The Tifton Gazette would like to extend a round of applause to the following individuals, groups and organizations doing good in our community.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day marchers

One way to keep Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy alive is to never forget him.

The marchers who made their way downtown on Jan. 15 have not forgot him.

Neither have the speakers and the people who participated in a Monday morning service.

We thank them for keeping his legacy and his memory alive, and hope that we all keep his dream alive.

American Textile Company

While the grand opening ceremonies were cancelled due to weather, American Textile Company is opening its new Tifton facility.

The 400,000 square foot warehousing and distribution facility will more than double the company’s distribution capacity.

After coming to our community in 2014, ATC’s Tifton footprint has grown to more than 400 employees and roughy 650,000 square feet.

M. E. “Mike” Butler

Navy veteran and Sylvester resident M.E. “Mike” Butler has published a memoir, “Waypoints in My Life,” about his time in the Navy and growing up in the south.

Butler’s life story began in rural Mississippi on the doorsteps of the Great Depression. He lost his father at three and bonded with his grandfather, who instilled in him honesty, integrity, a strong work ethic and a deep sense of family.

Upon his high school graduation in 1947, Butler joined the Navy and spent the next nine years as a signal man on a destroyer and two aircraft carriers.

Any story from one of our veterans is worth reading and we thank Butler for sharing his with us.

Copies of his book, “Waypoints in My Life” is available now on Amazon.com. An e-book will soon be available.

Pink Ladies

The Tift Regional Medical Center Auxillary Pink Ladies and Red Coats recently donated a cart to TRMC to transport patients and visitors to and from the parking lot.

It’s a small part of what the Pink Ladies and Red Coats do for our community each year — helping with Meals on Wheels and The Soup Kitchen and providing food for Tiftarea House of Hope, among others.

We thank them for their work in our community.

To be a part of TRMC’s team of volunteers, contact Sarah Willis at 229-353-7590.

Tiftarea Community Food Bank

The Tiftarea Community Food Bank, currently located at 409 West 17th Street, has been serving the community for decades.

That’s thanks to its volunteers who collect donations, package and prepare them and get them in the hands of the people who need them.

The food bank is staffed entirely with volunteers, and they’re asking for more to consider volunteering.

When asked about what the food bank needs in a recent Tifton Gazette article, volunteer Vera Barney said they really need volunteers to help.

“We need the volunteers first and then we’ll go from there,” she said.

To contact food bank volunteers about volunteering: Reach Vicki Wilson-Martin at 229-402-0388; Jimmy Burns at 229-520-8741; Gene Burns at 229-339-0015; or Vera Barney at 229-256-1997.