Welcome to the January/February 2008 edition of the Ridgdill Family Newsletter.  
We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I've been trying to get
everyone to send me their stories, photos, etc. (I did finally get a good recipe!), but
there's still been only four that's sent me anything.  The newsletter is still relatively
new, so hopefully, it will get better.  "Thanks" to all who have sent information.

Please send me your ideas, stories, photographs, etc.  We can include such things as
births/birthdays, engagement/wedding announcements, family reunions, vacations,
awards, graduations, deaths/obituaries (Heaven forbid), or anything else of interest;
whatever you'd like to see.  This is OUR newsletter.

Please remember this is a bi-monthly newsletter.  So, please get your information to
me in time to be included in the next edition.  As always, your feedback and
suggestions are appreciated.  Thanks, and Happy New Year.
The Ridgdill Family Newsletter
       "Intertangled, intertwined, I love my family, each & every vine!"
Jan/Feb 2008
              Rosie the Riveter
     Rosie the Riveter is a
cultural icon of the United
States representing the
six million women who
went to work in the manu-
facturing plants that pro-
duced munitions and mat-
erial during WWII.  These
women took the places of male workers
who were absent fighting in the Pacific and
European theaters.  Rosie and her slogan
were featured on posters, magazines, and
more.
    A promotional film featuring Rosie the
Riveter was made about the war effort at
home.  There was also a poster campaign,
and even a song titled "Rosie the Riveter,"
released in early 1943.  The films and
posters were used by the government to
encourage women to go to work in support
of the war effort.
    It is estimated that by 1944 the number
of women working in the factories had in-
creased to over 20 million.  Even though
conditions were sometimes poor, and their
pay less, women had quickly responded
to Rosie the Riveter who convinced them
it was their patriotic duty to enter the work
force.  Rosie may, perhaps, have forever
opened up the work force for women.
    In 1999, a U.S. Postage stamp was
issued featuring Rosie the Riveter.  On
October 14, 2000, the Rosie the Riveter/
WWII Home Front National Historical Park
was opened in Richmond, California.
    Recently, I learned our family has the
distinction, and honor, of having our own
"Rosie."  I was informed by Linda Poppell
Smith that her mother, Annie Ruth Ridgdill
Poppell, after graduating from high school
in 1943, went to work in Brunswick, and
later Savannah, to work on the Liberty
Ships.  She became an
overhead welder, and
today remains quite
proud of her contribu-
tion to the war effort, as
well she should be.  
Annie Ruth, we're all
very proud of you, too.
jmr                                              Annie Ruth, today.
Copyright Ridgdill Family History Research.  All rights reserved.
               Birthdays

Mary Ridgdill celebrated her 87th
birthday on New Years Day.  Mary
is the mother of Sandy Ridgdill
Livingston.

James Randolph "Jay" Akins, Jr.
celebrated his birthday on Jan.
1st.  Jay is the father of my grand-
son, Clay Akins.

Lori Denise Hendrix Dukes will
celebrate her birthday on Jan 2nd.
Her husband, Tommy, celebrates
his birthday on Jan 22nd.  Lori is
my sister-in-law.

Sandy Ridgdill Livingston will
celebrate her  53rd birthday on
January 6th.

Jess William Ladika will celebrate
his 22nd birthday on January 25th.
Jess is the son of Sandy Ridgdill
Livingston.

Barbara Ridgdill Bjorklund, will
celebrate her birthday on January
25th, also.

Dave Hall, Patty Ridgdill Hall's
husband, will celebrate his birth-
day on January 31st.
Issue No. 4
    Sam McInroy received a great
report from his doctors in Decem-
ber.  We're so very thankful. Wife,
Kay, has had no further problems
since her hospital stay.  We're
looking forward to their visit in the
Spring.





















    Congratulations to the Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs on becoming the 2007
Georgia High School Association State Champions on December 15th.  The Bulldogs
of ECI were a perfect 15-0 on the season.  The Bulldogs were totally dominating
during the season on both sides of the ball.  The state title is the first for ECI since
1923, and the first since the formation of the GHSA in 1948.  Finally, the state
championship title has returned to Twin City.  "GIVE THEM DAWGS A BONE!"
                 Paw Paw Soup

2-3 lbs. ground beef (or chuck, round, etc.)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 small onion
2 cans mixed vegetables
1 small can shoe peg corn
Potatoes (as many as you want)
Chili powder, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Salt/pepper, to taste

Brown the meat and onion, drain, return to pot.  
Add in all other ingredients, and cook for 1-2 hrs.  
The longer it sits, the more flavor it will have.  
Very good on the second day.  Recipe doubles
easily.

Submitted by:
          Amanda Ridgdill Hamrick
          Anniversaries
Paul and Mary Ridgdill celebrated
their 66th wedding anniversary on
New Year's Eve.

Deborah Ann Ridgdill Lindsey
and husband Don, will celebrate
their 28th wedding anniversary on
February 14th.

















    Anna Morgan Lane as a 60's
flower child at Halloween.  
Morgan is the daughter of
Stephanie Ridgdill Lane.
Barrow named Fireman of the Year
     Buddy Barrow of Glennville, Georgia  was
named Glennville's Volunteer Fireman of the
Year for 2007 at the annual dinner and cere-
mony held on Saturday, December 8, 2007.  
Although Buddy had been with the depart-
ment fewer than three years, his enthusiasm
and hard work earned him the title, according
to the fire chief.
    The firemen cast secret ballots and nomi-
nate the peer whom they believe has given
the best service to the community throughout
the year.  "Buddy worked very hard to get his
certification, and being a fireman is in his
blood," stated his chief in reference to
Buddy's father, Donald Barrow, who also
served on the volunteer fire department, and
is now in the law enforcement field.  Buddy's
maternal gr-grandfather was a fireman in
Baltimore, Md, in the 1920's.
    "The best part of being a fireman is being
able to help someone else." said Buddy, who
is a full-time fireman in Bryan County, Ga.
"The job is also exciting.  When you get up in
the morning, you never know what's going to
happen.  We've had more than 300 fires in
Bryan County just in the northern end this
year; for the county as a whole, that number
is probably over 600.  Whether I'm there or in
Glennville, we can be having a quiet day, and
then suddenly get five fire calls."
    Buddy recently learned that he has also
been named Fireman of the Year in Bryan
County-North Division, and is stunned by the
accolades he has garnered in both counties.
    "I am just in my second year at Bryan
County, and to be given the title of Fireman of
the Year so soon, both there and in Glennville
is a great honor," he said.  "I am still kind of
in shock."
    Buddy plans to continue serving as a
fireman and is furthering his education to
become an Emergency Medical Technician.  

                      Submitted by:  Sharon Barrow
                                                 Buddy's aunt
                        Rum Balls

2 boxes of Vanilla Wafers, crushed into a powder
1/8 cup cocoa
1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 cup Karo Syrup
Rum, to taste
Confectioners (Powered) Sugar

Mix everything except the powdered sugar
together in a bowl.  Pinch off pieces and roll
into balls, slightly smaller than golf balls.  Roll
the rum ball in the powdered sugar.  Enjoy in
moderation!

Submitted by:
           Amanda Ridgdill Hamrick
    Times, how they've changed!
     To all the kids who survived the 1930's,
40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's!  First, we survived
being born to mothers who smoked and/or
drank while they were pregnant.  They took
aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna
from a can, and didn't get tested for
diabetes.
    Then after that trauma, we were put to
sleep on our tummies in baby cribs cover-
ed with bright colored lead-based paints.  
We had no childproof lids on medicine
bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we
rode our bikes, we had no helmets.  Not to
mention the risks we took hitchhiking.
    As infants and children, we would ride in
cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat
belts, or air bags.  Riding in the back of a
pickup on a warm day was always a treat.   
We drank water from the garden hose, and
NOT from a bottle.  We shared one soft
drink with four friends, from one bottle, and
no one actually died from this.  We ate
cupcakes, white bread, and real butter,
and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but
we weren't overweight because WE WERE
ALWAYS PLAYING OUTSIDE!
     We would leave home in the morning
and play all day, as long as we were back
when the streetlights came on.  No one
was able to reach us all day.  And, we were
okay.  We would spend hours building our
go-carts out of scrap, and then ride down
the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.
After running into the bushes a few times,
we learned to solve the problem.
regulated so much of our lives FOR OUR
OWN GOOD.  While you're at it, forward it to
your kids so they will know how brave (and
lucky) their parents were.  Kind of makes
you want to run through the house with
scissors, doesn't it?!

     Submitted by:  Stephanie Ridgdill Lane
    We didn't have Playstations, Nintendo's,
X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150
channels on cable, no video movies or
dvd's, no surround-sound or cd's, no cell
phones, no personal computers, no Inter-
net or chat rooms......... WE HAD FRIENDS,
and we went outside and found them!
    We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones
and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from
these accidents.  We ate worms and mud
pies made from dirt, and the worms didn't
live in us forever.  We were given BB guns
on our 10th birthdays, made up games with
sticks and tennis balls, and although we
were told it would happen, we did not put
out very many eyes.  
    We rode bikes or walked to a friend's
house, knocked on the door or rang the
bell, or just walked in and talked to them.  
Little League had tryouts, and not everyone
made the team.  Those who didn't had to
learn to deal with disappointment.  
Imagine that!!  The idea of a parent bailing
us out if we broke the law was unheard of.  
They actually sided with the law!
     These generations have produced some
of the best risk-takers, problem solvers,
and inventors ever.  The past 50 years have
been an explosion of innovation and new
ideas.  We had freedom, failure, success
and responsibility, and we learned HOW
TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!  If YOU are one of
them, CONGRATULATIONS!!
     You might want to share this with others
who have had the luck to grow up as kids,
before the lawyers and the government
    "With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe
thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of
bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take GOD out of the
Pledge of Allegiance?"   Quote from Jay Leno.
    On Jan. 17, 2008, a very special
football team, and a very special group
of people, gathered in the ECI High
School Auditorium in Twin City, Ga.
The Bulldog Nation was honored with
the presentation of the GHSA Class A
State Championship Trophy.
    Bulldog alumni and many loyal fans
were on hand as the trophy was pre-
sented to Coach Milan Turner and the
Bulldogs.  The Mayor of Twin City un-
veiled the championship signs to be
placed at the city limits.
    Earlier in the week, the Bulldogs
were honored with a steak dinner at
Ware's Restaurant in recognition of
their championship season.