THOMASVILLE — Debbie Griffiths is the founder and developer of Southern Pines Senior Living Center located at 423 Covington Avenue. After years of working at Southern Pines, Griffiths retired and resettled and in North Georgia. However, now she is coming home to release her newest book.

“My greatest personal desire was to design, build, decorate and operate my own assisted living facility,” Griffiths said. “Southern Pines became a dream come true for me!”

Griffiths began construction on the “now completed” 8-acre campus in May 1995 and opened the doors of Southern Pines on March 4, 1996. What started as a home for 24 residents, now reaches a total occupancy of well over 100.

Griffiths is truly a Thomasville native. Born at Archbold Hospital, she attended Thomasville city schools and graduated in 1975 from both Thomasville High School and Southwest GA Technical College (then known as Thomas Area Technical School or Thomas Tech) in the same year. She was also awarded the GOAL recipient at the technical college, where she became the youngest GOAL student in the history of the college. It was there she received my practical nursing diploma.

In 1979, she graduated with a professional nursing degree from GA Southwestern College and returned to her hometown where she worked almost ten years in the same hospital where she was born.

Griffiths went on to serve as Director of Nurses at Camellia Gardens Nursing Home for four years before later being employed as Administrator of Mulberry Place for five years. She then struck out on her own to build what she envisioned as the Southern Pines Retirement Inn and later the Southern Pines Retirement Community — culminating in an 8.1 acre campus.

A few years after Griffiths sold Southern Pines, she and her husband relocated to Northeast Georgia to be near their only son and his family.

Upon Griffiths’ early retirement, she decided to write a detailed book entitled, Little Lady, BIG DREAM — a memoir that traces her childhood in Thomasville, her nursing career, her Southern Pines dream coming true and concluding with life experiences along with life lessons following an early retirement.

Little Lady, BIG DREAM was released on April 12, 2023 and a book signing will take place at Southern Pines on Thursday, May 4 from 4-6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

During her tenure at Southern Pines, Griffiths founded the Pine Cone Band — a group of residents who used pots and pans to make music. This vivacious group completed 129 performances during her ownership.

For the May 4th event, Griffiths has gathered a new group. That is, family members of former residents whose parents played in the original band as well as former employees to recreate the Pine Cone Band. This group will be performing at 5:00 p.m. They will conclude with the original bands’ theme song, Achy Breaky Heart — hopefully sparking enthusiasm amongst the current Southern Pines residents and staff to revitalize this entertainment group.

Other musical entertainment at the event will be provided by musician Glen Waters. An auction of several gift baskets will take place with proceeds benefiting the “The Longest Day” Alzheimer Association.