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Jones Lake Improvements Dedication opens BPC campus for summer fun

Gary Campbell (left), chair of the BPC Board of Trustees, and Gary Braddy (right) unveil the plaque to the new Braddy Boardwalk and Gazebo at the dedication ceremony April 17.

By Kelley M. Arnold

Interim Director of Marketing

MOUNT VERNON—Members of Brewton-Parker College’s Half Century Club and Gary Braddy of Montgomery County, a BPC trustee, and other major contributors to the Jones Lake improvements were honored April 17 during a lakeside Improvements Dedication Ceremony on the Mount Vernon campus.

BPC Trustee Shep Johnson leads the dedicatory invocation.

The Half Century Club, members include those who graduated from BPC at least 50 years ago, began the project to improve the lake on the campus last year. Thanks to the generosity of these members and Braddy, who helped drain and scrape the lake, and others who contributed time, effort and fiscal donations, Jones Lake will continue to be a place of rest, reflection and fun for the BPC community. The lake was named for Jeofry Jones, a former BPC trustee.

Improvements include an entertainment pavilion, the Half Century Club Landing, the Braddy Boardwalk and Gazebo, a boathouse and paddle boats. The area is also outfitted with wireless internet service. The area is open to public use through the Office of the President.

Hilda Beaufort Brackett, left, president of the Half Century Club, unveils the plaque designating the new boathouse area as the Half Century Club Landing with the assistance of Dr. David Smith,

Hilda Beaufort Brackett, president of the Half Century Club, unveiled the plaque designating the new boathouse area as the Half Century Club Landing with the assistance of Dr. David Smith, BPC president. Braddy unveiled the plaque for the new Braddy Boardwalk and Gazebo with the assistance of Gary Campbell of Vidalia, chairman of the BPC Board of Trustees. The event was held in coordination with the college’s Board of Trustees meeting on campus this day.

The four new paddleboats were donated by the following individuals: the “Miss Jackie”, Jackie Smith (wife of President Smith); the “Miss Cindy”, Dr. Cindy Skaruppa (vice president for enrollment services); the “M.O. Thompson”, Maranda Baird (wife of Doug Baird, vice president for college advancement) in honor of her father, the late M.O. Thompson of Ailey; the “It’s 1 O’clock Somewhere”, in honor of the “1 O’clock Lunch Bunch”, a group of BPC employees who eat together in the Residential Restaurant at 1 p.m. The group includes Lynn Addison, Prof. Zeke Addison, Dr. Bill Faw, Karl Hay, Dr. Chris Jones, Prof. Gareth Jones, Dr. Ron Melton, Keith Rudolph, Dr. Jon Shuman, Ruth Underwood and Bob Sanford.

Brewton-Parker College is the only accredited four-year Christian college in south Georgia. Affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention, the college holds classes on its main campus in Mount Vernon and six external learning centers around the state, including Baxley, Glennville, Liberty County, Newnan, Norman Park and Savannah.

BPC Trustee Nadine Lang (right) serves a BPC student during the Trustee-served picnic luncheon April 17, which was part of the day’s celebration.

One of the new paddleboats, “It’s 1 O’clock Somewhere”.

Brewton-Parker College family and friends gathered for the Jones Lake Improvements Dedication Ceremony April 17 on the Mount Vernon campus. (Photos by Chasity Davis)

BPC students enjoy a lakeside picnic lunch. The Braddy Boardwalk and Gazebo is visible in the background.

BPC Trustees served a “Southern-Fried” picnic lunch beside Jones Lake April 17. The pavilion where the trustees are standing is outfitted with wireless internet for student study convenience and future event hosting.

The donors of the four new paddleboats help "christen" the vessels with water balloons. From left before the ceremony begins are: Dr. Cindy L. Skaruppa (the "Miss Cindy"), Maranda Baird (the "M.O. Thompson), Jackie Smith (the "Miss Jackie") and Lynn Addison (the "It's 1 O'clock Somewhere").

-BPC-