By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Last Friday, Ted Ensminger’s friends and coworkers gathered at the Chamber of Commerce to say goodbye as he resigned, not retired, from his old job, and wish him well in his new one at Honey Lake Plantation. He had been Executive Director of the Chamber for almost three years.
In his new position at Honey Lake, he said he would still be wearing his tourism hat, predicting that the Plantation, with its many amenities for individual guests as well as large gatherings, will become a significant draw for tourists.
As the party got underway, the room was nearly packed with friends and supporters as Chamber President, Dr. Jessica Webb, presented Ensminger with a plaque that included a clock, because, “we know he runs all the time.” A few minutes later, Cindy Vees presented him with something equally important – batteries for the clock.
In his farewell speech, Ensminger began with a little item of news, that not more than 
fifteen minutes ago, the Chamber had received its first call from a tour bus group headed for Amelia Island; the bus would be stopping in Madison, on May 16 and again on May 19. May 16, they would visit the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Mansion as well as a couple of historic churches and have lunch at some local restaurants before heading out again. On their return trip May 19, they would be visiting the Ray Charles House in Greenville.
The Chamber had been working on trying to convince tour buses to stop in Madison County, so news of the first one to do so was greeted with applause and cheers.
When asked later if he thought this would be the first of many more tour buses to make a stop here, Ensminger smiled and said, “I’d bet the farm on it.”
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