Time Capsule

As reported 32 years ago in the pages of The Columbia News and The Martinez-Evans Times, Wednesday, April 7, 1976:

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Ground broken for health department

When the groundbreaking was held June 27, 1975, it marked the end of a long struggle for, and the beginning of construction of, a new Board of Health building.

The new health center is drawing closer to completion. A tentative date of June 1, 1976, is set for the completion of the construction phase.

The 5,211-square-foot facility will be "one of the most modern, up-to-date health facilities in the state of Georgia. We will have adequate space to house the Board of Health and our programs to deliver the services that are needed. We will also have adequate space for expansion of services in keeping with the rapid population growth of our county," said John Pierce Blanchard, chairman of the Columbia County Board of Health.

The $218,000 structure is located adjacent to the Board of Education building in Appling.

Ambulance awaited

The citizens of Harlem are awaiting the arrival of an ambulance that will service the Harlem and Appling area.

To prepare themselves, six Harlem citizens, who have volunteered to man the ambulance, will attend the emergency medical technician course offered in Augusta.

The ambulance that Harlem will receive is presently being used by the Columbia County Ambulance service working out of Doctors Hospital of Augusta. Columbia County has obtained a new ambulance, and because of the heavier workload in the Martinez area, the new modular unit will be placed there.

According to commissioner Buck Story, "Most of the calls are in the heavily populated area which is around Evans and Martinez. They'll take the new ambulance down there and put the old one up here."