Sample Bios for the Local100 Project
I was only born in Worcester, MA because my father was the lead singer in a band and they were up there playing a gig. I was brought home from the hospital to a hotel room and slept in a dresser drawer. I moved back to Phenix City with my mom, her hometown, at 6 weeks old and besides two years in Atlanta I’ve been here my whole life. When I graduated from Central High School in 1986, my oldest son was five months old. That wasn’t easy, but it was something I had to finish. I am a self-taught graphic designer. That was also hard but the rewarding career I have been lucky enough to enjoy has been well worth it! I guess the best words to describe my life would be headstrong determination and hustle. I’ve been married to Brad for 28 years! We have raised three, amazing sons, Chase, Tyler and Ben and just recently welcomed our first and equally amazing daughter in law, Cecily who is married to Tyler. Life is so sweet.
Joshua loves life, he has Down’s Syndrome, was a preemie and had 2 open heart surgeries. He loves to play tennis, baseball, swimming, basketball, all things outside and hanging out with his big sister. His favorite vacation spot is Disney.
My name is Hosanna Vann. I was born in Nanjing, China in December, 2016 but recently arrived in my forever home of Columbus, GA! I'm new here, but I can already tell there is something very special about this place. My mom tells me Columbus is much more than a good place to live. It's a community full of incredible individuals who loved me and wanted me here way before they even knew me. Some even linked arms with my mommy and daddy to help make my adoption possible. I'm too little to fully comprehend this now, but the people of Columbus, GA are something special and I am excited to grow up calling this place home!
Spencer used to lead white water rafting on the Nantahala. His precious daily uniform consists of birks (with socks), a Grateful Dead belt, ancient khakis, a button up and one of hundreds of bowties. He started Camera One in Columbus GA with one of his best friends, Jimmy Cawthorne. He also served in the Navy during Vietnam on the USS Roosevelt. During that time, he biked around China when they had time off. He currently teaches Sunday School regularly at St Luke. He's married to Cindy, a pastor at St Luke. In the past, he has played Mother Ginger in a local production of the Nutcracker. He taught at Brookstone and now teaches CSU where he is a truly beloved professor. -Sara, daughter
Mother was a waitress in our early years and worked at the Goo Goo, Choppy’s, Longhorn and other restaurants. Mother loves to travel and is always up for a trip, especially abroad, even though she has limited sight due to macular degeneration. She loves to cook and makes the best cornbread ever. - Cristy, daughter
I have a real interest in British history, and therefore watch a lot of British movies on Netflix. I am obsessed with this era in time. I also enjoy cooking Southern cuisine. (Two different sides of the World). My greatest accomplishment is raising my three children, but also being there for my son in law following a stroke. Even though I am 79 years old, I try to stay in shape, keep active, and spend time with my family. I have lived in Columbus for over 50 years and would not want to live anywhere else. I love our community and visiting places such as the River Center, The Springer, and the Columbus Museum.
Over the past few years, I’ve developed a connection with Columbus that I never could have imagined having. I began working with a homeless ministry that goes out into the streets of Columbus and clothes, feeds, and ministers to the needy in our area. It soon became my passion and I’ve been able to experience the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of our city. I have developed a passion for the parts of our city that are often ignored or unknown through the ministry. I am about to be a freshman in college at CSU and decided to stay in town to continue trying to make a difference in our community. Some of my favorite parts of Columbus are the parks, the river walk, and any of the places in our city where I can enjoy nature.
Justin is a great dad, husband, police officer! He has been amazing at getting to know the people of Columbus, talking to everyone he meets. He works a lot of part times around town (Piggly Wiggly, Springer...) He was on the bike squad for the Columbus Police Dept. and made so many awesome connections. He blows me away by his positive and loving attitude! - Maria, wife