Thumbs Up! March 16, 2015

There is a large portion of America’s population who doesn’t even know what polio is. Those readers that were around during the frightening years of the rampant spread of the disease will remember well the fear that accompanied the news of yet another case in the community. With the development of the Salk vaccine and determination that it was not only safe but fully effective, children were immunized by the thousands. In 1961, a second vaccine, the Sabin vaccine made the immunizations even easier to administer. For decades Rotary International has battled to eradicate polio worldwide and with much success. In 2014, the last polio-endemic country in Africa saw a nearly 90 percent reduction in cases over 2013. Last year did see some cases in formerly declared polio-free countries, primarily due to conflict and instability in locations such as Somalia, Iraq and Syria. Pakistan had the highest number of cases in 2014, 300 of them, accounting for 90 percent of all cases worldwide. Rotary International has boosted the fight with an additional $34.8 million. The funds will provide immunizations for millions of children as well as support research carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Thank you to Rotarians in Albany and all across the globe for your continued efforts to “End Polio Now.”

Congratulations to Johnny Seabrooks, Emanuel Anderson and Anna Paduano. Seabrooks, athletic director of the Dougherty County School System, has been named the State Athletic Director of the Year for 2014-15 by the Georgia Athletic Directors Association. He has also been nominated for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administration Association Distinguished Service Award. Anderson, a tuba player for the Albany High School band, recently performed in Athens as a member of the All-State Band. His selection came after two rounds of tough auditions. This honor distinguishes the young musician as one of the top five percent of high school tuba players in Georgia. Paduano participated in the District 9 spelling bee and walked away with first place. This young master of words competed against 14 other students. Next up, Paduano will travel to Atlanta for the Georgia Association of Educators’ state spelling bee at Georgia State University on March 20. From athletics, to fine arts to academics, the DCSS has ample reasons to be proud.

More good news about jobs in Albany, something that always needs to heralded. Close to 500 temporary workers will be needed to complete the construction of the new Biomass Plant at Procter and Gamble. Yes, the jobs will be temporary but will run through 2017 and pay better than unemployment benefits. People in the construction business understand that a job that can carry them through for about 18 months is a fine one indeed. Once the plant is completed and operational, it will require 50-75 permanent jobs for plant operation.

The Albany Marathon and Mardi Gras festival that followed on March 7 is now one for the history books. Planners, sponsors and volunteers cannot be thanked enough for all that was done to make the events the best and biggest yet. The mess left behind , naturally there was one, was all cleaned up the next day and by Monday morning there was no sign of the hundreds of trash-filled bags. That work was done by all volunteers. Someone decided to decorate the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau with a bit of graffiti, probably late Saturday night. That, too, was cleaned up so quickly that even the CVB’s director never saw it. If you played any part, large or small, in making the events such a success, this hearty thanks is for you.

Maurya Lacey of the Atlanta area deserves the biggest thumbs up of all this week. Human error caused Lacey to be declared the second place finisher in the half-marathon. She was (and is) in fact the winner of that race. Lacey, a bit disappointed at first, accepted the second place finish with grace as she dedicated her accomplishment to an ailing friend. When contacted about the error, Lacey was understanding and gracious with only words of praise for the event. She will return next year and Albany can look forward to that.