Women's Clothing Boutique Near Me Guyton, GA

Guyton residents met April 4 in the Guyton Gym with Mayor Russ Deen and the city council to discuss plans for a proposed recreation facility on Central Avenue.

Still in the discussion phase, leaders from the Coastal Georgia YMCA were also on hand to discuss the organization’s mission, projects on-going or recently completed at other local Y locations, and gather feedback from Guyton residents.

Mayor Deen was pleased with the turnout of almost 50 residents.

“This is the most people (here) since we started having meetings over here (at the gym), so I'll expect you all and Tuesday night's council meeting,” Deen said.

“This (meeting) was the brainchild from one of our stakeholder meetings of our comprehensive plan,” Deen said. “As we were discussing all the dire needs of Guyton – childcare, senior activities, all the things the YMCA does, Tamela Mydell, (owner of the Southern Kafe on 17 and a board member of the Effingham Chamber of Commerce) said, ‘Why aren’t you talking with the YMCA?’”

That was the start of bringing the Y, Guyton city leaders, and the community together.

Joel Smoker, CEO of the Coastal Georgia YMCA, urged the audience to participate via their cell phones to various questions about services or amenities they would like in a future Y in Guyton.

Anything to do with children was the number-one concern of the crowd. The audience expressed desire for everything from childcare, to tutoring, kindergarten readiness, to having a “safe place for youth and teens to socialize.”

Other ideas mentioned were gymnastics and PE programs for home-school students.

According to posts on Facebook, most people would like an indoor pool so water activities and swimming can be held year round, which may be a possibility. Among other desires were programs for seniors and families.

Costs were discussed. To this point Smoker pointed out, “Nobody is excluded from the YMCA programs.” He explained that people pay based on their income. “You simply fill out a form that speaks to what your annual income is and then we have a scale that says if you make $50,000 a year you pay this rate, and a household that makes $100,000 pays another rate.”

The land for the proposed Y is 14 acres at 718 Central Blvd., which the City of Guyton is in the process of purchasing for $750,000 from Savannah-based Spiva Law Group. When combined with the existing ballfields of Bazemore Park, Guyton will have 26 acres available for recreation.

Effingham County is adding two more amenities for residents. Last week, Guyton celebrated the opening of Parker’s Kitchen and Rincon will welcome Empire Gym at the end of the month.

Although the town has one near the downtown district, Guyton Mayor Russ Deen said it is convenient for folks who need toiletries, gas or need to grab an item in the middle of the night. The new Parker’s is at the roundabout on Highway 17 and Blue Jay Rd.

“The Parker’s in the downtown district stays packed and it’s one of the only overnight stores in this area,” said Deen. “It's not on the scale of a Walmart or a superstore but at the same time, to have access to certain basic amenities whenever you run out at one o'clock in the morning, there's something to be said about that for our community.”

Parker’s Kitchen gives residents access to breakfast, lunch and dinner items, an amenity that is needed in a town that does not have fast food restaurants within city limits.

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“Parker’s convenience stores are exactly that – convenient,” said Deen. “You've got access to hot meals and fuel at reasonable prices. They have also stepped up their automated service game, so it's not requiring as many staff members as a traditional convenience store. They move people in and out quicker. If you're going to a gas station, you're looking for speed, you're not looking to stay there all day. They do good works in communities too. I’ve spoken to Mr. Parker several times and he always been pleasurable.”

Empire Gym opens in Rincon

On Jan. 30, Empire Gym will hold a grand opening ceremony at 614 Towne Park Loop in Rincon. The fitness center specializes in workout programs and classes that are designed for long term health living.

Residents enjoy Planet Fitness on S. Columbia Dr., but City Manager Jonathan Lynn said it is always good for people to have more than one option.

“We are very fortunate to be getting something like Empire Gym that's going to be catered to a different audience that want that class structure and a targeted, smaller scale environment,” said Lynn. “It's going to benefit exactly what they're looking to do, whether it's classes or personal training.”

The addition of the gym will bolster the town’s message to eat, live, work and play in Rincon.

“It gives people one of those amenities where you're not leaving the city to go somewhere else,” said Lynn. “It's not in the same vein as making sure you have a grocery store, pharmacy and doctor's offices but it's very similar. If you don't have a place like Empire Gym, they are going somewhere else to get it. So why not have something here for them to keep everybody local?”

Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached atlwilliams6@gannett.com.

At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds with the accompanying strength and athleticism of a high-caliber edge rusher, Damion Guyton has the look of a high school upperclassman and top notch recruit.

Remarkably, he's just a rising freshman ready to take the field with a talented Savannah Christian squad in the upcoming season. But his talent and potential already has placed him on the radar of Power Five coaches. He was extended an offer by the University of Georgia last week.

He is 14 years old and just graduated from Oglethorpe Charter School in Savannah, and is already making noise as a national recruit. Guyton is following in the footsteps of his teammate Elijah Griffin, the rising junior defensive lineman who picked up an offer from Georgia as an eighth grader at SCPS.

SCPS's Griffin atop national recruitsHow Savannah Christian's Elijah Griffin has become one of the country's top football recruits

Griffin is a 5-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 1 junior prospect in the nation, across all positions, by On3.com Recruiting.

"We had heard that Georgia wanted to see me in person, and I went to a camp in Athens and did pretty good," Guyton said in a phone interview this week. "Coach Uzo (Outside linebacker coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe) told me I had an offer from the team. Georgia is my favorite college team, so it meant a lot to me. But I didn't have too much of a reaction because I know this means the work is just starting for me.

"I don't want to get a big head and I know this is just the beginning. I want to keep getting better and get every offer in the country that I can. But this is really a blessing to get this first offer from Georgia."

SCPS coach Baker Woodward said he is excited to have Guyton joining the Raider program.

"Damion is really quick on the edge and is going to be tough to stop on the end and we can use that athleticism on offense as a tight end," Woodward said. "He's a natural at the game, and he's a hard worker and a yes-sir, no-sir type of kid. We're really happy to have him as a Raider."

Guyton will be a welcome addition to an SCPS defense already stacked with talent. Griffin leads the way up front, but Logan Brooking, a rising junior and David Bucey, a rising senior, are also top notch two-way players for the Raiders, who went 11-2 last year and advanced to the Class 3A state quarterfinals behind a defense that allowed 14.6 points per game.

Brooking, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end and defensive end, has had his recruitment pick up in the offseason. He has offers including Michigan, LSU, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia Tech, where his father, Keith Brooking, starred before going on to a stellar NFL career with the Falcons as a linebacker.

Bucey's recruitment is also picking up steam, as the linebacker/receiver has offers including Iowa State, App State and West Virginia.

"I can't wait to get the season started," said Guyton, who also plays basketball and expressed interest in joining the Raider track and field team. "We're looking to do big things at Savannah Christian this year."

Woodward said this is the most blue chip recruits he's had on one squad.

"To have Elijah (Griffin), Logan (Brooking) and Bucey all on the same team, and now we're adding Damion, that's four Power 5 prospects," he said. "It's a blessing to have them all in our program and we're looking forward to the season."

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - The National Weather Service confirmed storm damage in Effingham County is from an EF-1 tornado.

The NWS sent a survey crew to the Guyton area after severe weather Wednesday night.

The following are some additional ** PRELIMINARY ** statistics on the Guyton, GA EF-1 tornado. These are subject to change as survey work continues. #gawx pic.twitter.com/rYyn8pBz9a

— NWS Charleston, SC (@NWSCharlestonSC) June 15, 2023

Guyton residents said this is the worst storm they’ve ever seen in the area.

The roaring of chainsaws echoes through many Effingham County neighborhoods as crews work to clear trees from roofs and yards.

“It looks like a warzone because it was,” Guyton resident Gail Boycks said.

Strong storms brought damaging winds, blinding rain and a tornado to the area.

“My son came out he said, ‘Daddy do you hear that?’ I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘the wind’, and by the time we made it to the door it was blowing,” Guyton resident William Duncan said.

A home in the Forest Hill neighborhood was damaged after a tree fell on top of it. Luckily, no one was injured.

“I just didn’t realize it was so bad outside until I came outside after it was over,” Guyton resident Wanda Whipple said.

Down the road, in the Abbey Lane neighborhood, Boycks is working to clean up the mess the storm left behind.

“We lost numerous trees, a shed, a gazebo, our grill,” Boycks said.

Crews are working to restore power to thousands as residents now focus on cleaning up.

“I’ve lived here for about six years now and out of all the storms, that one was the worst that I’ve seen,” Duncan said.

More scenes from #Guyton. Trees are down all over the place. 1,200+ customers are still without power. @WTOC11 pic.twitter.com/6y1j1rFfRL

— Flynn Snyder (@flynn_snyder) June 15, 2023

River Ingram, 9, and her family are dealing with damage. Wind peeled half the roof of her home and now the inside is nearly ruined.

“I was really sad because I really liked this house and now, we have to get a new one,” Ingram said.

Just up the road, Gretchen Roberson is also reeling with the cleanup ahead.

“You see our fence is lost. All around, trees have fallen on it or it’s been taken out,” Roberson said.

Roberson said she was home by herself around 7:45 p.m. when she found out a possible tornado was headed her way.

“So, I hid in a small hallway we have in the house, and it wasn’t but about five minutes later that everything just broke loose,” she said.

The impact was felt in Rincon, as well. Brian Cullum was in his home when the storm came through around 7:30 p.m. While they have no damage inside, branches sit on top of their home.

“I’m not going to lie. It shook the entire house. Everybody else started to scream,” Cullum said.

“We’ve had crews out within the county. Public works has been out removing debris from the roadway and a lot of the citizens are out repairing damage to their property and working together, coming together to really clean up,” said Capt. Hannah Jenkins, with Effingham Emergency Management.

Capt. Jenkins said they’ve had crews removing debris and accessing damage after the storm.

However, she says when the storm was rolling through several residents weren’t in safe areas.

“It became very dangerous for several of our crews last night as they were working while people were trying to get out and see how much damage there was,” she said.

WTOC has heard some complaints that people didn’t hear a warning siren in Rincon. 911 director Jay Spinks confirmed it did not go off because of an oversight caused by the overwhelming amount of emergency calls they were getting.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.

The Guyton City Council held a special-called meeting Oct. 3 with one item on the agenda.

But that one item is destined to fill a need and a much-desired recreational outlet for Guyton residents.

The council unanimously voted to offer the YMCA of Coastal Georgia a ten-year lease for 3 ½ acres of land and the two existing buildings at 718 Central Ave.

According to the agreement, rent payments to the city will start in March 2024 for the two buildings on a sliding scale starting at $500/month the first year. Rent will increase each of the next five years; and in the sixth year, the City Council can vote to charge market value rent, if it so chooses.

In the meantime, the Y is proposing to possibly use the smaller building for childcare – even though at its present size, it can only accommodate 28 children. The larger building can be stocked with free weights and cardio equipment and used as an exercise room.

“The smaller building, the thought is to use it for after-school enrichment programs after-school activities for the children, teen leadership activities and also senior activities during the day,” Guyton City Manager Maketa Brown told the council during her presentation prior to the vote.

“The larger building, my thought is to go ahead and create that to be the fitness center where you will have free weights and circuit equipment and cardio equipment.”

This was the beginning of the negotiations with the Y. And the Y posed the question.

“What if we looked at constructing a full-scale childcare center for you? Would you be open to a land lease agreement to build a $2 million facility that would take care of children from infancy to three years old?”, Brown recalled her conversations with the Y. “So we got into negotiations and talking through the project and we agreed we'll give (lease) them three and a half acres.”

The lease agreement stipulates that the Y must begin building its facility by year three (2027); and in the meantime, the city will receive rent income of $6,000 the first year, $9,000 the second year, $12,000 the third year, $15,000 the fourth, and $18,000, the fifth, for the two buildings.

In addition to the two existing buildings, the Y has agreed to a land lease for 3 ½ acres to build a childcare center. Rent will start at $1,000/month in March 2024, when construction is expected to begin; then increase up to $1,800/month when the building is occupied and operational – March 2027 or sooner.

Brown delineated the income the city can expect during the first five years -- $125,000; and by the sixth year, the Y should have a fully functioning facility in Guyton.

Councilmember Marshall Reiser thanked Brown for all her hard work in working with the Y, and added, “I think the bigger issue is that the city is providing a service for our citizens and it's a legacy for the kids to have. I think it's probably one of the few Ys where people will be able to walk to this facility.”

Reiser also added praise for Y staff. “Based on my discussions with the Y folks, I think they really have some good ideas – pickleball to a soccer complex -- almost a showplace,” Reiser said.

“This agreement allows us to build something that the city would never build on its own. So I think one of the other benefits besides financial and community is the ability to have equity in a facility. I think it's a great partnership, that the city will have the Y,” Reiser continued. “And I think it's just something that will improve the quality of life that we have in the city.”

Councilmember Hursula Pelote complemented Resier’s statements, saying, “We're giving the community something that they asked for. They want childcare. They want somewhere for seniors to go. So I just say this is a wonderful effort.”

Negotiations with the Y began earlier in 2023 when the city purchased the property from Savannah-based Spiva Law Group with the idea of using the land for recreational purposes.

At a public forum held in April, members of the public expressed a desire for childcare and a place for teens and senior activities.

The YMCA of Coastal Georgia currently has 11 facilities in Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, and surrounding counties. When fully operational, the Guyton YMCA will be the second such facility in Effingham County. The only other Y in the county is in Rincon.

According to the IRS, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia appears to be on firm financial ground. In its IRS filings for 2021 (most recent available on www.causeiq.com) the organization had net assets of $23.5 million, and employed just over 1,600 people. Filings from previous years show that the Y has experienced steady financial growth since at least 2018.