Dec. 6, 2016
Tifton, Georgia
478-227-7126
tiftongrapevine.com
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TREES FOR TROOPS
VOLUNTEERS, NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP LOCAL TREE FARM
SEND TREES TO MILITARY FAMILIES IN GEORGIA
Brumby & White Christmas Tree Farm in
Tift County for the
10th year is once again joining Christmas tree farmers across the country to provide
Christmas trees to
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J.H. White, left, preparing Trees for Troops last year.
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military
families in need
through the
"Trees for Troops"
program.
Brumby & White has committed to providing
175 trees to military families around
South Georgia.
On
Thursday, Dec. 8, volunteers, farm employees and
National Guard soldiers from
Tifton and
Cordele will gather to cut, bale, tag and load the trees.
Even
Santa is rumored to pay a visit during the event
Thursday morning.
Local residents and organizations made donations to buy some of the trees for
the military families, signing special cards attached to the trees. Mike Brumby and J.H. White, owners of the tree farm, are still accepting $25 donations per tree. Contact them at 229-382-7515 or 229-382-3072.
Since 2005, Trees for Troops has provided more than 176,096 Christmas Trees to U.S. military families and troops in the United States and based overseas.
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Mayor Julie Smith with city Landfill Supervisor Chad Mallow.
MAYOR RECOGNIZES TOP WORKERS
During Monday night's Tifton City Council meeting, Mayor Julie B. Smith announced
the Tifton city Employee of the Year, as well the ESG Operations Employee of the Year.
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Crystal Craft
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Chad Mallow, city landfill supervisor, was named the Employee of the Year for Tifton. Crystal Craft with ESG Operations was its Employee of the Year. The city contracts with ESG to handle a number of city services, such as water and wastewater treatment and public works.
Also Monday, local business owner Julie Hunt was recognized for her longtime service on the Tifton Tourism Board. Hunt is stepping down at the end of her term this year, and Ray Cross was appointed to succeed her.
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The UGA Tifton parade float was awarded Best Depiction of the 'Christmas Around the World' theme.
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TIFTON'S HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS
ANOTHER SUCCESS
A large crowd filled downtown Saturday night as Tifton's 18th Annual Hometown Holiday Christmas Celebration and parade kicked off the holiday season in the Friendly City.
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Tifton Christmas Parade Grand Marshal Eunice Mixon with her dog Gizzy in the Christmas Parade on Saturday in Tifton.
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Local political matron Eunice Mixon and her dog Gizzy were the parade grand marshal and helped light the city's Christmas Tree atop City Hall.
The Christmas Parade winners are:
First Place:
Tift Choral Parents Association (Ladies Choice Show Choir & Eighth Street Singing Company)
Second Place:
Eastside Baptist Church
Third Place:
Tift County High Blue Devil Brigade
Best Walking Entrant:
Tift Gymnastics
Best Depiction:
University of Georgia Tifton Campus
Best in Parade:
Holloway Orthodontics
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Ice skating in Tifton during Hometown Holiday Christmas Celebration Saturday.
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ABAC ALUM TO SPEAK AT GRADUATION THURSDAY
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Matt Bentley, general manager at
Bendabout Properties in
McDonald, Tenn., is the featured speaker at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College's fall commencement at
10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, in Gressette Gym.
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BENTLEY
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A total of
188 graduates are expected to receive their diplomas at the ceremony.
Since 1994, Bentley, a 1988 ABAC graduate, has served as general manager at Bendabout Properties, which encompasses 4,600 acres used to promote outdoor recreation, including hunting, fishing, birding, biking and equestrian activities.
"I wear many hats for the property that I manage and the family I represent," said Bentley. "Our tract is located in the middle of a region that is constantly threatened by urban sprawl. As a natural resources manager and a citizen of a thriving community, I believe our biggest challenges are the compromises between progress and natural resource conservation."
Bentley also oversees the
Varnell Nursery and operations at Middle Tennessee Realty which includes 35 rental houses and apartments.
He prevously worked at the Tall Timbers Research Station in Tallahassee, Fla., a non-profit land research organization.
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FLIPPING OVER ANCIENT GREECE
Students in Maria Hamill's homeroom at G.O. Bailey Primary School recently created a "flip book" as they learned about Ancient Greece.
Pictured are, from left in the back row, Christopher Robinson, Emily Rowe, Aalayziah Lee, Kaden Lawson; front row, Luna Griffis, Nick Furches and Leighellyn Bengston.
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TIFT REGIONAL CELEBRATES, HONORS LOST LOVED ONES AT TREE OF LIFE CEREMONY ON THURSDAY
A holiday tradition, the annual lighting of the Tree of Life at Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) serves as a symbolic tribute to friends, family and lost loved ones while supporting the TRMC Oncology Center and Hospice of Tift Area.
Sponsored by the Tifton Junior Woman's Club, this year's tree lighting ceremony will be held Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016, at 6 p.m. on the front lawn of TRMC.
Event organizer Joy Davis said this year's event will prove to be one of the best yet.
"We want everyone in the community to bring their families and friends," she said.
 "Together we will enjoy a moving candle-lighting ceremony and wonderful, live holiday music. And, of course, we'll have a visit from Santa Claus. Afterwards, everyone is invited to a complimentary meal provided by TRMC Food Services."
Davis said that purchasing a light for the Tree of Life in honor or memory of a person is a tax-deductible gift which will help the patients of Tift Regional's Anita Stewart Oncology Center and Hospice of Tift Area with special needs.
"Various giving levels are available," she said. "If you are looking for a Christmas gift for family members, friends, co-workers or clients, purchase a light in their honor or in memory of someone close to them. You'll be benefiting a great cause."
Davis said the Tree of Life fund assists the hospital's cancer or hospice patients who may have difficulty paying utility bills due to financial constraints or need special comforts while undergoing treatment.
"These are just examples of how the Tree of Life helps our patients as they undergo a challenging time," said Davis. "It has really touched the lives of many people in our community."
Various giving levels are available and contributing is easy. Contributions are being accepted until Dec. 31. Visit
www.tiftregional.com/tol and click the "donate here" button to purchase a light or to download a contribution form. Call
229-353-6318 for more information about this event.
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UGA TIFTON STUDENTS LEARN GPS
THROUGH CREATING CORN MAZES
Students in the
University of Georgia Tifton Campus' "Principles of Precision Agriculture" class are learning
GPS technology. In doing so, the students helped to map out two local
corn mazes.
"The corn maze is an opportunity to have a little fun while applying some of the things we've learned in class," said
George Vellidis, class instructor and agriculture engineer
 on the UGA Tifton Campus. "The class involves learning how to use research-grade GPS and precision farming mapping software."
Students used the software to establish the maze and GPS to assist in mowing two corn mazes during the class. One maze is at the Center of Agricultural Study and Excellence farm at
Irwin County High School in
Ocilla, and the other is at
Rutland Farms in
Tifton.
Both of the farms sent maze designs that were drawn on paper to
Vellidis, along with information about the field in which they wanted their mazes to be constructed. Students input the design into the mapping software to assign coordinates.
" '
Rubber sheeting' is a term we use," Vellidis said. "We take a design that doesn't have any GPS coordinates associated with it, and we wrap it onto the shape of the field. We use our GPS receivers to trace the lines in order to cut the paths into the corn that make up the shape."
After the design was assigned GPS coordinates, the students followed the map through the field with a mower behind them, cutting the path for the corn maze.
William Hinson, a junior agriscience and environmental systems major, said he learned how powerful and accurate GPS by making the mazes.
"In the field, it seems like the GPS isn't working and you're going all over the place, but actually, the GPS works almost flawlessly," Hinson said. "I enjoyed seeing the final product and that the work we did actually looked good."
Rutland Farms' maze design for this year commemorates the
100th year of the farm's existence.
Vellidis said that making corn mazes is a way to help students learn how GPS technology is an integral part of agricultural practices worldwide.
"It's hard to imagine agriculture without GPS technology, at least in the developed world,"
Vellidis said. "We use it for pretty much everything these days, including guiding farm vehicles that are autosteered and knowing where to apply more or less fertilizer. GPS is a principle of
precision agriculture."
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TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
RIBBON CUTTING
Colson Business Systems
Based in Valdosta and serving the Tiftarea
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"Best-Selling Truck for 39 Straight Years"
511 West 7th Street
(229) 382-1300
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TIFTON ROTARY HEARS ABOUT BUSINESS' 75th ANNIVERSARY
Jay Short of Short & Paulk Supply Co., based in Tifton, speaks to the Tifton Rotary Club recently about the supply company's past and future. Behind him are some of the store's newspaper ads from past decades. Short & Paulk is celebrating its 75th year.
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PEANUT COMMISSION
SHOWCASES
HOLIDAY TREATS
The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) had a Christmas Open House last Saturday at the commission's office on Fulwood Boulevard in Tifton.
Ethel Walker, at left, samples some of the many peanut-based treats at the GPC open house held shortly before the Tifton Christmas Parade.
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