September 18, 2026
The PCHS volleyball team won three of four matches played last week to run their record to 7-12 overall and 2-1 in area play.
Las Tuesday, the Lady Pirates topped Spalding in straight sets 2-0. In the second match of the night, they defeated Locust Grove 25-20, 11-25, and 15-11.
On Thursday they beat Crawford County 2-0 before falling to Ola 2-1.
PC battled Lagrange and Harris County Tuesday. They face Central Macon and Southwest Thursday.
By Kimberly Smith
When Rev. Matt Hinesley returned to Zebulon from a mission project in Pennsylvania, he couldn’t shake the image of the food bank he had seen there. Looking at the empty annex at First Baptist Church , he wondered, ‘Why couldn’t we have one here in Zebulon’?
However, food ministries are incredibly labor-intensive and he lacked the leadership to get it off the ground.
During that same time, Judy Standridge was navigating a profound transition. After moving to Pike County to be near her children, she was struggling to rebuild her life after the loss of her husband.
Having spent her earlier years as a lab technician and a devoted mother, she found herself completely lost and crying out to God for a purpose—a place to pour her life out for others.
When the call went out, Judy raised her hand to help manage the emerging food pantry next door to FBC. Under her enthusiastic leadership, the ministry officially launched on Oct. 19, 2023, operating out of just a single room with one refrigerator and one freezer.
Judy’s spark was contagious. Soon, another grieving widow joined the leadership team to find her own purpose, followed by a family of five who brought their young children to help. As the team grew, so did the infrastructure: that single refrigerator multiplied into three and they established a partnership with the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank to add commercial refrigerators and freezers.
Today, the Missions Collective building is a bustling hub of grace. A multigenerational volunteer team ranging in age from five to 89 works together.
The reasons families seek support are deeply human and varied. Many come because of sudden economic shifts, such as the closure of two factories in Lamar County or the crushing weight of the high cost of living and rising gas prices. Others are medically fragile, elderly, or facing sudden, unexpected life upheavals like separations, divorce and abusive situations.
To ease these burdens, the Missions Collective is open to the public on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 4-6 p.m.
Shoppers fill out a simple form confirming their basic data to ensure the food goes to families, preserving a confidential process where no heavy paperwork, IDs or proof of income are required.
Beyond food, the collective offers a gently used clothing closet organized by Marie Sims. Similar to Judy, Marie moved to Pike seeking a peaceful rural area and found her home at FBC Zebulon. Marie now spends her time collecting and organizing donated clothing.
The pantry also operates the ‘Brown Bag for Senior Citizens’ program, delivering a full month’s supply of groceries and fresh produce directly to some 30 homebound seniors. What began as an empty annex has become the only church in the area with a dedicated, community-wide missions focus.
The spirit of collective action extends directly to local schools through the backpack program. Every week, 15 dedicated volunteers gather in the collective building to pack food backpacks for 140 children in Pre-K through high school.
Over the last ten years, it has been sustained by a community wide effort.
Susan Trawick coordinates it, working hand-in-hand with local schools. For several years, the physical backpacks have been faithfully delivered directly to each school by Rachel McDaniel.
The goods distributed over the past decade are valued at an incredible $760,752, ensuring that no child in Pike County has to go hungry at home.
The Missions Collective thrives on donations. Reach out directly by email to judystandridge@bellsouth.net.
Kimberly Smith may be reached at campaignsthatbuzz@gmail.com
PHOTO: The volunteers at the FBC Missions Collective include (front, l-r) Maggie Jo Standridge, McKenna New, Judy Standridge; (middle, l-r) Alexandria New, Carol Hinesley, Marie Sims; (back, l-r) Matt Hinesley and Hunter Standridge.
On Saturday September 12, Pike County’s Hilltop community held their 11th annual Hilltop Historical Celebration. This year’s celebration was extra special as it had the dedication of a Hilltop Historical Plaque by the Pike County Board of Commissioners that honors this neighborhood and community.
The plaque explains the communities vast history of growth, friendship, and dedication.
Some information shared on the plaque is as follows:
The Hilltop neighborhood and community is believed to have been inhabited in the early 1900s. The first school that is said to have served the Hilltop neighborhood and community was the Concord Industrial School. In the 1950s, there were plans made for a new school and the Pike County Consolidated High School was completed in 1955. The Hilltop neighborhood and community was formally recognized as the Hilltop Subdivision/Community in 1955, when lots were purchased by individuals from the R.F. Strickland Company and the Union Society Company.
In 2015, the reuniting Hilltop Committee was formed by 45 men to celebrate the Hilltop Reunion Day, which is held every 2nd week in September.
The actual sign will be installed at a later date.
The Pike County Pirates (1-1) will christen newly-renovated Pirate Stadium tonight when they host ACE Charter (2-0). Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
The Gryphons are 2-0, having topped Wilkinson County 45-13 at home Aug. 21 and edging out Washington County 23-20 on the road Aug. 28. ACE hosted Southwest this past Friday in a game played after our early Labor Day holiday deadline.
Gryphon head coach Keith Hatcher is in his fifth year at the school where his record is 29-17. Prior to that he spent eight years at Mount de Sales, also in Macon, where he went 46-39.
The Pirates opened the season with a 28-17 loss at Taylor County Aug. 21. They bounced back Aug. 28 with a 29-22 win at Fayette County. PC was off this past Friday.
Pirate head coach Stephen Holmes is in his third year here after serving as head coach at Manchester from 2021-2023.
ACE marks the season’s last non-region opponent for PC. Rutland is here Sept. 18 for the first region game.
The 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, the most horrific and deadliest attack on the United States of America, is coming up and is an event that should not be forgotten. American Legion Post 197 will host a Patriots Day observance.
At noon Sept. 11 traffic around the courthouse square will be stopped for a tribute consisting of ‘Last Call’ by the Pike dispatch, Federal Q Siren by the Pike fire department, a three round volley and the playing of ‘Taps’ by the post honor guard.
Post 197 will also set up a 9-11 memorial display on the south courthouse lawn for viewing from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Patriots Day remembers the 2977 victims who perished during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Shenksville, Pa. It also honors the 343 firefighters, 60 law enforcement officers, eight EMTs and 55 military members who perished that day.
