Thumbs Up! – Oct. 10, 2011

Congratulations to Shawn Urquhart. After studying graphic arts at Florida A&M followed by two years active duty in the Marine Corps (with an additional decade of reserve duty), Urquhart joined the Georgia State Patrol. At Trooper School, some ill-informed instructor told her she had two strikes against her by being black and female. That was the wrong, or in this case, the right thing to say to the young trooper-to-be. Not only did she make it through the training and several assignment locations (and promotions), in September, a new title was earned by Urquhart. She is now Georgia State Patrol Post Commander-Albany SFC Shawn Urquhart. This Albany High School graduate took a bit of a winding road but came home to the Albany post in 2004. This hardworking lady has now made it all the way to the top.

What do most people do when they reach the age of 96? Many do a lot of sitting, usually watching quite a bit of television. Not so for Martha Waddell of Terrell County. While certainly not as active as she was at say, 90, Waddell stays busy. Her favorite pastime is quilting. She makes just the quilt tops now, on a pedal-powered sewing machine, and lets others do the finish work. Quilting was something learned at about age 10 with scraps of fabric given to her by her mother. This fine lady also walks unassisted and tends her own flowers. Martha Waddell, you are a great example of the female side of the Greatest Generation.

Anytime an adult takes the time to read to children, he or she is making a difference in their young lives. As a part of