The Valdosta Greeting Service has operated continuously since its founding in 1956 by the late Florence Millians.  Through the decades the service has passed through a series of capable hands, expanding along the way from 1950s style Welcome Wagon greetings to the publication of an annual guide covering the metropolitan Valdosta area and launching of a site on the world wide web by its current owners Karen Reissiger and Patti Minton.

Although the guide and this web site has the potential to reach thousands regionally and countless via the Internet, Karen and Patti retain the roots of the business, which they regard as their "ministry", by offering hospitality southern style with in home visits.  They are comfortably at home perched on moving boxes, the floor, a driveway or any available surface as they deliver welcome packets with information about the area, coupons from local businesses and ready answers to newcomers’ questions.

In 1994, Karen and Patti were approached by then operator of The Valdosta Greeting Service, Beverly Moye, about taking over the business and the timing was right for the two women whose children were all in school.  What started as "something fun to do" with a little extra time on their hands, greeting newcomers in the Valdosta/Lowndes County area, evolved into coverage of community resources in Adel, Hahira, Lakeland, Lake Park, Moody AFB, Nashville, Quitman and Tifton.

Karen and Patti refer to Psalm 32:8 as an inspiration for ensuing exponential growth of The Valdosta Greeting Service.  "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you shall go: I will guide you with my eye."

In 2001, the Valdosta Newcomer’s Club was started with the mission of seeing that each new person blooms where they are planted, even if they are in the area for only "a season," a reference to Ecclesiastes 3:1.  The Newcomers’ Club helps facilitate new friendships with clubs and interest groups such as Moms & Tots, gardening, crafts, book clubs and a lunch bunch.

The Greeting Service expanded to Tifton in 2005, the first FYi* Valdosta resource guide was published in 2006, and in 2007, the Greeting Service’s boundaries enlarged to include all of Valdosta’s surrounding communities leading to the first edition of FYi*South Georgia published in January 2008. 

The Mission Statement of The Greeting Service is "To assist you in every way possible with your relocation and orientation to our community; to welcome you and inform you of the many benefits and services available to you; to promote our local businesses and agencies that provide these resources for you; and to encourage you to become an integral part of your new community through the leading of the Holy Spirit."

Karen and Patti enjoy meeting a wide variety of people and with the support of their growing staff, helping area newcomers feel at home.  More than anything, they feel their greatest enjoyment is in knowing that someone’s day is a little better because we stopped by.