Meadows Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab employees Shannon Hart, RN Clinic Coordinator, and Rhonda Phillips, Registered Respiratory Therapist, receive awards Thursday, Oct. 22. Left to right: Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Jeffrey Harden; RN, Clinic Coordinator Shannon Hart; Registered Respiratory Therapist Rhonda Phillips; Assistant Vice President of Cardiovascular Services Travis Roose.

Meadows Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab employees Shannon Hart, RN Clinic Coordinator, and Rhonda Phillips, Registered Respiratory Therapist, received awards Thursday, Oct. 22. Hart received the October Daisy Award and Phillips received the Meadows Moment Award.

The Meadows Moment Award was created to recognize staff members and physicians who are noticed for exemplifying Meadows’ values of compassion, teamwork and integrity. Awards are given to deserving employees for coming up with new ideas, helping coworkers, and other efforts that bring value to the team.

The Daisy Award was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The family noticed that during the course of Patrick’s illness the extraordinary care he received from nurses made a difference not only in his health but his personal well-being. The family wanted to recognize the extraordinary work nurses do daily while performing other duties involved in caring for their patients. The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses is a nationally recognized award that is celebrated across the country. Recipients from Meadows become part of an elite group of professionals across the nation. 

“I was honored to present Shannon and Rhonda with these awards,” said Jeffrey Harden, Meadows Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Since opening Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab they have helped so many patients regain quality of life. They are both extremely deserving.”

Hart has been employed with Meadows since February 2019 and currently resides in Vidalia. Phillips has been employed with Meadows since March 2001 and currently resides in Vidalia.

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Written by Jeff Raiford

Category: Newsbreak

Published: 23 October 2020

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ATLANTA (October 22, 2020) | Sen. Blake Tillery (R – Vidalia) has been appointed to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)’s Legislative Advisory Committee by Governor Brian P. Kemp. In this capacity, Sen. Tillery will serve alongside other state legislators and delegates to advise the board on key policy issues related to educational progress.

“I am honored to join a few of my colleagues in the Georgia General Assembly, as well as legislative leaders across the nation, on such a critical and multi-faceted issue,” said Sen. Tillery. “Education, both in regards to quality and quantity, is pivotal to the success of our state and those that live here. It determines our future doctors and technicians, it shapes the world of business, and it ultimately influences the state of our economy now and down the line. I am eager to join this collaborative space to gain more insight on future legislative initiatives and appropriations priorities.”

SREB is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that was created in 1948 with the intention of improving public education, at all levels, through enhanced professional development, practices and curriculum. Through this, the Legislative Advisory Council convenes leaders across 16 member states to more intently analyze statewide policy and its link to economic viability. SREB’s member states are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Relative to the state of Georgia, four other legislative members are part of SREB’s Legislative Advisory Council: Sen. Freddie Powell Sims (D – Dawson), Rep. Terry England (R – Auburn), Rep. Mack Jackson (D – Sandersville) and Rep. Robert Dickey (R – Musella).

For more information on SREB, please follow the link here: https://www.sreb.org/.

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Written by Jeff Raiford

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Published: 22 October 2020

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Two cultural entities in Vidalia will share a total of almost $114,000 in grant money from the Georgia Council for the Arts, and local resident and State Senator Blake Tillery said the one-time grants shows the community’s support of cultural events.

Sen. Tillery said, "When looking at our successes over the years, much of that can be attributed to the arts. Whether it is in terms of infrastructure such as venues and museums, or through neighborhood events and cultural initiatives, the creativity that comes from the arts has given back to our community unimaginable ways."

"I am appreciative of the General Assembly, and Georgia Council for the Arts and Gov. Brian Kemp in providing these grants," Sen. Tillery concluded.

The Altama Museum of Art and History was granted $75,000, and the Vidalia Convention and Visitors Bureau will receive $38,951. Through funding from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Georgia Council for the Arts provides finical assistance and service that promote the mission of cultivating the growth of vibrant and thriving Georgia communities through the arts. The awarded grants support the construction, renovation or acquisition of a building or the addition of equipment to support arts programs.

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Written by Kathy Hilt

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Published: 23 October 2020

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The last quarter of the year is always busy in the City of Vidalia, and City Manager Nick Overstreet said with modifications, all events will continue.

Next week is Halloween and in addition to the Spooktacular Trail in downtown on next Thursday night, parents have been asking about door-to-door trick-or-treat. Overstreet said that Trick-or-Treat within the city limits of Vidalia will be Saturday night, October 31, and the City will assume no liability for children going door-to-door for candy. However, he is suggesting that homeowners and residents who plan to pass out candy put the sweets in small plastic bags or similar containers rather than allowing children to delve into a large bowl to help deter the spread of the Coronavirus. 

Overstreet said next month the Downtown Vidalia Association will also sponsor the annual Veteran’s Day Luncheon. Tanya Parker, Executive Director of the DVA is still finalizing plans, but honoring area veterans is still very important. While the day is special to recognize those who served, the City of Vidalia wants to ensure it is done safely. More plans on the event will be shared once the plans are finalized.

And finally, plans are underway for the Christmas parade, and if ever a parade with this year theme was needed, it’s now. This year, the them is "Super Heroes" and Overstreet says that opens the doors to a myriad of possibilities for organizations, churches, civic groups, businesses and more to include on their floats and other parade entries. As those plans are finalized, they will be posted on the City's website as well as southeastgeorgiatoday.com.

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Written by Kathy Hilt

Category: Newsbreak

Published: 22 October 2020

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