2012 Official City of Albany Christmas Ornament

In 1941 Mrs. Carl Huie made a vow that nothing would stop her until she had activated a rehabilitation center in Albany to serve people with disabilities in southwest Georgia. She spent the next several years talking to those knowledgeable on rehabilitation centers, speaking to woman’s groups and writing hundreds of letters outlining the need for a center and asking for help. The first center opened on November 25, 1957. In 1970 a new larger center was constructed as the first had come to be inadequate in size for the number of people being served.

For many years the focus of Easter Seals was medical rehabilitation. Physical therapy services, speech and audiology services were provided. In 1982, the center received a contract to provide vocational rehabilitation services.

In 1990, the Georgia Easter Seal Society was dissolved and Southwest Georgia Easter Seals became a direct affiliate of the National organization. Later the name was changed to Easter Seals Southern Georgia. Throughout the 1990’s our organization grew to be multi-faceted and even more responsive to the needs of the region.

In 1995, a specialized program for people with traumatic brain injury was begun through funds from the Division of Rehabilitation Services, so the “Pathways” program was developed in 1996.

The Respite Care/Family Support program was initiated in 1993 through an appropriation from the Georgia General Assembly. Respite Care provides short-term relief to caregivers of people with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities through in-home or out-of-home care.

In 1994 funding was obtained from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to construct group homes in Vienna and Unadilla for adults. In 1996, additional grants were awarded for a group home in Tifton and a ten-unit apartment complex in Ashburn. Since then a group home has been built in Cordele and apartments have been built in Moultrie, Cairo, Valdosta and Waycross.

In 2004, Easter Seals opened the doors to Megan’s House, the only children’s respite home south of Atlanta for medically fragile children. Respite Care services are available for children who are developmentally disabled, who have a diagnosis of autism or are medically fragile.

Easter Seals Southern Georgia has experienced a lot of changes over the years. Programs have been created and others discontinued based on the needs of the individuals in our service area. Throughout all of this, the primary goal of Mrs. Huie has remained our focal point; to provide quality care and services to the people of South Georgia that have special needs.

One thing that we do each year to promote the reason why we are here and do what we do is have an official City of Albany 2012 Christmas Ornament. The proceeds from the ornament sells help us to continue our mission of “Creating Solutions, Changing Lives”. As you hang this ornament on your tree this year you know that you have helped the many special children, youth and adults with disabilities receiving services through Easter Seals Southern Georgia.

We also still have available previous years ornaments for Albany, Vienna, Cordele, Tifton & Camilla.  To view the available ornaments or to make an on-line purchase click on the "Buy Tickets" button below.