Take the plunge

Published 12:00 pm Saturday, December 28, 2019

As the holiday season leads to the end of the year, we encourage all our readers to consider end-of-the-year giving.

Our area is blessed with non-profit organizations that offer help and assistance to those who need it, but they can’t do it without a little help from us.

The Tiftarea YMCA’s Polar Bear Plunge offers a quick, easy way to donate to some of our local charities. Contestants are raising money for charitable organizations, to be capped off by taking a cold water plunge on Jan. 1.

Donations are accepted at the Tiftarea YMCA, located at 1657 S. Carpenter Road and on the YMCA’s website at www.tiftareaymca.org.

Contestants and their charities include:

• Called to Care — Andy Ring.  Called to Care is a faith-based organization that seeks to “ease the suffering of vulnerable children domestically and abroad by engaging and equipping the body of Christ in our community to minister through adoption, foster care and missions.”

• Tiftarea YMCA — Jason Bishoff. The Tiftarea YMCA is for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. It works to build strong kids, strong families and a strong community.

• Meals on Wheels — Bret Wagenhorst. The Meals on Wheels program provides a hot lunch delivered to homebound or limited-mobility seniors with nutritional needs five days a week.

• The Soup Kitchen — Heather Johnson. The Soup Kitchen provides food for people who need it in Tift County.

• Patticake House — Wingate Whitley. The Patticake House is a child advocacy center which provides forensic interviews for children who have been suspected of having been severely physically abused, sexually abused and/or have witnessed severe family violence.

• Ruth’s Cottage — Mike Beeman. Ruth’s Cottage is a domestic violence program which includes an emergency shelter for women and children, a 24/7 crisis line and legal advocates who provide assistance with applying for temporary protective orders, doing lethality assessments and developing safety plans.

• Urban Elevation — Clint Hurst

Urban Elevation’s mission is to “equip, encourage, and empower Godly leaders in urban communities,” according to its website. “Our Vision is to develop youth in high risk situations to become Christ followers who have an impact on our city for generations to come.”

• Tiftarea Greenways Association — Paul Horst. The Tiftarea Greenways Association “fosters a healthy Tift Area through the creation and safe use of quality bicycle and pedestrian networks and greenways,” according to its website.

• H-3 Center — Todd Garner. The H-3 Center exists to bring healing, hope and help to Tift County and surrounding communities.

• Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence — Andrew Marzen. The TCFEE is a private, non-profit foundation dedicated to fostering excellence in the Tift County (Georgia) Public School System.