Lake Oconee is a popular destination for seasonal and year-round living. The region is especially popular in its role as a retirement community, attracting residents from different parts of the country.
Clarene Conquest, a lifelong California resident, recently visited Lake Oconee for the first time, alongside four friends she has known for over 60 years. The five of them flew to Georgia to celebrate the 80th birthday of their friend, Janie Terry, a Lake Oconee resident of five years.
Conquest says that she and her four friends, who traveled with her, eagerly anticipated their trip upon arrival. She says that Terry “sings praises” about the community she calls home.
“We all went to high school together, and in the past we would get together and go to one another’s house once a year,” Conquest said. “That would be it, wherever we were living at that time, but then COVID hit, and other than that, we’re making it the occasion for her 80th birthday.”
Conquest says that she and Janie Terry first met in seventh grade while on the school playground and have been “inseparable” ever since. She recalled some of her earliest memories of when they first met, shortly after Terry moved to California with her family.
“She had just moved [to California] with her seven brothers and sisters because her dad had to move out here to teach,” Conquest said. “They came out in a school bus that they converted into a camper for the large family.”
According to Conquest, the six friends made plans over a year ago to get together in Lake Oconee for their long-awaited reunion. She said that upon her arrival, she most looked forward to giving her a hug for the first time in a while.
“I can’t wait to have a glass of wine with my friend, and just have lots of laughs and giggles,” Conquest said. “[I’m looking forward to seeing] everything that they have worked their hard lives off for to provide for their friends.”
Overall, Conquest says she is proud to be a lifelong friend of Janie Terry and that they have supported each other during some of their most challenging life experiences. She finds it extra special to see Terry and her husband’s home for the first time, as it is a result of their “hard work over the years.”
“They have worked their entire lives for everything they have, and that in and of itself makes me even more proud to say these are my friends,” Conquest said. “It’s something that I know they’re very proud of.”