Historical Society Hopes To Expand Its Services

By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor

Joy Odom, with the Dade County Historical Society, spoke about the Historical Society’s efforts to become a research center for genealogy, during the Dade County weekly update on Thursday, Oct. 21.

“We have free access to Ancestry.com, and we can show you how to use it. We also have a number of family histories in Dade County that we would be happy to show you,” Odom said.

The Historical Society is also trying to become a local history center museum. If anyone knows information about events that have happened, or if they have collections of items, newspaper clippings, or old pictures, please contact the Historical Society.

The Historical Society has a scanner, so any pictures or newspaper clippings can be scanned, and returned to the owners.

“We are trying to have a good set of things so people can look up anything they are interested in,” Odom said.

There are volunteers at the Dade County Library every Tuesday, but if Tuesday is not a good day for someone, the members of the Historical Society can make a special appointment time.

“We are willing to help you in any way we can in knowing more about your history and the county’s history,” Odom said.

Odom also spoke about the Wreaths Across America program.

“It is the national effort to see that every year, all veterans have a wreath placed on their graves, particularly those that are in national cemeteries,” Odom explained.

Volunteers are needed to help put wreaths on the graves, and contributions are needed as well.

For the past few years, the Dade County Historical Society, American Legion Post 106 and American Legion Post 106 Auxiliary have made sure that each known Dade County veteran has a wreath on their grave.

The deadline for wreaths is Nov. 1. The wreaths will be placed on the graves in Chattanooga National Cemetery on Dec. 18.

For more information about Wreaths Across America, contact Gail Moore Hedden at (423) 987-3713

In other news, County Executive Ted Rumley noted that concrete should be poured this week at the storm shelter site at the Dade County Sports Complex.

“We will also be breaking ground at the South Dade facility. As far as the Davis location goes, we have some clearing to do out there, and hopefully the following week we can get things laid out,” Rumley said. “We are trying to get all the sites ready.”

Road work on Hales Gap Road, done by Talley Construction, is scheduled to begin this week. After Hales Gap is finished, work will start on Burkhalter Gap Road.

There are multiple upcoming events happening in the county. The Dade EXPO – Jolly Holidays, Light Up Trenton, and All I Want for Christmas Parade events are on Saturday, Dec. 4. The Dade County Sheriff’s Office Hope for the Holidays applications must be turned in by Nov. 24. Applications can be picked up at the Sheriff’s Office during business hours.

Dade County has seen 38 cases in the past two weeks, for a total of 1,793 COVID-19 cases. The number of cases can be found at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report.

Rumley encouraged everyone to get their booster shots sooner rather than later, because there may be lines to do so, like there was in the beginning when vaccines were first available.

According to a Georgia Department of Public Health press release, health districts throughout Georgia will begin offering booster doses of both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson this week, pending guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For individuals who received a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at six months or more after their initial two doses: 65 years and older, and those who are 18 and older who live in long-term care settings, who have underlying medical conditions and/or who work or live in high-risk settings.

For people who received the Jonson & Johnson vaccine, booster shots are recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.

The weekly county update is broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube on Thursdays at 3 p.m.