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Have you every
wondered what is so special about this town? My grandmother used to
say "if a person ever drinks water from the
Tallapoosa River they will be drawn back to it." It dawned on
me that she was right. From
Tallapoosa I went to Wadley, Alabama to go to college. Wadley
is situated on the Tallapoosa River where the river stretches on its
way down through Tallapoosa County and around
Horseshoe Bend where
Andrew Jackson
battled the Creek Indians on his way to fight the British in New
Orleans in the War of 1812. The
Tallapoosa River winds
and grows wider as it joins the Coosa to form the
Alabama River and the flow to
Mobile Bay. I
thought of how when I lived in Montgomery I was drinking water from
the Tallapoosa River. I moved back to
Georgia in
1985 and began visiting Tallapoosa and again drinking water from the
Tallapoosa River and plan to until you all bury me. I hope it is
after I am 98 years old and am married to an
Atlanta Falcons
Cheerleader. I began to realize a long time ago what a wonderful
place Tallapoosa is. A college friend from Phenix City, Alabama came
home with me one weekend and on the drive back to school he
commented that "Tallapoosa is as close to Mayberry as I've ever
been." I took that as a very high compliment. Mayberry like
Tallapoosa was filled with memorable characters. Mayberry like
Tallapoosa was a place where people were kind and wonderful
neighbors. Mayberry like Tallapoosa was a great place to grow up.
Tallapoosa police officer Raymond Ballew unlike Barney Fife is
required to have more than one bullit. Tallapoosa like Mayberry is a
safe place. Our town knows how to have a celebration. Last
September's 150th birthday was a huge success. The Possum Drop on
New Year's Eve
is becoming a grand event where families can gather and ring in the
new year. This weekend's Dogwood Festival has always been a terrific
gathering of families, food, and fun. It is also a homecoming for
many people as a number of people who grew up here come home to the
place like me they love the best. I've lived in Marietta for 26
years, 7 years in Montgomery, 3 years in Asheville, and a couple of
years in Columbus but I have only had one hometown. I was once
asked by someone why I had this deep seeded love for Tallapoosa.
"You didn't grow up there, you wouldn't understand," was my reply.
One person who did love our town a great deal and served as the
mayor of Tallapoosa was Emil Laminack who passed away a in late
March. Emil was active in politics and spent a number of years going
to the Gold Dome for the General Assembly and served in a support
role. His brother in law was my Uncle Jack Meunier who told me that
Emil was a good man to emulate. Emil's daughter Lynn was about my
age and we used to play together as children. One day my mother told
me that Lynn had something called
leukemia and
was very sick. Lynn died before she got to enjoy riding a bicycle,
going to a school dance, a prom or graduation. I never forgot Lynn
and have for over 20 years have served the
Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society in raising over $3.5 millions dollars for research to
put an end to one of the top killers of children. Back in the late
1950's the cure rate was about 31 percent. Today it is over 69%. You
can join me in the fight against cancers of the blood by supporting
the 19th Annual Rhubarb Jones Celebrity Golf Classic set for
Monday, May 2nd at the Country Club of the South in
Alpharetta. Over the years Charlie Daniels,
Randy Owen,
Jeff Foxworthy, Montgomery Gentry, John Berry have served as the
honorary chairman for the event. This year the legendary coach of
the Georgia Bulldogs
Vince Dooley is serving as our chairman. If you'd like to
know more go to
www.rhubarbjones.com.
Rhubarb Jones is a Tallapoosa native
and a member of the administrative faculty at
Kennesaw State University.
Comments are welcome at P.O. Box 1001
Tallapoosa, GA 30176
or via email at
rhubarbjones@aol.com
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