Tift Regional orthopedic surgeon participates in Operation Walk USA

TIFTON, Ga. — Operation Walk USA provides joint and knee replacements for free every holiday season, and this past season the program came to Tifton. Dr. David Banks brought the Operation Walk USA program to the attention of Tift Regional Medical Center. During the week of January 9, one patient in Tifton received a joint replacement at Tift Regional from volunteer orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Scott with Georgia Sports Medicine. Operation Walk USA takes place each holiday season and start of the New Year as an annual tradition of giving back and allows for greater hospital, surgeon and medical staff participation. The program provides all aspects of treatment ─ surgery, hospitalization, and pre-and post-operative care ─ at no cost to participating patients who may not qualify for government health coverage, do not have insurance or cannot afford surgery on their own. The patient who received the joint replacement at the Tift Regional Joint Replacement and Spine Care Center was Cindy Cornelius from Talking Rock, Ga. Cindy sustained a knee injury seven years ago, and despite years of various treatments and therapies, her knee condition continued to worsen. Once notified from Operation Walk, Cindy traveled over four hours from home to receive the total knee replacement, performed by Scott.

 

Southern Regional Tech to host job fair March 2

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Organizers of the upcoming 2016 Community Career Resource Fair scheduled to be held in Moultrie on Thursday, March 2, are anticipating the event will be a catalyst in transitioning local job hunters into members of a viable workforce. An estimated 50 local businesses and industries will assemble in the Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) Southwest Georgia Bank Conference Center at the College’s Moultrie – Veteran’s Parkway location from 9 a.m. until noon for the 2017 Community Career Resource Fair.  SRTC and the Moultrie office of the Georgia Department of Labor will join forces to present the event to familiarize the businesses and industries in our region and job hunters with one another. The event is open to the general public.  Whether or not employers have jobs to offer at this time, job seekers will benefit from learning about local companies and what skills they would expect their employees to possess. In turn, businesses may find matches for future employment. Industries expected to be at the fair include healthcare, industrial manufacturing, sales and banking, among others. Admission and parking for the career fair is free. For more details about the 2017 Community Career Resource Fair or to learn how your company can be represented at the event, contact SRTC Career Services Coordinator Dana Lewis at dlewis@southernregional.edu.

 

Concert series benefits medical clinic

DALTON, Ga. — The WoodSongs Dalton 2017 Concert Series on Saturday at 7 p.m. features Kristy Cox, an award-winning Australian singer/songwriter, with her band Calder Highway and the Tin Cup Rattlers. This regionally acclaimed concert series features emerging and established performers and is held at Stage 123 at 123 W. Gordon St. in downtown Dalton. Advance tickets are $15. Tickets are $18 at the door. Proceeds will benefit the DEO Clinic, a not-for-profit medical clinic serving low-income and uninsured residents of Whitfield and Murray counties. For more information, visit woodsongs dalton.com, email woodsongsdalton@yahoo.com or call (706) 581-8025.

 

Live music show to benefit kidney recipient

VALDOSTA, Ga.  — A live music show in Valdosta Saturday will benefit a South Georgian who underwent a kidney transplant. Jesse Shearer grew up outside of Barwick and was stricken with a case of E. Coli at the age of 10 which damaged his kidneys, according to organizers. He later graduated from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Md., and began a career in conservation with AmeriCorps,  the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and at many state and national parks including the Grand Canyon. Three years ago, Shearer’s kidneys failed and he began daily dialysis. After three years of this, Shearer underwent kidney-transplant surgery Monday in Minnesota. The kidney was donated by his older brother, Lucas, according to organizers. This benefit show is to help offset the costs associated with the surgery including travel, lodging, medication and doctor visits. Jeff Hill, lifelong best friend of Shearer, organized the event along with a Go Fund Me page. “Jesse has been my best friend since we were kids. He was the best man at my wedding,” Hill said. “Starting a fundraiser campaign for his surgery was a no brainer.” The benefit will be held 6 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Bleu Pub. Entertainment will be provided by Kyle Keller, Sarah Beth, Chase Crawford and Loomis Orange. PBR tallboys are $2 with $1 of each sold going to the fundraiser, according to organizers. A raffle will include a variety of prizes such as a gift certificate from The Brass Quill Gallery. Funds can also be donated to gofundme.com/kidney4jesse.

 

Tickets are on sale for the Rock Hawk Talk History Mystery Cruise

EATONTON, Ga. — Historian Larry Moore and Georgia Power Lake Resources Manager Scott Hendricks will once again explore the archeological sites, history and culture of Lake Oconee including some of the many, many mysterious archaeological sites hidden by the lake, prehistoric ceremonial sites, early historical plantations, as well as Wallace Dam, the Oconee Wildlife Management Area and Rock Hawk Effigy, Educational Trails & Park. Many ancient artifacts will be displayed, including a dinosaur egg and other multi-million year-old fossils and many old Native American items. There will be history mystery prizes, a raffle of a 400 million-year-old Trilobite marine fossil and a beautiful hand carved eagle/hawk head hiking stick. Tickets always sell out fast.An inclement weather date has been reserved for June 3.  Rock Hawk Talk fundraiser tickets are $50 and are on sale now.  Tickets will include hors d’oeuvres and one drink ticket; a cash bar is also available. Only 40 tickets will be sold on a first come/first serve basis for each cruise. Tickets always sell out fast. For more information call Kaitlyn Parham at the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce: Phone: 706-485-7701 or email kaitlyn@eatonton.com