Monday, January 20, 2020: Last weekend was a very busy weekend as I spent Saturday morning marching arm in arm with Mayor Russ Carpenter, City Councilman Robbie Ward and other dignitaries in the second annual Richmond Hill Martin Luther King, Jr., (MLK) parade.
Rep. Carter at the Richmond Hill Martin Luther King Jr Day Parade |
Leading the parade, which was sponsored by the Bryan County Branch of the NAACP, was grand marshal Donald Singleton, a Vietnam War veteran. Later in the day, I headed to Hortense in Brantley County for a community cook out hosted by Ronnie DeLoach, brother of my good friend, Darien Mayor Bubba Hodges. I was honored to address the gathering and return thanks for the feast complete with roasted oysters and a low country boil. Afterwards, I headed to St. Simons Island in Glynn County where I, along with about 1,200 other supporters, attended the St. Simons Land Trust Oyster Roast in beautiful Gascoigne Bluff Park. While the weather and setting were beautiful for this annual event, the real benefits were the proceeds raised to support the mission of the Land Trust which is to preserve the island’s natural and scenic character. On Sunday afternoon, I was back on St. Simons Island as I attended the 20th Annual “A Taste of Glynn” fundraising and culinary event that benefits the Glynn Community Crisis Center/Amity House, which serves victims of domestic violence and their children. This morning, I participate in one of my favorite events of the year, the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade in downtown Savannah.
Rep. Carter at the Savannah Martin Luther King Jr. Parade |
For the 41st year, this annual event is one of the most anticipated gatherings in the area and is led this year by Maxine Patterson, who has taught young dancers in Savannah for over 50 years, and Lt. John A. White, one of the original nine African American police officers to serve the city with the Savannah Police Department. Although the temperature was low, the enthusiasm was high as thousands of onlookers lined the streets of downtown Savannah to honor the life and legacy of one of our country’s greatest leaders. Afterwards, I have a great meeting with my good friend, retired Bible Baptist Church Senior Pastor Rev. Herbert Hubbard, who is continuing his great ministry now with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. Rev. Hubbard shares with me information on his latest project, “A Place To Dream,” a program that provides beds to families in the Savannah community.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020: I’m at Richmond Hill Middle School in Bryan County this morning to award this year’s winner of the Congressional App Challenge, 6th grader Austin Marlow, in front of his teacher, Ms. Thompson, Principal William McGrath and his fellow students. Austin’s winning submission is called Quik-Med, an app that allows you to store medical information on your phone. After our weekly district staff conference call, I head to Hinesville in Liberty County where I have the honor of being the guest speaker at the Hinesville Rotary Club.
Rep. Carter at the Hinesville Rotary Club Meeting |
Next, I head to Brunswick in Glynn County where I visit FirstLight Home Care, a local franchise business owned by Eric Friedrich, an Air Force Veteran and member of the Air Force Reserves. I am cosponsoring legislation, the Veteran Entrepreneurs Act, that provides a tax credit of up to $400,000 for 25% of the initial franchise fee paid by an eligible veteran for the purchase of a franchise, to help veterans start their own franchise business. My next stop is at Grace House in downtown Brunswick, a safe place for women to grow in sobriety and learn to live self-sufficiently. This beautiful house that was formerly a funeral home currently has 14 beds that are open to anyone who has the willingness to live clean and sober. Next, I head to our Brunswick office where I meet with a constituent about vaping and she shares with me the story of her son who almost died as a result of a vaping incident.
Rep. Carter with Cub Scout Pack 227 |
Afterwards, I head to St. Simons Island where I speak to Cub Scout Pack 227 and discuss climate change and conservation before barreling up I-95 in order to make it to the Navy League meeting in Savannah where I present a copy of the tribute that I made on the House floor to Tom Wright, a long-time Navy League member who passed recently. During the drive up on I-95 I have a conference call with a student who recently relocated from Ft. Stewart to Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, for a school project she is working on.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020: I’m in our Savannah district office this morning as I have the pleasure of presenting Vic Powers a copy of the tribute that I made in his honor on the House floor recently. Vic retired at the end of the year and closed his business, Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub. I thoroughly enjoyed spending some time with Vic and hearing stories about Kevin Barry’s, a Savannah landmark for many years.
Rep. Carter at Charles Ellis Montessori Academy |
Next, I head to Charles Ellis Montessori Academy in midtown Savannah where I speak to a combined class of 4th and 5th graders to talk about how youth can participate in our community today to help create a better future. I am excited to be at Charles Ellis today, not only because I love interacting with students, but also because the school holds a special place in my heart as my mother was the school secretary here for over 20 years. Afterwards, I head back to our district office as I meet with a constituent who has recently been paralyzed and is concerned with increasing accessibility in the area for citizens with paralysis, before heading to Plant McIntosh in Effingham County to learn about their work to remove coal ash from the plant. After a great visit, we leave the plant that is located at the end of Ebenezer Road on the Savannah River, the most northeastern part of the First Congressional District, and drive for almost four hours to Valdosta in Lowndes County, which is the most southwestern part of the district where I have a meeting with community leaders from the area.
Thursday, January 23, 2020: I wake up in Valdosta early this morning and head to Grimmway Enterprises Carrot House in Lake Park, to tour their packing facility and learn more about this 22,000-acre farm that grows carrots and other vegetables.
Rep. Carter tours Grimmway Enterprises Carrot House |
The company ships carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, blueberries and watermelons from this facility. Headquartered in Bakersfield, California, the company has been in business for over 50 years and added this farm last year to their vast holdings in the U.S. Afterwards, I head to the Valdosta United Way headquarters to tour their facilities and learn more about the work they are doing in the region before heading to Jesup in Wayne County where I have the honor of addressing the Jesup Rotary Club at their weekly meeting. Following a meeting with my good friend, Jesup Mayor David Earl Keith, I head to Ludowici in Long County to meet with Sheriff Craig Nobles and offer my condolences to the Sheriff’s department personnel as they lost one of their own, Deputy Sheldon Whiteman, in a car crash during a high speed chase early this morning.
Rep. Carter at the Jesup Rotary Club Meeting |
Once back in Savannah, I have a meeting with the Chatham County Republican Committee before heading to Richmond Hill in Bryan County where I speak to Boy Scout troop 400 and speak to them about what my work entails in Congress and how I got involved in public service.
Friday, January 24, 2020: After attending a packed Band of Brothers bible study in Garden City this morning, I head to the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) in downtown Savannah where I meet with my good friend, Dr. Todd Groce, to learn more about their latest expansion project, the renovation and expansion of Hodgson Hall. Afterwards, I film this week’s edition of Buddy’s Briefings at the GHS, before heading to Rincon in Effingham County for a meeting with new Effingham Chamber of Commerce CEO Andy Cripps. Later, I have a conference call with Camden County Administrator Steve Howard, Commission Chairman Jimmy Starline and Vice Chairman Gary Black as they bring me up to date on the Spaceport project. My final commitment of a very busy week is a special one as I attend the 16th Annual Opportunity Award Gala at Savanah Technical College where my long-time friend, Kevin “Catfish” Jackson, is honored as this year’s recipient. I can think of no one more deserving of this award as “Catfish” has been, and continues to be, a true blessing in our community. |
