Anchorage to name chapel for Ginny Hayman

ALBANY — Bob Lynch, the executive director of The Anchorage, a men’s faith-based alcohol rehab center in Lee County, believes in giving credit where credit is due. And while there’s room for plenty of accolades when it comes to the planned construction of a chapel at The Anchorage, Lynch is confident enough to single out an individual.

“We’re going to build this chapel; a lot of people are responsible for making that happen,” Lynch said. “But the foundation for that building was laid by Ginny Hayman with her prayers. I don’t know how many years she prayed about this.”

Sadly for the people who knew and loved Hayman, she won’t be around — at least not in body — to see her prayers answered. But those who best knew Hayman, who passed away after a lengthy illness on March 19, all say her spirit will reside in the facility, which will be named in her honor.

“We are thrilled, humbled, to know that there will always be this legacy to reinforce what kind of person my mother was,” Debi Bobo of Broadway, N.C., said after learning of plans to honor Ginny Hayman. “She was so devoted to The Anchorage, as she was a devoted mother, wife and churchgoer. There were so many causes in this community that she believed in and worked for.

“If I can speak for my family, this is an amazing legacy. Moreso even than it is to her children and the others who knew and loved her, it’s a legacy that our grandchildren and their children — the ones who were too young to know Mama — will be able to use to reinforce the things they hear about her. They’re too young to remember, but this great honor will reinforce what kind of person their grandmother was.”

Albany architect Mack Wakeford is expected to finish drawings for the Anchorage chapel perhaps as early as this week. When those drawings are stamped and permits acquired from Lee County officials, construction of The Anchorage chapel will begin. And there can be no question that this will be a labor of love.

“Concrete Enterprises is donating the concrete for the building, Mac is donating his time to do the drawings, Eddie West is donating the electrical work, Jake Barrow and Artesian Contracting are doing their work at cost,” Anchorage Executive Committee member Harold Boling said. “It’s just amazing the way this thing has come together.”

Not that, Anchorage board member Felix Marbury says, it hadn’t been considered before now.

“I’ve been on the Anchorage board for 15 years, and there must have been serious talk about building a chapel four or five different times,” Marbury said. “We even got pretty close (to building it) a couple of times, but something always happened. I believe things happen according to God’s timing, and the timing just wasn’t right before. Now, I believe God’s telling us it’s time to move forward.”

As is often the case in these kinds of things, the effort to build a chapel at The Anchorage started with a random conversation among friends. Soon, though, the conversation exited the talking stage and moved into the action stage.

“Barry Carr saw me out at a function, and during our conversation, he said, ‘We’ve got to do something for The Anchorage,’” Boling said. “We exchanged a couple of ideas, then saw each other again a short while later. That’s when the conversation turned serious. Barry got Red Carr involved, and things just took off.

“They gave a sizable donation to get the ball rolling, then they started making phone calls. And the entire board got involved. I’m on the boards of other agencies in our community, but this is the most active board I’ve ever been on. Once Barry, Ed and other members of the board got involved, this thing just took on a life of its own.”

Marbury, who found himself in recovery at an earlier time in his life, said he’s marveled at how quickly plans to build The Anchorage chapel have come together.

“Man, there was a time out here where some of the men who were in the recovery program told me they’d slept in nicer crack houses,” Marbury said. “We started making improvements, and now we have a facility that we’re proud of. Still, faith is such a big part of the program at The Anchorage, so a chapel could really have a positive impact on a lot of people’s lives.”

Lynch, too, says he’s amazed at the speed with which the planned chapel has developed.

“I’ve been here five years now, and I remember the first year I drew up my ‘dream plans’ for what I’d like to see at The Anchorage,” the director said. “But it was one of those ‘some day’ plans. I never dreamed that this would happen the way it has; it’s taken on a life of its own. Even two years ago, I did not see any of this happening.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, though. This community has always supported The Anchorage. This place has survived for 65 years with no government funds or grants. It’s all been the goodwill of this community.”

Hayman, everyone involved in the Anchorage agrees, was an ardent supporter and a deserving namesake for the chapel.

“There was talk of naming the chapel for someone who’s meant a lot to The Anchorage and other names came up,” Marbury said. “But no one gave more of themselves than Ginny Hayman. And when her name was mentioned, everyone agreed that (naming the chapel in her honor) would be a fitting tribute.”

Bobo laughs through her tears as she shares a conversation she had with Lynch.

“I was just overwhelmed when he mentioned it,” Hayman’s daughter said. “Then Bob said, ‘Well, this may be the first time that I’m able to do something like this and not have your mother tell me no. I know if she were here and we told her what we wanted to do, she’s say no. That’s just the way she is. But this time, we get the last word.’”

Anyone interested in contributing to the chapel fund or to The Anchorage may contact the facility by calling (229) 435-5692 or mailing donations to P.O. Box 71774, Albany, Ga. 31708.