Opinions
Your Opinion: Nov. 3, 2009
Thanks for community support
Sometimes, living in a small town really astounds me. As most of you may know, I have been working at Sumter Humane Society since January 2009. I had no idea how much our community loves our “shelter.” It is certainly proven when we have an event like we just had: Grand Opening Festival. People from all over the county and surrounding counties came to support our long awaited day. Although cold, the day proved very worth it when we had a total of nine adoptions! Nine loving animals found their forever home on that glorious day!
Another thing about these small towns is the local businesses. I was taken aback when I saw the amount of donations that we received from all of these places, especially considering the current economic crisis that we have been facing. I can promise one thing for sure: I will be doing all of my business locally from now on. Without these sponsors we could never survive: Rubo’s, Wayne’s World, Brownlee’s, Glover’s, King’s Inn, Clinic Drugstore, Monroe’s Hotdogs, Sam’s Danfair Express, Pat’s Place, Rite Aid and Winn-Dixie (all of Americus) and Papa’s Pizza To Go and Kooler Ice (both of Montezuma) donated every item of food that was sold at our open house festival.
Ginger Starlin (State Farm Insurance) donated her popcorn machine and all the materials so we could have fresh popcorn for our customers this day. We even had a jumping castle donated by Space Walk of Americus. The jumping castle was delivered, set up and taken down, all as a donation, all out of the goodness of his heart. Tables and chairs were donated by Construction Rentals, and Greg Hancock. Aldridge Funeral Home was even kind enough to loan us a last-minute tent. We had two employees from Construction Rentals, (formerly Volvo Rents), Jason Frazier and Sheila Alexander, take their personal time to deliver a freezer for use for that day, and even help us set things up. If this does not say things about this company; I do not know what will.
A sorority from Georgia Southwestern, State University Zeta Tau Alpha, came and put in everything that they had to walk animals, play games with kids, and just make this day all that it could be. Mary Beth Rogers even took the time to provide face painting for all of our kids. The Americus Shopper donated a last-minute ad to let people know about our festival, in a hope to boost adoptions. Dottie Manning of Oglethorpe took special time to make decorations for our entire shelter.
We also had live entertainment, all of which was on a donation basis. We had Joyful Noise, Ed and Patty, the Americus Jazz Band under the wonderful directorship of Debra Hughes, Kyle Garriga and Michael Byrd, and a group a friends also preformed which included Ann Peagler, Patty Gaye, Luke Lyman-Barner, Ed Eschmann and Blue Argo. All of the sound system equipment was also donated by Len Bough with Whole Note music.
This list goes on and on what this community does, and has done in the past for us. It still truly amazes me every day what people in this “small town” can come together and accomplish. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank each and every one of our sponsors. This day could have never been pulled off without all of you. I would like to remind everyone out there, shop at your local vendors. They keep this country alive!
Amber Manning
Americus
EDITOR’S NOTE: And the Americus Times-Recorder published the festival announcement free for several weeks.
