The Tifton Gazette offers a round of applause to the following groups, organizations and individuals in Tift County.

Tiftarea Academy Panthers baseball team

Though they fell short of making it to the top 4, the Tiftarea Academy Panthers baseball team has had a heck of a year by any measure.

Last year, the team went 8-16, losing twice as many games as they won.

This year, the team went 21-8, winning more than twice as many games as they lost.

After pushing a best of three series to the third game, the Panthers team ended its season.

Now it takes to the summer, with players taking to travel teams and the Panthers team getting together for a few games.

The team is losing zero players to graduation, so next year they’ll be back.

Georgia Chamber of Commerce

With the opening of its first rural office in Tifton, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce is making a statement.

Too often, the focus of state legislation is on Atlanta and surrounding areas, ignoring the rural areas.

But Georgia business expands in every direction across the state from Atlanta.

Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark listed several challenges rural areas are facing in the state: the opioid epidemic, rising poverty rates, racial issues, growing income inequality.

Serious problems, but not insurmountable.

“Someone asked me the other day how committed we are,” said Clark, speaking before the ribbon cutting for the office. “We bought a building and we’re moving in.”

Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage

The Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage recently celebrated its 20th year.

The museum hosts weekly and monthly classes, as well as exhibits throughout the year.

The next planned exhibit is the Woodturners Exhibit, July 15-30.

Gabriele K. Willis

U.S. Air Force Airman Gabriele K. Willis recently graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Willis is the son of Dina Willis of Tifton and a 2010 graduate of Tift County High School.

Every one who signs up to defend our country deserves our thanks and we thank him.

ABAC Stallions tennis team

The Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Stallions wrapped up their 2017 tennis season by finishing third nationally.

The Stallions secured the rank after winning one singles flight at the NJCAA national tennis tournament in Plano, Texas, Friday, and finishing in another.

ABAC totaled 35 points, according to official results.

ABAC’s individual winner was Yohan Nguyen, who finished on top in Flight 2. He defeated Jorge Martinez of Tyler Junior College, 6-4, 7-5 in his last match.

It was a hard fought season for the team and one they ended well.

Graduates

As Tift County High graduates get ready to join the graduates from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Tiftarea Academy in walking across the stage and celebrating the end of one journey and the start of another, we want to pause and congratulate them all.

Nothing worth achieving is easy, and graduating is certainly on that list.

Take a moment to savor and reflect before tackling the next thing.