Georgia Magazine - June 2024 - 15

SHORTTakes
Wiring contest winners
earn scholarships
O
n March 2, 12 FFA students competed for top honors at the annual EMC/
FFA Electrification Career Development Event (also called the state wiring
contest) at the FFA/FCCLA Center in Covington.
Luke Johnson (Banks County) was named the champion. Ethan Parks (Bleckley
County) took home second place, and Lance Dawson (Wayne County) rounded out
the top three.
The top two finishers at each of six area competitions held earlier advanced to
compete at the state level. All 12 were recognized at the State FFA Convention at the
Macon Coliseum April 24-27.
Helping with the wiring
contest were volunteers from
several electric membership
cooperatives (EMCs): Colquitt EMC
(based in Moultrie), Jackson EMC
(Jefferson), Mitchell EMC (Camilla),
Oglethorpe Power (Tucker),
Planters EMC (Millen), Snapping
Shoals EMC (Covington) and
Walton EMC (Monroe).
Luke Johnson accepts his certifi cate
for winning fi rst place from
Andy Paul, public relations
representative at Georgia EMC.
Quick learners
Leadership change:
Jefferson Energy
Cooperative in Wrens
announced that
Wayne Gossage Jr.
will take the reins as
president and CEO,
effective June 1.
Gossage has served in
various roles at the
cooperative since
2007, most recently as
vice president of energy services. Chris Dillard,
who had been the president and CEO for
11 years and worked at the cooperative for
35 years, is retiring as of May 31.
Powered up: Oglethorpe Power in Tucker
celebrated the completion of the Plant Vogtle
nuclear power project when the fourth and final
unit of the facility began commercial operation
on April 29. Oglethorpe Power owns 30 percent
of the project near Waynesboro, which is
expected to provide emissions-free, aroundthe-clock
power to members of 38 electric
cooperatives in Georgia for 60 to 80 years.
Safety first: When people are involved in a car
accident, the first impulse usually is to exit the
vehicle. But if a utility pole is involved, that may
be a very dangerous decision. Jackson Electric
Membership Corp. (EMC) in Jefferson shared
tips for how to stay safe in these situations.
Learn more at bit.ly/electricpolecrash.
Special deliveries: Electric cooperatives in
Georgia delivered this year's American Farm
Bureau Book of the Year, " My Grandpa, My Tree,
and Me " by Roxanne Troup, to libraries in their
service territories this spring. Each year Georgia
EMC in Tucker partners with the Georgia
Farm Bureau and the Georgia Foundation
for Agriculture to provide a copy of the
selected agriculture-themed book to every
public library in the state. Below, employees of
Amicalola EMC in Jasper joined Georgia Farm
Bureau representatives to present the book to
the Gilmer County Library in Ellijay.
Diverse Power in LaGrange sponsored the sixth annual Diverse Power Grand Prix at the
Callaway Campus of LaGrange College on March 23. The cooperative has been the named
sponsor of the race since its inception. The annual event draws teams of middle and high
school students who design, build and race their own electric cars, which must be powered by
green energy. The races are part of the national GreenpowerUSA initiative, which encourages
student learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Shown is the Cougar
Strong Racing 555 team from Long Cane Middle School in LaGrange. The team placed first in
the intermediate stock division, as it has done in three of the last four years.
www.georgiamagazine.org
15
COURTESY GEORGIA EMC
GARRETT PELT PHOTOGRAPHY
COURTESY AMICALOLA EMC
COURTESY JEFFERSON ENERGY COOPERATIVE

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Georgia Magazine - June 2024

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