Schley County Schools out for Christmas holidays
The Schley County Schools got out of school on Thursday for
Christmas holidays.
All teachers will return on Jan. 4 for a teachers work day, and all students will return on Jan. 5.
Thank you students and teachers for doing such an excellent job. Merry Christmas  and Happy New Year.

Ellaville’s Christmas Parade a big success
On the evening of Dec. 10, the City of Ellaville held its annual Christmas Parade, and it was a big success. There were 49 units in the parade.
The Grand  Marshals were the 2015 Schley County High School Baseball Team that won the State Championship this past season. Everyone was so proud to see our Wild Cats as the Grand Marshals.
There were people from everywhere here for this special event
There were three categories that were judged. Each category  had first- and second-place winners.  The theme was “A Candy Christmas.”
Winners in the Marching Units category were first place, Schley County High School Marching Band; second place, Schley County High School Cheerleaders.
Winners in the Float category were first place, Ellaville-Schley County Historical Society; second place, Schley County Elementary School Candy Cats.
Winners in the “others” category were first place, Billy Lightner’s Antique Auto; second place, Sowega Big Wheels.
Congratulations to all that entered as well as all that won. Thanks to everyone for entering the parade. It takes everyone to come together to have a special event as we had. It’s always nice when the community turns out and supports a special event.

Schley County Family Connection hosts coordinators’ meeting
The Schley County Family Connection hosted its annual meeting by having the coordinators as their guests. This was held at Bison Valley Lodge. Over 50 attended  this special Christmas meeting and banquet.
A delicious meal was served at noon. They served roast beef, creamed potatoes, green beans, garden salad, and pecan pie for dessert. They also served two delicious fruit punches.
The lodge was lovely decorated with Christmas trees, poinsettias, wreaths and Christmas figurines.
Each guest table was covered with a white linen table cloth and had a lovely centerpiece of small poinsettias with greenery and white light throughout a green wreath around the poinsettias.
Wayne Morrow Sr. told a Christmas story about saving 25 cents to buy himself a harmonica for Christmas when he was just a boy. Wayne said the last harmonica he bought was $37.50. He took out his harmonica and played two Christmas  songs for all the guests and they joined in by singing along as he played.
The Family Connection coordinators held their meeting earlier that morning with a special session for  coordinators from 11 counties, Crisp, Clay, Dooly, Marion, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot and Webster.
The coordinators held their monthly meeting peer to peer meeting at the lodge earlier that morning. They also enjoyed  several games as well as exchanging Santa Claus gifts.
A very special thank you goes to Karen Albritton for coordinating this special event at Bison Valley Lodge.

Ellaville-Schley County Historical Society says thank you
On Dec. 10, the Ellaville-Schley County Historical Society entered a float  in the Ellaville  Christmas Parade and won first place in the category.
Thank you to the four members for decorating the float. Two of these women have been decorating our floats since we started entering one into the parades. The first two are P.J. Wilson and Laura Robinson, and this year we had two more to join them, Gaynelle Wall Williams and Shannon Wilson.

City of Ellaville announces its Christmas holidays
The City of Ellaville informs all the City citizens that they will close for Christmas at noon, Wednesday, Dec.  23 and will reopen for regular hours on Monday, Dec. 28.
The City of Ellaville wishes everyone a Merry Christmas.

A special wish for each and every one
This is a special wish that I have for all of you that read my column once a week.
I personally wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
This is the time of the year to give our love to others, and to everyone we know and those that we don’t know. Love is the most important thing we can give to others.
So let me say to all of you: Merry Christmas, and remember the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ.
— Nancy McMath Young