Tift County Blue Devils and Tiftarea Panthers football teams

All good seasons must come to an end.

After putting up stellar numbers, the season for the Tift County Blue Devils came to an end when they met Archer on a rainy football field, ending their season 8-5.

And after going undefeated for much of the season, the Tiftarea Panthers ended the season 11-1 after losing to John Milledge Academy.

No one who watched a game this year can doubt the efforts of the players, coaches, staff and fans.

We congratulate both teams on excellent seasons and look forward to next year.

Bikers

Several local motorcycle groups and ministries recently came together to raise funds, donate toys and bring awareness to the needs of children in Tift County.

The bikers gathered at Tifton Harley Davidson on Casseta Road and rode through the county ending up at the American Legion Fair Grounds. They dropped their toys and had lunch.

Shirene Daniell and Bill Daniell, Toys for Tots Coordinators for Tift County, welcomed the riders and expressed appreciation for the donations, the release states.

We thank the bikers for riding for a cause. Donations also can be made by check or money order, made out to Toys for Tots, Tift County and mail to P.O. 412, Tifton, GA 31793.

Operation Christmas Child volunteers

Every year, Operation Christmas Child volunteers collect shoeboxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys and delivers them to children around the world, according to Richard Gaines, area collections coordinator.

Gaines and a crew of volunteers were at Eastside Baptist Church on Nov. 19 to pack up shoeboxes filled with gifts donated from around Tift County.

Gaines said that Tift County collected approximately 3,000 boxes this year.

The program has been collecting boxes for around 25 years, according to Gaines.

After being boxed up, those packages make their way to more than 160 countries.

Eunice Mixon

At her funeral Dec. 2, Eunice Mixon’s brother James Lastinger asked the crowd “Isn’t it wonderful that she lived until she died?”

As anyone who knew her would attest, Mixon never slowed down.

Not early in her life, when she was a farmer’s daughter and then a farmer’s wife.

Not during her 30-year teaching career, teaching biology, chemistry and physics.

Not during her decades-long work in politics, governed by a political philosophy relayed by Dr. Wayne Roe speaking at the funeral: “She said, ‘Politics is just deciding who gets what, and I want south Georgia and Tifton to get as much as possible.’”

At the end of the eulogy, Lastinger closed by saying that Mixon “showed no fear and always gave her all.”

Two good points of advice for all of us.

Garfield Rhaney

After 30 years of serving and protecting, Garfield Rhaney has retired from the Tifton Police Department.

Rhaney was 26 when he started working at the TPD, serving as a dispatcher for a year before going through police academy.

Rhaney moved from patrol to the detective division, and then was promoted to lieutenant while there.

He was a detective for approximately six years before moving back out on the street.

“He’s been dedicated,” said Captain Steve Hyman with the Tifton Police Department at a Tifton City Council meeting where Rhaney was honored. “He’s been loyal. He’s been committed. He’s been involved in the community in every aspect that he could. He’s done just about everything that has been asked of him and a lot of things that wasn’t required of him. He has went above and beyond on just about everything that he’s touched as a law enforcement officer and in his personal life.”

We thank Rhaney for his service to our community.