EATONTON, Ga. — An Eatonton woman now has nearly 2,000 cards to look through after she celebrated a milestone birthday over the weekend.
Sarah Watkins, or ‘Big Mama’ as her family calls her, turned 103 on December 5.
Big Mama’s family put out a call to Central Georgia on Facebook, asking people to join them in celebrating her 103rd birthday by sending celebratory cards to her Eatonton home.
As of Monday, Sarah Watkins had received 1,820 cards, according to her granddaughter, Lisa Mcelhannon.
“I mean... they’re still coming in. We might get more today,” she said.
The goal was to receive 103, one for every year Watkins has been alive, but they’re well past that number now.
“600 came yesterday (Monday),” Mcelhannon said.
Mcelhannon says they had a small birthday celebration with Watkins and immediate family on Saturday.
They’ve opened some cards with Watkins already, but Mcelhannon says Watkins’ son, Nathan, plans to read the rest of the cards to her daily.
“We enjoyed the gifts and the cards and reading them to her,” she said.
Watkins received cards from all over the United States, and her family was even more surprised to see some letters and gifts come all the way from Canada.
“We were really shocked it went far,” she said.
Mcelhannon says, on behalf of Watkins and her family, they appreciate the warm wishes to celebrate the milestone birthday.
“We exceeded more than we could have imagined, so we just want to say thank y’all,” Mcelhannon said.