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Sticks & Strings

People

 John, Josh and Charles Kelley when they host their second annual Sticks & Strings charity concert and golf tournamentGet ready “fore” some music and golf with the area’s favorite sons and their celebrity guests.

Take a swing at some fun with Columbia County natives John, Josh and Charles Kelley when they host their second annual Sticks & Strings charity concert and golf tournament this month.

The festivities will include songs and stories from the Kelley brothers as they share their family’s love of music and golf with their friends and community.

Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker and Jake Owen will join the Kelleys at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center for their charity concert on Sunday, November 19. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the concert begins at 7 p.m.

 John, Josh and Charles Kelley when they host their second annual Sticks & Strings charity concert and golf tournamentThe golf tournament will be held at Champions Retreat on Monday, November 20. Registration and check-in begin at 9 a.m.; the shotgun start is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Proceeds from the event will benefit First Tee – Augusta, 12 Bands of Christmas and The John W. Kelley, M.D., Cardiovascular Endowment at the Piedmont Augusta Foundation. In last year’s inaugural event, they raised $45,000 for these charities.

Tickets are $40 to $350. For more information, visit kelleybrosgolf.com.

Teacher of the Year

People

Crystal McDowell of Greenbrier High SchoolCrystal McDowell of Greenbrier High School has been named the 2023-24 Columbia County School District Teacher of the Year. She teaches biology and anatomy to students in grades nine through 12.

Her winnings include the opportunity to drive a 2023 BMW X1 on a one-year lease that is donated by Taylor BMW at no cost to the teacher.

In addition, ACHS Insurance donates insurance coverage at no cost and Affordable Auto Insurance donates a $1,000 gas voucher.

Professional Polo

Sports

AFM Give Me Wings Polo MatchFor the first time in nearly 20 years, high-goal, professional polo is returning to the Aiken area with the AFM Give Me Wings Polo Match. Featuring a $30,000 prize, the match begins at 3 p.m. Saturday, October 21 at La Bourgogne Club de Polo in Wagener, South Carolina.

Individual tickets will offer food for purchase from upscale food trucks, beer and wine and access to the pavilion lawn.

Pavilion tables for eight people include a buffet lunch provided by The Willcox, an open bar and access to the pavilion before and after the match.

Field side tailgate boxes will have space for six people and one car. These spectators can bring their own tailgate or order a picnic lunch.

Proceeds will benefit the AFM Give Me Wings Foundation, which was founded in memory of Anthony Francois Meunier after he passed away last year at age 22 in a single-car accident. The foundation supports families who have lost a child with in-person grief therapy services and offers clinics for young motorists to learn how to navigate out of dangerous driving situations.

The clinics will be conducted by two of the most accomplished racing drivers in the world, Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud and former F1 driver Sébastien Bourdais.

For more information, visit afmgivemewings.com.

Go on ‘Holliday’

Georgia
Photos courtesy Griffin + Spalding Business and Tourism Association

Photos courtesy Griffin + Spalding Business and Tourism Association

The Wild, Wild West is headed east to Griffin, Georgia for the annual Doc Holliday Festival.

Although the infamous dentist-turned-gunslinger made his name at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, he was born in the town that’s about 40 miles south of Atlanta.

The Festival

Food and beverages, arts and crafts vendors and family activities are the backdrop for this festival. However, one of the highlights is the reenactment of the famous shootout at the O.K. Corral in which Aces and Eights will perform three 30-minute shows for history enthusiasts and fans of the Wild West.

Evening entertainment will feature a performance by Mainstream Band Ga.

Another major draw of the weekend is the BBQ Competition, which is organized by the Georgia Barbecue Association and expected to have about 30 professional teams participating.

Doc Holliday OK CoralThe barbecue teams will be set up in the ballfield inside Griffin City Park, and the general public will have the opportunity to purchase a sampler platter from 12 of the teams, known as the People’s Choice. Not only will guests get to enjoy delicious barbecue, but they will also have the chance to vote for their favorite team, with a trophy awarded to the winner.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs, although some bleacher seating will be provided in the park.

The Legend

John Henry “Doc” Holliday was born in 1851 to Henry Burroughs Holliday, a doctor, veteran and public servant, and Alice Jane (McKey) Holliday. In 1864 the family moved from Griffin to Valdosta to escape Sherman’s March to the Sea. Two years later, Holliday’s mother, who doted on the son who was born with a cleft palate, died of consumption, or tuberculosis, when he was 15 years old.

After graduating from Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in 1872, Holliday returned to Griffin to establish a dental practice that earned him the nickname, “Doc.” Shortly after he began his career, however, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Given just months to live, Holliday followed the advice of a physician who told him to go west where the dry air might prolong his life.

Doc Holliday Griffen GeorgiaHe moved to Dallas and set up another dentistry practice in 1873 during the waning days of the American frontier. As dentists who were prone to fits of coughing up blood weren’t in high demand, however, Holliday had to find another way to make a living. He turned to gambling and quickly developed a reputation as a gambler with a temper – and a gun.

After a saloon altercation led to a shooting, Holliday was charged with attempted murder. The jury called it self-defense, but he left Dallas for rougher towns in West Texas and beyond.

In 1877, Holliday arrived in Fort Griffin, Texas, where he met rogue lawman Wyatt Earp. Although details surrounding their meeting vary, the two men became the most feared duo in the Wild West.

Holliday followed Earp from Texas to Dodge City, Kansas, and eventually to Tombstone, Arizona, where they burnished their infamous reputations at a street fight near the O.K. Corral in 1881. Thirty shots were fired in a 30-second shootout that left three “cowboys” dead.

While Holliday supposedly killed scores of people during his short lifetime, most of the accounts cannot be verified.

Hoping its hot springs would improve his health, he moved to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in May 1887, but he died of tuberculosis six months later at age 36. On his deathbed, Holliday took a shot of whiskey, looked down at his bare feet and said, “That’s funny” because he always thought he would die with his boots on.

The Gravesite

While there’s no dispute about Holliday’s death, his final resting place is open to debate.

Apparently, he originally was buried in Linwood Cemetery in Glenwood Springs, but the interment could have been temporary because an early winter made it hard to reach his assigned plot. Instead, he was buried elsewhere on the grounds. There is a fenced-in “grave” in the cemetery, along with a headstone, and a marker reads, “This memorial dedicated to Doc Holliday who is buried someplace in this cemetery.”

His hometown claims that Holliday and his father are buried side by side in unmarked graves in Griffin’s Oak Hill Cemetery. The conjecture goes that, since Holliday was the only son of a prominent Southern family, his relatives quickly and quietly made arrangements to bring his body back to Georgia. Because of his reputation and growing fame as a Wild West folk hero, his family left his grave unmarked so it would not be disturbed.

A marked grave of his father also has never been located even though he was a wealthy landowner and one-time mayor of Valdosta. Headstones for the rest of the family can be found, lending credence to the theory that Doc and his dad are spending eternity together in anonymity.

There is a historical marker of twin graves at Oak Hill at burial plot 11, but it, too, is clouded in uncertainty by posing the unanswerable question – “Doc” Holliday Final Resting Place?

If You Go:
What: Doc Holliday Festival and BBQ Competition

When: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, September 9

Where: Griffin City Park

How Much: Free admission

More Info: dochollidayfest.com

Inaugural Paddle Race

Sports

Redford and Benny, aka the master guides of the Serene 18 Paddle TrailWhether you are a serious water warrior or a laid-back recreational paddler, bring your thirst for fun to the inaugural Serene 18 Paddle Race on Saturday, August 26.

While called a race, it’s really all about community camaraderie, enjoying nature and raising finds to benefit the animals of Stallings Island.

Inaugural Paddle RaceThe race will begin at Betty’s Branch at Riverside Park, and the route will follow the six-mile loop around Germany Island. It will be the first in a series of Serene 18 Paddle Races.

The event also will include lunch, prizes and a meet-and-greet with intrepid “oar-acles,” Redford and Benny, aka the master guides of the Serene 18 Paddle Trail.

For more information, check out visitcolumbiacountyga.com or the Serene 18 Facebook page.

New AU Sports Training Center

Sports

New AU Sports Training CenterA gift from Harlem business owner Alvin Harris and his wife, Yvette, will pave the way for a new sports training center for student-athletes at Augusta University.

The Alvin and Yvette Harris Performance Center will be constructed in the upper mezzanine on the south side of Christenberry Fieldhouse.

It will replace the current weight room and other training areas the university has outgrown and serve as a hub for all student-athletes – basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, golf, track and field, cross country, tennis and cheer.

Take a Hike

Sports

The BombasinOutdoor fun is afoot on a collection of Columbia County trails.

Columbia County has always been a great place to enjoy outdoor recreation, but now it’s even better with the launch of the Bombasin Land Trail.

The Bombasin is a collection of eight land trails on the sub-basins of the Savannah River, and the scenic routes are ideal for biking, hiking, walking or running. They include:

Bartram Trail
Level: All
Length: 22.5 miles
Activities: Backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, running, walking, camping

Lake Springs Loop
Level: Beginner
Length: 3 miles
Activities: Camping, hiking, fishing, mountain biking, running, walking

Keg Creek Loop
Level: Advanced
Length: 9 miles
Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, running, walking

Rock Dam Trail
Level: Advanced
Length: 6.25 miles
Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, running, walking

Blanchard Woods Cross Country Trail
Level: All
Length: 2.8 miles
Activities: Biking, hiking, mountain biking, running, walking

Augusta Canal Tow Path
Level: All
Length: 7.85 miles
Activities: Biking, fishing, mountain biking, walking

Euchee Creek Greenway
Level: All
Length: 8 miles
Activities: Biking, hiking, running, walking

Evans To Locks Multi-Use Trail
Level: All
Length: 6 miles
Activities: Biking, walking, wheelchair accessible

Like the Serene18 Paddle Trail, this land trail system, which offers views ranging from scenic forests to urban landscapes, was developed to attract visitors to Columbia County. Of course, the trails are great for residents, too, whether they’re looking for solitude or family time.

For more information or a free guide, visit BombasinTrail.com.

Racquet Center Open

Sports

Tennis Pickle Ball AugustaThe Columbia County Racquet Center, formerly Petersburg Racquet Club, has opened for play in Martinez.

No reservations are required to use the hard tennis courts, but reservations are required for clay courts. To make a reservation, call (706) 860-9288 or visit the office. Hours are 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.

Construction of new pickleball courts on the former site of the swimming pool will begin this year, and they should be completed by early 2024. The Board of Commissioners also will set a fee schedule for the facility.

Event Volunteers Needed

Sports

USA Cycling Masters & Para Road National ChampionshipsAugusta Sports Council is seeking volunteers for the USA Cycling Masters & Para Road National Championships that will be held August 22-27.

More than 300 volunteers will be needed during the week for event set-up and breakdown, registration, athlete hydration, course marshals and more.

This year’s event is expected to attract 600 to 800 athletes competing for national championships in road and individual time trials on Fort Gordon August 23-26 and the criterium in downtown Augusta on August 27.

For more information, visit greateraugustasportscouncil.volunteerlocal.com.

National Championships Regatta

Sports

Augusta Sailing ClubAugusta Sailing Club is hosting the Y Flyer Nationals at Clarks Hills Lake Monday, June 12 through Friday, June 16.

The Junior National Championships are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, and adults will compete in the Senior National Championships on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

This is the first time in 45 years the club has hosted the regatta, and about 50 to 80 sailboats are expected to compete.

High Water Marks

Sports

The Serene18There’s something about water in general – and the Serene18 in particular – that soothes the soul. The Serene18 covers 18 square miles on five local waterway trails where paddlers can leisurely while away a few hours in a kayak or canoe. Just don’t forget to enjoy the beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife along the way. The trails include:

Clarks Hill Lake
Level: Novice – intermediate
Length: 6 miles
Travel Time: 4 – 6 hours

Dam Route
Level: Novice
Length: 7 miles
Travel Time: 2.5 – 4 hours

Stallings Island
Level: Intermediate
Length: 2.7 miles
Travel Time: 2 hours

Betty’s Branch
Level: Novice
Length: Short route – 4 miles; long route – 6 miles
Travel Time: Short route – 2 hours; long route – 3.5 hours

Augusta Canal
Level: Novice
Length: 7 miles
Travel Time: 2.5 hours

Paddlers can get a free passport, and once they complete a trail, they can get their passports stamped to commemorate their trip. Passports and stamps are available at Keg Creek Water Sports at Wildwood Park, Cole Watkins Kayak Tours, Outdoor Augusta at Riverside Park, Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental and Columbia County Visitors Center. Anyone who gets all five stamps can take their passport to the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau for a free T-shirt.

For more information, go to visitcolumbiacountyga.com/serene18-paddle-trail.

Kroc to Lock Ride

Sports

Kroc to Lock Ride on Sunday, May 21It’s time to get it in gear for the annual Kroc to Lock Ride on Sunday, May 21 from noon until 4 p.m.

The 10-mile ride starts at Kroc Augusta, proceeds up the Augusta Canal towpath to the headgates and then heads back to the Kroc green space for a post-ride picnic. The menu features grilled hot dogs, drinks and Pelican’s SnoBalls. Matt the Mod also will be on hand for a live DJ set.

The cost is $35, and 100% of the net proceeds will benefit the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area and future biking projects.

The registration deadline is Monday, May 15; no onsite registration will be available. For more information, visit andyjordans.com or bikesignup.com.

Back in the Swing

Sports

Photos courtesy of Toptracer

A new practice facility is making the cut at the former Jones Creek golf course.

There will be a new player in town starting Masters Week. On Monday, April 3, Bond Golf Global will open “The Practice Club at Jones Creek” on the site of the former golf course in Evans.

“The golf course has been closed for five years, and we want to inject some life back into it,” says Andrew Brooks, founder and owner of Aiken-based Bond Golf Global. “We want to create a good community and a family friendly facility that anybody can use. We want to direct people into the game of golf. It’s open to everybody 100 percent.”

Powered by Toptracer, the high-tech facility will feature eight outdoor bays, eight indoor bays, two covered suites, a sitting area to watch sports and a Junior Golf Academy.

Although the clubhouse is not part of the project, The Practice Club will offer food and beverage services as well.

The Practice Club at Jones CreekIn its second phase, the facility will add a putting green, a chipping green and a practice bunker. Brooks says these areas should be open by the end of June.

“Our vision is to bring back the golf course. We’re looking at what’s required,” he adds. However, he says no timetable has been set for these renovations.

Future amenities also will include club fitting and club repair services.

While some practice facilities are geared toward entry-level golfers, Brooks says, “This will be a next-level facility where people can hit real balls onto a range. It’s a pathway onto the golf course. It’s going to be a special place.”

For more information, call (803) 477-6824 or email bondgolfgobal@gmail.com.

Bee-ing Innovative

People

Photos courtesy of UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences photo

The University of Georgia creates a buzz by developing the world’s first vaccine for honeybees.

Most people regard insects as a nuisance to be swatted away. Not honeybees, however.

These pollinators are instrumental in the global production of foods that rely on insects for pollination, and, with the development of the first vaccine for the world’s honeybees, beekeepers now can protect their colonies.

The vaccine resulted from a collaboration between the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and Dalan Animal Health, a biotech company based at UGA’s Innovation Hub in Athens. According to Environment News Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the vaccine for two years on a conditional basis.

The vaccine is intended to help honeybees resist American foulbrood, a destructive disease that can wipe out entire bee colonies.

“You don’t have to look far to know honeybees are having a lot of problems right now. Hives will die unless you intercede with herculean efforts,” says Keith Delaplane, professor in the CAES Department of Entomology and director of the UGA Bee Program.

“Queen Candy”

While traditional vaccines are injected with a syringe, the honeybee vaccine is mixed into the queen feed that is consumed by worker bees and then fed to the queen.

After she ingests it, the inoculated queen, for the remainder of her lifetime, will produce worker bees that are primed to be immune to foulbrood as they hatch.

“This work is so new,” says Annette Kleiser, co-founder and CEO of Dalan. “There are no guidelines, no handbook. We are developing, together with Keith, what will be the gold standard for these trials. It’s really exciting; it is the first of its kind.”

Pollinators such as bees are responsible for one of every three bites of food humans eat, according to the USDA, and U.S. crops that depend on honeybee pollination are valued at more than $15 billion.

However, pollinator numbers have been declining for years. According to a survey by the Bee Informed Partnership, U.S. beekeepers lost 39 percent of their honeybees from April 2021 through April 2022.

“People don’t understand how hard it is to keep bees alive,” says Delaplane. “I can’t imagine a more frightening branch of agriculture to be in. It takes ceaseless attention.”

The animal vaccine can be used in organic agriculture, and it will be available on a limited basis to commercial beekeepers this year.

Who You Gonna Call?

If a swarm of honeybees takes up residence in your house, it’s now safer to tell them to buzz off. A new Honeybee Control and Removal state certification program requires pest control companies and operators who provide the service in Georgia to be certified and licensed.

The new law prohibits the use of pesticides in honeybee removal, so it’s better for your home and the bees.

Eye-Catching Craftsmanship

People
Ka-eye-yak Augusta kayaks

Photography by Sally Kolar and Herb Fechter

From kayaks to fly fishing rods, an Evans father and son create functional wood works of art.

About 10 years ago, Evans resident Bradley Bertram, aka one of the Eye Guys, was looking for something to do to fill the cold-weather months. Or, perhaps more specifically, his wife, Paige, was looking for something for him to do, so for Christmas she gave him the plans and materials to build a wooden kayak.

“Shortly after that, she described herself as a ‘kayak widow,’” Bradley says.

Especially since the 14-month project ended up spanning two winters. However, it wasn’t a solitary endeavor. Bradley’s then-adolescent son, Collin, who is now a 22-year-old college senior, got involved as well. He had built a couple of small model boats, but he was ready for a bigger, better challenge.

“I got interested in it right away. I like building things, boats, boating and fishing,” says Collin. “We jumped from building small model boats a foot long to building actual boats. I’m always in the garage helping with something, so it morphed into that.”

Kayaks Bradley Bertram, the Eye GuysThe Eyes Have It

The first kayak they built was an 80-pound tandem. However, during covid in 2020 and 2021, when many of us were binge-watching TV shows, they decided to build a 40-pound, one-person kayak. The newest vessel sports a pair of eyes on its deck, so naturally, Bradley dubbed it their “KeyeYAK.”

“I’m the king of dad humor,” he says. “My specialty is corneal surgery, so I’m the king of ‘corn’-ea.”

The Bertrams built the single KeyeYAK in six months. “It was easier to make than the first one, but adding the eyes made it harder,” says Bradley. “We turned a hatch into an eye, and every part of the eye is a different wood with a different color.”

The pupil is walnut; the iris is western red cedar; the sclera is Alaskan yellow cedar.

“Each kayak has a set of plans, but you can do what you want with them,” Bradley says.

In fact, their next kayak will be a racing-style model with an inlaid blue heron on the deck.

To construct the kayaks, the Bertrams use the stitch-and-glue method to stitch pre-cut plywood panels together with wire and then glue the seams with a mix of epoxy resin and wood flour. Once the kayak is assembled, they trim the exposed wire. Then, to waterproof and strengthen the wood, they cover it in protective layers of fiberglass.

“Most of the weight is in the epoxy,” says Bradley. “We put five pounds of epoxy in each end of the kayak. If we run into something, it’s protected.”

Collin Bertram KeyeYAK Eye GuysThe hull is made of 8-inch mahogany plywood, and the deck consists of cedar and walnut strips.

“We’ll do 30 to 60 minutes of work, and then we have to wait while it dries,” Bradley says. “There’s a lot of ‘hurry up and wait.’”

Father and son also have developed an effective division of labor for their projects.

“Collin gets the jobs where a limber person is needed,” says Bradley. “He crawls in the hull to put in the filler and epoxy.”

He also is in charge of sanding the wood, a practice that dates back to his youth when he enjoyed dressing the part in surgical gown, goggles and ear protectors.

“At that age, using a power tool for hours is the best thing in the world,” Collin says. “Not so much now, though. It’s the most tedious part of the project.”

The younger Bertram doesn’t seem to mind, though. “We work well as a team,” he says. “We coordinate with each other all the time. My dad will work on the kayaks when I’m at school, and I work on them when he’s at work.”

Bradley says a lot of planning – and psychology – are involved in the construction process.

Bertram built KeyeYAK“Psychology comes into play in boat building. You get very obsessive-compulsive about it,” he says. “You question if it’s good enough, or if you should start over. We learned not to set a deadline because then it becomes work, and that takes the fun out of it.”

‘Good for the Soul’

Woodworking is as soothing as paddling on open water for the Bertrams, and Collin loves the creativity as well.

“You start with a tree, and you can manipulate it yourself into almost anything,” he says.

Bradley appreciates the yin and yang of their avocation.

“Part of it is very mindful. You really have to plan and think about what you’re doing so you don’t mess it up,” he says. “Then there’s part of it, like sanding, that’s mindless. Mindless work is good for the soul.”

While they love to take their kayaks out on the water, they’re always concerned that they might damage them by inadvertently paddling over a rock.

“In fact, both hulls have been repaired from doing just that,” says Bradley.

The risk to their handiwork doesn’t deter them from paddling, however.

“If you go through everything it takes to build it, you’re going to use it,” Collin says. “Open water is better for a wood kayak. You don’t want to take it around rocks or on rapids. If you scratch the hull or the top, it takes three days of work to bring it back to what it was.”

Besides beauty and durability, the Bertrams say wood kayaks have other benefits as well.

For instance, Bradley says, “The small one is lighter than a fiberglass counterpart.”

“You can cut through the water fast in a wood kayak. A lot of plastic kayaks have a fin or a rudder,” Collin says. “You don’t have to worry about a wood kayak going one direction or the other. It’s going to go straight.”

Bertram built KeyeYAK‘Then You Go Fishing’

The Bertrams have made other items, including custom fly fishing rods that they crafted three summers ago at a class they took together at Oyster Bamboo in Blue Ridge, Georgia.

While Bradley built a rod with a tortoiseshell finish and rattan grip, Collin crafted a solid wood rod with a cork grip.

“There’s constant anxiety that you’re going to do something wrong,” Bradley says. “You either love it or hate it.”

“If you’re off by one one-thousandth of an inch, it will take you another day to redo it,” adds Collin.

They worked on their rods all day from Monday through Saturday, and for the record, they didn’t mess up. “And then you go fishing on Sunday,” says Bradley.

Collin caught a 22-inch rainbow trout with his brand new rod. “You could still smell the varnish on the rod,” his father says.

They also have made cutting boards for gifts, but they don’t sell their work. They built a river table headboard for Collin’s bed out of maple wood, and currently, they’re working on a maple river table for the screened porch at their house.

“When I’m building something, it’s out of need. I want something functional,” says Collin.

Family Legacy

Bradley also likes the idea of creating family heirlooms to pass down to his children. In fact, when Collin’s twin sister, Carter, left home for college, she refinished her grandfather’s desk and took it to school with her.

“My dad built the desk in a woodshop class when he was in high school in 1930,” says Bradley.

The kayaks are destined to become part of the Bertram legacy as well.

“I’ve instructed that they are to never leave the family,” Bradley says.

By Betsy Gilliland