TIFTON, Ga. — Ricky and Teresa Cromer have been to Washington, DC a few times on school trips with their kids, but when they heard about an inauguration trip being offered by Kelly Tours, they knew they were going again.

“We want to do it because we might not get an opportunity again,” said Teresa.

While the trip would get them to Washington, they wanted a chance to get close to the action, but actually be able to see the swearing in ceremony.

For that, they reached out the office of congressional representative Austin Scott.

Scott’s office got them put on a waiting list.

When tickets came up for them, there was a potential roadblock: they had to be picked up in advance from Washington.

“We got it worked out,” said Ricky. “Someone offered to pick the tickets up for us.”

While the historic nature of a presidential inauguration is one reason to go, the main draw for Ricky and Teresa is to meeting and talk with people from all over the country.

“I would really like to see and talk to other people about some of the issues the country is facing,” said Teresa. “Education issues, immigration, gun control.”

Teresa, a 7th grade teacher, sees communicating with other people and learning to understand their viewpoints as a way to bring the country together.

“It can help heal the country,” said Teresa. “We can give them our opinions on things. Not necessarily to agree with us but to see a different side. We need to get this country back together, heal the divide. Especially people in the bigger cities. They don’t understand how we live, we don’t understand how they live.

“[We can] find where we can agree on things, not be divided. Every life matters in this country. We’ve got to get the country back together. We’re all equal. We’ve got to work together.”

For high school junior Wells Scott, watching Donald Trump being sworn in as president will be the culmination of the last year.

“I’ve liked Trump the whole way,” said Scott. “I was at his rally in Valdosta and I want to see it all the way through.”

Wells expects the inauguration to be quick and simple, at least compared to previous inaugurations.

“I don’t think it’ll be as big as it was in the past,” said Wells. “I think it’ll mostly be come in, get it done and get it over with. It sounds like it’s not going to big. He want to get to work instead of having a big ceremony.”

The son of congressman Austin Scott, Wells grown up around politics and politicians. Still, he’d prefer to focus on his classes and football.

“I’ve been up around it [politics] my whole life, so I’ve picked up on a few things,” said Wells. “But I don’t think it’s my kind of thing.”

The music for the inauguration ceremony is set to start at 9:30 a.m. in front of the U.S. Capitol building, with opening remarks set to begin at 11:30 a.m.

The Tifton Gazette will be providing a live stratum of the ceremony, starting at 9:30 a.m. at www.tiftongazette.com