Georgia Magazine - October 2023 - 14

Currents
News from Georgia's electric co-ops * Compiled by Amy Schneider
E
Happy campers
ducating the public about the
benefits of the cooperative
business model is a major
focus of the Blairsville-based Georgia
Cooperative Council, and two unique
summer events help it achieve that
goal with very different audiences.
The Georgia Cooperative Council
Youth Leadership Conference July 1721
brought together 38 teenagers at
the Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center in
Covington for a fun learning and
networking experience.
Among those giving presentations
during the week were Adam Schwartz
of The Cooperative Way, based in
Washington, D.C., and representatives
from AgGeorgia Farm Credit in Statesboro, AgSouth Farm Credit
in Perry, Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (EMC) in Tucker,
Go Energy Financial Credit Union in Tucker and Pineland Telephone
Cooperative in Metter. The presenters gave examples of what
cooperatives do and why they are vital in the communities they serve.
Students learned about the different types of co-ops and their impact.
The teens learned more about themselves and what it takes to be
a leader through a personality profile session that taught them how to
better work with others and another session that shared tips on how
to more easily enter and leave conversations in social situations. The
students participated in fun and challenging team activities on-site at
the FFA-FCCLA Center, such as the high-ropes and mud courses, and
Georgia Cooperative Council's conferences engage EMC members of all ages
went on a field trip to visit Walton EMC
in Monroe and Godfrey Dairy Farm
in Madison to learn firsthand how
cooperatives function.
Volunteers from Walton EMC,
Georgia EMC, Sumter EMC in Americus,
Snapping Shoals EMC in Covington and
Carroll EMC in Carrollton assisted with
the activities during the camp.
The teenagers attending were
sponsored by 14 Georgia EMCs: Carroll
EMC, Central Georgia EMC in Jackson,
Diverse Power in LaGrange, Middle
Georgia EMC in Vienna, Flint Energies
in Reynolds, Georgia Transmission
Corp. in Tucker, Irwin EMC in Ocilla,
Jackson EMC in Jefferson, Ocmulgee
EMC in Eastman, Rayle EMC in Washington,
Snapping Shoals EMC, Southern Rivers Energy
in Barnesville, Sumter EMC and Tri-County EMC
in Gray. The Virginia Cooperative Council also
sponsored seven students who attended.
" I came into this camp thinking it might just
be boring lectures, but the information was taught
through interactive activities and games, " said
Samantha Dong, a Georgia FFA member from
Savannah whose attendance was sponsored
by the Georgia Cooperative Council. " I met so
many people I would have never met and made
memories I'll always remember. "
The Georgia Cooperative Council also
holds an annual conference for adult members
of participating cooperatives. The Couples
Conference this year was held Aug. 11-13 at
the Windsor Hotel in Americus.
Fifteen Georgia EMCs sponsored couples
from their service territories to attend: Altamaha
EMC (based in Lyons), Carroll EMC, Diverse
Power, Excelsior EMC (Metter), Flint Energies,
Georgia Transmission Corp., Irwin EMC, Middle
Georgia EMC, Ocmulgee EMC, Planters EMC
(Millen), Snapping Shoals EMC, Southern
Rivers Energy, Sumter EMC, Tri-County EMC
and Walton EMC.
The conference brings people together to
Teenage attendees at the Georgia Cooperative Council Youth Leadership
Conference enjoyed the mud course (above) and high-ropes course (top inset)
at the FFA-FCCLA Center in Covington.
14 Georgia Magazine October 2023
better understand the cooperative way of business
and exchange experiences and ideas with other
couples and cooperative leaders. Couples also
had the opportunity to tour Sumter EMC.
ARIEL CRUZ
MARY HOWELL
Georgia Magazine - October 2023

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