Georgia Magazine - September 2019 - 16

Currents

News from Georgia's electric co-ops * Compiled by Amy Schneider

EMC linemen take top spots
in statewide rodeo

BYRON MCCOMBS

lectric membership cooperative (EMC) line crews were
in top form at the 2019 Georgia Lineman's Rodeo on
May 4 at the FFA Camp John Hope in Perry.
Professional journeyman teams and apprentices with
EMCs statewide competed against teams and apprentices from
municipal electric systems in Georgia.
EMC journeymen took the top five spots in overall competition in the journeyman division, and EMC apprentices took
the top five spots in their overall competition.
The top five journeyman teams were:
* Tony Brown, Sam Albright and Matt Williams of GreyStone
Power Corp. (Douglasville), first place;
* Ben Campbell, Jerry Minish and Brandon Carter, Jackson
EMC (Jefferson), second place;
* Greg Angel, Dwayne Dickerson and Jason Bond, Jackson
EMC, third place;
* Brad Knowles, John Mastin and Greg Hill, Flint Energies
(Reynolds), fourth place; and
* Jeff Sutton, Kaleb Chapman and Jeremy Adams, Jackson EMC,
fifth place.
The top apprentices were:
* Austin Cunningham, Cobb EMC (Marietta), first place;
* Dakota Conner, Snapping Shoals EMC (Covington), second
place;
* Collin Ward, Jackson EMC, third place;
* Dillon Wellborn, Jackson EMC, fourth place; and
* Jon Frazier, GreyStone Power Corp., fifth place.
Now in its 25th year, the Georgia Lineman's Rodeo has
become popular with utility workers and the public. The family-

At the annual Georgia Lineman's Rodeo, linemen demonstrate the
skills needed to do their challenging job safely.

friendly event gives linemen an opportunity to showcase their
unique skills and talent before family and friends.
This year, 76 EMC apprentices and 29 EMC journeyman
teams competed. The other EMCs participating in this year's
event were Blue Ridge Mountain EMC in Young Harris, Carroll
EMC in Carrollton, Central Georgia EMC in Jackson, Habersham EMC in Clarkesville, Okefenoke Rural EMC in Nahunta,
Walton EMC in Monroe and Washington EMC in Sandersville.
An awards banquet was held to recognize winners in each
division as well as overall team winners.

-Terri Statham

LaGrange-based Diverse Power and Moultrie-based
Colquitt Electric Membership Corp. (EMC) teamed up
to provide a pole trailer to the electrical lineworker
program at South Georgia Technical College (SGTC)
in Americus. Colquitt EMC donated the pole trailer,
which was refurbished and painted by Diverse Power
before it was given to the school, where it will be used
in training future lineworkers to earn Class B commercial driver's licenses. Standing beside the donated
pole trailer at right are, from left, Wally Summers, vice
president of economic development at SGTC; Bubba
Allen, general foreman at Diverse Power; Tyler Flowers,
a former SGTC student in the lineworker program who
now works for Diverse Power; and Dewey Turner, SGTC
lineworker instructor.

Georgia Magazine

September 2019

COURTESY SOUTH GEORGIA TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Cooperatives' donation helps future lineworkers

Georgia Magazine - September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2019