Albany Herald

LEE COUNTY, Ga. -- The Bread House & Granary along with DIG Garden Center are hosting a Spring Family Festival Saturday to benefit Graceway, officials say.

Beginning at 9 a.m. at the garden center at 847 U.S. Highway 82 West at Oakland Plantation, local artists will showcase their work which will range from antique engineering, painting and photography to sculpture, jewelry and painted glass.

The event will also feature music, food from the Knights of Columbus, baked goods from the Bread House and activities for children including pony rides.

An onsite tomato planting class will be offered as well.

The festival is designed to cultivate not only a love for the outdoors and art, but also donations for Graceway, which helps women recover from alcohol and substance abuse.

Liz Dixon, Graceway development director, said commended Bread House and DIG for supporting the facility, a non-profit, faith-based recovery community.

"We like to use that term because we are a long-term treatment facility," Dixon said. "We're focused on changing lives and that takes a deliberate, long-term approach."

Dixon said that Graceway relies on the families of its clients and the generosity of the community to keep its doors open and receives absolutely no funding from local, state or federal government sources.

"Everybody always talks about wanting to make a change in the community, but they always say, 'but what can I do?'" Dixon said. "This is the perfect opportunity to help us make these miracles come true in the lives of their female friends, family and neighbors."

All of the proceeds from Saturday's event will go to help fund Graceway's indigent scholarship fund which covers the cost of care and treatment for women who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it.