A BIGGEST 'WINNER'
ABAC ALUMNUS MAY NOT BE 'THE BIGGEST LOSER'
BUT HE'S STILL A WINNER
After the final weigh-in during
Monday night's
live finale of
NBC-TV's "Biggest Loser,"
ABAC alumnus
Colby Wright
was not the "biggest loser" when it came to pounds lost; but he won the hearts of the competition show's audience.
Wright, who attended
Tifton's Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
on a
rodeo scholarship,
was among the final three contestants competing
for
a
$250,000
grand prize. He had become a fan favorite -- and a favorite among the show's hosts -- for his indefatigable spirit.
Wright
, 31,
began the competition weighing 339 pounds. His e
nding weight was 217, losing 122 pounds, which was a
35.1 percent weight loss.
The winner of the $250,000 grand prize
was Roberto Hernandez, who lost 160 pounds, going from 348 to 188 pounds.
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Wright at the start of the competition.
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Just before the final weigh-in, Wright succumbed to a temptation offer and took
$50,000 for three pounds to be added to his final weight. The three pounds ultimately
didn't
matter. Wright, who's mantra had become
"You can't buy thin,"
said he had done his best and already felt like a winner.
Wright won the hearts of viewers with his
positive attitude in the face of adversity.
When he
was 22, his father committed suicide. Six weeks later, his younger brother was killed in a car accident. Those tragedies contributed to his weight gain as he turned to food and a poor diet to cope with stress. But he became a role model during the course of the competition as he persevered and cheered on other contestants.
Wright's wife, Hope, was eliminated as a contestant
on the show Jan. 11.
Wright, who is a car salesman in Wayne County, Ga.,
lives in the small community of K'ville. He
was born and raised in Screven, has been team roping since he was 14, and has been a cowboy and a farrier (someone who shoes horses) for the past decade.
He was no longer able to rope and ride because of his size, so instead he has worked as an announcer at rodeos and as a disc jockey. He said he hopes to ride once again.
During Monday night's live finale of the TV show, folks gathered in Jesup, Ga., at the outdoor Jesup Drive-In theater to watch "The Biggest Loser" on the big screen and cheer on Wright.
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SCHOOL RANKINGS
TIFT COUNTY HIGH PLACES IN TOP 25 PERCENT
Among the findings reported by the company: Of the 1,558 students in grades 9-12 at TCHS, 89 percent of the students are proficient in reading, and 65 percent of students are considered proficient in math. The study reported a 79 percent graduation rate and gave the school an academic rating of "B."
Teachers, resources/facilities and extracurricular activities all were rated B+. School culture and diversity, as well as sports and fitness, were given an A-.
Four
out of five parent/student surveys were reported as positive.
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TRUMP TO RALLY IN VALDOSTA
Donald Trump is coming to Valdosta State University on Monday, Feb. 29, at 6 p.m. --
the day before Georgia's March 1 GOP primary. 
The
Republican frontrunner's campaign announced that Trump will headline a
rally at
VSU to mark his
fourth campaign stop in
Georgia. He previously was in
Norcross, Macon and Atlanta.
The
Valdosta rally makes strategic sense for the
Trump campaign, according to the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Trump will draw attention from media markets in both
Georgia and Florida before the latter state's
March 15 primary.
The VSU event is free, but a ticket is required; Click Here to obtain a ticket.
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BOWEN NAMED TO GA FUNERAL BOARD
William Bowen
of
Tifton
has been appointed by Gov.
Nathan Deal
to the
State Board of Funeral Service.
Bowen is a fourth-generation owner and partner of
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals and owner and managing partner of
Bowen Land & Timber, LLC. He is a director of the
Ameris Bancorp and is involved with the
Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College Foundation, and a member of the
Tifton Rotary Club.
Bowen is a former president of the
Georgia Funeral Directors Association, and his funeral home received the
Pursuit of Excellence Award from the
National Funeral Directors Association.
He earned a degree from
ABAC, a bachelor's degree in business administration from the
University of Georgia and an associate degree in mortuary science from
Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service.
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BJ's at Springhill
Country Club
Invites you to a
Seafood & Prime Rib Extravaganza
Thursday, February 25
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Open to the Public ~ Everyone is Welcome
The Menu
Traditional Tossed Salad Cole Slaw Baby Shrimp Salad Peel and Eat Shrimp Fried Catfish Crab Legs Fried Oysters Fried Okra
Parmesan Cheese Grits French Fries Fried Shrimp Prime Rib with Au Jus Steamed Vegetables Hush Puppies Sister Shubert Rolls
Key Lime Pie Chocolate Cake Iced Tea
$22.95 per person
$19.95 senior (55 or older)
Call 229-392-2913 or 229-382-6745 for reservations
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UGA TIFTON VETERINARY LAB WOULD GET UPGRADES UNDER PROPOSED STATE BUDGET
In the version of the
state budget passed
Friday by the
Georgia House of Representatives,
$650,000
was added to upgrade equipment at the University of Georgia's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories in Tifton and Athens.
Those facilities are critical in the state's efforts to combat the Zika virus, House Appropriations Chairman Terry England told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The budget also would earmark $5 million for renovations at UGA's
Howell Hall in Athens.
The Senate still must approve the budget, and any differences will be worked out in a House-Senate conference committee. The state's fiscal year begins July 1.
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Director of
Children's Ministries
Tifton First United Methodist Church
Tifton, Ga.
is seeking a full-time Director of Children's Ministries
Responsibilities will be focused on kindergarten through
6th grade and include oversight of the nursery program.
The Director will work with other staff members
under the direction of the Senior Pastor.
The successful candidate should possess or be pursuing a bachelor's degree; have experience working with children's ministries and/or children's educational programs; experience working in and developing children's ministries; and possess a strong personal faith consistent with the United Methodist tradition.
Available immediately. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Position is open until filled.
To apply, submit:
1.) a cover letter to include why you are interested in this position;
2.) a current resume; and
3.) contact information for three references.
Applications and specific questions related to this position should be addressed to:
Lisa Forshee, Lead Search Committee: Director of Children's Ministries
Tifton First United Methodist Church
229-382-6100
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TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
RIBBON CUTTING
Leroy Rogers Senior Center
315 W. Second St.
Tifton
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FITZGERALD WOMAN NAMED STATE ADVOCATE
FOR MILITARY CAREGIVERS
A
Fitzgerald woman has been selected as a
2016 Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow because of her
advocacy and
efforts as a
military caregiver.
Amanda Flener will serve the next two years as Georgia's ambassador to advocate for caregivers of veterans. She is a full-time caregiver for her husband, John, who was wounded in combat in 2005 and suffers chronic migraines, seizures and post-traumatic stress disorder. He served in the U.S. Army and was deployed four times.
Flener said the
Dole Foundation serves to raise awareness for military caregivers on a national level. This year's fellows, who along with the 2015 class represents nearly every state and territory, join the foundation as it prepares to launch the Hidden Heroes Campaign, a national awareness initiative chaired by actor Tom Hanks.
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"Best-Selling Truck for 39 Straight Years"
511 West 7th Street
(229) 382-1300
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Bonnie Sayles, third from left, onstage in Nashville, Tenn.
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SAYLES UNLIMITED MARKETING VIDEO
A FINALIST IN NATIONAL COMPETITION
A video by Bonnie and Frank Sayles Jr. of Tifton that shows how to use a product that tightens and smooths the skin around one's eyes was one of five national finalists selected by LifeVantage Corp.
Bonnie and Frank of Sayles Unlimited Marketing (which produces the Tifton Grapevine) and Sayles Unlimited Health Promotions, produced a video about LifeVantage's Micro Lift Serum. The product,
with its
blend of silicates and natural clay,
restores the
youthful appearance to the skin around your eyes
within three minutes.
Bonnie, who demonstrated the product in the video, was called on stage Saturday, Feb. 20, before more than 7,000 attendees at LifeVantage's Elite Academy in Nashville, Tenn. Although the Sayles's video was not the top winner, the couple received free, three-night accommodations at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville and VIP seating at the Elite Academy conference.
Sayles Unlimited Marketing is a licensed distributor for LifeVantage, a global, publicly traded, biomedical science company with category-creating patented products that promote health and wellness.
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local information that is
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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tifton's Locally Owned Electronic Newspaper!
It's Free!
e-published every Tuesday & Friday / to advertise, call 478-227-7126
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SERVING YOU WITH PROFESSIONALISM
BEFORE, DURING & AFTER THE SALE
$727,545
380 Upper Ty Ty Road, Tifton, GA
MLS #: L125326A
Tons of pasture land available for livestock. Partially wooded with small creeks. Must see this awesome piece of property with more than 111 acres.
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Dwana Coleman
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Call Us Today!
229-386-4222
Blue Skies & Sunshine Through Each & Every
Real Estate Transaction!
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