Georgia Magazine - September 2013 - (Page 5)

www.georgiamagazine.org (800) 544-4362, in Georgia; (770) 270-6500 GEORGIA Magazine, the largest-circulation monthly magazine in the state, is published by Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (GEMC), the trade association for Georgia’s 41 consumer-owned electric utilities. On average, more than 500,000 members welcome the magazine into their homes each month. Georgia’s not-for-proﬁt electric cooperatives provide reliable, safe and affordable electric service to more than 73 percent of the state’s land area serving 4.5 million residents. For more information, visit www.georgiaemc.com. EDITOR Ann Orowski, CCC MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Hewett, CCC ASSOCIATE EDITOR Victoria Scharf DeCastro PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Gayle Hartman ASSISTANT EDITOR Kevin Braun ASSISTANT EDITOR Jim Jess EDITORIAL INTERN Bhavna Dilipkumar CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kristine F. Anderson, Ren Davis, Melanie F. Gibbs, Emory Jones, Jackie Kennedy, Anne Marie Kyzer, Ann McCleary, Clay Narron, Jenna Saxon, Tammye Vaughn, June D. Wilhite Tyler Allen, Mark Bolton, Ren Davis, Andrew Everett, Jane F. Garvey, Dave Grifﬁn, Roger Hart, Josh Hendricks, Emory Jones, Phil Jones, Anne Marie Kyzer, Dot Paul, Terry Ross, Parker Smith, Kymberly Thomas, Leslie Thompson, Andrew Davis Tucker CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Laurel George, (404) 541-0628; Laine Kirby Wood, (770) 289-5700 ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE National Country Market, (800) 626-1181 DESIGNERS Trudie Thibodeaux, Kerstin Weis SUBSCRIPTIONS (770) 270-6500 2013 ADVISORY BOARD Juanita Austin, Kelly Bodner, David Cleveland, Jane F. Garvey, Kelly Hester, David Murphy, Julie Musselman, Jim O’Bryan, Hope Paulk, Wendy Sellers, Lewis Shefﬁeld, Barbara Tapp, Jim Tucker, Donna Yost GEORGIA EMC OFFICERS: CHAIRMAN Alice Mallory, Coweta-Fayette EMC VICE CHAIRMAN G. Anthony Norton, Snapping Shoals EMC SEC.-TREASURER Randy Crenshaw, Irwin PRESIDENT/CEO, GEMC A. Paul Wood EMC Acceptance of advertising by GEORGIA Magazine does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Georgia’s electric membership corporations of the product or services advertised. (Contined from front to the Department of Motor Vehicles to see if they might have the car registered in the state. After a good deal of correspondence, it was determined that the car likely did not exist anymore. They were kind enough not to use the words “turned into scrap.” But I knew what they were trying to tell me, and I stopped looking. Every once in awhile, I spot one of those classics tooling down the highway, and my heart skips a beat. Just like that, I’m transported to another time. There was that day in June. I was driving home at a reasonable GTO speed and approached a pickup truck with two young boys riding in the truck bed. One of them threw an empty soft drink bottle over the side of the truck, but the bottle didn’t land where he intended. It came straight back and hit the spot where the windshield joins the rooﬂine. The rooﬂine was high enough to keep the bottle from joining me in the front seat but close enough to the windshield to shatter it completely. I was sick about the hurt they had done to my car. I’m still not over it. I almost can’t talk about it. flap) Wrap .375 Spine .8125 ' Looking for a great gift idea? What readers asked It’s My View More online at www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA Magazine readers have loved Paul Wood’s monthly most 15 years; response columns for alto the magazine points of every issue. After numerous readers suggestedto this being the most-read page columns in a book, that Wood put his “Viewpoint” he did. This book is the result. Back Visit www.georgiamag azine.org to order “It’s My View,” a hardbound book featuring 100 of the magazine readers’ favorite columns from past years. PAUL WOOD is the president and CEO of Georgia Electric Membership Corp., headquartere d in Tucker. Georgia EMC represents Georgia’s 42 electric membership corporations (EMCs), Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp., providing electricity to more than 4.5 million residents and businesses in Georgia. Prior to his move to Georgia, Wood was executive director of the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives . Today, he has become one of Georgia’s most fervent promoters through his service to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, 4-H Foundation, FDR Warm Springs Memorial Advisory Committee and KidsPeace. In 2004, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue tapped Wood to serve as co-chairman of the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, and, in 2007, Wood to chair the Commission Perdue also asked for a New Georgia Service Delivery Taskforce. Not long after Gov. Nathan Deal was inaugurated in 2011, he appointed Wood to serve on his newly formed Georgia Competitiven ess Initiative. During his nearly half-century of service to electric membership cooperatives, Wood has held many leadership positions, including president of the Rural Electric Statewide Managers’ Association. for … What readers say about “Viewpoint,” the monthly column of Paul Wood: “A new decade begins” was just chock-full of wisdom that many on both sides of the of our leaders aisle seem to lack. I’d like to shake your hand tell you how much I think of you.” one day and “Mr. Wood … is so “Paul, keep up the —Dave K., Townsend, Ga. inspirational in his common-sense approach to everything!” —Jamie W., Richmond Hill, Ga. enjoy your articles.” good work. I always —Larry W., Perry, Ga. “I am thrilled about this book. Paul Wood’s ‘Viewpoint’ is the first the magazine.” thing I read in —Anita J., West Point, Ga. “Thank you very much for the ‘Viewpoint’ article, ‘Growing older? This is a splendid article Who, me?’ on aging. We always enjoy Paul’s articles …” —Jeanette G., Cleveland, Ga. “My GEORGIA Magazine arrived yesterday. … Wood’s. His words My first article is always ring true to me. Please Paul pass along my applause.” “Paul Wood always —Angela S., Blairsville, gives us something Ga. to think about.” —Vickie H., Thomson, IT’S MY VIEW JACKET DESIGN BY TRUDIE THIBODEAUX JACKET PHOTOGRAP HY BY LOUIS TONSMEIRE PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. © 2011 GEMC GEORGIA MAGAZINE Ga. 2011 By Paul Wood September 2013 I can talk about it now. In the beginning, it was difﬁcult to ﬁnd the words. Back in 1967, I bought a beautiful blue Pontiac GTO coupe. It came equipped with a Hurst shifter, hood scoops and a bad attitude. Under the hood purred a 389 V-8 engine with three, two-barrel carbs. Dual exhausts gave it a sweet note. I loved that car, and I love her still, even though I have no idea where she is today. I remember I paid $3,200 for her at the General Motors dealership in my town. That was a lot of money in those days. In fact, I had a choice: Buy a 3-acre tract of land in the mountains for a total of $1,000 or use that money to place a down payment on a GTO. Every man knows that was really no choice; I bought the GTO. Over the years, I have owned other cars—all of them priced higher than $3,200. But I have never enjoyed any as much as that GTO coupe. It had four narrow taillights, a hoodmounted tachometer and front disc brakes. It was a real head-turner. Nothing made you look so cool in those days as a GTO, especially if it had “Rally II” wheels. If I stopped at a red light, and a kid pulled up in his hot rod, there would be a moment before the light turned green when both of us would rev our engines and think about racing. Of course, I never did that. I sold that car about year after I was married. Before it was out of the driveway, I had a terrible feeling I had just made one of the poorest decisions of my life. Some years back, I sent the VIN It’s My View ' W hen Paul Wood writes a in his monthly “Viewpo GEORGIA Magazine, h reflections are often laced wit lessons he learned while grow town of Natchitoches , La. One has only to read a co gain an appreciation for a life faith and education. Small towns in the 1950s The character of the town’s yo shaped by adults who accepted in life, putting every child on a and successful citizenship. It w “Remember who you are” was small-town mother, a cautionar on your best behavior when yo door to meet the world. A teena that anyone in the community c report.” ' GEORGIA Magazine’s LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN, OR OMISSIONS OF, ADVERTISEMENTS, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES TO THE ADVERTISER’S BUSINESS, SHALL IN NO EVENT EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF CHARGES FOR THE ADVERTISEMENT THAT WAS OMITTED OR IN WHICH THE ERROR OCCURRED. BY PAUL WOOD President/CEO, Georgia Electric Membership Corporation It’s My View GEORGIA Magazine (USPS-473120, ISSN 10615822) is published monthly by Georgia Electric Membership Corp., P.O. Box 1707, 2100 East Exchange Place, Tucker, GA 30085. Periodicals postage paid at Thomaston, GA, and additional mailing ofﬁces. POSTMASTER: Send changes to GEORGIA Magazine, P.O. Box 1707, Tucker, GA 30085. Printed in Georgia by Quad/Graphics. Now that was a car! A collection of readers ’ favorite ‘Viewpoint’ columns from GEOR GIA Magazine By Paul Wood President/CEO, Georgia Electric Membership Corp. In Wood’s column, “Good v remember growing up when roc born, perhaps with parents who understand it. In “My mother sa raise,” you’ll discover Paul’s purp humor. In “The parade of our tim it all about,” he waxes philosoph meaning of life. In “Good friends times,” you’ll think of someone w when the going was rough. He als advice for graduates looking for a celebrating the Fourth of July and a more meaningful Christmas for There is also considerable commen officials could make government w levels. Hardly any subject escapes t opinion of Paul Wood. This collection of readers’ favo is more than a nostalgic look at the reminder that many of those learned are just as applicable early l today in mid-20th-century America. Wood every person possesses a unique gift discovered and cultivated, has the ca change the world. At the very least, t is apt to find Wood’s insights a helpf for understanding the problems that complicated world in early 21st-cent (Con 5 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiaemc.com http://www.georgiamagazine.com http://www.georgiamagazine.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2013

Georgia Magazine - September 2013
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Liberty Notes
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
From Rural Georgia to the Governor’s Mansion
Buried Treasure
Celebrating 75 Years in the Community
Lessons for Learning
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - September 2013