St Marys Earthkeepers honor Rolf Rawl of St Marys with new bench on fishing pier

Rolf Rawl loved the Georgia Bulldogs, and he loved St. Marys. When he passed away in 2008, he left a hole in the hearts of the many people who were drawn to his hearty laugh and laissez faire disposition. To honor his memory, the St. Marys EarthKeepers and friends of Rawl have constructed a bench in his memory at the end of the fishing pier at St. Marys’ Waterfront.

“He would have appreciated this,” said Jerry Brandon, a fellow UGA alumnus and close friend of Rawl’s. “I think he would enjoy knowing that people could sit here and watch the sunset or cast a line into the water.”

Cindy Deen, another close friend of Rawl, said, “So many people loved him so much. Rolf is missed every day, and we still share laughs remembering how he so often lit up a room.”

In addition to the St. Marys EarthKeepers efforts, materials were donated by Farmers & Builders, and construction services were donated by Frank Woods of R&W Construction and Sammy Brooks.

“This stuff don’t bother me,” was Rawl’s often refrain when life got hard, even during the final days of his long battle with cancer.

The newly installed pier is located at the end of the fishing pier at the waterfront park and is the perfect spot to sit quietly with your thoughts, witness Coastal Georgia’s stunning sunrises and sunsets, or simply enjoy the natural beauty of the St. Marys Harbor.

A nuclear pipeline welder has hooked a winner. Joseph Bezy, a resident of Kingsland, is one of two players each to win a $29,921 jackpot prize from matching all five winning numbers in the Feb. 17 Fantasy 5 drawing.

“I’m in shock. I’m still in shock,” said Bezy, 55. “It’s like getting struck by lightning.”

He discovered his lottery win on the Georgia Lottery’s Web site. Winning numbers from the Feb. 17 drawing were: 2-15-20-33-37. The second winning jackpot prize was purchased in Alto.

ABC Food Mart, located at 100 May Creek Drive in Kingsland, sold the winning ticket.

“I started hollering for the wife to come and read what I was reading because I wasn’t sure if I was reading it right,” he said of his wife, Doris. “I took her to dinner to celebrate.”

The couple anticipate paying off bills and sharing the remainder of the prize with their children and grandchildren.

Georgia Lottery retailers selling winning Fantasy 5 jackpot tickets receive a retailer incentive bonus of $2,000. The retailer incentive bonus increases by $2,000 each time Fantasy 5 rolls. If more than one winning jackpot ticket is sold, the retailers selling the winning jackpot tickets will share the bonus. ABC Food Mart will receive a $1,000 retailer incentive bonus.

Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has returned more than $11.4 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. More than 1.2 million students have received HOPE, and more than 1 million 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.

Including early St. Marys, GA departure for Sail with the Filmmakers 2010

Cumberland Sound Ferry Announces Revised Schedules for Sail With the Filmmakers to Accommodate Screenings as part of Amelia Island Film Festival 2010!
February 25 – March 1, 2010 – The Cumberland Sound Ferry has revised its official schedule (including an early 9 a.m. St. Marys, Ga departure) for Friday, February 26th and Saturday, February 27th, 2010 to accommodate longer screenings in this year’s Amelia Island Film Festival. Schedule changes will allow passengers to view longer screenings without missing the full day of Sailing With The Filmmakers.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Choose from the following Fernandina Beach departures:
10 a.m.; 2 p.m.; 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Choose from the following St. Marys, GA departures:
9 a.m.; 11 a.m.; 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Choose from the following Fernandina Beach departures:
10 a.m. ; 1:30 p.m.; 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Choose from the followinig St. Marys, GA departures:
9:00 a.m.; 11 a.m.; 2:30 p.m.; and 5:30 p.m.

Upon arrival in St. Marys, GA, passengers will be greeted with a reception sponsored by the St. Marys Film Society.

In partnership with the Cumberland Sound Ferry, Amelia Island Film Festival is focused on exposing filmmakers to the rich history, unique landscapes and memorable experiences that make northeast Florida and southeast Georgia such an enchanting place to visit and make films in the future.
To purchase tickets for this screening, a festival pass, or for ferry tickets for Sail With The Filmmakers aboard the Cumberland Sound Ferry contact Lori Hoerl, Director of Marketing and Operations, Amelia River Cruises, at 904-491-7617 or via email at lorbell1@aol.com. Tickets for the filmmakers sail are $22 roundtrip (20% of proceeds to be returned to Amelia Island Film Festival for future events). Tickets for screenings and the festival are structured according to the type of pass purchased. Call or email for prices.

www.ameliarivercruises.com
www.ameliaislandfilmfestival.org

FAMILY-FRIENDLY MARDI GRAS ON FEBRUARY 13 IN ST. MARYS, GEORGIA

Children’s rock wall climbing and baby strollers will be just as much a part of the St. Marys Mardi Gras festival as are the iconic beads and masks. Presented by the St. Marys Downtown Merchants Association, the 16th Annual Mardi Gras Festival and Parade will showcase decorated floats and dazzling costumes designed around this year’s theme “Romance Through the Ages.” Festival organizers said that the festival has always been family-oriented, contrary to its more famous counterpart in New Orleans.

“St. Marys is a family kind of town,” said Roger Rillo, President the St. Marys Downtown Merchants Association. “We’ve orchestrated a parade and festival that will appeal to all ages making sure there are plenty of activities for the younger set.”

A 10 a.m. parade will launch the festival followed by a full day of entertainment, arts and crafts, and amusements, all lining the St. Marys waterfront and the main street that runs through the historic district.

When the sun goes down and the lights come up, adults will continue the celebration at the Mardi Gras Ball where a new King and Queen are chosen each year. Prizes will be awarded for costumes that best depict the “Romance” theme, and dance music will be provided by one of the region’s most sought after bands, A Touch of Grey.

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Street festival with amusements that include the world’s
tallest inflatable slide, bungee jumping, a climbing wall,
a trackless train, and numerous arts and crafts displays

10 a.m. Parade with lots of floats, costumes, and bead throwing

12 noon All-day entertainment begins at waterfront stage

7 p.m. Mardi Gras Costume Ball at J’s Restaurant & British Pub

Tickets for the ball are available at the St. Marys Welcome Center and Once Upon a Bookseller in Downtown St. Marys. Beads are also available at the bookstore on days leading up to the festival.

For more information, call 912-882-7350 or 912-552-0072.

FILM SOCIETY TO HOST FILM SCREENING
FEBRUARY 19 IN ST. MARYS

“MAN FROM PLAINS”
FREE TO PUBLIC

“An extraordinary film about an extraordinary man…” That’s what Larry King said about Man From Plains, the film that Coastal Georgia Film Society will be screening as an event appetizer for the Amelia Island Film Festival which takes place the week after the St. Marys screening.

Biografilm winner of the Venice Film Festival and an official selection of the Toronto Film Festival, Man from Plains has been hailed as an “illuminating, candid, and intimate portrait” of our nation’s 39th president who hails from Plains, Georgia.

Event organizer Barbara Ryan said it is fitting that the first event of the newly named Coastal Georgia Film Society honors someone who has made us all proud to call Georgia home.

“Man from Plains was given the highest rating—four stars—that is awarded by such esteemed newspapers as the San Francisco Chronicle,” Ryan said. “Through the generosity of our big brother organization, the Amelia Island Film Festival, we are able to make this showing free to the public.” The film will be shown again the following week during the Amelia Island Film Festival.

Tony McAdoo, president of Amelia Island Film Festival hopes to create enough interest that Camden County residents will come by car or take the Cumberland Sound Ferry to enjoy the many films that the Festival on the south side of the river will be offering February 26-28.

“Amelia Island and Coastal Georgia are bridged by a common love of movies and we feel that co-promoting our events is a win-win scenario for everyone,” McAdoo said.

The 7:00 p.m. February 19th screening in St. Marys at the Ward L. Hernandez Economic Building, 400 Osborne Street, is free to the public and will be preceded by an open reception at the St. Marys Visitors Center, 406 Osborne Street. As there are a limited number of seats available for the screening, the Coastal Georgia Film Society is asking those who wish to attend the screening and the reception to call 912-882-4000 for reservations.

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. In celebration of Valentine’s Day this year the Camden County Public Library will host a “Valentine’s Day Craft” on Wednesday, February 10th at 4:00pm in the Community Room. Participants will make Chocolate Roses.

The class is free and open to the public. We welcome adults and children, but request that all children be 10 years of age or older. Please sign-up for the class at the Circulation Desk in the library or call (912) 729-3741.

Bring your best four-legged friend to Yappy Hour at Seagle’s Saloon Patio on the waterfront in St Marys. The event takes place the 4th Thursday of every month September – April from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Cost is $10.00 per person, Dogs free, includes complimentary glass of wine and appetizers.
Well-behaved owners and dogs are welcome. Proceeds to benefit the Humane Society.
For more information visit www.humancamden.org

The Rock Shrimp Festival in St. Marys, Georgia, takes place on October 3, 2009. This year it’s “All about the kids”.

ST. MARYS, GA—In keeping with the focus of Kiwanis around the world, the St. Marys Kiwanis have themed the 2009 Rock Shrimp Festival “It’s All About The Kids.” The theme will be emphasized throughout the day’s events beginning with this year’s parade Grand Marshal six-year-old Ethan Spinks. Ethan recently saved his infant sister from choking on a coin. Other tributes to the theme include a new element, “The Kids Safety Zone.”

A collaborative effort between St. Marys Kiwanis and eleven other community organizations including fire departments, police departments and other agencies, The Kids Safety Zone will feature a DUI Car Crash Exhibit, Child Safety Seat Seminars, and live demonstrations and presentations on pet safety, smoke detector education, K-9 Units, Boating Safety, Bicycle Safety, Beer Goggles, and many other activities. All children who complete all the stations will get free admission to the St. Marys Submarine Museum by showing their completed passport. Parents will receive discounted admission to the museum.

St. Marys Kiwanis President Jolene Haney said that Kiwanis is all about serving the children of our community, and the Rock Shrimp festival is an excellent way to educate the public and engage them in the Kiwanis’ mission.

“Children are our future,” Haney said. “From our Terrific Kids and K-Kids programs in the elementary schools and Builders Club in the middle schools, to the Key Club in the high school, the Kiwanis offer myriad opportunities for everyone to help our kids be all that they can be.”

Kids from 2 to 92 will be enjoying one of the highlights of the festival—the quintessential rock shrimp dinners. Early morning foot races (beginning at 7:30 am), including a 5k, 10k, and 1.5k Junior Run, kick off the day, followed by the themed parade (10:00 am). First, second, and third prizes will be awarded to parade entries that best depict the theme, and the perpetual trophy, “Rocky,” will be handed over to the Best of Parade winner.

All-day entertainment will grace the waterfront stage with more than 100 food and arts vendors expected to line St. Marys Road and Osborne Street. According to Festival Co-Chair Barbara Mizelle, vendor spaces are going fast, but there’s still time to register.

“You can register for the races, parade, or a vendor space by visiting www.smkiwanis.com,” Mizelle said. “And the best time to buy your dinner tickets is before the day of the event to save money and waiting in line.”

Mizelle said Kiwanis volunteers anticipate cooking up nearly a ton of shrimp this year. Advance tickets can be purchased at St. Marys Welcome Center, Kingsland Visitors Center, Camden County Chamber of Commerce, Camden Printing, Atlantic Auto Brokers, Island Lounge & Grill, Coastal Bank in St. Marys, and Once Upon a Bookseller.

All proceeds from the festival will be spent 100% locally and fund the many kids programs as well as other Kiwanis initiatives. St. Marys Kiwanis deliver 150 Thanksgiving baskets to needy families, support Christmas for Camden’s Kids as well as the Salvation Army, Camden House, and American Red Cross among other organizations. The St. Marys Kiwanis have recently chartered an Aktion Club created to help mentally impaired adults organize and serve the community as well.

For more information, visit www.smkiwanis.com.

ST. MARYS AD HOC GROUP TEAMS UP WITH AMELIA ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL TO LAUNCH ST. MARYS FILM SOCIETY

ST. MARYS, GA—In the wake of Amelia Island’s recent success as a film magnet, executives from the Amelia Island Film Festival met with St. Marys residents recently to discuss a “sistership” in the advancement of film production and promotion for both areas. According to Tony McAdoo, president of the Amelia Island Film Festival, the collaboration is a natural.

“With the Cumberland Sound Ferry bridging the two towns, it makes a lot of sense to piggyback on each other’s resources,” McAdoo said. “Here we have two states separated by a mere river and each having its unique characteristics. We’re proud to offer our visitors and residents another dimension of entertainment and historic exploration by supporting the development of a St. Marys film organization.”

St. Marys Film Society organizers’ ultimate mission is to position St. Marys as a valuable location option for filmmakers. Toward that goal, they plan to begin by getting acquainted with film industry movers and shakers—producers, directors, writers, and actors, and building a portfolio of resources for the industry. One of the St. Marys Film Society organizers, Doug Vaught, said that Savannah has nothing on St. Marys when it comes to being an attractive location to make a movie.

“We trump them on cemeteries. Our diversity of geography and our water realm including Cumberland Island presents filmmakers with an excellent backdrop for drama, comedy, and adventure films.” Vaught went on to cite the recent filming of Resurrection Fern in St. Marys and on Cumberland Island as a good beginning toward getting the word out. He also went on to say that our proximity to the Jacksonville International Airport and technical talents available in neighboring Jacksonville will add to St. Marys’ appeal as a film location. Donna Boyett, proprietor of The French Quarter in Downtown St. Marys agreed.

“St. Marys and our surrounding area has much to offer, and as a business owner I’m eager to reach out to the film community and show them how easy we are to work with,” said Boyett, another Film Society organizer. “The economic advantages of having film crews in our town spending money are evident, but the residual benefit of boosted tourism like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil brought to Savannah has even greater positive ramifications.”

Thus far, two events are in the planning stages as part of the St. Marys Film Society launch. On February 18, one week before the 2010 Amelia Island Film Festival begins, the Film Society plans to host a screening of one of Amelia Island’s entries at a downtown St. Marys location. Then during the actual Amelia Island Film Festival (February 25-March 1, 2010), the St. Marys Film Society will host a “meet and greet” in St. Marys. Guests of the “meet and greet”—film execs and artists—will come from Amelia Island by ferry and visit with several businesses in order to familiarize themselves with what St. Marys has to offer.

“We have to walk before we run,” said Vaught. “This year we see ourselves as an ‘appetizer’ for the Amelia Island Film Festival. Future years will hold bigger things and bigger returns for our city.”

Looking to the future, Vaught and other Film Society organizers endeavor to form a film commission and take advantage of an official affiliation with Georgia Economic Development and all that they offer local organizations.

“More than 600 films and television projects have been shot in Georgia,” said Janet Brinko, Director of the St. Marys Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It’s good for tourism, and that means it’s good for our economy. There’s no reason why St. Marys can’t capitalize on our natural beauty and our business-friendly environment.”

According to industry statistics, for every $1 spent in the promotion of filmmaking on a local basis, $7 is returned to the local economy. Georgia Senator Jeff Chapman said that “In a time when cities around the nation are searching for ways to rejuvenate their economy, community leaders who are thinking outside of the box can add great value to a city’s long term plans. The organizers of the St. Marys Film Society are to be commended for their vision and their willingness to do the heavy lifting to make things happen.”

Anyone in the community who would like to get involved in the St. Marys Film Society is urged to call 912-882-4000.

On September 5th through the 7th the Catfish Festival will be held in downtown Kingsland. Nothing goes better with crispy southern-fried catfish than a succulent serving of country music. And festival goers can feast on this and much more during Kingsland, Georgia’s Annual Labor Day Weekend Catfish Festival which runs from Saturday through Monday. This 3-day event is the largest festival in Southeast Georgia and scheduled events include a parade, free concerts, arts & crafts booths, southern fried and Cajun catfish, a variety of food booths, antiques and collectibles, entertainment, children’s amusement area, a 5K run, a classic car & tractor exhibition, and the annual Lion Club’s Pancake Breakfast. Sponsored by the Kingsland Community Betterment Program, the City of Kingsland and the KCVB.

Contact the Kingsland Welcome Center at 912-729-5999 or www.VisitKingsland.com for more information.