Nov 15 - Dec 5VOLUME 2

2018 E. Pinetree Blvd.Thomasville, Georgia

229-228-6702 Mon-Fri 10am-7pm l Sat 10am-7pm l Sun 1pm-5pm

www.AshleyFurnitureHomeStore.com

+ F r e e t o r e a d , t h a n k s t o t h e s e :

to advertise, contact yourtownie@gmail.com.

Long before I really got to know Lindsey, I would sign up for every open class date that was available in Sasser, which was an easy drive from Albany. I was excited to find out that I could attend classes in Boston when I moved to Thomasville. I have attended classes in both locations and had a blast in Sasser and Boston. I currently have a shape for every season and holiday--I am a painting addict. Like many others, I did not think I had an artistic bone in my body. Durham said her favorite thing about art is when people realize they are artistically able.

“About 75% of the people that come to my classes claim to have ‘no artistic ability.’ After two hours of fun painting and a bit of instruction, not only has the person had an awesome time, but they have created something that they are very proud of. It’s very inspirational to have someone say that they can’t believe they made something that looked so good!” Durham started The Rusty Bucket back in February 2012 through her mother’s business, Alice and Jay, in Sasser, Georgia. She’d graduated from UGA in 2011 and had difficulty finding a teaching job in an art program. The Rusty Bucket’s first event was “Galentine’s Day” {a Parks + Rec sitcom reference} and featured wooden cutouts. Her mother has since purchased a plasma cutter for Alice and Jay and she now uses metal cutouts. Durham extended her operations to Boston, Georgia, in October of 2012, when her mother opened her second store, The Mailman’s Daughter.

The Rusty Bucket offers a variety of customizable shapes, and public and private “art parties” where you can paint your own door hanger. She hopes to offer open studio classes in the future, so the customer can choose their shape once they arrive instead of in advance.

I asked Lindsey about the best creation that came out of her painting parties. “I don’t judge things as ‘best,’ but my favorite things are the ones that come completely from the painter’s own ideas. One being a ball shape that a guy painted as the porthole of a ship with a whale in the distance. Also, I had a customer request a topiary shape; after I had drawn the shape, everyone in the class thought it was a cupcake. I love when people can see two things in one shape.”

She continued, “The very best thing about TRB is that it introduced me to my best friend: Denise.” And, may I add, with no prompting from me whatsoever?

If you are looking for a great personalized gift this holiday season, please contact The Rusty Bucket for parties of five or more or to sign up for a public party. The schedule is available at www.therustybucketart.com or you can email Lindsey at therustybucketart@gmail.com.

- Denise P.

Boston’s The Rusty Bucket

20Issue No.

When I meet Chris for our interview, he’s quick with a smile and a good handshake. At only 14 years old, he’s got great manners and is quite articulate. No wonder the famous Orvis Company is willing to back his big idea. Chris’s “Catch 50” project is ambitious, but he’s got it all planned out and I have no doubt he’ll work his plan and achieve his goal.

Catch 50 is simply Chris’s desire to catch a fish on a fly in each of the fifty states. Or that’s how it started, at least. “My Dad and I decided it should promote youth fishing and conservation,” explains Chris. In each state, Chris and his team are working to partner with local organizations, such as Boy

Scouts, Trout Unlimited and Boys and Girls Clubs, to help promote fly fishing among the younger generation. The conservation aspect is important to Chris and his family. The enjoyment of the outdoors is something that must be protected in order to be passed down. Chris hopes to eventually work in the conservation field.

By a lucky turn of events, Chris and his Dad talked about his idea, and made contact through friends with the Perkins family, owners of the Orvis Company. Chris’s pure enthusiasm for the project is infectious, and I’m sure the company was eager to sign on to help. Though he’s in his teens, he’s managed to retain an air of

innocence, and one gets the feeling that what you see is what you get.

“There are two negative perceptions about fly fishing: that it’s expensive and that people are snobby,” says Chris. “It doesn’t have to be expensive,” he says, giving me the low-down on an Orvis rig that starts at only $150 for rod, reel and line, ready to fish. It’s not surprising that one of the exciting things about the project is getting to borrow an array of Orvis gear for each expedition. And the perception that fly enthusiasts are snobby? “Everyone I’ve met has been great,” says Chris. Meeting new people is part of the fun of the project for him. “The people are phenomenal.” CONT’D P. 2...

Local Youth Partners with Orvis to Promote Fly Fishing

FREENov 15 - Dec 5

VOLUME 2

Psst...do you have a whisper? We’re all ears! yourtownie@gmail.com

More whispers about a local brewpub… seems a little more solid this time…

A new steakhouse is coming to the former Ambrosia space…hoping to open very soon…

Bird Dog Bottle Company is in construction on Smith Avenue….find them on Facebook...

Blue Coop is slated to open by the end of the month…

A new doctor’s office is opening in the old Ashley building near Publix…

Whispers. CHUMS

Alison WilsonAlison is the sunny + smiling face of the Thomasville Visitor’s Center. Always in the know and quick with a kind word, stop in and see her sometime and let her catch you up on the latest. She’s a good friend to have.

Fall is for? Crisp, cool mornings, changing leaves, bon fires + peanut season!

What’s your drink at GRC? Oh man, I teeter totter between the Black and White Mocha, which to me tastes like a roasted marshmallow {YUM!} or the Salted Caramel Mocha. I had a visitor to ask me last week if we had a Starbucks in town…so, of course I said, no, but we have something MUCH better!

What’s your favorite part of working at the Visitor’s Center? The best part to me is all the people that I get to meet. You would not believe the people that come in wanting to see what a cotton plant looks like!

Pumpkin pie or Pecan pie? Peee-can all the way! Pumpkin is good but there’s nothing like a good “southern” pecan pie!

Thomasville’s Only Thomasville’s Only

It was the 1970’s and still safe enough to thumb rides around the country. I was picked up on Interstate Highway 81 in southwestern Virginia by a blue van, which looked hand-painted psychedelic with a thin paint brush. That’s because it had been. The middle door swung open and a gigantic tongue bathed my face with St. Bernard slobber. This was Tiny. His owner Darryl invited me inside. The van was well appointed with burgundy carpeting, fake wood paneling, plenty of light, no television, but good tunes playing loudly.

Where was I going? Towards the vicinity of my girlfriend, but not yet exactly to my girlfriend, if you know what I mean. Darryl assured me that he did. While we burned up road, he chattered amiably, and amiably, and amiably. It was his gas. At one point, he informed me it was Thanksgiving. I claimed to be surprised. There were no lulls in Daryl’s stream of monologue, but I wanted to get a word in edgewise, so I asked Darryl to explain what a unique, natural looking mobile was that hung from his rear view mirror. He told me it was his “life sign.”

Seems in the past year he and Tiny had been to the Rainbow Festival: a gathering of some Native Americans and hippie-yippie types. Once arrived, his first order was to find a dry spot for his tent. Next, Darryl went for some water from the creek. A young brave was relieving himself from the bank. Darryl hollered at him that some of his own people were close downstream drinking from the water. The brave glared, then walked away. Later, he helped a young Mom when her toddler almost got run over by some rowdy bikers. Darryl stepped in front of the child forcing the bikers to radically alter their paths, which led to a confrontation. When it was

determined the cause was a wandering child who may have been run over, everyone’s momentary anger was quelled, and everyone’s first priority, partying, was spontaneously engaged in for a prolonged period of time. And, then there were a couple lesser acts of generosity and conscience reported by Darryl as having been done by Darryl {third-person}.

On the last day of the festival, several war-painted, pungent and physically large braves came to Darryl and demanded he come with them—now! Tiny was close to objecting, as a large dog will, but Darryl quickly negotiated that Tiny could come along. He was led through the Indian conclave. Darryl noticed clusters of people parting for and staring at him as he and his escorts passed. He did not know what to expect, but he presumed he was about to be scalped. The chiefs of several tribes were gathered together passing smoke. Darryl was led directly in front of them. Their deeply etched, brown faces glowered at him inscrutably. He was handed the mobile, told it signified his earth life, his true nature and his great heart. The mobile was Darryl’s spiritual “life sign.”

On its top, facing up, were eagle feathers: “May your Spirit always soar,” he was instructed by the brave who had presented the odd gift. The middle part was composed of colored beads, horizontally oriented: “May your eyes always sight the horizon.” At least it didn’t seem he was going to be scalped. The bottom was wild and edible hyacinth bulbs: “May your feet always be anchored firmly to the ground.” You see, for the several acts of humanity he had performed at the Festival, which had subsequently been reported to the tribal chiefs, Darryl was on this, the last day, inducted into one of the tribes. CONT’D P. 2...

A Thermos Full of Thanksgiving

FREE

Local poet Ben Gardner reflects on A Hitchhiker’s Thanksgiving

Last year, before I moved to Thomasville, I was looking for something fun to do. I stumbled upon a place where you could paint your own metal shapes that become interesting and customizable door hangers for your home. Little did

I know that I would not just find something fun to do, but I would also meet my future best friend and Rusty Bucket owner, Lindsey Durham.

There’s the familiar saying, “Go big or go home”, and local youth Christopher Watt is doing just that. What started as an idea to catch fish in every state has

turned into a very big deal. Catch him at the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival this weekend.

Nov 15 - Dec 5

Editor + PublisherBunny Byrne

ColumnistsLauren Basford J. David Bray, Jr.

Denise PurvisAbrie Soileau

Jennifer Westfield

Contributing WritersLaura Floyd

Rebekah GiambroniDenise Purvis

Jon TownsJennifer Westfield

Alex Walter

Comic ArtistLaura Floyd

DistributionJon Towns

Alex Walter

BloggingBunny Byrne

Website MaintenanceJon Towns

Copy EditorAbrie Soileau

The Thomasville Townie publishes the first and third Friday of every

month. To advertise, suggest article ideas or contact staff members, please

emailyourtownie@gmail.com.

Printed by the Bainbridge Post Searchlight

FIND US ONLINE AT THOMASVILLETOWNIE.COM

Our Staff

2Page No.

Georgia Press

Association

Downtown Gets Wild for PWAF

Plantation Wildlife weekend brings plenty of visitors to town, and those visitors want to experience all our town has to offer. Thomasville’s a little wild anyway, with our love of taxidermy and the outdoors, but here’s a run-down of some of the wild and wooly Downtown has to offer.

Firefly is hosting events through the weekend, starting with an opening reception for artist John Cleveland. Cleveland, an oil painter, will be featured in-store with paintings from our area. Rebecca Wood, a potter from Athens, GA, and a local favorite, will be here for her annual visit, bringing one of a kind pottery and signing her new book, Beauty Everyday. The reception is Thursday, November 14th, from 5 to 7. Gena Knox will be in-store Friday from 1 to 3 and Saturday from 11 to 1:30, to sign her new cookbook, Southern My Way: Food and Family.

Newer Broad Street shop Meet the Merchant regularly stocks things of interest to the outdoorsy. Custom made bamboo fly-rods are available, as well as hand painted furnishings with sporting scenes. Check out their feathered hats, too!

The Bookshelf will be hosting PWAF’s youth art exhibit in their upstairs gallery. They’ll also have books full of Thomasville’s natural beauty, Longleaf Pine, Tall Timbers nature preserve and the history of Thomasville. And for the kids…they’ve got handmade tents!

Earthlover is chock full of fair trade items, many made from natural items. And if you’re wanting to “get the look”, look no further than Kevin’s, Hicks, Al Dixon’s and Stafford’s.

If taxidermy’s your thing, be sure to cruise by Kevin’s to see the bear, Relic’s to see Winston the elk and Harden’s to see the Moose….and all their other critters.

Many of our Downtown retailers will be open Sunday, November 17th, for PWAF weekend, so stop in while you’re out enjoying that last day of this year’s Plantation Wildlife Art Festival. - Bunny B.

Look for our Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival

Special Edition

OUT NOW!

in print and online atissuu.com/thetownie

ArtistsEvents

Exhibitorsinsider info

- Fit as a Fiddle -

They’re coming! The HOLIDAYS! Where are my drawstring pants and my oversized hoodie? Every holi-day season, I am bombarded with Halloween candy, then Thanksgiving - not only dinner, but lunch too - and Christmas, well Christmas is like a 5-day food-cation...with all of the leftovers, you just can’t let that amazing-ness go to waste. Each year, I plan to moderate, and each year, I fail epically. Then, January 1st comes around and there I am, 10 pounds heavier and promising to make a fresh start along with everyone else. What did you say? You have that problem too?

What I have learned as an athlete is that you can’t out-work the food...and as a self-proclaimed foodie, I have learned that I am no good at moderation. I can either have it, or I can’t. There is no middle ground. “Just one piece of pecan pie...” isn’t really an option for me. I have zero self-control after the first slice.

Ultimately I have realized that my solution to this prob-lem is creativity. My mom used to make this amazing green bean casserole during Thanksgiving and Christ-mas. We’re talking canned green beans, Ritz crackers, cream of mushroom soup and probably some other pro-cessed ingredients. It sounds terrible when I spell it out like that, but it is nothing short of amazing. My healthy fix for this favorite holiday meal is fresh green beans from the State Farmer’s Market here in Tville, sliced al-

monds, some extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Roast those green beans in the oven and top them off with toasted, sliced almonds. You will still be just as satis-fied and you won’t have to worry about your cholesterol climbing up another notch.

Another one of my faves is sweet potato casserole. The kind with marshmallows on top. My healthy substitu-tion: bake those fresh sweet potatoes {skip the canned stuff that has been marinated in corn syrup}, mash them, then bake with pecans, fresh pineapple and cinnamon. It tastes like dessert.

Putting these simple substitutions to use during the holi-days can keep you from having that sluggish, inflated feeling thereafter. Share your new, creative recipes with friends and family. Give them your leftovers. When you consume nutrient dense, seasonal veggies and fruits rath-er than something over-processed {coming from a can or a box}, your body will thank you. Now go grab some fun cookware from Kres Jewelers - they even have tagines! {Moroccan food cookers} - and get to baking some flour-less chocolate brownies. It’ll be fun, I promise.

- Abrie S.

Columnist Abrie Soileau is co-owner of Thomasville CrossFit.

Trouble was, he could now no longer remember which one.

He let me out near Martinsburg, West Virginia. Did I want Thanksgiving dinner? Since we were pulled over onto the shoulder of an interstate, I did not know what to say. He spared me awkwardness by handing me a thermos bottle. He’d bought some 90 proof Wild Turkey whiskey and a few grocery store turkeys, too. First pulling out the giblets, Darryl next poured whiskey into all the turkeys. Basting regularly, he cooked the meat meticulously for six hours. When done, he drained off all the juice and threw away the birds. What I held in my hand was Thanksgiving dinner á la Darryl. I curled up in my sleeping bag on some soft dirt, a bit back from the highway, drank to Darryl, Tiny and many others. I spent the remainder of that Thanksgiving toasty and happy beneath an overpass, not awakening until well after the Black Friday sales, wheresoever they were, had long run short of the best deals.

-Ben G.

Thanksgiving, Cont’d

Local Youth, Cont’dChris’s family has always advocated and practiced volunteerism, and I realize as I write this, that the first time I met Chris was packing meals for the homebound at our church. Turning a personal goal into an opportunity to help others experience a favorite sport is a natural progression. The Watts have been supporters of many charitable entities, including Hands On Thomas County, an organization devoted to volunteerism.

In a short five years, Chris has developed a love of fly fishing and even ties some of his own flies. “Catching a fish with something you made is awesome,” he says with a grin. He’ll be demonstrating some fly tying at the festival this weekend, so be sure to look for him.

In conjunction with the project, Chris will maintain a blog to catalog his experiences, interview some of the people he meets and share practical tips from the field. He’s most looking forward to the farthest states from us: Hawaii and Alaska. Hawaii has several different climates, and therefore many different fish species. He speculates that they’ll end their project in Alaska, a state he’s dreaming of visiting. It’s the last American frontier, after all.

Near the end of our interview, I seek to get at the heart of this project. Instead of more fishing questions, I ask about the overarching goals, the one thing that makes this challenge so worth it. “One of my favorite things about it is getting to spend time with my dad.” I let that sink in. My fondest childhood memories are of fishing with my own father. I have to agree with Chris, you just can’t beat that.

Catch Chris at the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival this weekend on Saturday from 10 - 5 + Sunday from 11 - 5. - Bunny B.

Nov 15 - Dec 5FACEBOOK.COM/THOMASVILLE.TOWNIE

3Page No.

THE CENTER.

Whet Your PaletteNovember 21 / 6:30-8:30PM

Come learn a new painting technique with Liz Barber. Bring

your friends, your favorite beverage and prepare for a fun

night!

Sign up now at:

www.thomasvillearts.org

+ F r e e t o r e a d , t h a n k s t o t h e s e :

My rough-and-tumble upbringing in a small coastal Florida town stripped away any desire I might have ever possessed for umbrella-flourished cocktails delivered by cabana boys, or to sleep any place but on the boat, even if there were other lodgings. When Jimmy Buffett claims he doesn’t know the reason he hung around all season, I’d similarly shrug my shoulders when asked why weekend after weekend, year round, I return home from Dog Island physically defeated, sunburnt, hungover and happy as a proverbial clam. Like with Buffett, most of it’s my own damned fault. There is no paradise which offers such a joyous lack of supervision quite like Dog Island, two hours from Thomasville—and now is the time to go before it becomes unbearably cold.

In an introduction to John D. MacDonald’s first novel The Deep Blue Good-By, Carl Hiaasen refers to Old Florida, “in all its languid sleaze, racy sense of promise, and breath-grabbing beauty”—that’s Dog Island, and the Florida of my childhood. I worry about the occasional bull shark while surf-fishing, the overabundance of sandspurs, and what I call the no-see-um pox, which I get when I forget the bug spray before dusk, scratch furiously in my sleep, and wake up looking like a leper. On the other hand, the island is home to arguably some of the most scenic sunsets on all of the Forgotten Coast, and is so wide and desolate you’ll feel like you own the place. Since I’ve mentioned it, there’s nothing more apropos than sprawling out in the sand with a John D. MacDonald novel on Dog Island—try the National Book Award-Winning The Green Ripper.

On the island, aside from the dock, the Inn and the ice station, it’s just me, my friends, a horde of waterproof bags (I have a Vaude roll-top backpack), a motorboat, several knives, and the little house on the bay side—plus the rattlesnakes, sandspurs, no-see-ums, fishing holes, and… seashells. I become as enthusiastic about seashells as a native New Yorker does about the Empire State Building. If you like them, Dog Island offers miles of

perfect sand dollars, cockles, whelks, conch and scallop shells with which you could make bras, necklaces or fill hundreds of clear-glass lamp bases.

Residents get about on the island via a series of sandy roads. There is a grassy landing strip to the east of the bayside marina, and beyond that, a thick pine forest where a winding stream cuts into the verdant landscape and looks like something from an Ansel Adams photograph. There are homes on the island with varying degrees of luxury, but unless you know someone, you’re likely staying at the Pelican Inn on the Gulf side. This isn’t a bad thing unless you expect the Ritz. Nor is it a bad thing that you’ll likely lose cellular reception that far down on the island. Last weekend I walked three glorious Gulf-side miles and didn’t see a single other beachgoer. I surf-fished with sand fleas, and pulled in several sheepshead and a twenty-inch redfish. Dolphin sightings abounded. The temperature was well above eighty degrees and with the hot hands of the sun planted firmly on my shoulders, the heat countered the waist-high, seventy-or-so-degree water comfortably. The sunset rolled out an uncanny array of oranges, pinks and blues.

To this native Floridian there are certain tired trademarks of the coastal lifestyle that are like double-sided coins—“Cheeseburger in Paradise,” Corona commercials, tiki huts, rattan furniture. Nonetheless, it’s in the original spirit of these things where lies my nostalgia for Old Florida, the place where Jimmy Buffet, Ernest Hemingway, and others roamed and found danger before anyone ever called themselves a Parrothead, toured Papa’s digs on Whitehead Street, or paid $12 for a margarita. Go to Dog Island now before it’s too cold—fish, sun, run, roam, and at the end of each day, really savor your frozen concoction.

- Jennifer W.

It’s PWAF Weekend!

Downtown.

Select merchants will be open 12-5 Sunday,

November 17, for PWAF! Holiday hours start Fridays

from November 29 through December 20.

- Road Trip -Dog Island

Scenes from Dog Island, FL. Photos: Jennifer Westfield.

Strange and blackened stains Pigeon heads on dirty roads

Truckers hauling loads

Benjamin Ashley Gardner

Send your 5-7-5 our way at yourtownie@gmail.com.

- Trill in the Ville - Trill: Urban; meaning truly and real

Happy HatesGiving.

I typed then deleted about four different versions of this story. I don’t know a delicate way to put this, so I’m just going to say it. I hate Thanksgiving. When I make outrageous exclamations about my disdain for Thanksgiving, I think people picture me wearing a spiked dog collar, black lipstick and a trench coat. Maybe I would wear that, but I don’t think I have the bone structure to pull it off.

I can’t really say how or why I developed such hatred for Thanksgiving, but perhaps it is tied to the “togetherness.” You have Thanksgiving, then within the next 31 days you have Christmas. Am I the only one that wishes they were spaced out six months apart? It’s always cramped and people try to put eight chairs at a table that seats four. The kid’s table? What a joke. Most of the time it’s some flimsy card table, and it looks like you have tiny hobos crashing a dinner, so you put them by themselves in the foyer.

Maybe I hate Thanksgiving because I have something against turkeys. Have you ever looked at a turkey, just plain looked at it? They aren’t majestic creatures. The thought of a turkey’s head alone could fuel my nightmares for a week. Don’t even get me started on their feet. *Shudders* There’s little about a turkey that is appealing, besides its delicious and crispy cooked skin, and one day I looked up how a Thanksgiving turkey is made. Even that was ruined for me. Don’t do that. NOT EVER.

I know what you’re thinking: ”Denise, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks.” Trust me, I am grateful 365 days of the year, and I don’t think that giblet gravy {made from neck, gizzard, heart and liver} served along side dressing {if you’re Southern} or stuffing {if you’re not} is going to make me more appreciative. In fact, organ meats might make me thankless.

The TV is always on, and you have to watch the boring parade or, even worse, a football game. At least with Halloween you have countless movies to choose from and with Christmas you can watch A Christmas Story ad nauseam until you can fully recite it when it’s muted. There’s nothing exciting about watching Snoopy float haplessly in the air. Well, that is, unless there’s some sort of freak accident, which is rare.

Let’s get real, Thanksgiving is mostly about eating, and I mean eating to the point where you’re completely stuffed and have to unbutton your pants to even breathe. {Side note: If you experience this problem, I suggest investing in a sturdy pair of “buffet britches.”} Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate my mom and whoever else does the cooking--trust me, it’s not me--slaving over the stove for countless hours, but I think I would be fine if we just had a regular dinner. I’d even settle for a pizza or bottle of vodka.

Just so you know I’m not a giant butthole, I’ll give you a bulleted list of the things I do like about the Thanksgiving season:

•Pumpkin flavored err’thang--I wish the air was infused with pumpkin pie spice

•Black Friday--I love Black Friday shopping. Everyone is sleep deprived and extra crazy, which I find hilarious.

Well, that was a short list.

I will admit to being somewhat of a curmudgeon about Thanksgiving, but you do have to see my point. Come over to the Dark Side, we have pumpkin flavored cocktails.

- Denise P.

farm to table: Satsuma Air FreshenerFall is always full of satsumas and they’re my favorite citrus fruit. They’re similar to clementines, those expensive and delectable treats: bright orange, sweet, easy to peel and seedless. But where clementines come in a tiny crate for a pretty penny, satsumas are likely growing in your neighbor’s yard, often in abundance. If you’re lucky enough to have a satsuma tree, or access to one, gather what you can and share some, too. They’re a quick breakfast, tasty snack and perfect centerpiece. And the peels? Just what you need for a little fresh fragrance. - Bunny

Ingredients2 C. waterPeels of 2-4 satsumas1 cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of ground cinnamonCloves, whole or ground {optional}

Add water to a pot on the stove, then layer the peels loosely in the water. The peels should be partially out of the water. Partially submerge the cinnamon stick, or sprinkle the top of the peels if using ground. Add cloves if desired. Set the heat to simmer, and soon you’ll enjoy a sweet and spicy fragrance. Just add more water as it gets low. Since the colder weather brings lower humidity, the boiling water will add some back for you.

If you’re planning to go to Vicky Christy this year, help make the event special for everyone and don a costume! There’s an array of items to choose from, and it helps enhance the experience of Victorian

Christmas. The closet’s only open for one week - the week after Thanksgiving - so mark your calendar:

Dec. 2 - Dec. 6, 9 AM - 4 PM.Individual costumes rent for $10.00, with a $20

deposit {the deposit is returned to the customer when the costume is returned with a dry cleaner’s receipt}

Contact Felicia or Laura over at the Main Street office, and they’ll fix you up! 229-227-7020

at ourHoliday Open House

Thursday, November 21st2-7 PM

Free mini-peels, Imaging, & mini-makeovers...plus

Special Promotions!Raffl es to benefi t

Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society.

Hors d’oeuvres & Wine BarCome as you are, but Reserve your space!

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Center

229-228-7200 stacy@gchouston.com

Come Get Jingled!

visit us on Facebook!

to advertise, contact yourtownie@gmail.com.

Plantation Wildlife Arts festival

November 15 - 17www.pwaf.org

Extended Shopping Hours!in Downtown Thomasville

Many of your favorite local shops will be open this weekend for Plantation Wildlife Art Festival.

Holiday shopping hours on Fridays begin November 29th and go through December 20th.

The NutcrackerSaturday, November 30, 2013 at 7:30 PM

Sunday, December 1, 2013 at 2:30 PM Ticket prices range from $10-$20 and reserved seating

is available. Two outreach matinees designed for school groups will be presented on December 2.

Tickets can be purchased by calling South Georgia Ballet at 229-228-9420 or by visiting

www.southgeorgiaballet.org.@ The Thomasville Municipal Auditorium

rescheduled Look for New Date

Chamber Meet + GreetWelcome the new team at the Chamber of

Commerce, Lauren Basford and Christina Leach, on Nov 21st, 5 - 7 PM at the Chamber office on South

Broad. Refreshments + fun!

November 23Thomasville Brew Festival

A craft beer event from the Thomasville Beer Club, sponsored by Bacchus Wine Bar. Eight beers on tap, some almost impossible to find. The first 100 tickets

include glassware! Sign up at www.bacchusthomasville.com

November 29Thanksgiving Day Community Meal

You can help! Project Backyard, 229-672-0335, projbackyard@gmail.com.

November 29Christmas in Lights Drive Thru

From 6 - 10 PM at Flowers Foods, Inc. Corporate Office at 1919 Flowers Circle, off US Hwy 19 South.

Dance Card.

Nov 15 - Dec 5VOLUME 2

FREE

FIND US ONLINE AT THOMASVILLETOWNIE.COM FACEBOOK.COM/THOMASVILLE.TOWNIE20Issue No.

FREENov 15 - Dec 5

VOLUME 2

Steaks, Seaf� d & Southern CuisineThe Plaza217 South Broad St., Thomasville

(229) 226-5153www.thomasvilleplaza.com

We looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove our sponsors!

FOR LEASE Upstairs, upscale living in Downtown Thomasville 222 Fletcher St.

{1} 2 BR/2 BA, {2} 1 BR /1 BA, {1} studio. Call 229-228-4181 for more information..

PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS! Pet portraits. Own original art of your furry friends! Starting at $85 for 16x20.

laurafloyd13@gmail.com

PRICE REDUCED Cheery cottage near MacIntyre Park. 3 BR, magazine-worthy

kitchen, stainless appl., HW floors, fenced yard, wall-to-wall bookshelves, built-in

storage. Open floor plan, totally renovated! 411 EDGEWOOD DR.. Pam @ Chubb

Realty (229) 226-7916.

Psst...we hear they’re hiring!

The Larder Blue Coop

Relic’s Earthlover

Classifieds are $20, include up to 40 words and run for 2 issues - that’s 4-5

weeks! If you’d prefer your contact information be kept confidential,

simply tell us.

yourtownie@gmail.com

Wiregrass Gallery

Celebrates 3 years +

Christmas Cheer!

The Wiregrass Gallery: An Artist Cooperative will soon be celebrating its 3-year anniversary. While originally slated as a 3-day pop-up gallery during the 2011 Victorian Christmas celebration in Downtown Thomasville, an overwhelmingly positive response from the community encouraged the gallery artists to develop a permanent space to show and sell their art. In the past two years, the number of local and regional participating artists has grown from 21 to 50.

The Christmas season offers an amazing opportunity for the Wiregrass Gallery artists to share our wonderful artwork with Thomasville and surrounding areas. The Wiregrass Gallery is a great venue in the South Georgia region that gives customers the chance to meet the artists and observe the artists at work through demonstrations. On Saturday, Nov. 16 the following artists will be demonstrating inside and in front of the gallery: watercolor artists Bob Dixon and Judy Schlidt, Virginia Lowman creating pine needle and sweet grass baskets, ceramic artist Marty Haythorn throwing pots on the wheel, fiber artists Wyatt Nocera and Alice Cappa spinning and weaving, Millie Meringolo with colored pencil portraiture and David Frazier creating 3D relief wood images of the historical buildings of this area. Lindajo Haythorn will be in residence on Sunday, Nov.17th, from 1 - 5 PM, hand building ceramic angels, along with Judy Schlidt demonstrating her expertise with markers and colored pencils, making wonderful Christmas gift tags and cards. Our artists take commissions and many items can be personalized for a gift by the artists. A special area for art work priced at $30.00 and under will be available beginning Nov. 20. Visit us for unique, one of a kind gifts that you cannot find anywhere else!

Artist Members, who are all working artists, pay dues to cover expenses, work gallery hours, serve on committees and participate in the running of the business. Customers will most likely meet a different artist each time they return to the gallery, affording the customer the opportunity to meet the artists, learn their backgrounds, and follow their careers.

Normal hours of operation are Tuesday – Friday, 11am-5pm, Saturday, 10am-6pm. Visit our Facebook page. The Wiregrass Gallery, for updates on extended holiday hours, demonstrations, and artists in residence. - Lindajo H.

CLASSIFIEDS

How does The Bookshelf celebrate PWAF? With stories, of course! Here are our favorite books for

honoring our little corner of the South.

- For the Southern history buff: Thomasville writer Chip Bragg’s latest, Crescent Moon Over Carolina. Bonus? Get your

copy signed this Saturday, 11 - 1. Hardback, $29.95.

- For the Southerner who combines grace and grit: Published by Garden & Gun magazine, The Southerner’s Handbook offers a guide to all the lovely things going on

below the Mason-Dixon line. Hardback, $27.99

- For the Southern ecologist: The Art of Managing Longleaf details the management system protecting our region’s

beautiful longleaf pines. Hardback, $41.95.

- For the young Southerner: Annie {The Bookshelf ’s new owner} can still remember reading and loving The Lion’s Paw way back in the third grade. Read this one out loud

together as a family. Hardback, $29.95.

.The Bookshelf on Broad Street

amerisbank.com

Chamber Chatter

Let me start by introducing myself to you good folks. My name is Lauren Basford and I am the new Executive Director of the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce. I am originally from Brooks County and have a background in small-business ownership, real estate, tourism, event planning and the arts. I am thrilled to be a new resident of Thomasville and cannot imagine a better time to become a part of this vibrant community. Thomasville, with its unique small businesses, historic character and innovative arts + culture scene, is becoming THE place to live and visit.

I believe one of the things that excites me the most about living in Thomasville is all of the events that occur here year-round! With notable events like the Rose Festival, which has been held in downtown since the 1920’s, and Due South, the very popular new event celebrating fine southern food, music and art, Thomasville continues to be a destination for enjoying pure southern culture. Also, the kids and I are really looking forward to attending our very first Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival this weekend!

The great thing about these types of events is that they not only infuse the town with a distinctive personality, but they are truly the essence of economic development. These events introduce visitors {and their cash!} to our local businesses, generate additional tax revenue and inspire community pride. According to Adrienne Harrison, President of the Plantation Travel Association, of which Thomasville is a part, this city’s cultural events positively impact our entire region.

“Thomasville is definitely one of the jewels of Southwest Georgia! Fortunately, many of the heritage tourists who are attracted to your city have the tendency to visit other destinations in close proximity. This is helping some of our smaller, more rural communities thrive as well,” commented Harrison.

During my time in Quitman, GA, I was fortunate enough to see firsthand how successful events can directly and positively affect small business. Many of that city’s downtown businesses boasted their busiest days of the year during Skillet Festival. The same positive ripple effect can easily be seen here.

Keep up the good work, Thomasville!

- Lauren B.

America Recycles Day

hosted by Keep Thomas County Beautifu l

November 16, from 9 AM to 1 PMThomas County Board of Education

200 N Pinetree Blvd Bring your recyclable items, old fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, electronics, appliances, automotive fluids and

household hazardous waste.Document Destruction Services on site!

Enter to win prizes!

229-977-2559 or ktcb@live.com

COMIX by Laura Floyd

We’ve tried The Square in Moultrie...have you? More details on the blog at

ThomasvilleTownie.com.

Vote Dec. 3

Bring ON

Thomasville City Council

at-large seat

a die-hard Townie

Don Sims

Give. Join. Volunteer. And So Much More.

WE’RE MORE THAN A GYMWE’RE A CAUSE

THOMASVILLE YMCA www.ymca-thomasville.org