talent of a remarkable husband and wife team,


MIKE BRUMBY

Mike and Moppy Brumby. For 27 years, the Brumbys have devoted their lives to enriching the educational experiences of hundreds of children as well as the entire community through their work directing the education foundation.

And now the couple is being honored with the creation of the Mike and Moppy Brumby Leadership Chair seeded by a $12,500 contribution from George McCarty, a longtime friend of the Brumbys and a patron. The community has the opportunity to express its gratitude with a contribution to the foundation to help raise the required $25,000 to endow the chair.

"The Leadership Chair is the ideal vehicle to recognize the Brumbys," said Marianna Keesee, a charter foundation member. "Monies generated will be used to reinforce the operations of the foundation and provide a dependable, ongoing source for years to come."

The Leadership Chair joins 13 endowed academic chairs, a cornerstone program of the foundation which funds multiple in-school projects annually.

Other programs have soared with the Brumby's creativity and leadership. The most prominent is the on-going emphasis on reading. With opportunities for kids and grown-ups year-round, a total of 5,526,436 Accelerated Reader points has been earned, and Tifton proudly claims the title of "Reading Capital of the World," a brainchild of Mike Brumby.

The foundation's Incentive Grants program has made 691 grants to public school teachers to put their best ideas into practice in the classroom. A total of 249 teachers have been honored through the


	MOPPY BRUMBY

Excellence in Teaching Awards program, co-sponsored with the Rotary Club of Tifton.

With Mike Brumby at the helm, a board of community leaders with expertise, a team of committed volunteers and many community partners, have helped the foundation raise and invest more than $840,000 in grants, projects and teacher recognition since its inception in 1989.

In the background of all of this success is Mike's wife Moppy Brumby, who handles foundation details such as banking, board meetings and personal thank-you notes. Mike describes his partner as "kind, generous, detail-oriented and committed."

Past board member Sandy Bowen agrees: " Moppy is deeply involved in every project, and she handles every responsibility with genuine enthusiasm and grace."

To express your gratitude to the Brumbys for 27 years of dedication and achievement, you may make a contribution to the Mike and Moppy Brumby Leadership Chair. Make your check in any amount to the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence, and mail to Sandy Bowen, P.O. Box 340, Enigma, GA 31749, and, if possible, add a brief note of thanks to be presented to the couple.

DRYLAND PEANUTS

SUFFERING FROM A LACK OF RAIN

By CLINT THOMPSON

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

University of Georgia

Until more rain falls on Georgia's parched dryland peanut crop, University of Georgia peanut agronomist Scott Monfort says peanut farmers should stop applying other treatments to their crops.

Even with heavy rainfall early this week throughout areas of South Georgia, peanut producers need more rain to offset the dry summer that has stifled the growth of dryland peanuts, Monfort said.

Dryland peanuts are those grown without irrigation. Without additional rainfall, Monfort says some


A field of dryland peanuts in Tift County.

application treatments will be moot for farmers in dryland fields. Growers in drought stricken areas who apply treatments without the added benefit of water are likely going to lose money, he said.

Monfort recommends that growers wait and see if more rain comes over the next couple of weeks before investing significant money and resources into their crop.

"The rain we received Sunday night was a welcome sight for our peanut farmers, especially those who farm their crop without the benefit of irrigation. They have gone weeks without their peanuts receiving a substantial amount of rain," Monfort said. "While this will certainly help these plants start to grow, we need more rain so these plants can reach their full potential."

Even if dryland peanuts in Georgia receive multiple rain showers this week, it will take a week and a half for the plants to recover, Monfort said. "You can't put anything on these crops to make them turn around other than water," he said.

Dryland peanuts have a significant impact on Georgia's overall production. Half of the state's peanut crop is produced in fields without irrigation where the plant are totally dependent on rainfall. When there is a lack of water, peanut plants do not grow as quickly or as efficiently as those grown under irrigation.

With the U.S. Department of Agriculture reporting most recently that peanut prices range from $407 to $429 per ton, growers need to produce a quality crop to negate the low prices. A lack of rain will not help, says Monfort.

"We're getting into that sweet spot of the growing season now where we need rain from now until the end of August. If we don't get any in the next four weeks, it's going to be very bad for some dryland farmers," Monfort said.

Not withstanding recent rainfall -- which provided between 1 and 2 inches in some areas -- it has been a long, dry summer for Georgia's peanut farmers. According to UGA's Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network in Tifton, it has received 5.48 inches from May 1 to July 16, almost half of last year's total of 10.47 inches during the same time frame and way down from 13.55 inches in 2014 and 20.78 inches in 2013.

TIFTON DESIGNATES 2 DOWNTOWN PARKING SPACES

WITH A 30-MINUTE LIMIT

Tifton City Council recently responded to requests of some downtown businesses to create two 30-minute parking spaces on Main Street.

Some downtown businesses say there are customers who need to run in quickly to pay a bill, pick up an order, drop off something, etc., an d can't find parking; some of them are elderly and have trouble walking a great distance.

"The good news is that full parking is a great problem to have," Mayor Julie Smith wrote on Facebook. "We are trying to be responsive to all needs of our downtown businesses."

Smith said long-term plans are underway for additional parking around the downtown area.

"We are so very fortunate to have a diverse mix of great businesses including retail, restaurant, services, banks, government offices, arts, and more. It will take us all working together to try to address the needs of all businesses as best we can. Some have suggested metered parking where the customer pays; we don't think that is the right answer. Some have suggested no parking rules, allowing business owners, employees, etc. to park on the street -- that hasn't worked either," the mayor wrote.

"So, let's see how these two signs work. There is no plan for any additional signs. The only limited parking we have are the two 30-minute spots on Main Street, and two 15-minute spots on Third Street that have been there for many years.

"Other than that, all parking spaces are open for downtown shoppers, guests and visitors to our town, and we welcome all to come see what is going on in our great community."

HURRY! APPLICATION DEADLINE IS AUGUST 15!

"Best-Selling Truck for 39 Straight Years"

511 West 7th Street

(229) 382-1300

griffinford.net

HELP PREVENT ZIKA VIRUS BY

ELIMINATING STANDING WATER

The Tift County Health Department is urging residents to clean up around their homes and yards, discarding unnecessary items that can hold water . "Tip and toss" after every rainfall to reduce the number of mosquitoes and prevent the spread of Zika virus in Tift County, the department says.

Although no locally transmitted Zika cases have been reported, cases have been found in travelers returning to Georgia from other areas.

Zika virus is transmitted primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes; both species are found in Georgia. Aedes mosquitoes typically bite during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon hours but some bite at night. They are called "container breeders" because they lay eggs in any type of container with water, even something as small as a bottle cap if it has water in it.

One of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of Zika virus is controlling the mosquito population by eliminating standing water around the home and in the yard.

After every rainfall, tip out water in flowerpots, planters, children's toys and wading pools and buckets. If it holds water and you don't need it (old tires, bottles, cans), toss it out. Look for small bodies of water such as drainage ponds, tree stumps and tire ruts. Clean out gutters, remove piles of leaves and keep vegetation cut low to prevent landing sites for adult mosquitoes.

"Mosquitoes don't recognize property lines, so controlling their numbers has to be a collaborative effort among neighbors," said Jill Reade, Tift County environmental health manager. "We are increasing mosquito surveillance and educating residents, but the greatest impact will be when individuals take personal responsibility for their homes, yards and communities."

BACK TO SCHOOL IN A BIG WAY

The Tift County School System wants to welcome its students back for the upcoming school year in a special way with the community's help.

The school system wants to show returning students that people in the community support them while also providing examples of the successful people they can aspire to become.

Business people are asked to be at Matt Wilson Elementary School on the first day of school (next Tuesday, Aug. 2) from 7-8 a.m. to "high-five" and cheer the students as they arrive to school for the beginning of the year.

Visitors are requested to wear their professional clothes (uniform, scrubs, shirt and tie, etc.).

For more information, contact Stacey Beckham, Tift County Board of Education, 229-387-2400.

Tift Regional welcomes new members

to executive team

Tift Regional Health System (TRHS) announces that two new executives will join its leadership team, including Dr. Indera Rampal-Harrod as new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Jay Carmichael as Administrative Chief-of-Staff.

"Dr. Rampal-Harrod brings more than 18 years of experience designing innovative human resource strategies for multi-site organizations," said Christopher Dorman, TRHS Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer (COO). "She will lead our efforts to attract, develop and retain an engaged and diverse


	Dr. Indera Rampal-Harrod and Jay Carmichael join the Tift Regional Health System Administrative Staff. Rampal-Harrod is the new Chief Human Resources Officer, and Carmichael will serve as Administrative Chief-of-Staff.

workforce dedicated to advancing the work of our health system."

Dr. Rampal-Harrod joins TRHS from Gersh Educational Services, where she served as Chief Human Resources Officer. In this role, Dr. Rampal-Harrod was a strategist for the Human Capital agenda, designed to enable growth and a competitive advantage through talent management, expanded organizational capabilities and company culture.

Prior to this role, Dr. Rampal-Harrod held human resource leadership positions with American Express, Delta Airlines and Interstate Brands Corporation. In addition, she served as an adjunct professor and an advisory board council member for the New York Institute of Technology - School of Management Center for Human Resources Studies.

Dr. Rampal-Harrod holds two master-of-science degrees from the New York Institute of Technology in human resource management and labor relations as well as a doctorate degree in organization and management with a specialization in human resources from Capella University.

"This is an incredible time to join TRHS," said Dr. Dr. Rampal-Harrod. "The advancement of care that the system has delivered and will continue to deliver provides a great platform for me to transform our human resources organization to provide best-in-class solutions with a laser focus on talent and organizational effectiveness. Our goal is to be recognized as a best place to work."

Jay Carmichael joins TRHS with more than eight years of experience in organizational development and healthcare information technology.

"Serving as a key member of the executive staff, Jay will be responsible for the administrative operations and ensuring timely flow of information to-and-from the executive office," said Dorman. "Through his extraordinary ability to think strategically while balancing multiple complex agendas, Jay will bring to our system a new and innovative model for furthering our mission and vision."

Carmichael most recently served as Strategic Client Executive with Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, Mo. Prior to this, he held a senior management role at Pi Kappa Alpha Corporation, a leadership development organization based in Memphis, Tenn. Carmichael holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Armstrong State University in Savannah and is currently pursuing a master's degree in business and healthcare administration.

"Originally from Georgia, I am excited to be home and even more excited to join an organization with such a passion for delivering extraordinary care," said Carmichael.

AG MUSEUM CLOSES FOR AUGUST

Portions of the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will be temporarily closed during the month of August for scheduled seasonal updates.

Museum Director Garrett Boone said the Historic Village, Gallery and the Museum will be closed until Sept. 3. The administrative offices will remain open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. during August. Conference facilities will also remain available throughout August; the Country Store will continue to operate on its normal schedule.

For information call 229-391-5205.