See you at Saturday’s Rejoice Run and the Harvest Festival!

This Saturday, October 16 marks the arrival and the return of an old friend – the Seminole County’s annual Harvest Festival in downtown Donalsonville. Sadly, for the past three years events have occurred causing the cancellation on the event – Hurricane Michael in 2018, inclement weather in 2019, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – but this year it is coming back, and organizers have worked very hard to bring it back better than ever.

For almost four decades community leaders and volunteers have been planning, promoting and presenting a festival of fun, food and entertainment for the community and its neighbors. It’s our Cornerstone Event saluting agriculture’s role in keeping Seminole County and Southwest Georgia green and growing, and it is a Donalsonville and Seminole County tradition. 

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. Three 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 Sarah Avery and her trusty sidekick Kadie Matthews along with Rejoice 5K organizer Steffy Vines have spent countless hours planning this year’s scheduled events and praying for clear skies and smooth sailing. They, along with countless other volunteers, deserve a special and personal thank you and pat on the back for a job well done.

The return of the festival, and the fact that is has been happening annually for more than three decades, – with the exception of the past three years – 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.

See you Saturday at the Harvest Festival!

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