By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Commissioners anxiously await opening new 911 center
Patrick Donahue
Editor
Updated: Dec 15, 2008, 11:30 PM
Published: Dec 15, 2008, 10:58 PM
Effingham County commissioners fretted at their meeting last Tuesday about the delayed opening of the 911 center.
The multi-agency call center was scheduled to be finished by the end of the year, but county project manager Adam Kobek said the opening of the building will be delayed until mid-January.
“It shouldn’t be much longer,” Kobek said. “We hope to have the building turned over to us (next month).”
The 9,500 square foot building is going up on Courthouse Road. Brunson Construction is erecting the facility, which will house the county’s 911 operations. Commissioners approved putting in a card reader system that will match the one at the new courthouse and at the sheriff’s department.
“In an effort to keep the system all the same and not to reissue cards, we went with vendor specific (system), with one card for all,” Kobek explained.
The card reader system is about $6,000, with an annual maintenance fee of $351 for five years.
“That covers anything and everything,” Kobek said.
Commissioners also approved a contract with Pembroke for a work crew from Effingham County Prison.
According to Kobek, Pembroke would pay for the fuel and the vehicle to take the crew from the prison to Pembroke. The arrangement is similar to the one with Guyton for a prison work crew.
Pembroke also would pay for the salary and benefits for a guard, who would come from the existing staff at the prison. The city also will cover the cost of tools and equipment.
Warden Ronald Speirs said about 80 of the prison’s inmates stay within the walls each day and about 160 are sent out on various work details. He said he has realigned some of the duties of his top staff to make sure there are guards in the prison to keep an eye on the inmates who are not on work detail.
The state reimburses the county $13.27 per day per inmate. “This contract will not cover that expense,” Kobek said.
But what it will do is reduce the local payroll obligation for the cost of the guard, according to Kobek.
Commissioners also approved the appointment of George Shaw as zoning administrator. Shaw had been serving as interim zoning administrator for more than a year.
County offices will be closed for Christmas beginning Dec. 24 and will reopen Dec. 29.
It Took Months of Training and Care to Make Cruella a State Champion
South Effingham freshman Breeleigh Patrick works with her goat, Cruella, at Leaning Oaks Farm in Guyton. The pair recently made history when Cruella was named Grand Champion Jr. Market Doe at the Georgia National Fair — the first time an exhibitor from Effingham County has earned the title. (Paul Kasko / Effingham Herald)
Paul Kasko
Updated: Oct 21, 2025, 4:35 PM
Published: Oct 21, 2025, 4:36 PM
GUYTON, Ga. — Breeleigh Patrick crouched in the barn, gently brushing her goat Cruella, who nudged her shoulder and bleated softly. The 15-year-old South Effingham High School freshman spent months coaxing, grooming, and training her goat — a partnership that paid off a few weeks ago when Cruella was crowned Grand Champion Jr. Market Doe at the Georgia National Fair.
Breeleigh is the first exhibitor from Effingham County to win the state championship in this category.
“It was really cool to win,” said the soft-spoken Breeleigh.
The Effingham County Fair’s Livestock Shows begins this week at the Livestock Arena, with each show beginning at 7 p.m. The Goat Show is today, followed by the Swine Show on Wednesday, the Lamb & Cattle Show on Thursday, and the Rabbit Show wrapping things up Friday night.
The moment of victory: Breeleigh Patrick receives a high five from the judge after Cruella was named Grand Champion Jr. Market Doe at the Georgia National Fair, capping months of training and dedication. (Submitted photo)
Family pride and recognition
Breeleigh’s younger sister, Hailey, 8, also competed at the Georgia National Fair, placing third overall in the Jr. Market Doe division. Both Breeleigh and Hailey were recognized for their achievements by the Effingham County School Board on Oct. 16, a moment their mother, Shannon Patrick, called “very special for the girls and our family.”
Hailey is one of the renowned Patrick triplets, along with Bailey and Kailey — a tongue-twister even before morning coffee. Their cousin Michaela Kramer also shows goats, making livestock competitions a full family affair.
Eight-year-old Hailey Patrick and her goat, Gypsy, placed third overall in the Jr. Market Doe division at the Georgia National Fair. Hailey is one of the renowned Patrick triplets, making livestock competitions a full family affair at Leaning Oaks Farm in Guyton. (Paul Kasko / Effingham Herald)
Life on the farm
At Leaning Oaks Farm, a 43-acre property in Guyton, life revolves around animals. The Patricks raise Black and Red Angus cattle, own more than 200 goats, chickens, pigs, and a handful of barn cats. The goats poke their heads through fence openings, bleating and nudging for a pat from visitors. The air is filled with the scent of hay and the occasional clatter of hooves on the barn floor, while chickens cluck, flies buzz and cats weave between legs, making the barn feel alive with constant motion and quiet chaos.
Amid all that activity, Breeleigh stands out. Parents Shannon and Jake are both South Effingham graduates — Jake grew up showing pigs and cattle, while Shannon joked that she was “a no show.” She’s made up for it now, spending more weekends in barns than most moms spend binge-watching TV.
Now, their daughter has become the barn’s calm center, the quiet star amid the commotion.
Breeleigh Patrick celebrates with her family, team and fair officials after Cruella was crowned Grand Champion Jr. Market Doe at the Georgia National Fair, marking a historic first for an Effingham County exhibitor. (Submitted photo)
A champion’s journey
Breeleigh’s partnership with Cruella didn’t happen overnight. The goat, purchased from top goat breeder Jamie Smith at Blue Team Wethers in Zephyr, Texas, was “as wild as they come,” said Matthew Nease, the farm manager who has worked with Breeleigh for two years.
“You couldn’t even put your hands on her at first,” Nease said. “We started with bucket time.”
Breeleigh would sit on a bucket beside Cruella, brushing her and gaining her trust, her mother, Shannon, said. After that, she began walking Cruella up and down the farm drive with a halter, breaking her in step by step.
Cruella, true to her namesake, has a flair for drama — she has opinions about how long and tight Breeleigh should hold her halter, making their interactions feel like a playful game of tug-of-war.
“The relationship between Breeleigh and Cruella is entirely hers,” Nease added. “I just help with daily care — feed and exercise.”
Cruella’s name is a nod to the Disney villain from “101 Dalmatians” — a fitting moniker for a goat with attitude. Today, Cruella is resting and recovering, following a strict diet and exercise plan, taking supplements and probiotics, and receiving extra care from Breeleigh.
In showmanship, judges evaluate not just the goat, but the exhibitor: posture, control, foot placement, and presentation are all considered. Months of training boil down to just two to five minutes in the ring.
“Animals are not easy to deal with,” Jake said. “They fight you nonstop. They’re not like a puppy. But it teaches responsibility, leadership, and confidence — especially when you’re standing in front of 500 people.”
Over the past three years, Breeleigh has earned three championship belt buckles, each marking a milestone in her journey as a showman. Despite her growing recognition, she remains grounded, preferring the barn to applause and attention.
“She hates all the attention,” Shannon said, smiling. “But she’s earned every bit of it.”
Even without showing Cruella on Tuesday, Breeleigh’s bond with her goat is what matters most — a testament to patience, care, and the quiet determination that turned a wild little animal into a champion.
