By Shane Scoggins
Publisher
On Thanksgiving 2022, these are the things I am thankful for:
• Two days off to spend with family.
• The chance to live in Franklin County, Ga.
• Unsweet tea from Subway.
• The school spirit and dedication of the seniors on the 2022 Franklin County Lions football team.
• Searching for photos of my favorite University of Georgia Redcoat Band member on Tuesdays after home games in Sanford Stadium.
• Conversations with Rachel Howington on the sidelines on Friday nights.
• Calls from my favorite newspaper person, the editor of The Elberton Star, Rose Scoggins.
• Marlie rants.
• Angela Scoggins, for whom I am MOST thankful.
• Turf fields, video boards and surfing with cell-phone flashlights after halftime.
• New lights on the football field, new lights in the high school gym, new lights on the softball field, new lights on the baseball field.
• Chaos defense by the Franklin County Lions basketball team.
• Journey Roberts running the bases.
• The wisdom of Courtney Umbehant.
• The perseverance of Royston, Ga., a town that seldom gets a break but still works hard to remain a great town.
• All them Olivers.
• The work of Lavonia’s Boy Scouts.
• Pilot Clubs.
• Mitch and Lori Murphy.
• Crushed ice from Hill’s Exxon.
• The military precision of the Chick-fil-A drive-through.
• Any period of time, entertainment or activity in which national politics is NOT discussed.
• The board, staff and workers who do such a great job running elections in Franklin County.
• Folks who cry or get excited when being chosen as Best of Franklin County.
• Subscribers and re-subscribers.
• Dog and cat videos.
• The Toon Blast game.
• That my mama lives to take care of others.
• My dad’s patience and good nature, traits common in his family but not many others.
• Lady Lion sports and the tough young ladies who play them.
• The 2022 Franklin County Middle School Cubs football team.
• Cross country runners, who are just different than any other athletes out there.
• Mrs. Margaret Ayers.
• The Tripps.
• Men’s World Barber Shop.
• Pizzas from Food Lion.
• Dill’s Food City pulling products prior to big Georgia games: Irish Spring soap last year before Notre Dame and Tennessee Pride sausage this year before Tennessee.
• Kelley Tamplin and Susan Russell.
• Franklin County’s volunteer firefighters.
• School resource officers.
• Podcasts.
• Bubba’s Biscuits on early Thursday morning paper deliveries.
• Lee Dunlap and Sandra McEntire.
• The dedication of sports parents.
• The Franklin County Marching Pride Band.
• Parks, sidewalks and cemeteries, all good places to walk.
• Good neighbors Bear, Mrs. Sylvia, Joseph and Mary and Joe Cobb Burch.
• Weekly visits from Earl Saxon.
• Photos of fireworks.
• Ollie Osborne.
• Samantha Sinclair’s nose for news.
• Jennifer Phillips: legals, classifieds, circulation and office manager extraordinaire.
• Alicia Goss’ ability to juggle sales accounts and special sections.
• Vickie Goss.
• Memories of the late Gary Jones, to whom this column – his format – is dedicated.
• Emmanuel College.
• Speedy meetings run by Lee Moore.
• Ragsdales.
• Wednesday night family dinners.
• Woodyards.
• One of the Citizen Leader’s biggest followers, Gervonte Brown.
• Talks with Harris Little.
• Canon’s holiday events – Easter, Halloween and Christmas.
• Claxton Fruit Cakes.
• Patsy and Ken Watkins.
• Andie Mathis.
• Tonya Powers.
• Lion wrestlers’ entrance before matches at The Coliseum.
• New lights in the Lion’s Den.
• Following the Atlanta Braves.
• Roger and Gail Leopard.
• The dedication of Katrina Saylors.
• The Baileys and the Burns.
• That Georgia Bulldog defense.
• Heather Hill and the ladies in the clerk of court’s office.
• Derrick Turner.
• Sharleen Ayers’ and Tonya Allen’s annual Halloween outfits.
• The Echo Yearbook staff.
• Barbara Busby.
• Michael Crump.
• Keith Turman.
• Jackie Yearwood.
• Cherokee Bell, Demond Rivers and the Franklin Fastpitch coaching staff.
• Kevin Compton.
• Chad Bridges.
• Michael Ritcey.
• Reruns of Blue Bloods and The Big Bang Theory.
• Family travels and vacations.
• Jeff Davis Field at Ed Bryant Stadium, and the men it is named for.
• Tales of the soccer exploits of Jace and Ella Phillips.
• Scholarship signings at Franklin County High School.
• Kyle Foster.
• Kerilee Pruitt and Ann, Troy and Jeff Wiley.
• Ray Morgan Field, and the late mayor it’s named after.
• wordsfromwoods.com.
• Spicy chicken wrap appetizers at LongHorn Steakhouse.
• Tina Vickery.
• The Breedloves.
• Maria Chitwood.
• Brian Certain.
• Robin Crump.
• Bruce Carlisle, Donnie Bolemon, Stevie Thomas, Kevin Thompson and Josh Akins.
• Weekly texts with Sid Ginn.
• Scott Andrews.
• Sheri Coulter.
• The FCHS Theater Department.
• Jason Shaver.
• Josh Bentley.
• Community Newspapers Inc., and the journalism they support and promote.
Shane Scoggins is publisher of the Franklin County Citizen Leader.