Land Ownership Pays Off For Mary J. Ogletree

(LAGRANGE, GA)
OCTOBER 29, 2007
When Ann Gray tells the success story of Mary J. Kelly Ogletree, she lights up with enthusiasm. Her recollections of Ogletree’s journey become moments of inspiration. It’s like a Cinderella story. Only, the central figure is Mary J.

The story is filled with ups, downs, hills and valleys, as Ogletree struggled with the labor of love she endured by overseeing her father’s estate in Box Springs, Talbot County, Georgia.

Ogletree a former resident of LaGrange Georgia worked in the textile mills from 1976 to the mid 1980’s, but is certainly not a novice to business ownership; she owned and managed a successful hair salon, and flower retail shop, in LaGrange during the period 1998 throughout early 2000s. But her father’s subsequent illness and death took her back to her hometown of Box Springs, Georgia (formerly Juniper). She made a death-bed promise to her father, to take care of the Kelly family estate. But, over time, the task was seemingly becoming a burden …. Now that death-bed promise has transformed into a labor of love.

As history would have it, for more than a hundred years a spring located on the Kelly Estate flowed and provided clean refreshing spring water for many families living in and around the Juniper Georgia area. But at the time, little did Ogletree realize what a wonderful resource she had flowing there on the Kelly property.

Recalling the property’s history, Ogletree points out that her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles drank from the springs over 80 years ago, and the springs continues supplying water, which is now more than a 100 years old. She recalled a drought occurring in Juniper, (now renamed as, Box Springs), in the early 1960s. “Communities and surrounding areas were supplied water from the Kelly Springs during the drought, at no charge, for consumption and other uses,” said Ms. Ogletree.

Around October, 2005 Ogletree contacted Ann D. Gray, Owner of DocQments, LLC, a LaGrange firm, specializing in structuring start-up companies, and securing capital for business start-up. DocQments, LLC was successful in helping Ogletree develop what is now known as, Kelly Springs of Georgia, LLC.

NOW! That very same Mary J. Ogletree has become the first known African- American female to own a water distributing firm in Box Spring, Georgia. When asked, “Why water,”

Ms. Ogletree simply states, “Water is a multimillion dollar industry, why not water?”

There are those who have often questioned “How much water do you believe you have, and do you fear the water will dry up?” In response to that question, Ogletree simply smiles, and

says, “I don’t think it’s about to dry up now, it’s been running for over a 100 years. It’s not milk and honey, but the Kelly Estate is flowing with 100% Natural Cold Spring Water.”

Another big break came earlier this year when the LaGrange City Development Authority agreed to sell Kelly Springs of Georgia, LLC 8.04 acres behind Yasafuku in the LaGrange Industrial Park to Garden of Nectars, which will ship the spring water in from Talbot County to be flavored and bottled at the LaGrange plant by about a dozen em-ployees. The sale, which recently closed in October, was for a total of $18,000 per acre or $144,720.

On Thursday, November 8, after years of work and preparation, Mary J. Kelly Ogletree, Executor of the Kelly Estate and her staff will break ground in preparation for using this virgin spring water source for bottling. Her business plan includes bottling, marketing, and sales and distribution of a family of functional beverages. Ogletree also created the Garden of Nectars LLC for the branding of her products. Percy Jones Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr. Jones, a long time pioneer in the beverage industry, states, “The focus is to build a brand and to promote prosperity through economics. We must improve conditions and relationships through economic development in our neighborhoods.” He goes on to say, “It is the responsibility of businesses, churches, social groups and individuals to make changes which improve the lives of our people. While government has its role, true change will come because of the work we do. We are depending on you and asking for your help.”

Kelly Springs flows thousands of gallons of pure spring water daily. Utilizing our R&D Lab under the direction of Dr. Romeo Toledo, professor emeritus from the Food Science Department at the University of Georgia, we have created several functional beverage product lines. Our product family brand name is the “Garden of Nectars” which includes
the following products lines:

• Kelly Spring Water
• Smash Iso-Energy Drinks
• Diva Premium Teas
• Sweet Georgia Nectars

The New Journey starts on Thursday, November 8
• Ground Breaking at the Spring - 10AM - 986 Juniper Mill Pond Road, Juniper, Box Springs, GA 31801

• Ground Breaking at the Manufacturing Site - 3 PM - 2 Yasufuku Place, LaGrange Industrial Park, La Grange GA

For more information, please visit www.gardenofnectars.com
Our next issue will feature an indepth interview with Mary J. Ogletree.

For more information regarding the Kelly Springs of Georgia business opportunity, please contact our Customer Services Office Monday thru Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 PM or Mary J. Ogletree at 706-269-9018

Ogletree Makes History In LaGrange

LaGrange Georgia

November 8, 2007

Thursday became a red-letter day for Mary J. Ogletree, when the ground-breaking ceremony took place at the future site of her LaGrange bottling plant, which will begin construction soon. The plant will be constructed on an 8-acre site located behind Yasafuku in the LaGrange Industrial Park, and will employ about a dozen employees.

Ogletree is the owner of property in Box Springs, Talbot County, Georgia, which for more than 100 years, has supplied natural spring water to her family and others in their community.

The day began at 9:00am with a ground-breaking dedication ceremony on Ogletree’s property in Talbot County. Invocation was given by Dr. J.A. Flakes Jr., Pastor, Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church, Columbus, Georgia. Ann D. Gray, gave a business address. Others participating in the morning program included Senator Ed Harbison, Judge Slade Johnson, Sherlonda Walker, County Commissioner, Talbot County Board of Commissioners And Percy Jones, CEO.

Later that afternoon, at 3:00pm in LaGrange, in the presence of about 100 supporters, friends and guests, Ogletree, along with CEO Percy Jones, were joined by board members, investors, lenders, elected officials from the state, county, and city, to watch the first shovels plunge into the ground in anticipation

of the construction of a new plant that will bottle, market, sell and distribute spring water from Ogletree’s property.

During the ceremony, several individuals were presented and offered remarks, including Mayor Jeff Lukken, Senator Ed Harbison, Diethard Lindner, Chairman of the Industrial Development Board, and State Representative Carl V. Epps. Following remarks, Diethard Lindner, Chairman of the LaGrange Industrial Development Board, Ogletree, and Jones, donned their hard-hats, and picked up their shovels. Due to dry conditions, it was difficult to break the ground, but the task was happily completed.

Following the ceremony, guests traveled to Union Street in LaGrange, where they joined the company at Ashley’s diner for brunch.

During the ceremony, CEO Percy Jones, a long time pioneer in the beverage industry, presented a beautiful plaque to Ogletree, honoring her for her vision in pursuing her goal. In his remarks, Jones emphasized the importance of spreading the word, and doing everything possible to support Kelly Springs/Garden of Nectars. “We are depending on you and asking for your help” Jones emphasized.

For more information regarding the Kelly Springs of Georgia business opportunity, please contact our Customer Services Office Monday thru Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 PM or Mary J. Ogletree at 706-269-9018