Georgia Magazine - March 2012 - (Page 14)

COMPILED BY VICTORIA SCHARF DeCASTRO EMC of the Year GREG BROOKS / WALTON EMC More power to you NICOLE DOVER / HABERSHAM EMC Award judge Vickie Williamson, left, board chair of Hands on Georgia, presents the award to Walton EMC Director Johnny Allgood and Community Specialist Kathy Ivie. Walton EMC in Monroe was recently named EMC of the Year and presented with the 2011 Community Service and Volunteerism Award during Georgia EMC’s annual meeting on Nov. 14 in Atlanta. Georgia EMC is the trade association representing the state’s 42 electric cooperatives and allied organizations. Walton EMC was honored for a range of initiatives, such as fundraising events including golf tournaments, barbecues, letters from Santa, motorcycle rides and Willie’s World of Wheels, generating more than $50,000 for charity. Other projects include Secret Santa, Christmas Adopt-a-Family and Project Sandbox, which distributes items for personal hygiene and comfort to members of the military overseas. “It’s not about just writing a check,” says Kathy Ivie of Walton EMC. “We take the seventh cooperative principle—concern for community—very seriously, and make a personal investment of time, strength and emotion to give to the communities we serve.” In particular, Operation Round Up was cited as a chief component in Walton EMC’s charitable giving. During the previous 18 months, $479,000 was distributed to 93 individuals and 108 worthy organizations, while at the same time, the co-op awarded $133,750 in student scholarships. Other civic support includes donations of time and funds to organizations such as the Lions, Rotary and Kiwanis clubs; Partners in Education; and the American Red Cross. 14 Approximately 200 people attended the wind turbine dedication at North Habersham Middle School (NHMS) in October, including, from left, Habersham EMC President and CEO Todd Pealock, NHMS Principal Brent Tuck, Assistant Principal Trecy Kent, Marty Myers of Green Power EMC, James Thompson of the Appalachian Regional Commission and science teacher Laura Ward. Students at North Habersham Middle School in Clarkesville take renewable energy seriously. Located in the school’s outdoor classroom stands a 55-foot-tall, recently installed wind turbine designed to help them learn more about wind power. The project is the result of a partnership between the Appalachian Regional Commission, Green Power EMC, Clarkesville-based Habersham EMC and the Habersham County School System. In 2007, Green Power EMC and Habersham EMC installed a solar panel in the outdoor classroom as part of the Sun Power for Schools initiative. “This is all done because of a partnership of entities that want to help young people learn about energy,” says Habersham EMC President and CEO Todd Pealock. “Along with the solar panel, we feel our school system is deﬁnitely the leader in educating students about renewable energy,” says Assistant Principal Trecy Kent. Go Build Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced a new skilled labor advancement initiative, Go Build Georgia, at a press conference at the State Capitol on Jan. 17. Go Build Georgia is a privatepublic partnership designed to increase Georgia’s competitiveness. One tenet of the program is to solve Georgia’s workforce challenges by matching employer opportunities with employees who possess the right skills. Deal invited Georgia EMC President and CEO Paul Wood to attend the ceremony. Also in attendance was Tucker-based JASON BRAGG / GEORGIA EMC Georgia Transmission Corp. Director of Human Resources Angie Farsee, who was instrumental in shaping the program through the Ofﬁce of Workforce Development. GEORGIA MAGAZINE More online at www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - March 2012

Georgia Magazine - March 2012
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Liberty Notes
Picture This?
Georgie News
Calendar of Events
Currents
From “Undercover Boss” to servant leader
New Harmonies blossoms
Ellijay family business is for the birds
Around Georgia
Travel Guide
My Georgia
Georgia Gardena
Georgia Cooks
Snapshop

Georgia Magazine - March 2012