Brent Bailey and Maria Menounos star in “The Holiday Dating Guide,” a Lifetime TV movie filmed in (and taking place in) Tifton, premiering Saturday on the Lifetime channel.

TIFTON'S CHRISTMAS TV MOVIE PREMIERES SATURDAY NIGHT

AND MORE MOVIES TO BE FILMED IN TIFTON DURING 2023, PRODUCERS SAY

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

The nation’s focus will be on Tifton this weekend when a Christmas television movie shot and based here airs on Lifetime TV at 8 p.m. Saturday.

And more movies are planned to be filmed here in 2023, say the producers of the “The Holiday Dating Guide,” the TV movie filmed entirely in Tifton during July and August.

Starring Maria Menounos and Brent Bailey, “The Holiday Dating Guide” begins with a voiceover: “This is Tifton, my home,” while Menounos, portraying Abigale Slater, walks through “snow" on the sidewalk along Main Street in front of the Tift Theatre.

Bailey wrote the screenplay, which he described as a cross between the movies “Hitch” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” 

The synopsis, according to the Lifetime website: Dating coach and aspiring book author Abigale Slater, is close to making her lifelong dream of publishing a how-to guide for dating in today’s modern world. Her publisher, played by Steve Vinovich, won’t proceed with the book deal without knowing that her dating advice actually works. 

Abigale proposes that she prove the rules work by using them herself and making a man fall for her by Christmas Eve in 12 days. “Things change when Abigale meets Michael Ryan, and her single-minded mission takes an unexpected turn,” according MyLifetime.com.

Many local folks were used as extras in the TV movie.

A preview, including scenes at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, may be viewed by Clicking Here.

“We loved filming our Christmas movie here,” said Ava Paloma, who coordinated the background actors, or extras. “Tifton was – and is – a perfect location to support our story. Every day had a dash of that holiday spirit.”

Alexander Kane and Mike Donovan, are founding partners of Workhorse Cinema and producers of the movie. 

“Tifton has become our home base for filming in South Georgia,” Donovan said. “Everyone, from the political and community leaders to the local residents have done everything to welcome and assist us in the filmmaking process.

"Many have even opened up their businesses and homes. As a result, we’ve been able to offer high-quality production value and continue to attract films to the area,” Donovan said.

He said shooting “The Holiday Dating Guide” was a nice change of pace from the action films they typically produce, although shooting a holiday movie in the middle of summer in South Georgia presented its own unique set of challenges. 

“Even with those challenges, we are extremely proud of the result. Lifetime was impressed enough to push the release up to this month after originally scheduling it for the 2023 holiday season,” the producer told the Tifton Grapevine.

“Since wrapping that project, we shot another action film – ‘72 HOURS’ is the working title – that should be released later next year. And we have several other films lining up for 2023, so it won’t be long before Tifton sees our crew filming out in the community once again.”

Angela Elder with Tifton Tourism serves as movie companies’ local point of contact. 

“We are thrilled to again see Tifton on the big screen this weekend,” she said. “While we may not think of ourselves as being that typical, snow-covered Christmas town, it’s amazing what movie production companies can do. And it is very exciting that they will actually call the town Tifton.

“Our hope is that people who watch the movie will look to see where that town is and take a look at all we have to offer. We may not always have snow, but we definitely have the hospitality,” Elder said. 

“It’s been fun working with the various production companies. Sometimes there are challenges with deadlines, finding the perfect spot, getting approvals, blocking streets and more, but we have all learned together,” Elder said.

“These ‘movie folks’ have become friends to many, and we love getting to share our town with them, and then with the movie watchers.”

She said it’s not just fun to see the town on the big screen, but also filming brings a huge economic impact with hotel stays, local dining and shopping, plus all kinds of other services movie companies use.

Ava Paloma reminds Tiftonites that anyone interested in being considered for background acting work for future projects may email tiftmovie@gmail.com and include your name, contact information, and a recent photo.

“You will be added to our Tift Movie Casting email list,” she said.

And, if you can’t watch the Tifton TV movie Saturday, it will be available for streaming on MyLifetime.com beginning the next day! 

Doerun Police photos

The Mobley Gin Co., in operation since 1985, was struck by a suspected tornado early Thursday morning in Doerun in Colquitt County. No injuries were reported.

SUSPECTED TORNADO STRIKES DOERUN, MISSES TIFT COUNTY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A suspected tornado caused heavy damage to a home and a cotton gin operation early Thursday in Doerun in upper Colquitt County; the storms left Tift County unscathed.

The storm struck a home and the Mobley Gin Co. on State Route 270 west at about 5:27 a.m. Thursday, according to the Doerun Police Department. Nearby trees were also downed and split. No injuries were reported.

The area was under a tornado warning at the time. The National Weather Service will determine if the Doerun storm was in fact a tornado.

Meanwhile, “There have been no reports of damage in Tift County from the storm system that passed through overnight and this morning,” said Joey Fowler, Tift County Emergency Management director.

"Tift County was placed under a tornado watch, but no warnings were issued by the National Weather Service,” Fowler said.

The storm system spawned several deadly tornadoes across the South resulting in a path of destruction and at least three deaths in Louisiana.

Colder weather is now on the way in the Tiftarea, according to the National Weather Service. High temperatures will be in the 50s during the next several days with lows in the 30s. A freeze is forecast for Sunday night.

ABAC GRADUATES 244

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College awarded 244 diplomas Thursday in two commencement exercises.

At 10 a.m, graduates from the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences were recognized, and at 2 p.m., graduates from the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Stafford School of Business received their diplomas.

Dr. Tracy Brundage presided over her first fall commencement exercises as ABAC's president.

“I love graduation day,” Brundage said. “Graduates are happy; parents are happy; it’s just a great day. The Class of 2022 is a very special class for me because it’s my first group of graduates since I came to ABAC.”



Spring term classes begin at ABAC on Jan. 9.

The ‘Bridging the Gap’ community resource center has an open house Saturday at 2911 Sixth Ave. in Tifton. The center is sponsored by St. John’s Holiness Church.

CHURCH OPENING A COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER IN TIFTON

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

"Bridging the Gap," a new community resource center sponsored by St. John’s Holiness Church, at 2911 Sixth Ave. in Tifton, is holding an open house from noon-3 p.m. Saturday.

The center is housed in a building across the street from the church, which purchased the property as a resource center for those in the community seeking answers to health issues and educational needs.

Organizers say the center will contain a computer lab with wireless access for students and adults. Volunteers at the center, located just blocks away from J.T. Reddick Elementary School, will provide homework help for children after school. A library will provide books for children and adults.

The community center will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Its Saturday hours will be 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

A health clinic there will provide consultants who can help with medication questions and blood-pressure checks, organizers say. 

Dr. Lula Williams, who serves as its educational consultant, is a new Tifton resident who came to town in January from Macon. She said she was looking for a community that did not have all the resources that a bigger city can provide.

Williams is a former culinary arts and home economics teacher in the Bibb County school system. She was a mentor with the Macon Police Department and wants to start a mentoring program for youth here. She also was an adjunct instructor at Fort Valley State University. 

“There are so many resources in Macon that when I retired, I wanted to target a smaller county that could benefit from my experiences over the years,” Williams said. “I retired three times, but I still have the spunk to contribute something to help a community grow.”

She earned her Ph.D. in social science from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and wrote her dissertation on reading literacy. When she taught at Northeast High School in Macon, she was dismayed to have 10th-and 11th-graders reading on the fifth- and sixth-grade level. So, she wants to do what she can help all students read on their grade level. 

She has equipped a library at the resource center and said they can use more children’s books. She will be signing up retired teachers and other volunteers to help.

The center will have a clothing and produce giveaway on the third Saturday of each month, Williams said.

~ Click Video Above ~

MOBILE 'LIBRARY EVERYWHERE’ SCHEDULES STOPS AT

BATEMAN YOUTH CENTER

The Coastal Plain Regional Library System's mobile "Library Everywhere “ is scheduling regular route stops at Tifton's new Anthony G. Bateman Youth Center.

The mobile library will have a lobby stop from 3:30-5:30 p.m. every first and third Wednesday each month at the center, 511 W. 17th St., across from Matt Wilson Elementary School.

Library Everywhere is a project assisted through a grant from the Georgia Public Library Service with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Its directive is to bring crucial library services to underserved communities.

Library-card registration and free wireless Internet are available at every visit. Library materials such as Chromebooks, hotspots, books, and DVDs are available for checkout, and copying, printing, faxing, notarization, and computers for free public use will be available.

A library card is needed to check out materials, but a card isn’t required to use any of the other free services.

For information, contact Allison Young, outreach services coordinator, at 229-402-9115 or at outreach@cprl.org

GETTING

IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Yes, it’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!

Local musician Stan Smith once again brought his voice and guitar to the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday to get Rotarians in the holiday spirit.

Smith sang Christmas songs that covered the spectrum from those by Merle Haggard, Tom Petty, the Stanley Brothers, and Mahalia Jackson.

TRMC LIGHTS 'TREE OF LIFE'

Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) held its 37th annual lighting of the Tree of Life on Tuesday, serving as a symbolic tribute during the holiday season to lost friends, family, and loved ones.

Lights on the tree may still be purchased in honor or memory of a special person, with all proceeds benefiting the patients of Hospice of Tift Area and the TRMC Anita Stewart Oncology Center who need extra support.

Weekly COVID-19 data released from the

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of Dec. 14:

TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 6,748 ...................................... TOTAL DEATHS: 172

CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 15 ................................... DEATHS - Past week: 0

TIFT POSITIVITY RATE - 2 weeks: 5.8% ........ CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 63

TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 154

_______________________________________________________________

GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,280,648......................................TOTAL GA DEATHS: 34,186

GA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 1 week: 10,639

GA DEATHS - 1 week: 42..........................................GA HOSPITALIZATIONS - 1 week: 604

YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

On Sunday, Dec. 18, Hanukkah begins, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights continues through Dec. 26. It commemorates the victory of the Jewish people over the Greeks in the Maccabean War and the rededication of the second temple of Jerusalem. When the victors entered the temple to light the menorah, they only found one day’s worth of oil, but the oil burned for eight days.

FRIDAY, DEC. 16

• LifeSouth Bloodmobile Blood Drive, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Tift Regional Medical Center
• Christmas in the Pines Lighted Trail, 6 p.m., Georgia Veterans State Park, Cordele
• Tift County High Blue Devils basketball vs. Sumter County High Panthers, 7:30 p.m., TCHS gym, Tifton

SATURDAY, DEC. 17

• Bridging the Gap Community Resource Center Open House, Noon-3 p.m., 2911 6th Ave., Tifton
• Tifton Jr. Gardeners Club, 2 p.m., Tifton-Tift County Public Library, Tifton
• Tift County High Blue Devils basketball vs. Valdosta High Wildcats, 7:30 p.m., TCHS gym, Tifton
• “Holiday Dating Guide” Tifton TV movie, 8 p.m., Lifetime TV channel

ADVERTISE YOUR

YARD SALE HERE!

TO ADVERTISE YOUR YARD SALE,

CONTACT US at 

yardsales@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

“Russ,” who is among the pets available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter, is awaiting his new home for the holidays. Visit him and other pets available at the shelter on Highway 125 South between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

We're here to help you with all your Real Estate needs, 

even during the holidays. Our experienced agents 

are available 24/7. Give us a call anytime.