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Pathfinder
of the Month

"Do not go where the path may lead,go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Familiar Faces
Amy Holloway

A native of Georgia you say? Can't be, I thought everyone was transferred here from somewhere else! Our Familiar Face for April is just that. Amy Holloway, Senior Financial Specialist for Wachovia Bank, is from Richland, Georgia, a small town 30 miles south of Columbus.

Amy's husband Glen is also a native from Americus, Georgia. The Holloways were married in 1983 and were transferred to Chicago for 13 years. Amy said they both were very happy when they received notice that they were to be transferred "back home." "We had missed out on several family events," Amy said. She and Glen come from large families who get together often.

For the past two years, Amy has been "locked-up" at the Woodstock Police Station. Through her involvement with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Amy has willingly gone to jail, then called on friends, associates and employees at Wachovia to donate funds to bail her out.

Amy also is the team leader for Wachovia's partnering with the Outdoor YMCA Youth Program. Amy coordinated all ten local branches of Wachovia to raise funds for the YMCA's summer programs. Each branch would ask customers to donate and some branches raised funds through bake sales and other fundraising events. Amy also knocked on doors to help collect donations. "I asked everyone I knew for donations - my doctor, vet, chiropractor, even my eye doctor," Amy said. Wachovia received an award for raising the most money for the Youth Program.

Wachovia Bank also recently received The TowneLaker's "Best of the Best" award for the Best Financial Institution. "We are very proud of this award," Amy said. In the past three years Wachovia has gone through two major changes at the bank. Three years ago, Wachovia bought out Bank of Canton and in February 2003, merged with First Union. "With all these changes, the Towne Lake community still considers us the best. We really thank the community for the trust they have in us," Amy continued.

Amy and Glen live in the Towne Lake area with their 17 year-old Pomeranian Penny.

Tom Phillips

The crack of the bat. The taste of dust from sliding into home plate. The crowd cheering from the stands. All of this takes place on any given Saturday in Cherokee County in the Spring and Fall as baseball season commences at our local parks. And thanks to the efforts of Tom Phillips, children with physical or mental disabilities are able to join this great American sport. Tom started Challenger Baseball in Spring 2003. His dedication and selflessness to the disabled children of Cherokee County have made quite an impression on the families he plays with. Darcy and Eric Young nominated Tom for Pathfinder of the Month. The Young's 10 year-old son Brandon plays on Tom's team. According to Darcy, "Tom is a wonderful man who gives our special kids the joy of playing baseball."

Challenger Baseball is for mentally and physically challenged children, ages 5 through 12, who are not able to participate in mainstream baseball. Each child is assigned a "buddy" to help him/her on the field, if needed. The "buddies" are from a variety of teen groups in the Cherokee County area. According to Tom, the buddy system gives the parents a much-needed break. "Being the parent of a disabled child is a 24/7 job. I want them to come the games and enjoy being a spectator," said Tom. Tom goes the extra mile to help these parents relax by providing snacks for the kids and parents. Through Tom's efforts, the parents also receive the added relief of not having to pay for the sport. Tom provides the teams' equipment, hats and jerseys. He solicits businesses for the other expenses such as food. South Cherokee Recreation Association (SCRA) generously donates the field time, which means there isn't a registration fee to the parents. "People are use to being asked to give their time and money, especially in children's sports. This is something different for these parents. It fills me up to provide this for them and their children," stated Tom. SCRA President Billy Stone stated that Challenger Baseball is a big part of the SCRA program. "Tom is out there 100% for the kids. He is great with them and he makes them feel like normal kids. He has put his own time and money into this program, and it's been a great thing for them," Billy said.

Tom didn't start Challenger Baseball for the reason many may think. He doesn't have a special needs child. What he does have is a passion to help and fulfill a need, and baseball was the vehicle for that passion. He had seen a challenger-type baseball game played years before, and it touched his heart. He saw a need for it in Cherokee County. "I felt I needed to start the program, but the Challenger Baseball of today would not exist without the community's support," said Tom. Amy and Joe Tice have two children on Tom's team, Hunter and Bryan, and both boys look forward to their Saturday games. "Every child feels like he/she is in the big league. Coach Tom makes sure each child gets a hit and crosses home plate. Each child is winner!" stated Amy.

Thank you, Tom, for all you do to make our community a better place to live.