Jackets marching band moving forward in seas
♦ Sponsors help with $2,282.50 in donations for 2018 season
The Rockmart High Yellow Jacket Marching Band has more than proved its resilience.
While the untimely loss of director David Snipes proved to be a setback, the group has pushed forward with band camp, half-time shows, and much more. Whether competing or supporting their school, the band is able to overcome obstacles and give its all thanks to the local community, the band boosters, and the staff that works with them.
The band raises funds throughout the year with events like The Yellow Jacket Car Show, The Yellow Jacket Classic competition, and the Mister and Miss Yellow Jacket pageants, but these fundraisers are only financially possible thanks to the numerous local businesses and organizations that offer sponsorship.
This is done through the band’s new ‘Together We Are Jacket Nation’ initiative that helps create solidarity between the band program and the businesses that help them.
Each business chooses which sponsor level is right for them, with levels ranging
A group at the Rockmart Historical Museum are in a race to document and record what they can of the different eras of buildings in the downtown area.
Pat Sampson, Director of the Rockmart Historical Museum, is working with several others to gather together information about the past and present of buildings on North and South Marble Streets, and East and West Elm Streets.
“We’ve talked about it for some time, and we’ve made a start on it,” Sampson said. “But our goal is to document and go as far back as we can to figure out what has been in each building.”
Take the museum as a good case from the basic Band Calendar ad to the grand level of Diamond sponsorship.
Since owners get to choose their level based on the benefits they desire, the initiative empowers organizations both small and large.
“The best part of the initiative is that the marching band pledged to donate 10 percent of their earnings to Rockmart High,” teacher Maria Norris said. “Not only are the businesses supporting the band, but they are also supporting the student body of RHS. Principal Robyn Teems will use the funds for the betterment of RHS.”
A collective $2,282.50 has been donated to Rockmart High through the program so far, and the band would like to extend their gratitude for their many partners and sponsors.
“All of our sponsors have been supportive this year,” Norris said. “A notable sponsor is Day’s Pre-Owned of Rockmart. They are a Diamond Level sponsor, as well as the provider of a 2017 Chevy Cruz that we will raffle off at the September 28 football game’s halftime. All of the sponsors are important to us.”
Sponsors include Advanced Rehabilitation, Brenda Leslie Realtor, City Body Works, Culver Exterminating, Dairy Queen, El Nopal, Freeman Harris Funeral, Godbee Siding, Haralson Pest Control, Integrity Realty, Dentist Kirby Brown, Meggitt, Pizza Depot, Precious Paws, Rockmart Rent to Own, Silver in point.
When it was first built in 1921, it was originally home to Rockmart’s City Hall. Then over time it took on the role of the Magistrate Court, and then Rockmart Police and Fire Departments before it was renovated and turned into the museum, as well as the offices for the Polk County Chamber of Commerce and the Development Authority of Polk County.
“Many of our downtown building have enjoyed many lives,” she said. “We’re hoping that we can go back and determine what each building started out as, and then go forward through time from there.”
Already some of the documentary work is underway as she and a group of volunteers go through records. However what they need the most is the memories people have kept from the past.
The group is gathering again on Oct. 16 for a 10:30 a.m. meeting at the Rockmart History Museum, and Comet Furniture, Soli’s, State Farm agent Sherman Ross, TCR Construction, The Perch, What’s New Consignment, Zaxby’s, Allstate agent John Purser, Carlton Farms, Coosa Valley Credit Union, Culver Insurance, Floyd Medical, Georgia Power, H and H Trophies, Hometown Pizza, Jefferson’s, Mac’s Bakery, Merle Norman, Pizza Farm, Rockmart Family Dentistry, Rustic Roots, Simply Staffing, Southland Engineering, Statham Tire, Tequila’s, Tip Top Poultry, Whitehead’s Florist, Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home, Chick-N-Scratch Bakery, Crawford Rome Plow Equipment, Custom Metal Products, Donna Upton Cosmetologist, Foundations Orthodontics, Georgia Vinyl & Thread, Haney’s Farm and Ranch, The HON Company, K-9 Grooming, McNabb Tire, Morgan Hardware, Polk County Oil and Lube, Rockmart Florist, Sidekicks, Smith Lockwood, State Farm agent Mary Miller, Tangles Hair, The Clean Spot, Vargo Orthodontics, and WZOT radio.
The band owes special thanks to individuals Andy Cox who now directs the band, principal Robyn Teems who continues to support the band, athletics, and the arts, color guard director Traci Thompson, Steve Day, and the students who continue to push themselves.
“The RHS marching band truly appreciates the community for the support of Together We are Jacket Nation,” Norris said. are asking for local residents who are willing to participate and can provide oral histories of what was in each building in historic downtown.
They’ll also be looking to have time set aside during the forthcoming Riverwalk Festival on Oct. 20 as well.
“Our hope is to save as much as we can before memories and photographs disappear,” Sampson said. “You don’t know what was here or there from one decade to another, and trust me time just races away from you.”
Organizers specifically are hoping for photographs they can scan and house in a digital and hardcopy collection for future research purposes, and to share with people during the Riverwalk Festival.
Those who want to learn more about how to help can get in touch with Sampson at the museum by calling 678-764-5201.
Anyone who wants to visit the museum can do so from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays.
For vigorous plant growth, water conservation and better disease control, dripwatering systems are hard to beat.
Drip watering systems are tremendous for home gardeners. They cut water consumption by onehalf or more – a big advantage with the rising cost of water.
Drip systems range from the very simple and inexpensive, to complex systems costing hundreds. They all have one thing in common: they use water efficiently by allowing it to seep slowly into the soil only where it is needed – around plant roots. There is no water runoff or evaporation, which can account for up to 50 percent of water loss with sprinkler systems.
Most vegetables have a root zone from 12 to 18 inches deep. With overhead sprinklers, there is so much water runoff and evaporation that deep roots may go without needed moisture even when they are watered regularly.
Another big advantage of drip watering over sprinkler systems is disease control. Wet foliage, especially at night, develops funguses and leaf diseases like powdery mildew. Drip watering eliminates this problem by applying water directly into the soil, well beneath plant leaves.
There are two basic ways to install a drip system. The best method is to run an underground line from the water source to the garden area. Then run drip hoses from the main line to drip hoses in each bed or row. Using twin-walled drip hoses will allow you to run longer lengths of hose without losing pressure along the way somewhere.
The alternative is simply to run a garden hose from the water source to the garden area and hook it to a drip hose. This method requires more labor because the main hose must be moved from bed to bed for watering, but it is the least expensive form of drip watering.
For more information on drip irrigation, contact the Polk County Extension office at 770-749-2142 or uge2233@uga.edu.