Deputies asking for assistance to find missing teen girl from Fannin County
News December 10, 2020
BLUE RIDGE, GA – Sheriff’s deputies in Georgia are requesting assistance from the public in helping locate a missing teenage girl. She could be in several locations.
Hayleigh Willingham was last seen in early December 2020 and is registered as a missing juvenile with the Fannin County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities have reason to believe Hayleigh might be in the company of a juvenile male and the two might be in the Blairsville or Murphy areas of Georgia.
According to her mother, she might also be in Roswell with a man who goes by “So Lo.” She might be linked to a 2004 tan Mercedes Benz.
If you know of Hayleigh’s whereabouts, please contact the Fannin County Sheriff’s Department at (706) 632-6022.
The NEW FYN Classifieds
Community, Featured Stories March 5, 2019
The NEW FYN Classifieds
www.Classifieds.FetchYourNews.com
The NEW FYN Classifieds making it easy to buy, sell, and trade 24/7. You can place an ad online in just a few clicks. Place an ad and find what you’re looking for.
Garage sales, services, realestate, cars, boats, clothes……….
Visit the new FYN Classifieds where you can buy, sell and trade with your community.
www.Classifieds.FetchYourNews.com
2019 Night to Shine – A night unlike any other
Community February 9, 2019
There is one night a year when stars above look down in awe. Friday, February 8, 2019, was that special night.
Excitement filled the air as paparazzi and crowds gathered for the red carpet event hosted by First United Methodist Church of Union County (FUMC) in Blairsville. Honored guests from Fannin, Gilmer, and Union counties in Georgia and Cherokee County, SC, would soon arrive.
On this “Night to Shine”, 108 Kings and Queens in their finest attire were escorted through the cheering crowd by students from Young Harris College, volunteers from FUMC, and from the community. Just the beginning of a very special evening for memories to last a lifetime.
The royal guests were delighted to be pampered by hairdressers or to have their shoes shined before heading off on a thrilling ride in a stretch limousine. Then it was time for dancing, what many attendees had been looking forward to and so they danced the night away.
As the evening came to a close each King and Queen received a gift bag along with a t-shirt commemorating the event.
Former NFL quarterback, Heisman winner, and current New York Mets outfielder, Tim Tebows’ Night to Shine is now in its 5th year. According to the Tim Tebow Foundation website, this special night’s history began in 2014 with a simple vision, “work with churches around the country to provide an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love for people with special needs, ages 14 and older.”
In 2015, the first Night to Shine was held with help from 15,000 volunteers among 44 participating churches in 26 states and 3 countries to make 7,000 honored guests feel like royalty. In 2019 the event now has over 600 churches from around the world to make a memorable event for an estimated 100,000 Kings and Queens with the help of 200,000 volunteers!
This is the second year First United Methodist Church of Union County hosted the event.
Information about sponsoring a 2020 attendee, volunteering or the mission of Tim Tebow foundation can be found online: www.timtebowfoundation.org
Churches wishing to join in the “worldwide movement celebrating God’s love for people with special needs and the value of life” can find more information about hosting, fundraising and financial grants on the website.
Giggles, laughter and smiling faces beaming with pure joy were, without question no match for the heavenly stars on this “Night to Shine”.
FetchYourNews.com attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month for ad server. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 to 60,000 per week Facebook page reach. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or visit [email protected]
FYN’s Valentine’s Day Giveaway on Facebook
Community January 29, 2019
What is your favorite love song?
FYN’s Valentine’s Day Giveaway!
FYN & local businesses have put together a basket to make your Valentine’s Day Special.
Thank you to:
Ellijay’s Hometown Florist- $50 Gift Card & Valentine’s Vase
River Street Tavern- $25 Gift Card
Tea Tree’s Boutique Spa- Aroma Therapy Massage
GTC Mountain Cinemas- 2 Movie Tickets
Carrington Coffee-.$20 Gift Card
To Enter
1. Leave a reply the Facebook post CLICK HERE and answer “What is your favorite love song?”
2. LIKE, SHARE & FOLLOW Facebook.com/Fetch.YourNews
Entries must be in by 2/11/19
The winner will be announced by BKP on GMFTO
On Wed 2/13/19 @ 8:30AM
Weather Summary for 2018
Community, Outdoors January 28, 2019
Weather Summary for 2018
By: Eddie Ayers, County Extension Agent
Back in December and already this year there’s been a lot of talk about how wet it’s been in the last year and while I agree with the comments I’ve been getting, I thought I’d do a little investigating and use facts to report on the weather of 2018. My data is coming from the UGA AEMN area weather stations.
The Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (AEMN) in Georgia was established in 1991 by the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The objective of the AEMN is to collect reliable weather information for agricultural and environmental applications. Each station monitors air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, wind speed, wind direction, soil temperature at 2, 4, and 8 inch depths, atmospheric pressure, and soil moisture every 1 second. Data are summarized at 15 minute intervals and at midnight a daily summary is calculated. A microcomputer at the Georgia Experiment Station initiates telephone calls to each station periodically and downloads the recorded data. The data are processed immediately and disseminated via the internet at www.weather.uga.edu.
We are fortunate to have three reporting stations in our area. They are Hillcrest Orchards in Ellijay, Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge and the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center in Blairsville. For the purpose of this article, data has been averaged, but you can visit the web site and get more details and up to the minute weather.
Since rain has been the topic of conversation lately, let’s look at that first. In Blairsville, the total rainfall for 2018 was 76.01 inches and there were 164 rainy days. In Blue Ridge, the rainfall was 74.89 inches and 185 rainy days. In Ellijay there was 79.12 inches of rain and 168 rainy days. The average for our area is around 62 inches, but the statistic that stands out is the number of rainy days. During rainy days the plants did not receive good sunlight and that affects plant growth.
In looking at the month of December in 2018 Blairsville received 10.96 inches of rain and 17 rainy days. Blue Ridge received 11.21 inches of rain and 17 rainy days. Ellijay received 10.92 inches of rain and 17 rainy days. This may seem like a lot of rain, but back in 2015 Blairsville got 13.35 inches of rain with 13 rainy days. Blue Ridge got 16.57 inches of rain with 16 rainy days. Ellijay got 16.04 inches of rain with 17 rainy days. 2015 was not that long ago, but it seems we have gotten more rain lately. It might be the number of rainy days that is making us think we are getting more rain that we actually are getting.
As for temperatures the average maximum temperature in Blairsville was 68.53 and the minimum was 47.26. The overall average was 57.23 which is about normal, but the number of days below 32 was 761 which is up from before, but below 2015. In Blue Ridge the average maximum temperature was 68.12 and the minimum was 48.46 and the overall average was 57.59, which is also about normal. The number of days below 32 was 699 which is up from before, but also below 2015. In Ellijay the average maximum temperature was 69.17 and the minimum was 48.81 with an overall average of 58.48 which is about normal. The number of days below 32 was 625 which is above earlier years except for 2015.
In conclusion the UGA weather stations are a great resource for information that provide facts about our weather conditions and now when people ask if it’s ever been this wet, you have the facts to say yes. If you need more information or different facts, visit the website and explore, or contact me in the Gilmer County UGA Extension office.
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GMFTO: Pet of the Week!
Community December 10, 2018
You don’t want to miss this week’s Pet of the Week! Watch below.
Navy Seabees celebrate 77th birthday at 4th Annual Ball
Community, Lifestyle March 3, 2019
Island Cmr Keith Hunter
Navy Seabee Veterans of America (NSVA) Island X-3 CDR EA1 (SCW) Blairsville gathered to celebrate the 77th birthday of Navy Seabees at North Georgia Technical College’s Ballroom in Blairsville. Tickets for the March 1st ballroom event were sold out, according to Ed Crenshaw, Event Co-ordinator.
Left to Right: Emery, Hunter, Crenshaw
The Seabee Ball began the evening ceremonies at 1815 by Island X-3 CDR EA1 Keith Hunter, USN-Ret. This was followed by an invocation from Chaplain CE1 (SCW) Richard Hoibraten, USN-Ret.
Posting of the Colors was provided by Mountain Area Christian Academy (MACA) JRROTC Cadets. The equivalent of a public high school ROTC program. MACA’s Elizabeth Lee, Danielle Mannellino, Tara Carroll, Mattie Coffey, Destiny Carroll, Danny Gonsalus, and Elijah Carroll participated.
Chaplain CE1 Richard Hoibraten
MACA JRROTC posts the colors
Highlights of the ball consisted of:
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Meaning of the Missing Man chair and table: Chaplain Richard Hoibraten, USN-Ret.
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“Amazing Grace”: Chief Warrant Officer Jerry Cannon on bagpipes.
CWO and Mrs Jerry Cannon
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Introduction of Special Guests: Clarance “Bud” Johnson and Tom Pike.
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History of Seabees: CMDCM (SCW) Neal Beard, USN-Ret.
Clarance “Bud” Johnson and Jack Pope- WWII Veterans
Johnson was a witness to the flag raising in Iwo Jima. He will celebrate his 97th birthday this week. Another WWII veteran, Jack Poke, was also in the audience enjoying the evening.
A silent auction, door prizes, military trivia, great food and appetizers were followed by DJ, Bill Grove.
Grove kept the attendees on the dance floor for the last two hours of the Ball with many of their favorite tunes ranging from the 1940’s to current hits.
It was a wonderful time of laughter and camaraderie by all who attended.
NSVA Island X-3 CDR EA1 (SCW) Blairsville is seeking new members. More information can be obtained by contacting Ed Crenshaw [email protected] or Keith Hunter [email protected].
(Please follow FetchYourNews on Facebook where you can view more pictures of the year’s event.)
Origin of SeaBees
FetchYourNews.com attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month for ad server. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 to 60,000 per week Facebook page reach. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or visit [email protected]
Tick tock, set your clock so you don’t miss the S.A.F.E. Kid’s Fishing Derby!
Community May 4, 2018
Saturday, May 19, 2018, is almost here, Towns and Union County families! Nottely Marina, located at 86 Doucette Circle in Blairsville, is the place to be. The Kid’s Fishing Derby starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. You don’t want to miss this end-of-the-school-year family event. Admission and parking are free. Parents must accompany their kids.
Win a prize for catching one of the biggest fish. You might also win if you catch the ugliest fish, the smallest fish or the prettiest fish. The fish are biting. Carp, perch, stripers and bream have been sighted at the marina. There will be on-shore fishing activities to entertain younger kids.
Buy a lunch plate, snacks and a beverage. Enter the raffles for a chance to win more lake fun. All proceeds benefit S.A.F.E. (Support in Abusive Family Emergencies).
Meet representatives from the Georgia Deparment of Natural Resources and Lake Nottely Improvement Association. No fishing permit is required in order to participate.
The S.A.F.E. Kid’s Fishing Derby is one of two events being sponsored by Nottely Marina. There will also be a S.A.F.E. Sail Into Sunset Cruise on Tuesday evening, June 19, 2018. Watch for details.
Says Nottely Marina Manager Moriah Doucette, “We want Towns and Union counties to know that S.A.F.E. is available and the services S.A.F.E. provides to our communities. We are more than happy to assist this necessary organization in any fundraising event.”
S.A.F.E. is grateful to the following businesses that are making these events possible: Save A Lot, Blairsville; Paradise Bait and Tackle; Nottely Marina; Mike’s Seafood; Men on the Move; Lake Chatuge Marine; Ingle’s, Blairsville and Hiawassee; Hughes General Store; Food Land; and Cook’s Country Kitchen.
Additional event sponsorships are welcome, and necessary! All proceeds benefit S.A.F.E. www.SAFEservices.org. Donations are tax deductible. To make an event donation, call or text 404-664-1328.
The Mission of S.A.F.E. (Support in Abusive Family Emergencies) is to provide support, advocacy, and emergency shelter to victims of domestic abuse, child abuse and sexual abuse, regardless of gender, and to heighten community awareness of such abuse in Towns and Union counties.
Fannin County Young Farmers Assoc. News Release
Community June 29, 2018
PRESENTS:
A Trip to
The Georgia Mountain Research Center in Blairsville
195 GA Mtn. Experiment Station Rd., Blairsville, GA 30512
For A Backyard Milk Goats Seminar
July 18, 10am – 12pm
We will leave from Fannin County High School at 9:00am if you would like to follow or ride.
The presentation will be by Pamela Barry, owner of Hidden Creek Farm, USDA Certified Grade A Goat Dairy and “Gucci,” Senior LaMancha dairy doe. Everything you need to know about the care and milking of dairy goats and the delicious and nutritious dairy products your family can enjoy by raising goats on a small scale. Milking and cheese making demo. GMRE Center auditorium and grounds.
Anyone interested is welcome to attend
Questions or For Additional Information or to Reserve a Seat email [email protected] or call 706-455-2545.
S.A.F.E. Kids Fishing Derby Results
Community May 30, 2018
Joshua Owens caught a Catfish and here he is holding his Carp.
A total of eight prizes were awarded including the top Four Largest Fish caught. Joshua Owens came in First Place by catching a 17 1/2″ 34.5 oz Carp. For his win, Joshua received a free half day fishing charter for one adult and two kids. This charter was provided by Jeremy Seabolt at Lake Nottely Fishing Charter.
Community comes to the aid of Open Arms
Community November 30, 2017
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – Tragedy brought to the forefront this week a charity that has rarely been spotlighted in our community. Some had heard of The Open Arms Home for Children, but because of the nature of the charity and the need for privacy, awareness of this cause is often overshadowed.
A fire devastated the Open Arms home late Sunday evening.
A call came in at 8:36 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26, that the home for Open Arms was on fire, and emergency responders rushed to the scene. All of the girls housed at the Open Arms facility, as well as the staff, were able to make it out safely, but the home and personal belongings were devastatingly damaged.
State investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set, and Captain Justin Turner with the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a juvenile was in custody. The investigation remains open as more details emerge about the fire.
Peter Knutzen, vice president of Open Arms, did confirm, “A couple of girls involved with the fire, that were in the home, are no longer in the home.”
As with many tragedies, there is a beautiful outpouring of support and love shown in the aftermath. This has been the case with the Open Arms disaster and the support of the community in the wake of the devastation.
“The first responders, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), DFACS (Division of Family and Children Services), and the general community of Blue Ridge and Blairsville and the surrounding area has done an incredible job of responding.” Knutzen began when questioned about the response of the community.
A photograph from 2010 posted to Open Arms Facebook page shows the excitement of the opening of the home. The caption reads, “The Open House at Open Arms. Finally!”
Wal-Mart of Blue Ridge helped the night of the fire with getting the girls the essentials needed for the following days. During their weekly luncheon, the Rotary Club of Blue Ridge, the Blue Ridge Lodging Association, as well as individuals and separate companies, announced monetary donations to be made to The Open Arms Home for Children.
Knutzen showed happiness as he recognized everyone coming together to support this cause. When talking about individuals who have offered help, Knutzen said, “Marines, guys that work with Toys for Tots, they’re going to go up and get everything out of the shed. Rakes, lawnmowers, everything that was not burnt and secure it.”
Knutzen, though deeply saddened by the recent events, displayed optimism when discussing the girls in their care and the future of Open Arms. “These girls are in crisis. They come from crisis. So for them, they are resilient in many ways. We have a wonderful group of girls with us right now,” Knutzen said.
As for how the girls are doing, Knutzen explained, “They feel let down because of what happened. The anxiety now is what happens next. We are assuring them, the best we can, that they are going to stay together. The girls find this home, the home they want to be at.”
Shortly after this interview, word did come from DFACS that the girls would be able to stay together, relieving one of the many obstacles to be faced in the process of rebuilding. In an update on the Open Arms Facebook page, the good news was announced:
“Thanks to DFACS, our girls will remain here together and will continue schooling and extra-cirricular activities in Fannin County. This is a true blessing and for sure an answer to our prayers.”
While the days, weeks, and months to come will be a struggle to this charity as they replace and rebuild, Open Arms would like to the community to know how much their continued support means and how grateful they are. “We have an incredible community that has, and always, responds to crisis,” Knutzen concluded.
If you would like to make a donation or learn more about The Open Arms Home for Children please visit their website at www.oahome.org. Donations can also be made at several locations in Blue Ridge and Blairsville. These locations include: United Community Bank (Main Branch), Blue Ridge Cotton Company and Gather (East Main Street, Blue Ridge), Blue Ridge Cotton Company (Blairsville), Harry Norman Realtors (West Main Street, Blue Ridge) and Old Toccoa Farms (Mineral Bluff).
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]
Author
*UPDATED* School Closings Due to Severe Weather Conditions
News September 11, 2017
- Union County Schools will be CLOSED Monday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 12th due to Gov. Nathan Deal declaring a state of emergency for all 159 counties in Georgia. Please continue to monitor here for further updates.
- Fannin County Schools will be closed for students and all personnel on Monday, September 11 and Tuesday, September 12, for students, as well as all faculty and staff, except for 12-month personnel, district directors, and principals. As long as it is safe to do so, all 12-month personnel, as well as district directors and principals, should anticipate reporting by 9:00 a.m. on September 12. These personnel should note, though, that this expectation may be revised, depending on the weather conditions overnight; nonetheless, if you ever believe it is unsafe to report, please notify your immediate supervisor. In addition, the Board of Education work session meeting that was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, has been cancelled. Please continue to stay safe!
- Pickens County Schools closed Monday, September 11th – TWELVE MONTH EMPLOYEES REPORT AT NORMAL TIME. Schools will also be closed on Tuesday, September 12. Twelve month employees will be contacted late Monday as to whether they will be required to come to work on Tuesday. All school activities, including athletic events and after-school programs, will be canceled.
- Gilmer County Schools will be closed Monday, September 11th and Sepember 12th due to Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds especially at higher elevations, debris, dangerous road conditions and downed power lines left in its wake. Only 12 month staff should report if safe to do so.
- Dawson County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, and Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Twelve month employees will operate on a 2 hour delay.
- Lumpkin County Schools closed due to the weather forecast for our area, Lumpkin County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, and Tuesday, September 12, 2017. The anticipated high winds pose a significant threat to our students and staff. We understand that weather predictions are not always accurate, but we cannot ignore the potentially dangerous situation that this storm poses. Our number one priority is to keep our students and staff safe! Wednesday will still be a early release day as planned so that teachers will be available for parent conferences. 12 month employees should report if it is safe to do so.
- Towns County Schools closed Monday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 12th for all students. All employees should report at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 12th if safe to do so.
- White County Schools due to the severe weather forecast, White County Schools are closed for students and staff Monday, September 11, and Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Please be safe!
- Murray County Schools closed Monday September 11 and Tuesday September 12, due to the possible impact of Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds, debris, dangerous road conditions, and downed power lines. We understand that weather predictions are often incorrect, but the size of this storm cannot be ignored. It is our hope that Murray County is spared from any of this storm’s impact, but we will always choose to error on the side of caution. All events planned for Monday and Tuesday evenings are also cancelled. This includes the September 11 MCPS Board meeting. This meeting will be rescheduled for Thursday, September 14 at 6:15 p.m. All maintenance, grounds crew, and transportation employees will meet at the transportation office.
Hurricane Irma prompts school closings in Georgia
News September 10, 2017
* Union County Schools will be CLOSED Monday, September 11th, 2017 due to Gov. Nathan Deal declaring a state of emergency for all 159 counties in Georgia. Please continue to monitor here for further updates.
- Fannin County Schools will be closed for students and all personnel on Monday, September 11.A great deal of consideration has been given to this decision. Governor Deal has us under a State of Emergency. Severe weather conditions, such as severe winds (especially at higher elevations), debris, dangerous road conditions, and downed power lines are all possible for our area beginning tomorrow(Monday) morning.Weather predictions are not always accurate, but this storm is massive and cannot be ignored. It is my hope that our community is spared from this, but it is better to err on the side of caution when safety is in question. Please stay safe!
- Pickens County Schools closed Jasper, Georgia — Due to inclement weather conditions,the Pickens County School District will be closed tomorrow, Monday, September 11th – TWELVE MONTH EMPLOYEES REPORT AT NORMAL TIME. Schools will also be closed on Tuesday, September 12. Twelve month employess will be contacted late Monday as to whether they will be required to come to work on Tuesday. All school activities, including athletic events and after-school programs, will be canceled. Information will be posted on the Pickens County School District website at www.pickenscountyschools.org, the Infinite Campus parent portal, district and school websites and social media sites, and sent to local media.
* Gilmer County Schools closed Release from Gilmer County School School Closed – Monday, September 11, 2017Gilmer County Schools will be closed Monday September 11 due to Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds especially at higher elevations, debris, dangerous road conditions and downed power lines left in its wake. We understand that weather predictions are not always accurate, but this storm is massive and cannot be ignored. It is our hope that our community is spared from the force of this storm, but we will always choose to err on the side of caution when our students’ safety is in question.
* Dawson County Schools Closed Based on information from the NWS, Dawson County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, 2017. Twelve month employees report.
* Lumpkin County Schools Closed Due to the weather forecast for our area, Lumpkin County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, 2017. The anticipated high winds pose a significant threat to our students and staff. We understand that weather predictions are not always accurate, but we cannot ignore the potentially dangerous situation that this storm poses. Our number one priority is to keep our students and staff safe! Decisions for future closings will be made as more information becomes available. Thank you for supporting Lumpkin County Schools!
* Towns County Schools will be closed Monday for all students and staff. A decision about Tuesday will be made tomorrow afternoon.
* White County Schools Closed Due to the severe weather forecast, White County Schools are closed for students and staff Monday, September 11, 2017. Please be safe!
* Murray County Schools Closed Murray County Schools will be closed Monday September 11 and Tuesday September 12, due to the possible impact of Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds, debris, dangerous road conditions, and downed power lines. We understand that weather predictions are often incorrect, but the size of this storm cannot be ignored. It is our hope that Murray County is spared from any of this storm’s impact, but we will always choose to error on the side of caution. All events planned for Monday and Tuesday evenings are also cancelled. This includes the September 11 MCPS Board meeting. This meeting will be rescheduled for Thursday, September 14 at 6:15 p.m. All maintenance, grounds crew, and transportation employees will meet at the transportation office.
Fannin Powerlifters Win National Titles
Uncategorized September 7, 2017
On June 23, 2017, a Fannin County weightlifting club traveled to Gainsville, Georgia for the 15th annual American Powerlifting Committee (APC) National Powerlifting Championships. The Banks Barbell powerlifting team, comprised of a few local student-athletes and adults, spent nearly four months preparing for the competition, with hopes of bringing trophies and national titles back to Blue Ridge. The team not only represented Fannin County with good sportsmanship and a competitive attitude; but they also succeeded in winning 1st-place in Full Powerlifting competition as well as Push-Pull competition.
Fannin County High School senior Bradley Flowers benches while coach Jason Banks looks on at the 2017 APC National Powerlifting Championships
The full powerlifting competition consists of three compound lifts: squat, bench and deadlift. Fannin County Rebel football players Bradley Flowers (Sr) and Keenan Putnam (Sr) chose to compete in the full meet and gave credit to their training in the recently updated FCHS weight room. “The school replaced all of the old gym equipment with some real nice Dynabody racks, bars and chains,” Flowers told TeamFYNSports. “It’s nice – like real nice – probably one of the nicest gyms I’ve ever seen.” On top of their training at the high school, Flowers and Putnam joined Banks Barbell Club in Blue Ridge to supplement their athletic training. “Basically we just wanted to get stronger,” Flowers said. “My older brothers started training there and both of them got a lot stronger real fast. They took me to a deadlift and squat workout and I was hooked.” The athletes asked Fannin County head football coach Jim Pavao if he would allow them to put in some extra training outside of the regular football scheduled workouts, and he encouraged it. “Coach [Pavao] said he’s all for it,” Flowers told FYN. “He told us anything we can do to get better in our spare time is fine as long as it’s positive and it doesn’t affect our training at the high school.”
The hard work put in both at the fieldhouse and their new gym paid off. Both Putnam and Flowers won their classes, earning national champion honors, and they managed to break some national and world records in the process.
Putnam finished the day with a 192.5kg (423.5-lbs) squat, 115kg (253-lb) bench and a 170kg (374-lb) deadlift for a 445kg (979-lb) total (his squat was a 4th attempt for record-breaking purposes only) and four Global Powerlifting Alliance (GPA) World Records. The performance also set the APC national records for the 110kg (220-lb) teen (16-17) class.
Fannin County sophomore Kayleigh Russell sets up for a sumo deadlift attempt at the 2017 APC National Powerlifting Championships.
Flowers finished the day with a 205kg (451-lb) squat, 147.5kg (324.5) bench and a 235kg (517-lb) deadlift for a 587.5kg (1,292.5-lb) total. He also now holds the GPA World Powerlifting records for squat, bench, deadlift and total in the teen (16-17) class, but in the 125kg (275-lb) weight division. In a nutshell, these kids are strong.
Fannin sophomore Kayleigh Russell, one of two females on the team, also had a huge day at the competition. Russell won the 75kg (165-lb) weight class in the open (all age groups) AND teen (15-16) division. She set new GPA world records with her 65kg (143-lb) squat, 35kg (77-lb) bench and 82.5kg (181.5-lb) deadlift for a 182.5kg (401.5-lb) total. She also competed on the Push-Pull team and her bench and squat were good enough to set new GPA world records in Push-Pull teen competition for bench, deadlift and total. Basically, Russell came home with top honors in four different classes and seven world records.
“I started powerlifting because I wanted to get stronger for softball,” Russell told FYN. Russell plays softball year-round, whether it be travel ball or with the Rebels varsity team at FCHS. She and her father, Justin Russell of Epworth, joined the club and began training together early in the year. Like Putnam and Flowers, Russell scheduled her supplemental training around the existing workouts she received on the softball field and in the high school weight-training class. “She wants to play college ball,” her father explained. “She’s willing to do what it takes to do that and we support her one hundred percent.”
Fannin senior Keenan Putnam pulls a successful deadlift at the 2017 APC National Powerlifting Championships.
Other lifters for the Banks Barbell team include Paige Collins-Rideout of Epworth, who won the women’s 45-49 age group in the 67.5kg (148.5-lb) weight class with an 80kg (176-lb) squat, 50kg (110-lb) bench and 100kg (220-lb) deadlift for a 230kg (506-lb) total. Rideout also won “Best Female Lifter” in the push-pull competition.
Matthew Rideout of Epworth won the men’s open 90kg (198-lb) weight class with a 152.5kg (335.5-lb) squat, 102.5kg (226-lb) bench and 192.5kg (423-lb) deadlift for a 447.5kg (984.5-lb) total.
Terry Brandon Flowers of Morganton narrowly took second place in his class (110kg/242-lb open) with a 212.5kg (467.5-lb) squat, 145kg (319-lb) bench and 227.5kg (500.5-lb) deadlift for a 585kg (1,287.5-lb) total. Flowers’ wife was 9-months pregnant at the time of the meet and he was uncertain if was going to compete. “Holli was about to have our baby at any day so I really didn’t plan to go,” Flowers told FYN. “I even lifted heavy all week before the meet. But the day of weigh-ins she told me we should go, so I went out and gave the best I could. I really just wanted to compete for my team.”
Jeremy Flowers of Morganton finished with a strong 2nd-place showing in the 110kg (242-lb) open class for push-pull. Flowers benched 160kg (352-lbs) and then barely failed on a third attempt of 180kg (396-lbs). All push-pull lifters later learned that the bar had been mis-loaded for their flight and they were actually lifting (or attempting) 5kg/11-lbs MORE than for what they received credit. Of those lifters was Jason Banks of Morganton.
Banks won “Best Overall Male” in push-pull competition and won the 125kg (275-lb) sub-master (35-39) class with a 215kg (474-lb) bench and a 290kg (640-lb) deadlift for a 505kg (1,114-lb) push-pull total. He broke the APC national records for bench, deadlift and total and he missed the GPA world record for raw bench press by 5kg (11lbs).
The team plans to compete later this year at the APC Salute the Troops meet November 4 in Commerce, Georgia; and several of the lifters will compete at the Body By George Monster Mania Push-Pull on December 2 in Loganville, Georgia.
