State Senate Commends Holman

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State Senator Blake Tillery recognized Howard Holman for his service to the community during the weekly Kiwanis Club of Vidalia meeting on Tuesday, June 11, as Tillery presented Holman with an official Senate Resolution.

According to Tillery, this recognition has been in the making for two years, as the resolution was passed by the State Senate in 2022, but a major health crisis prevented Holman from receiving the honor. “We tried to do this almost two years ago, but Howard tried to go die on us. Luckily, he did not and recovered amazingly,” Tillery told the Club. “There is not a person in our midst who continued from page

has been involved in everything community service wise in our community like Howard. Because of that, before he even got sick, we proposed a resolution before the Georgia Senate to recognize all the ways he has given.”

The state senator shared the numerous ways in which Holman has impacted the community through his service, highlighting the fundraising and leadership campaigns which Holman led for the Sweet Onion Classic Golf Tournament, Boys and Girls Club, Vidalia City Schools Athletics program, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, and Greater Vidalia Chamber. He also told the Club about Holman’s previous honors, which included the Vidalia Citizen of the Year, Sweet Onion Citizen of the Year, and Hixson Awards.

Yet, Holman’s greatest accomplishment came within the past two years, as he led the fundraising campaign for the renovation of the Dr. Mark and Tonya Spivey Public Library. “About two years ago, we started a plan to redo our library. It would not have happened – we were on a three-year plan, but because of folks like Howard and the ones we were able to pull in and co-opt, it was,” Tillery said.

He continued, “If a community doesn’t have that type of person, then the things that we’ve been able to accomplish simply do not get done. It is my honor to present him with this resolution.”

The resolution served to “commend [Holman] for his unselfish, dedicated, and loving service to the members of this community,” as it stated that he had “dedicated numerous hours of his time and energy to the community of Vidalia.”

Tillery concluded, “Thank you so much for everything you have done for Vidalia.”

Holman then addressed the club, as he remarked, “I am so grateful. I got a lot of recognition for raising money for the library, but the truth is when I asked people about donating, most people wanted to do it.”

He recognized Kiwanis Club members Wendall Dixon, Blake Tillery, Pat Dixon, Rebekah Arnold, Missy Owens, Brian Bishop, Cameron Asbell, Barry Dotson, and Charles Andrew for their help in the project. “There were so many people that were involved with this library renovation, and around 80% of them are Kiwanians. For those that wonder what kind of club we are, don’t wonder very long, because we have a bunch of great people,” he commented. “Thank y’all so much for this wonderful, wonderful honor. I am greatly appreciative.”