Welcome to the holidays! We’re so excited to bring you this issue and to enjoy all that the holidays has to offer…friends, family and lots and lots of goodies.

Speaking of goodies, this issue is chock full of them. We start with our cover, telling the story of Mary Sue DeLoach Smith and how she developed The Barn at The Olde Place, located just outside of Statesboro. The facility is a beautiful site for all occasions, and it’s all decked out for the holidays right now. You’ll enjoy reading about Mary Sue’s journey. We loved hearing it!

We are pleased to be able to tell you the story of Matthew Houston Lovett, who took his dream of helping others and made it a reality. Kids Need Beds Too is the organization he created to provide children in the area with beds at no cost to them. Lovett is an inspiration and we know you’ll love hearing how he does what he does.

Bulloch County Sheriff School Resource Officer Jimmy Billings is feeling the love at Nevils Elementary School. He says love fills the halls at the school, and that the real heroes are the teachers there. Billings is our Everyday Hero this issue, and we loved talking to him about his love of what he does and the children he does it for.

The annual “Here Cometh the Dreamer” show is coming up in January, and we spent a little time talking with its creator, Mical Whitaker. This next show promises to be the best ever…we can’t wait to hear what the artists present.

We’ve also spotlighted Dr. Suketu Patel, of East Georgia Center for Oral & Facial Surgery, as the focus of our “My Boss is Boss” feature. Nominated by his staff, “Doc” had nothing but kind words for his employees — and they offered up the same for him. Read their story inside.

We hope you enjoy this issue, and that you have the merriest of holidays!