The Office Cat

Members of the Washington- Wilkes Comprehensive High School chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) are working on a Christmas greeting to be sent to school alumni who are currently in the United States Military. NHS members are asking that family and friends in the community help them by providing names and addresses of young men and women who are former students at W-WCHS and now serving their country. Dr. Margaret Sloan, teacher of mathematics at the school, is the NHS adviser. Contact information can be sent by email to her at sloanm@wilkes.k12.ga.us or provided by phone to W-WCHS at 706-678-2426.

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This week is a bit like the "calm before the storm." We get a little bit of rest before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays begin and we're "meeting, and eating, and singing" every time you turn around. Downtown Candlelight Shopping officially begins the season on November 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. - with promised snow falling on The Square. . . . Thanksgiving with all the family celebrations follows close behind on November 25. . . . The Chamber of Commerce After Hours is scheduled for December 4 at the Chamber office, and the Annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet on December 10. . . . The Washington Little Theater Company will present "Tidings of Joy," a concert that is the theater's gift to the community on December 6. (There is no admission charge for the concert.") . . . That almost gets us to Christmas when all the community, church, and family celebrations and Christmas music programs begin. . . . So rest up this weekend.

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Many of us watched the movie, No Time To Say Goodbye, about the death of our Dollie Hearn, Saturday night. The family has suggested that as many of us as can, write letters to the Parole Board urging them to deny parole to Bart Corbin when the time comes. The letters should mention Barton Corbin - EF 613182. Officials tell Barbara and Carlton Hearn that the letters should be sent NOW, instead of waiting until his consideration for parole date. The more letters, the better chance of his parole being denied. The address is The Board of Pardons and Paroles, Victims Services, 2 Martin Luther King Dr., SE, East Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334.

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Wilbur Maney of Tignall came by The News-Reporter Wednesday to alert us to phone calls which he and Ouida and others received last week. He's sure it's a scam because the caller asked for his doctor's name, his Medicare Number, what hospital he uses, and many other personal questions. Announcement was also made at church Wednesday night, cautioning about the calls and warning us not to give any information. Call the Sheriff's office if you receive such a call, just so they will know about it.

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Tara Townsend has been the majorette and color guard co-ordinator for the Washington-Wilkes Marching Tiger Band for the past 10 years. She has worked with three band directors - Gene Dunn, Ryan Dukes, and the current director Jeff Thomas. Saturday the band attended a festival for bands in Newnan and the three directors and Tara got to visit and catch up on news of each other and their families. . . . Tara was also waiting in line for service when the person behind her asked where she was from. When Tara told her Washington-Wilkes, the woman asked if she knew Sparky Newsome and Mercer Harris. Tara's answer was, "I surely do. Sparky is my boss and Mercer is my landlord." The woman was Sherry DeLoach, a friend from Sparky and Mercer's high school Hi-Y Club days when they participated with other YClubbers from all over the state.

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Kinzey Branham, native Wilkes County now a member of the art department faculty of the University of Georgia, has been commissioned as sculptor for the proposed Abraham Baldwin statue on the University campus. Abraham Baldwin was the first president of the University, elected in 1785. The statue is part of a $60,000 project honoring the first president. I read about the project and an editorial on the subject in the Friday issue of The Red & Black, student newspaper of UGA. . . . Kinzey is the son of Dot Branham and the late Henry Branham of Washington-Wilkes.

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There is an interesting article in the November issue of the Rayle Electric Membership Corporation's Georgia Magazine that some of our readers may find helpful. The article tells about how the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division and the Environmental Resources Network are helping Georgians spruce up their backyards next year by offering FREE packets of native wildflower seeds that grow plants designed to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other nectar-feeders. The packets include 12 herb and grass species native to the state, offering a meadow effect diverse in color, texture and height. To receive a packet and a hummingbird information sheet, you can send a self-addressed No. 10 letter-sized envelop stamped with first-class postage to: Nectar-feeder Native Wildflower Seed Packet, DNR/WRD Nongame Conservation Section, 116 Rum Creek Dr., Forsyth, GA 31029. One packet per family.

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The Thanksgiving holidays are fast approaching and with them comes early deadlines for printing The News-Reporter. The paper for November 26 will be printed on Tuesday, November 24, and distributed on Wednesday, November 25. All classified ads, legal ads, and society news should be in our office by Friday, November 20, 5 p.m. The deadline for all other news and retail advertising is Monday, November 23, 12 noon. Community correspondents should turn their news in first thing Monday morning, November 23. The newspaper office and Radio Shack will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27.

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It has been a long time since I have seen a Brown's Guide to Georgia magazine which was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Jacquelyn Nash Al-Azawi, Wilkes Countian living in the Atlanta area, sent me a copy of a May-June 1975 magazine which is interesting. In the "Eating Out" section there is reference made to the editors visiting Washington during the Christmas season and being referred to the Knox Terrace in Thomson as a good place to dine. The referral was made by Vivian Wickersham who in a round-aboutway was distantly related to Jacquelyn.

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Talented Carole Bufford has made quite a record for herself since making New York City her home. Carole is the daughter of Kaye and Bill Bufford of Lincolnton; and the granddaughter of Eva and Ed Burdette, of Washington-Wilkes, and Cliffy and Gwinn Ware of Evans, formerly of Tignall. Her most recent accomplishment includes being named second runner-up in "The MetroStar Talent Challenge," which led to a show-stopping performance at the Lincoln Center in New York City. She has appeared at the New York Cabaret Convention and will be making her Metropolitan Room solo debut this month.