Living 50 Plus 2021

July 2021
Jeff Scruggs:
Loving God by
Serving Others
Finding Your
Passion
After Fifty
Golfing at Houston
Lake Country Club
Fightin’ Fires
After 50
FREE!

2 www.hhjonline.com

PUBLISHED BY
Houston Publications, Inc.
1210 Washington Street • P.O. Box 1910
Perry, GA 31069
Phone: 478-987-1823
www.hhjonline.com
Living 50 Plus
PUBLISHER
Cheri Adams
cadams@hhjnews.com
Advertising
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Lori Kovarovic
lorik@hhjnews.com
Nathan Mathis
nmathis@hhjnews.com
AJ Kovarovic
ajk@hhjnews.com
Staff Writers
MANAGING EDITOR
Kendra Norman Holmes
kholmes@hhjnews.com
Tyler Meister
tylerm@hhjnews.com
Joshua Miller
jmiller@hhjnews.com
Breanna Sheffield
bsheffield@hhjnews.com
Jessica Thompson
news@hhjnews.com
Creative
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Kayley Trischan
production@hhjnews.com
Ashley Eberhardt
ashleywe@georgiaprinters.com
Contents
Finding Your Passion
After Fifty
6
Benefits of Pool Exercises For
All Ages, Especially 50+
12
Golfing at
Houston Lake Country Club
16
Jeff Scruggs:
Loving God by Serving Others
24
Fightin’ Fires After 50
30
July 2021
3

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4 www.hhjonline.com

Let’s Talk
About
Hospice
“We wish we had you sooner” is a resounding phrase I have heard families say throughout my years
of providing hospice care to our community. People do not know what they need until they need it. Let me
explain. If your dishwasher breaks, then you need another one. You start searching for sales on the internet
or maybe you visit a retailer who sells appliances. Either way you began your search because you needed
something. This should not be what we do regarding more important aspects of our lives.
Understanding what your community resources are, why they are here and what they can do for you
and your family is paramount so that when you enter into a crisis, and trust me, a crisis will come, you know
immediately what your plan is and how to obtain the assistance you need.
Hospice is not a word that rolls off of the tongue nor is it a topic most people wish to discuss. It’s
difficult for most people to engage in a serious discussion about end-of-life with a loved one and especially
a parent or even a child (young or adult). But if we can make a conscious decision to just tackle the thing
then we can get it behind us. Afterall, death is a sure thing. Transitioning from this earthly presence is as real
as a new life entering and they are both processes – one with joy, if we are blessed, and one with sadness.
We should never fear the inevitable but rather embrace the advanced opportunity to take advantage of every
resource available that helps navigate the uncharted waters.
So, why don’t people seek hospice services earlier than later? I’ll tell you. People, in general, are
afraid of dying, and are often in denial about their terminal illness and how much time they have remaining.
They also perhaps do not know what they qualify for or what services are even available.
Non-profit hospice organizations, often deeply embedded in the community, typically share a unified
mission which is to provide the highest quality of care with respect to terminal illnesses and their associated
symptoms. These services are not limited to nursing alone. There is bereavement support, volunteer services,
social services, chaplaincy support and many other special programs that focus upon more specific needs.
If you, a loved one, or a friend has a terminal illness and a physician has advised the terminal illness
is likely to end your life within six months or less then you should be reaching out to hospice to gain services.
Immediately. All terminal illnesses often present with difficult symptoms for which you will desire comfort.
You absolutely do not want to wait until the last moments of life to contact hospice. Contact them early. Ask
questions. Help yourself to understand what is available to you to help with your specific situation and if you
are able, reach out BEFORE you enter into the crisis.
Hospice provides necessary medications, medical equipment, products for associated care, as well
as an entire care team experienced and devoted to you AND your family. If you are in the midst of a terminal
illness wouldn’t you want your family to receive assistance in your care?
When you choose a hospice provider to help you during this particularly sensitive and emotional
time, choose a non-profit provider who’s central mission is to help ease the transition into care, help guide you
with amazing, individualized support and to keep you comfortable. Hospice will continue to follow bereaved
individuals after the passing to help families and friends through the grief process.
Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance companies do cover hospice expenses. So why would you
not request services as soon as you are able? Don’t be burdened and don’t wait. Let people help you. There
are many of us just waiting to offer a helping hand. And remember, utilizing hospice services is not a death
sentence. It absolutely does not mean you are dying today. In fact, patients who receive personalized medical
care in their home setting often do better and have a better quality of life for their remaining days than those
who do not. Please allow a NON-profit hospice organization to help you realize a more comfortable and
improved quality of life for the remainder of your days. This is our promise, our dedication, and our mission.
Respectfully,
Dawn M. Rozar, MBA-HA, BSN, RN
Executive Director
Heart of Georgia Hospice, Inc.
July 2021
5

Finding
Your Passion
After Fifty
By: Breanna Sheffield
HHJ Staff Writer
Starting over is a scary thing when it comes to life.
When most people hit a certain age, they don’t feel
like they can open a new chapter. Most men and
women, after the age of 50, want to experience a
new path and try to explore themselves. After 50,
most parents are empty nesters; people are looking
toward retirement and maybe doing something new
in their lives. Those on the outside may say, “You’re
too old,” or “Why now, why not earlier?”
However, it’s never too late to make a difference in
your life. Some men and women after 50 are just
finishing—or maybe even just starting college. Some
are getting married or even embarking on opening a
new business. Age—as they say—“ain’t nothing but a
number,” and it shouldn’t be a determining factor in
whether or not an individual starts something new.
Life doesn’t stop after you hit 50.
Stella Edwards is a retired Warner Robins woman
that started her own tax business after the age of 50.
To do it successfully, she said she had to “shut down
all the negativity” and put all her determination into
becoming an entrepreneur.
Becoming an entrepreneur can be hard, but it can
come with even more challenges when the person
starting the business is of a certain age. Mrs. Edwards
has been an entrepreneur for 15 years now. She
started out small and slow, only doing taxes for her
family and friends. For a period of time, she worked
at H&R Block but eventually gave it up.
“I decided to open my own business because some
of my co-workers at H&R Block would ask me to do
their taxes,” Edwards stated. And that’s where her
love for the job came into play.
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Edwards has gone from about 15 clients to now
having 100. Her love for her craft inspired her to go
to Troy University and obtain her master’s degree.
After that, she happily found a space in Warner
Robins to open her tax company. Edwards titled her
tax business C2&E LLC. That name was inspired by
her and her two daughters.
Before Edwards started doing taxes or working for
H&R Block, she worked at Robins Air Force Base in
contracting, and she had also done some work for
the government for 26 years.
“I come from a long line of entrepreneurs,” Edwards
said, “but I always feared not having benefits.” She
stated that she watched members of her family open
businesses and not really have a plan for after the
fact of retirement.
Edwards explained that there really isn’t a typical
day in her life as an independent business owner;
every working day is different. She reports to her
office at 9:00 a.m. and orders the supplies she might
need for that day. Then shortly after, she and her
team sit down for a morning meeting for about 30
7

minutes. After that, her workday is started.
“I don’t allow walk-ins because, I want to spend
enough one-on-one time with each of my clients. I
take each case very serious, and I want to provide
the best help I can.”
During the height of tax season, Edwards stated that
she could be in the office for 10 to 12 hours working
on taxes. The last day of tax season is usually about
a 15-hour workday.
they look away or look unsure in the eyes, I can tell
they aren’t right for the job.”
She urges any college student that aspires to become
an entrepreneur to start by finding someone they
admire. “Shadow them, do paid/unpaid internships,
and let them mentor you,” she advised. “You have to
be all in with your business, no one is going to love
it like you do,” Edwards added. “You can’t expect
others to do all the heavy lifting and you collect all
the riches.”
Every October, Edwards takes classes to prepare her
for the next upcoming tax season. With all those long
hours and hard weekend work, she says it’s just the
love of doing taxes that motivates her to keep going,
even through the rough days. Edwards enjoys the
mystery of not knowing what she’s going to get out
of a client.
“I explain to my clients that I’m here to serve them
the best I can legally; I’m not
here to manipulate them.”
Edwards said that she doesn’t
have a fear of failure, because
she knows what she’s doing. “I
study and research on all new
things, to stay up to date.”
If there is ever something that
she does not know how to do,
Edwards said she’s very honest with her clients with
telling them. No one knows it all, and she admits that
she’s still learning.
“I come from a long line of
entrepreneurs,” Edwards
said, “but I always feared
not having benefits.”
Also, she stated with becoming an entrepreneur,
money doesn’t come in fast or easy, so it would be a
mistake for anyone to go into business thinking that
it’s simple to work for themselves.
“Putting God first is the definition of success,”
Edwards said. “Start, end and keep your day with
Him, and ask Him to guide your journey.” She added,
“Listen to what God is trying to tell you; always
ask yourself, ‘What would
Jesus do?’”
Edwards said she runs her
business strictly on the way
God would do it, fair and with
love. The main goal of her
company is to provide the best
tax service she can to each
and every client. She wants
all her clients to feel free to come back, and continue
to work with her. “Stick to it” is the best quality an
entrepreneur can have in Edwards’ opinion.
When it came to opening her business, trying to find
a safe and clean environment was one of the major
challenges Edwards had to face when first starting
her entrepreneurship. If she had to do it all over
again, she said that she would change some things
in the beginning process. For instance, Edwards
would have created a website first and hired
employees upfront.
“Starting out, I was doing up to 105 returns on my
own,” she revealed. “And with no help, I overworked
myself like never before.”
From that point on, Edwards got some great help.
When picking good employees, it’s the eyes for
Edwards. “I start by asking simple questions, and if
“If you’re a person that gives up easily and can’t
accept failure, this isn’t the business for you,”
she stated.
When it comes to building a good customer base,
word of mouth is the best for Edwards. She says if you
do a good job, you will have no problem. And as far as
that negative comment about being too old to start
something new goes, Edwards’ advice is simply, “Don’t
listen.” She went on to say, “As long you have breath in
your body, your mind is clear and sharp and you have
the will to do it, go do it. Life is for the living,” Edwards
added. “Get busy living, or get busy dying; it’s all
your choice.”
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July 2021
9

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How To Talk to An Aging Parent About Difficult Subjects
(Or How Not To Talk)
I am an aging parent, therefore I am fully qualified as an expert on this subject. When my 33-year-old son walks into our
house and says: “Mom, you and dad need to downsize. All this stuff you’re saving for me that you think I want, well, I don’t.”
With a will of their own, my head rolls and my arm extends, palm facing him; I can’t help it. Talk to the hand, son. For his
information, I am still his mother and I have NOT relinquished my parental authority to HIM. And while this young man
is one of the most important pieces of my life, in reality I feel that he knows nothing about my life. He doesn’t know my
routines or my schedules, he can’t name most of my friends, and yet he fancies he knows what I need. Do I sound defensive?
You better believe it. He is not the boss of me.
Different scenario: My son is home for a visit. He is fully prepared for the difficult conversation of telling me that my
stuff is not valuable to him. He thinks we need to downsize because his generation is more focused on experiences than
possessions (by the way, this is something we think we taught him). How much more receptive would I be if he began with:
“Mom, I think a lot about you and Dad and your upcoming retirement. Have you made plans? What do you want to do?” I
don’t seize up because he has not challenged the fact that I am the one in control of my life. He is asking my opinion. More
importantly, he is showing an interest in my future plans and not trying to make them for me. He is asking, not telling, and
that leads to a reciprocal conversation.
During this conversation, he can plant seeds, but as any good gardener knows, seeds grow better in fertile soil and that takes
some preparation. He lives in Florida, the land of snowbirds, seniors and retirement communities, so he can mention a
community and ask if that is a consideration for us. He can ask us to educate him about options and discover if we are really
in the planning phase regarding retirement or are still in that nebulous “we want to travel when we retire or develop new
hobbies” stage. If he is smart, he will use the strategies that I used on him when he was a child……. He will make me think
and subtly guide me towards a good decision, with me all the while thinking I am the one doing the planning.
He will appeal to my love for him and make me feel loved in return. At his age he is unfamiliar with terms such as advance
directives, supplemental insurance, powers of attorney, living wills, etc., but he can share the experiences of his friends and
coworkers such as parents never sharing information with their children about finances, where important papers are kept,
never expressing what their wishes are should they be unable to speak for themselves. He can tell me how important it is to
him that he knows and implements my vision for my future if I am unable to do so. I will then sing his praises to my friends
about what a good son he is and how he loves his mom. (Sigh….) The truth of the matter is that our son truly does love us
and wants what is best for us, but is unable to see our lives through our filter, only his.
Calls come in weekly to Carlyle Place from adult children who have decided that Mom and Dad need to be in a community.
These calls are usually the result of a health scare or a realization that Mom and Dad are slowing down, and almost never
result in parents actually coming in for a tour, much less making the move. The exceptions are when Mom and Dad have
assigned their children to collect information, or the very rare occasion when they have relinquished the decision-making
aspect of their lives to the family.
As aging specialists and life plan counselors, our job at Carlyle Place is to determine what our future residents really want,
not to make the decisions for them. We get to know Mom and Dad. The most important thing we do is LISTEN to the vision
each prospective resident has for his or her future, and then we can truly educate about options. We learn about the needs
and wants and oftentimes the fears we all share about the aging process. We show absolute respect for each person’s opinion
throughout the journey, even if we don’t agree. Adult children, please learn from us and our processes. We call it discovery
and education; you’ll call it a blessing.
Carlyle Place
5300 Zebulon Rd, Macon, GA 31210 478-405-4500 carlyleplace.org
July 2021
11

BENEFITS OF POOL
EXERCISES FOR ALL AGES,
ESPECIALLY 50+
By: Jessica Thompson
HHJ Staff Writer
exercises, or more formally known as aqua
aerobics, can be very beneficial for all types and
​Pool
ages of people, but can be especially beneficial
for those ages 50 and up.
Perry Pool Services, located on General Courtney
Hodges Blvd. in Perry, Georgia, offers a variety of
pool services to people ages 50 and older, who love
water aerobics or swimming in general.
Owner, Keith Simpson, spoke about some of the
services they provide and more about his business.
He has spent the last five years in the Houston
County community and he is the only licensed CPO
(Certified Pool and Spa Operator) in the area.
Simpson’s first job in Georgia was 10 years ago when
he worked with a company that built pools. When
the only pool company in Perry went out of business,
he took it as an opportunity to provide the people
of Perry with pool services again. “It just became a
passion from there,” Simpson said.
Being the sole pool service in Perry, Simpson provides
services to every hotel and to the main fountain in
downtown Perry. He also services the Creekwood
Splashpad, a fountain at a park in Perry that is open
from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. where many children love
to go.
Aside from services for the older generation,
Simpson’s company also provides services to the
Doggy Daycare in Perry. The dogs love to use them
for swimming and diving competitions. Perry Pool
Services also has a few clients that have autistic
children who greatly benefit from pools.
“They use our heaters because they like the
temperature to be warm… It really calms them down
when they get in the water,” Simpson said. Being in
water can provide comfort and support to children
with autism; it also helps develop their sensory
processing skills.
Among his clients, 50% are older and several have
pools on their personal property. “We have multiple
different people who own their own pool, and they
go out every morning and do laps,” Simpson said.
Many people, age 50 and above, who used to be
athletic usually turn to water aerobics to help with
pain when exercising.
“We have retired colonels that were athletic their
whole lives, and now they’re getting older and retired
and that’s one of the main things they count on is the
pool… They do around 10 to 20 laps each morning,”
Simpson said. “We have a lot of people who like to do
it in the winter—they say it brings them back to life;
it rejuvenates them.”
Aqua aerobics can provide several benefits for
anyone but especially for those whose bodies don’t
move the same way they used to. It can target and
strengthen the arms, legs and core muscles. It is also
a good option for people who have osteoporosis or
arthritis when it is difficult to move around, and it
can still get your body in motion.
These exercises are also great for obtaining good
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posture and can help improve balance.
Many people love to run and that has been their way
of exercise for many years. As they get older, running
can be something that is painful and furthers joint
damage. Aqua aerobics can provide this type of
exercise (if not more) while providing less pain and
more comfortability.
In addition to aqua aerobics, there is also aqua
therapy. The difference between the two is aqua
aerobics is a type of water exercise that can be done
more for fun and a low-impact version of exercising.
Aqua therapy is typically referred by a doctor and
can help with certain injuries that need physical
therapy to help repair and regain full mobility.
Simpson and his team at Perry Pool Services also
provide classes to anyone wanting to become a
CPO (Certified Pool and Spa Operator) to help the
community grow. The license is provided through
the state of Georgia but they teach some of the things
needed in order to obtain a CPO license. “We can
teach you about chemicals and a lot of stuff that’s
on the CPO list so when you take the test, you’ll be a
little familiar with the stuff,” Simpson said.
Perry Pool Services also services Houston Springs
Retirement Community. In that community, they
have become familiar with the aerobics classes that
are done every morning (except Sundays) for some of
the women staying in the community.
The community is made up of people ages 55 and
up, and this particular aerobics class is a group of 30
women and they have their classes from 10 a.m. until
11 a.m., six days a week.
While these classes are only open to people staying
within the community. Water exercises can be done
in any kind of pool and can be beneficial to your
health and happiness. Basic swimming techniques
or even just walking in the pool can be good exercise
for anyone.
July 2021
13

14 www.hhjonline.com

Did you know it is estimated that one in five
Did Americans you know will develop it is estimated skin cancer that one in their in five lifetime,
and Americans the American will develop Academy skin cancer of Dermatology
in their
estimates lifetime, that and more the American than 2 million Academy cases of of skin
Dermatology
cancer will
estimates
be diagnosed
that more
in
than
the United
2 million
States
cases
this
of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this
year?
year?
The most common skin cancers are basal
The cell most carcinoma, common skin squamous cancers are cell basal carcinoma, cell carcinoma, and
squamous malignant cell carcinoma, melanoma. and With malignant early melanoma. detection and
With treatment, early detection skin and cancer treatment, is highly skin cancer curable. is Skin
highly cancer curable. is easily Skin cancer diagnosed is easily with diagnosed a skin with biopsy. a
skin There biopsy. are There different are different treatment treatment options options for for skin
skin cancer cancer including excisional excisional surgery, surgery, cryosurgery cryosurgery
(freezing),
(freezing),
electro
electro
surgery
surgery
(burning),
(burning),
radiation,
radiation,
prescription medications, and the specialized surgical
prescription medications, and the specialized
technique of Mohs Micrographic Surgery. The Mohs
surgical technique of Mohs Micrographic Surgery.
surgery procedure has proven to be up to 99 percent
effective
The Mohs
for basal
surgery
cell carcinoma
procedure
and
has
Squamous
proven
cell
to be up
carcinoma, to 99 percent the most effective common for types basal of cell skin carcinoma cancer. and
Squamous cell carcinoma, the most common types
Mohs of surgery skin cancer. is microscopically controlled surgery that
involves Mohs the complete surgery evaluation is microscopically of the surgical controlled
margins
surgery
for skin
that
cancer
involves
removal.
the complete
Mohs surgery
evaluation
is
of
typically an office based procedure performed safely
the surgical margins for skin cancer removal. Mohs
under local anesthesia, which reduces recovery time and
surgery is typically an office based procedure
has fewer side effects than general anesthesia. During
Mohs
performed
surgery, the
safely
skin cancer
under
is
local
removed
anesthesia,
layer by layer
which
and reduces the tissue recovery is processed time at and on-site has fewer laboratory. side effects The
tissue than slides general are examined anesthesia. by the Mohs surgeon who
performs During the pathology Mohs surgery, services, the all skin while cancer the is patient removed
remains layer in by the layer office. and If more the tissue cancer is remains, processed the at Mohs an onsite
laboratory.
surgeon removes more
The
tissue
tissue
precisely
slides
from
are examined
only the area
by
with remaining cancer and this additional layer of tissue
the Mohs surgeon who performs the pathology
is processed and microscopically examined. This process
services, all while the patient remains in the office.
continues until all of the cancerous tissue is removed.
Mohs
If more
surgery
cancer
allows
remains,
for the complete
the Mohs
removal
surgeon
of
removes
the
skin more cancer, tissue yet minimizes precisely the from removal only of healthy the area tissue with
leaving remaining the smallest cancer possibly and this surgical additional wound. layer After of Mohs tissue
is processed and microscopically examined. This
process continues until all of the cancerous tissue
is removed.
surgery confirms that all of the skin
Mohs surgery allows for the complete removal
cancer has been removed, the surgical defect is
of the skin cancer, yet minimizes the removal of
immediately ready for repair. There are several options
healthy
for repair
tissue
that include
leaving
allowing
the smallest
the wound
possibly
to
surgical
heal on its
wound. own or surgically After Mohs repairing surgery the confirms defect. that all of the
skin Frequently, cancer the has Mohs been surgeon removed, also the performs surgical the defect
is reconstructive immediately surgery ready with for repair. a sutured There linear are repair, several skin
options graft, or for skin repaid flap. that include allowing the wound
to heal on its own or surgically repairing the defect.
GEORGIA DERMATOLOGY & SKIN CANCER
Frequently, the Mohs surgeon also performs the
CENTER is a general and surgical dermatology practice
reconstructive surgery with a sutured linear repair,
comprised of twenty-one offices throughout Georgia with
skin graft, or skin flap.
locations including
Warner GEORGIA Robins, Dublin, DERMATOLOGY Macon, Milledgeville, & SKIN Conyers,
CANCER Augusta, Forsyth, CENTER Thomaston, is a Statesboro, general and Tifton, surgical
dermatology Americus, Cordele, practice Douglas, comprised Roswell of and twenty coastal offices offices
throughout in Savannah, Georgia Jesup, Brunswick, with locations Waycross, including Richmond Warner Hill,
Robins, and Hinesville. Dublin, We Macon, also have Milledgeville, a location in Aiken, Conyers, South
Griffin,
Carolina.
Augusta, Forsyth, Thomaston, Statesboro,
Tifton, Americus, Cordele, Douglas, and coastal
We specialize in the treatment of all types of skin
offices in Savannah, Jesup, Brunswick, Waycross,
disorders, the removal of skin cancer, and
Richmond
Mohs skin cancer
Hill, and
surgery
Hinesville.
is performed by Dr. Darryl
Hodson, We specialize board certified in the treatment dermatologist of all in types our Warner of skin
disorders, Robins o ffi the c e . removal of skin cancer, and Mohs
skin cancer surgery is performed by Dr. Darryl
Hodson, The organization board is certified well established dermatologist and well known in our
Warner
having served
Robins
in Georgia
office.
for over fifty years.
We The welcome organization new patients is well and established referrals, and and we well accept
known most insurance having served plans. in Georgia for over forty five
years.
Schedule
We welcome
your appointment
new patients
at our
and
Warner
referrals,
Robins
and
office
today by calling 922-9281
we accept most insurance plans.
Learn Schedule more by your visiting appointment us online at: at our Warner
Robins office today by calling 922-9281.
GaDerm.com
Learn more by visiting us online at:
GaDerm.com
July 2021
15

Golfing at
Houston Lake
Country Club
By: Joshua Miller
HHJ Sports Editor
If you have a love for the game of golf or just want
to try it out and have some fun, Houston Lake
Country Club is home to one of the most acclaimed
golf courses in the state of Georgia.
It’s a beautiful semi-private course right on Houston
Lake and complemented with amenities to make it
one of the places you must experience while residing
in Houston County. They’ll tell you it’s known as “the
home of fast greens and friendly people.”
Whether you’re by yourself or with a group, Houston
Lake Country Club offers multiple options to play for
individuals 50 years of age and older. They also offer
senior discounts and have themed tournaments
throughout the year.
“At HLCC, we have a healthy group of golfers
over age 50,” explained Houston Lake Country
Club head golf professional Lacey Fears. “We have
a senior group of men that play Tuesday-Friday
mornings as well as our ladies’ group that plays
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. We offer a
discounted membership package focused on seniors
that includes reduced monthly dues and discounted
July 2021
17

cart fees. We are also an annual host to the ‘Dixie
Seniors’ who play all around the middle Georgia
area as well as in statewide GSGA [Georgia State Golf
Association] competitions.”
The course not only offers beautiful greens but also
spectacular views all around the course.
The course provides a fun challenge with multiple
holes that require you to shoot over Houston Lake.
The course’s signature is the 18th hole. Based on
the club’s description, the shot “requires a tee shot
that must avoid the lake in front of the tee box and
along the entire right side of the hole. The approach
shot requires another attempt to clear the lake that
cuts in to the narrow fairway in front of the wellbunkered
green.”
Their famous 18th hole was recognized as “One of
Georgia’s Best Golf Holes” by the Atlanta Journal
Constitution. As fun as it is, it does require skill. If
you’d like to shoot for par and if you’d like to improve
your game, the Houston Lake Country Club can help.
“I teach golfers of all levels from beginners to
advanced players, ranging from age 4 to age 84,” said
Fears about lessons offered at the course. “It’s never
too late to learn the game and I’m always happy
to assist. To schedule a lesson, please email me at
lacey@houstonlake.com.”
Year-round events are held on the course as well that
appease all sorts of golfers. Houston Lake Country
Club offers Couples Golf, Ladies Golf Clinics, Parent-
Child Scrambles and Golf Guest Days. They also hold
club tournaments for members.
For those that have a few clubs lying around and
would like to break them out, Houston Lake Country
Club offers a driving range and practice green.
Once you’re finished with practice or a round of golf,
members can also get access to the pool. There’s also
a kiddie pool and a pavilion area.
Inside the club is a pro shop with all the top
golf apparel and equipment brands available to
purchase. There’s also a clubhouse with an elegant
dining room for more formal events and the “Grill,”
a more laid-back setting where members and guests
dine and socialize.
The country club offers more than special golf
activities; they host special social events as well.
There are family friendly events such as Easter
Brunch and Egg Hunt, Mother’s Day Brunch, Santa
Night, Annual Fall Festival, Cookouts at the Pool on
Memorial Day and more sociable events.
Houston Lake Country Club also hosts adult events
for when the kids are left at home. They have a list of
adult activities like Bingo/Trivia, First Friday with
Live Music, Karaoke Night, Tailgate Parties, Beer and
18 www.hhjonline.com

July 2021
19

Middle Georgia’s
Premier Golf and
Fine Dining Facility.
For tee times or membership
information, please contact
478.218.5253.
HOUSTON LAKE
Country Club
PERRY, GEORGIA
100 Champions Way, Perry, Georgia 31069
houstonlake.com
Wine Tastings and they even host a New Year’s Eve Party on top of more
fun themes.
They even offer specials at the Grill like two-for-one entrée dining. To
keep up with the latest events, there is a calendar that can be found
on the website at houstonlake.com where those who are interested can
learn more on what’s upcoming.
“Houston Lake County Club offers a championship golf course with
excellent customer service, fine dining with an award-winning executive
chef, monthly social activities for the whole family and a spectacular view
overlooking Houston Lake,” Fears outlined when describing the country
club’s attraction.
For those in the 50 and over crowd, visit the location for yourself and
see what all it has to offer that appeals to those in that elite age group.
Houston Lake Country Club is located at 100 Champions Way, Perry, GA
31088. If interested in learning more about one of the premiere country
clubs and how you can experience all it has to offer, call 478-218-5253
or send an email to info@houstonlake.com
FREE HEARING
TEST!
CALL TODAY! 478-953-0056
• Having trouble hearing in
background noise?
• Do you often have to ask people
to repeat themselves?
• Can’t tell if they
said “search” or
“church”?
• Is your family
complaining
that the TV is
up too loud?
• You may have
a hearing loss
and I can help!
Michelle Christie, HIS
Licensed Hearing
Instrument Specialist
www.elitehearingcenters.com
2764 Watson Blvd, Suite 300, Centerville
20 www.hhjonline.com

Houston Primary Care
Looking To Retire?
Ask about our
Senior Community
at Houston Springs!
Dinkara Shetty, M.D.
John Brown, M.D.
Deborah Blessinger, PA
Linda Vanosdol, FNP Jenna Franz, NP Delana Bongiovanni, NP
• In House Labs
• X-rays
• Ultrasounds
• Ekgs
• Echocardiograms
• Papsmears
NO REFERRAL
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SAME DAY
APPOINTMENTS
Most Insurance Accepted
Active Medical Staff
Houston Medical Center
New Patients Welcome
TELEHEALTH
24hr/7 Online Doctor’s Visits
SCHEDULE PHONE AND VIDEO APPOINTMENTS
WARNER ROBINS
478-328-7674
1719 Russell Pkwy.,
McNeal Center Building
NEW
LOCATION
BYRON
478-956-3477
218 N. Hwy. 49
(Next to Dairy Queen)
AFTER HOURS
Till 6PM
AND Saturdays
9AM - 5PM
Jane Nutt-McCullough
Broker/Realtor
(229) 322-8741 | (478) 988-8850
nuttjr@sowega.net
www.southerndynamicrealty.com
July 2021
21

Dr. Kenneth Walker, M.D.
“Low or no cost Phonak Digital Hearing Aids for
Federal BCBS and we accept most major insurances”
Mara Moncrief,
M.S., CCC-A
Mara Moncrief, M.S., CCC-A
has been caring for patient’s hearing
health for more than 40 years. Her
remarkable career began in 1975 when,
in addition to her Bachelor’s degree
in Speech and Hearing Sciences from
Ball State University, she received her
Master’s of Science in Audiology from
Purdue University. She quickly added
to these impressive credentials by
earning licensure in the state of Georgia
and a coveted Certificate of Clinical
Competence from American Speech and
Hearing Association - of which she is a
long-standing member.
Natalie Gibbs,
Au.D.
For almost 20 years, Natalie P. Gibbs,
Au.D., has overseen and cared for the
hearing health needs of patients of all
ages. Dr. Gibbs earned her Bachelor’s of
Science in Communication Sciences and
Disorders from the University of Georgia
and her Master’s from East Tennessee
State University. She then went on to
obtain her Doctorate of Audiology from
the prestigious Pennsylvania School of
Optometry and Audiology.
Currently Wearing Hearing Aids?
1. Do you have to adjust them frequently in order to hear?
2. Does it seem that they don’t work as well as they used to?
3. Do you still have to ask people to speak up when talking?
4. Do you experience squealing or other discomfort?
5. Has it been more than a year since your last hearing test?
Not Yet Wearing Hearing Aids?
1. Do people seem to be mumbling?
2. Do you frequently need to ask people to repeat themselves?
3. Is it difficult for you to follow the conversations?
4. Do you fi nd it diffi cult to pinpoint where an object is (e.g., an
alarm clock to telephone) from the noise it makes?
5. Has it been more than 1 year since your last hearing test?
HAVE YOU HEARD?
• Research shows, hearing loss is linked to dementia and
Alzheimer’s.
• Two-thirds of Americans in their 70’s have hearing loss.
• When a person struggles to hear, it often causes
frustration, withdrawal from family and friends, and
even depression and anxiety.
• Detecting and treating hearing loss early can greatly
lessen the risk of cognition problems associated with
dementia and Alzheimer’s.
• Only ONE out of every FIVE people with hearing loss
wear hearing aids.
• Protect your ears! Noise exposure is the primary cause
of hearing loss.
• Be PROACTIVE by having YOUR hearing checked
YEARLY.
Hearing Health = Health
Mention this ad to receive this discount!
$500 OFF
a set of
premium hearing aids.
Offer Expires 10/31/21.
Did you answer “yes” to
any of these questions?
Call us today to schedule your hearing checkup.
It takes about 30 minutes, is painless and costs nothing.
300 S. Houston Lake Road, Warner Robins • 478-971-2500
22 www.hhjonline.com

“Short-term Rehab
that feels like
a vacation! ”
3 Generations of Commitment to Quality Care for the Senior Community
The late William C. Davis, Sr. was a man of “vision.” The creed he lived by was from Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the
people perish.” William C. Davis, Sr. was the owner of a CPA practice, owned and operated skilled nursing facilities, and served as
President of GHCA in 1976. His son William C. Davis, Jr. known as “Bill” Davis and his wife, Wanda, purchased Houston Halls
Nursing Home in 1973 where Bill was the acting administrator and Wanda was the Director of Nursing of the 69 bed facility at
the time. In 1998, New Perry Nursing Home changed its name to Summerhill Senior Living Community, and today, Summerhill’s
9.5 acre campus offers a complete continuum of care with 12 Independent Living Villas, 15 Personal Care Home Efficiency
Apartments, and 160 skilled/ intermediate nursing facility beds including a Specialized Memory Care Unit and Veranda Rehab
Short-term Rehabilitation Center. The son of Bill and Wanda Davis, William C. Davis, III known as “Chip” Davis graduated from
the University of Georgia. He is a CPA and the acting Chief Financial Officer for Crossroads Medical Management in Perry. Each
generation starting with William C. Davis, Sr. has had high expectations for their business including honesty, integrity, and concern
for the residents and employees in their facilities. These expectations are evident at Summerhill Senior Community where vision
and change are ongoing in order to meet the needs and desires of the residents in their senior community. Recently, Summerhill
renovated an area of their campus to create Veranda Rehab. This short-term rehab unit consists of 20 private suites with private
bathrooms, a large therapy gym with state-of-the art therapy equipment, a model home setting, and numerous therapy programs
contoured to each resident in order for them to reach their goals and return to the community! The Davis family’s commitment to
the senior community, their employees, and quality care goes without saying!
• Various Levels of Care in one Community
• Private Rehab Suites
• Individualized Therapy Programs
478.987.3100
www.summerhillseniorcommunity.com
500 Stanley Street, Perry, Georgia
Like us on Facebook!
Independent Living Villas
July 2021
23

JEFF SCRUGGS:
Loving God by Serving Others
By: Kendra Norman Holmes
HHJ Managing Editor
Georgia Technical College (CGTC) is a
two-year education institution that is dedicated
​Central
to fulfilling its mission with excellence. As
a part of ensuring that, the school focuses on
employing faculty members that are knowledgeable
and competent.
Jeff Scruggs is the executive vice president of CGTC.
He has been a part of the organization for 27 years,
with 12 of those served in his current position.
Scruggs describes himself as “blessed” to be a part of
the CGTC family. He has worked in several capacities
over the years.
“I’ve served as acting president twice during
interim periods,” Scruggs shared. “I’ve been the vice
president for economic development programs. I’ve
been the vice president of Student Affairs, and I’ve
been the director for Institutional Effectiveness
and Research.”
Before Scruggs was any of those, however, he started
out at CGTC as a teacher of Information Technology.
His love for teaching grew from working under the
wings of one who taught him.
Scruggs was raised in Houston County and graduated
24 www.hhjonline.com

from Northside High School in Warner Robins. He
said, “Growing up, I always thought I wanted to be a
pharmacist, but during my last year of college, I was
a lab assistant for my advisor in the Georgia College
computer lab. I did some teaching assistant work
with her, helping her in her classroom.”
It was during that time when Scruggs found what
he loved, and he turned his sights to teaching. “I
had the opportunity to teach part-time, and then
eventually full-time here. I loved every minute of
teaching. That’s where I felt like I really got to know
the students who are at the heart of what we do.”
At CGTC, Scruggs said the aim is to see people grow
and the communities prosper. In his position as
executive vice president, he deals directly with both
the student and the staff population.
“When I’m talking to a new hire at CGTC, I want them
to understand that we are going to do what we can
to create an environment where they can grow as a
person and a professional. We can’t make it happen
for them, but we can create a culture and a climate
where they are going to have the opportunity
to grow.”
Scruggs pointed out that sometimes that means the
growth will be here locally, and other times it means
that CGTC is going to prepare them for that next
promotion, which, he noted, might very well be in
another state.
“Everybody worries about talent recruitment and
talent retention, but I have an honest belief that
when people are on the outside looking into your
organization, and they see that people come in
and grow as professionals, even if they move on to
somewhere else, you’re going to have a line at the
door all the time of people that say, ‘I want to work
there because I know they care about me as a person,
they care about my family and they care about me as
a professional.’”
When it comes to what he, through his position at
the school, is able to do for the students enrolled
there, Scruggs said that it gets more personal. His
father died at the young age of 27 when Scruggs
was six and his older brother was eight. The passing
of his dad left his 26-year-old mother a widow and
the sole provider. How she was able to sustain them
as a family makes Scruggs appreciate what he does
even more.
“My mom had a good job at Robins Air Force Base,
and what she did was work in electronics. She was a
technician in avionics because somebody taught her
how to do something. She had a good, marketable
skill. So, while we didn’t have much during those
times, she had a good job and she had insurance. She
had a family sustainable wage. Those things made
our lives different. It put us on a different trajectory.”
Scruggs went on to say, “I grew up living off of Green
Street in the projects because when my father died,
my mother lost the house. I’ve lived in low-rent
housing, and so, any job I’ve had at CGTC, when I’m
looking across the desk at a student and I’m hearing
their stories, I’m not sitting in some educator’s
office unable to understand what it is they’re trying
to tell me.”
Scruggs’ belief is that what CGTC does has
generational impact, just as his schooling did for
him. “Somebody taught my mother how to fix
communications equipment that go on Air Force
planes, and because of that, she was able to provide
for us. We do that same thing for the students here.”
There are many points of honor for Scruggs in
his affiliation with CGTC. One, of which he spoke
very fondly, was the school’s involvement with the
Georgia VECTR Center. “It’s one of its kind in the
nation,” Scruggs said. “It’s to help military men and
women, when they’re separating from the military,
to transition into the civilian workforce. We’re
the only school in the nation that’s doing that. The
Georgia VECTR Center is part of us.”
Another point of honor for Scruggs is that CGTC is
the state’s largest provider of inmate education
programs. He mentioned that the school is
teaching in 11 prisons and youth detention centers
around Georgia.
“About a third of the inmates who get out of prison
today will be back within three years, but if they can
walk out with their diploma or GED, and if they’ve
completed a job training program, their recidivism
rate is about cut in half. The human aspect of that is
that you’ve turned that person into someone that’s
going to be able to take care of themselves and their
families when they get out. On the second side, it’s
about $50 to $60 thousand dollars to keep an inmate
July 2021
25

in prison, so that program has, perhaps, the greatest
human impact, but it also has a great societal and
economic impact.”
A third accomplishment that Scruggs is honored to
have been a part of is the information technology
community college that he led a team of faculty
members to set up in Afghanistan. Because of their
efforts, the citizens of Kabul, Afghanistan are able
to learn and attain workforce development type
degrees. Their first class of graduates consisted
of 36 individuals, eight of which were women,
which Scruggs said is remarkable since women had
been basically shut out of education in that area of
the world.
“I have a great job. I’ve got a great boss. Life for me
could not have been designed any better if I had
designed it myself,” Scruggs said. “I could not imagine
my life being any better than it is. I’m an incredibly
blessed man.”
His sense of joy and tone of gratitude almost became
confusing as he continued to speak, but eventually, it
all became clear.
“I find myself at a different place in life. I recently
found out that I have an unusual form of cancer.
I’m going through chemotherapy right now, and
something like this changes your perspective,”
Scruggs said. “I think my prognosis is good enough;
it’s fine. I’m not worried about the future. But things
like this make you look around and discover what
really matters. I am a Christian, so the first thing I
asked when I got this news was, ‘God, have I honored
all that you’ve blessed me with? My gifts, my
resources, my time—have I spent them doing what
Christ called us to do, which is to love God and serve
others? Have I done that?”
Continuing, he added, “I can tell you this; God could not
have put me in a better place or a better community
organization for me to do that while earning a living
doing it. I get to do all of this incredible stuff, and
I get paid for it. Every day, I’m in an environment
where I get to, and I get to see other people change
lives for the better. Every day there is a story of
someone saying, ‘Thank you for the difference you
made in my life.’ They don’t always tell me directly,
but I hear them, and at the end of the day, that’s what
it’s all about.”
26 www.hhjonline.com

Scruggs said that in a way, he feels that his life has
come full circle. He is an active member of Southside
Pleasant Hill, and when the church opened the new
location on Pleasant Hill in Warner Robins, it chose
a neighborhood that has had some tough times. The
community needed encouragement. The church
opened its gym on Friday nights for the neighborhood
kids. It began offering tutoring on Tuesday evenings.
On weekends during the summer, it started creating
“blessing bags” to feed the children.
“When I see this, I’m always thinking of how I was
one of those kids in 1972!” Scruggs exclaimed. “As
churches, we like to send kids on mission trips, and
while that’s good and important, we can’t step over
the missions that need to be done right here in our
neighborhood to get to the ones in foreign lands.”
Between his home life, his service at his church, and
his work at CGTC, Scruggs believes that he is fulfilling
his life’s purpose of loving God and serving others.
At the age of 56, he and his wife, Kelly, will celebrate
30 years of marriage in December. Together, they
have two children. Their daughter, Sydney, works at
Houston Healthcare and will be getting married in
December. Their son, Jonathan, graduated from UGA
and is now working on his masters in teaching.
Scruggs has just finished his second of four
aggressive chemo treatments and reported that he
has had no adverse affects to date. He is being cared
for by the doctors at John Hopkins in Baltimore and
is scheduled for a surgical procedure in August.
“We hope that will take care of the issue,” he said.
“I’ve got to get my hair back for my daughter’s
wedding,” Scruggs added with a laugh.
Unable to imagine ever working anywhere else,
Scruggs said that when he gets ready to retire in a
few years, he plans to retire from CGTC.
“I’m going to stay for as long as they let me,” he
said. “There’s not another place in the world that I’d
rather be serving than right here at Central Georgia
Technical College and right here in middle Georgia.
This is home for us. Until I cross the burning sands
of time, this is where I’ll be.”
July 2021
27

SHORT TERM
REHABILITATION
• State-of-the-art Rehabilitation Facilities
• Cardio-Pulmonary Procedure Recovery
• Orthopedic Surgery Recovery
• Post-Stroke /Neurological Recovery
• Dysphagia Therapy
• Wound Care
• New Private Rooms with Private Baths
• Private Dining Rooms
LONG TERM CARE
• Health Monitoring and Medication Management
• Physical, Occupational, Speech, and
Restorative Therapies
• Nutrition Monitoring and Management
• Activities/Social Programming
• Five Star Rating by CMS
2470 US Highway 41 North | Fort Valley, GA 31030
6 miles north of Perry on US Hwy 41 near GA 96
Proudly Caring for Seniors in Middle
Georgia for more than 80 Years!
478.987.1239
CHOOSE THE BEST
FOR YOUR HEALTH
@ChurchHomeLifespring
www.ChurchHomeLifespring.com
Activity Director Improves Lives
Generally, most facilities have an Activity Director that works
closely with the nursing team and medical support staff. The Activities
Director is in charge of developing and managing all social aspects of
the long term and post-acute care residents.
At Church Home, we’re devoted to giving our residents engaging
experiences to provide,them a healthy and fulfilling days during their
stay with us. Life enrichment and activities are the cornerstone of
how we support and keep our residents active.
As such, we have a dedicated Activity Director who creatively
develops and coordinates a weekly program. We offer an array of
daily activities unique to residents’ interests and physical abilities. Not
only do we enjoy monthly celebration such as a birthday, but we also
focus on keeping everyone socially, mentally, and physically engaged.
How Does the Activity Director Serve the Residents?
Our Activities Director recognizes that not all residents are alike.
Thereby, there is an emphasis on a diversity of activities.
Activity programming is managed with careful coordination with
our care team, to design activities that align with residents’ unique
needs to provide maximum benefits.
Essentially, the director performs the following role.
• Gathers information from residents or their relatives about their
interests to design the most appropriate activities.
• Works with residents’ care team to establish the most appropriate
activities based on their health conditions.
• Interacts with residents and adjust the activities as their interest
or capabilities
change.
• Establishes a schedule to offer a variety of activities. For example,
game day,
gardening, cookouts, art appreciation, daytrips and more.
• Organizes residents’ birthday parties and other important
celebrations.
• Coordinates all social activities to promote inclusion.
• Plan, implement and evaluate an ongoing activity program.
The Activity Director assures residents are kept safe during
activities. The Activity Director assists the direct care staff in keeping
the residents involved socially, cognitively, and recreationally.
Types of Activities
At Church Home we offer an assortment of activities that engages
our residents. These programing events provide both psychological
and physical benefits. Some of the most popular activities include:
• Art and crafts
• Bible study
• Birthday parties
• Board games and puzzles
• Exercise classes, e.g., chairobics, mobility exercise
• Day trips
• Music appreciation and engagement
• Traditional favorites like bingo, dominoes, checkers, and card
games
The social calendar is regularly filled with diverse set of activities
and life enrichment programs. These evolve as new residents come
with unique preferences and new interest are expressed. We strive
to create programs to revolved around the wants and needs of the
residents.
The Activity Director assists the direct care staff in keeping the
residents involved socially, cognitively, and recreationally. At Church
Home we know the importance of this role for
they are an integral part of our care team.
28 www.hhjonline.com

Board
Certified in
Nephrology
Hypertension and Kidney Associates is a single-specialty Nephrology practice dedicated
to serving patients in the Heart of Middle GA at 4 locations; Warner Robins, Hawkinsville,
Fort Valley and Perry. Our mission is to provide the highest quality care for patients with
kidney disease in a courteous, professional and timely manner.
Kidney disease often has no symptoms, and could go undetected until very advanced. The
most common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension). Testing is the only
way to know how well your kidneys are working. If detected early and treated, kidney disease
could often be slowed down or even prevented.
At Hypertension and Kidney Associates, our Board Certified Nephrologists are standing
by with years of experience in managing various aspects of Kidney Disease. Let us be your
partners in actively managing your kidney disease, and help preserve your kidney function to
achieve your goal of a healthy life. We also offer TeleHealth
as per your insurance.
We Offer
TELEHEALTH
(478)-333-3612
M. ASLAM, MD I. BARAKAT, MD D. ADHIKARI, MD
www.htnkidney.com
SPECIALISTS IN
MANAGEMENT OF:
• High Blood Pressure
Hypertension
• Electrolyte Disorders
• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Diabetes Related
Kidney Disease
• Kidney Stones
• Dialysis Care
• Kidney Transplant Care
• Diet / Nutritional Guidance to
help slow the progression of
Kidney Damage
Offices in Warner Robins, Perry, Fort Valley & Hawkinsville | 105 Tommy Stalnaker Dr. Ste 1, Warner Robins, 31088
July 2021
29

Fightin’
Fires
After 50
By: Tyler Meister
HHJ Staff Writer
loves its firefighters. They are one
of the exclusive groups in this country that
​America
we call heroes. This is made apparent in
our everyday life, through films like 2017’s “Only
the Brave” and 2004’s “Ladder 49” and through a
number of popular television shows like “Station
19” and “Third Watch.” Every child who’s ever
dressed up for Halloween as a firefighter… heck,
every time you’ve rounded up to the nearest dollar
at your local Firehouse ® when you bought your
sub, it’s a reminder that in America, thinking of
firefighters as heroes is part of our culture, and
rightfully so.
One perspective we may not think of often, though,
is of the firefighter who’s been at it awhile. One that
has been wizened by calls they’ve answered, the
people they’ve helped, and the things they have
seen. Absolutely, they’re heroes too. But they are
also teachers.
Lieutenant Billy Gordon is 59 years old, and has
been with the Perry Fire Department since 2000 as
a full time firefighter. He began, however, in 1982 as
a volunteer firefighter. With nearly 40 years in the
field, needless to say, he brings a wealth of experience
to the table.
A lot has changed over the course of Gordon’s four
decades of service. “Things were simpler back
then,” he remarked. “The destruction of homes
was different. You didn’t have the stress you do
now, because homes are so much easier to ignite.
They go up so much quicker, so you have a stress
factor there due to the time frame. You have to
extinguish a flame so much faster than you did
for houses built in the 60s, 70s, or 80s. Houses,
30 www.hhjonline.com

nowadays, go up within eight to 10 minutes if you
haven’t gotten the fire extinguished. With the
houses back then, you had somewhere between 20
and 30 minutes.”
Nonetheless, Gordon’s experience is indispensible,
and it shines in how he leads on each call he takes.
“You want to pass down your knowledge and your
training coming into this department of profession
so that they can continue it on. If you do it, and you
see in them that they’re picking it up and understand
it, it makes the job easier. When I get on the scene,
I have time to focus on what’s at hand, rather than
telling the other people how to do this.”
Although Gordon has been with Perry Fire for 40
years, fighting fire wasn’t always something he saw
himself doing as a career. It wasn’t until he lived
through a fire of his own that it came to him.
“[My wife] had thought she had turned everything
off on the stove. I think she turned it down, not off.
We had been standing there talking for about 15
minutes when this lady came driving up Courtney
July 2020
31

Hodges. She slammed on brakes and said, ‘Hey!
The house is on fire!’ I jumped up and ran back to
the house, opened the door up, the house was full of
smoke. I could see the pot on the stove right there. I
had a tea pitcher, filled it up with water, threw it on
the stove, and that was it.”
Albeit a small fire, Gordon says this gave him a
jumpstart to begin his long career. “I was watching
everybody working, my dad had been a volunteer
fireman at a fire department back in the days. I never
thought anything about it until that night.” Gordon
decided that night of his kitchen fire that he would
start to give back to the community. He worked for
18 years as a volunteer fireman until he was offered
a full time position. When he was asked to take the
full time position, he took it without any hesitation.
He admitted that it comes with hardships. “Like
anything else,” Gordon said, “the older you get in
life, you can’t do things you did earlier. This is one
of those jobs you can tell, the older you get, the more
you have to concentrate on being careful about what
you eat, how you do things, trying to stay active, to
maintain some decent level of physical fitness to do
this job.”
But Gordon hasn’t stopped. He still goes out to
fires. He still suits up and straps his boots on and
goes to work, saving lives, making the worst day in
someone’s life just a bit better. And Gordon credits
a lot of his success to the fact that he works with an
incredible team.
“The guys I work with are very knowledgeable, very
competent. I hardly ever have to say anything to the
guys; they know what they’re supposed to do and
how to do it. A lot of the times, they’ll tell me, ‘Look
here, Pops; we got this.’”
Gordon can still remember what it was like when
he began his tenure at the fire department. “When I
first started, we all had a pager. When a pager went
off, you knew it was either a wreck or a fire, and your
heart started racing. You started wondering what
you’ve got and you’re all excited about it.” But now,
Gordon’s thrill for work has passed. It has, instead,
been replaced with a level of calm that he tries to
pass on to his younger compatriots. “When we go on
call, I’m very calm and relaxed.
“As far as knowing what you’re doing for someone?
It’s still there,” Gordon added. “I have a sense of
gratification from knowing I stopped someone’s
problem from being worse than what it could
have been. You defeated a dragon. You stopped the
progression of destruction.
“Everyone is always learning,” Gordon further
stated. “It doesn’t matter whether they’ve been here
five years or 50. You can learn something everyday.
Listen to the people that came before you, and pick
their brain. Ask them questions.”
PERRY
FA M I L Y P R ACT I C E
Specializing in Family Medicine
Dr. Jody Velie
Dr. Kelsay McFall
Allyson Lancaster,FNP-C
Holly Lavender, FNP-C
Kimberly Hickman, FNP-C
Sarah Harris, FNP-C
Make An Appointment Today: 478-988-1515
Most Major Insurance Plans Accepted
www.perryfamilypractice.com | 1016 Keith Dr, Perry
32 www.hhjonline.com

Jeffrey Easom, DO; Jonathan Harris, MD; William Wiley, MD
Scott Malone, MD; Derrick Phillips, MD; David Wiley, MD; Daxes Banit, MD
3051 Watson Boulevard
Warner Robins, GA 31093
July 2021
33

South Houston Internal Medicine LLC
GET YOUR COVID-19
VACCINATION!
Dr. Joseph Lomboy
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Cholesterol
Management
• Diabetes
• Dementia
• Emphysema
• Heart Disease
Specializing In:
• Minor Surgeries
• Preventive Care
• Advanced Wound
Care
• Stroke
• Women’s Health
• Hypertension
Welcome Denise Sharpe!
Denise Sharpe is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
who has joined our providers at South Houston Internal Medicine.
She has been in healthcare for over 30 years and brings a wide
range of experience including community health, women’s health,
occupational medicine, home health and hospice. Although she was
not born in Houston County, she has called it home for over 20 years
and raised her family here with her husband, Don, who has been
employed at Robins AFB for 30+ years. Her family now includes 3
grown children, a daughter-in law, and a granddaughter all in the
area. Her off-time include family & church activies and cheering at
CGSA soccer games.
Her education began in Indiana where she earned her
Bachelors of Nursing at Purdue University. After arriving in Georgia,
she achieved her Masters of Nursing with honors from Georgia
College and State University. While at GCSU she was able to
participate in a study abroad in Honduras and she aspires to repeat her
mission experience. Denise was previously the Executive Director of
the Houston County Volunteer Clinic and is still a volunteer with
that organization. Her dream has always been to obtain her Family
Nurse Practitioner, so she may fully care for those she serves.
(478) 987-7444
1018 Keith Drive, Suite A, Perry
34 www.hhjonline.com

Summer’s Landing
It’s about family taking care of family
Trusted by Middle Georgia for over 20 years!
Elegant private residences offering
the finest comforts of life, with the
personal support you want.
• Supportive Independent • Assisted Living • Memory Care
We’re family taking care of family
Summer’s Landing of Warner Robins is dedicated to providing elegant
residences for senior adults. We offer Supportive Independent Living, Assisted
Living, and we have a special Secure Memory Care Unit for residents with
Dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Located off Russell Parkway and South Kimberly Road in Warner Robins,
Summer’s Landing is known for its exceptional care and beautiful campus. Our
professional team extends gracious hospitality and friendly service every day to
our residents and guests. Our residents are truly like family.
The Summer’s Landing worry-free promise is simple. One convenient flat-rate
monthly fee covers your private residence, utilities, transportation scheduling,
housekeeping, maintenance, nourishing meals, and a rich array of daily activities
designed to boost wellness and fun!
To further enhance familiar surroundings, we are pleased to offer fully private
residences; there are no semi-private or community baths here.
Summer’s Landing of WR is a devoted supporter of The Alzheimer’s Association
of Central Georgia, and was honored in 2014 through 2017 as Top Senior
Services Fundraising Team!
Find us on
Facebook
(478) 328-3800
600 South Kimberly Rd., Warner Robins, GA 31088
www.SummersLandingWR.com
CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE
YOUR TOUR!
July 2021
35

Heart of Georgia Hospice has been
in service to our community since
1984 and is committed to serving our
neighbors with care and comfort.
Trusted For
37 Years
How do I start Hospice Benefits?
• Ask your physician about hospice or call Heart
of Georgia Hospice at
478-953-5161.
• A Registered Nurse will visit to discuss your
situation to determine your individual type of
care needed and all benefi cial hospice service
options.
What services are included with my
hospice care?
• Medical equipment needed in the home
• Medications related to patient’s primary hospice
diagnosis/disease
• Nursing Services
• Social Worker Services/Support
• Chaplaincy Support
• 24/7 General Inpatient Unit available
• Supportive education teaching the family how to
care for someone with a terminal illness
• Continuous care
478-953-5161
www.HeartofGaHospice.org
GA State ID #076-019-H
103 Westridge Drive
Warner Robins, GA 31088
Compassion and
Integrity Matters
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