ELLAVILLE — Have all of you noticed that Nature's palette is about to come into a full bloom?

In downtown Ellaville, the beautiful flowering peach trees are almost in full bloom. Oh, they are so pretty.

The Japanese magnolias, the daffodils, the snow drops and the grass are beginning to show off there pretty palette of colors.

When you see all these lovely flowers bursting out as Nature's palette is being painted, you know that spring is just around the corner, and Easter will be here real soon.

I'm sure that everyone is ready for some warm weather.

So just ride around and look at God's special palette and the colors that Nature painted for all of us to see.

Happy Spring to all of you.



USDA pickup

The USDA products can be picked up beginning at around 9:30 a.m. in front of Ellaville City Hall.

Plan to be there to get your products that you have signed up for. You will see the truck.

For more information contact the Rev. Jesse Carson.



Confederate statue celebrates 100 years

Our Confederate statue in the park is celebrating a 100 years this year. I'd like to give you some history on the statue.

The Sarah E. Hornady Chapter of the }United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) was organized on Robert E. Lee's birthday, Jan. 19, 1905. This chapter had 25 charter members in 1905, here in Ellaville.

The most outstanding work of the chapter since it was organized was the building of the Confederate statue in memory of all the Confederate soldiers that were killed in the Civil War. This was during the administration of Mrs. S.C. Collins, president. The Confederate statue was dedicated in 1910.

The statue was first placed at the junction of Broad and Oglethorpe streets, where the red light is today. There was a marble court between the statue and the Courthouse.

The statue was moved in 1937, according to Margaret Gooding, when they were paving the two highways, U.S. Highway 19 North and South and Georgia Highway 26 East and West. This is when they placed the statue in the park where it stands today.

The UDC was helped to erect this special historical Confederate statue by the citizens of Ellaville and Schley County.

Wording on the statue reads:

On the back — “In Memory of the boys in grey. Erected 1910 — Under the Auspices of the Sarah E. Hornady Chapter U.D.C.”

East side reads: “Tell it as you may, it can never be told the story of the glory of the men who wore the grey.

Facing north reads: “Sons of the choicest strain of American blood, Scions of Revolutionary stock, Citizens of the purest section of this Union, they lived true to every honorable tradition that, illuminated pages of our history, and at the call of duty laid down their lives a noble sacrifice on the alter of their Country.”

West side reads: “Yea, and When thrones shell crumble down, and human pride, and grandeur fall, perishing glories all the pure devotion of valiant heart shall live in heaven of which it is part."

Top below the statue feet reads: “CSA 1861—1865”

The soldier is holding his gun and just below him is the Confederate flag carved in the stone. All other sides read “CSA."

Most all Confederate statues face the North. There a few that don't face north; that’s because of when paving roads they have been changed or not been put them back correctly.

We all want to remember our Confederate soldiers as they marched off to war, being real brave and wearing their gray uniforms for the South.

These statues have always impressed me, and we have men and a woman here today that belong to the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the UDC.

I know that there are a lot of you citizens here that haven't taken the time to go and look and read the writing on the statue, but as you read the words, remember that these great men were the South's heroes.

Make plans to go and see our statue and carry your children and read the wording yourselves.

God bless these men and all others veterans of other wars, and God bless America.



Weslyan Group meets

The Weslyan Group met March 8 in the Social Hall of the church for its monthly meeting. The meeting was called to order by President Sharon Wall. Business was taken care of and prayer requests were given.

Refreshments were served to eight members. Those present were Joyce Postom, Elaine Barwick, Brenda Phillips, Carlynn Kirby, Judy Johnson, Nora Morrow, Sharon Wall and Nancy Young, hostess.