See you at the eleventh annual Joyce’s Jog and the second annual Big Fish Festival!

This weekend marks the arrival of  the second annual Georgia’s Big Fish Festival in downtown Donalsonville. For years festival attendees have been asking for a bigger and better festival, and again this year much planning has gone into making it a whopper of a day-long event filled with fun, food and entertainment for the entire family. It’s not about the fish; it is about the fun, so after attending, if you are not satisfied with the results, at least have the courtesy to attend a planning meeting in the future and help to make it better.
This year also marks the eleventh running and walking of Joyce’s Jog, the 5K and Fun Run established to honor the memory of Joyce Henley and to keep the fight against cancer alive and well.
A lot of time and effort by countless volunteers have gone into the planning of this year’s events and each person involved should be congratulated for a job well done. Six people in particular need to be singled out for making this year’s event possible, and as I am sure we will realize Saturday night, very successful. The Chamber of Commerce’s Karen Kimbrel and her trusty sidekicks Kadie Matthews and Jessica Tinney, Joyce’s Jog organizers Karen Ponder and Steffey Vines and Donalsonville’s super woman Virginia Harrison have spent countless hours planning this year’s scheduled events and praying for clear skies and smooth sailing. They, along with numerous other volunteers, deserve a special and personal thank you and pat on the back for a job well done.
This festival, and Joyce’s Jog now preparing for its eleventh year, are perfect examples of having a plan, working the plan and making good things happen. It is proof positive that working together as a community for the betterment of the community is the recipe for success.
If we would spend just a little less time shifting the blame for this community’s problems and come together and work together for the common goal of making our great community even better and solving the problems, we could be exactly what we want to be.
With all the dedicated and creative people in this community, the sky is the limit in what we can achieve.  All we need is to do it together and make our community and the way of life it provides even better.
I am excited about this year’s festival and all of its activities. I am looking forward to the funnel cakes, the blooming onions and walking the streets and taking pictures of my fellow citizens having a grand old time in Donalsonville.
I have the best job in the world and it is truly a privilege to tell your stories and put your faces on the pages of your community newspaper. It’s going to be a great weekend in Seminole County. So, if you see me, smile, because who knows, you may just find yourself on the front page of next week’s edition. And in my opinion, whether you like it or not!
See you Saturday at Joyce’s Jog and the Big Fish Festival!

Comments and impressions are welcomed and
requested at david@donalsonvillenews.com