Valdosta native rings in her 108th birthday for the holidays
Dec 27, 2024
Pearl Collins is one of the oldest women living in South Georgia at 108. Born December 24th, 1916, she spent her birthday and Christmas with family in Valdosta. Watch the video to see how Legacy Village at Park Regency celebrated her birthday.BROADCAST TRANSCRIPTPearl Collins got a warm welcome as she arrived home. A crowd of her friends gathered at the Legacy Village of Park Regency in Moultrie to celebrate her birthday.She spent her actual birthday, Christmas Eve, back in her hometown of Valdosta with her surviving daughter, Rita."Mostly we drove around, went to church for Christmas, and they had a cake for me."She says she was especially glad to see her as she lives in North Georgia and isn't here often.Her other two children, Henry "Rip" and Bonnie, lived to their 70s before passing away, and being with family brings happy memories of them being together."I had them. They were here. Glad I had them, and glad I have pictures."Now she's back at the resident's home, ready to catch up with her friends Dorothy Summers and Shirley Goffer.Summers says younger residents like themselves have a hard time keeping up with the lively Collins."So much spunk. The way she gets around you'd never think she was 108."And Collins still has a lot to keep her busy: board games, painting, and bingo.But what she looks forward to most is taking her life day by day.Pearl tells me she attributes her long life to her preference for healthy food and staying active. In Valdosta, Im Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.