Georgia Magazine - September 2024 - 4

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From THE EDITOR
Comments from our readers * Compiled by Jennifer J. Hewett
We recognize that place!
June's Picture this? contest featured a
photo of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan
Mandir in Lilburn. Nearly 100 readers
recognized the location, including
Tejesh Patel of Perry.
According to the BAPS Shri
Swaminarayan Mandir website, baps.org,
a mandir is a Hindu place of worship as
well as a community center for social,
cultural and spiritual activities. The
Lilburn mandir opened in August 2007
after 17 months of construction, including
1.3 million volunteer hours. The more
than 34,000 stones that make up the
structure were handcarved in India,
shipped to the U.S. and assembled on-site.
Patel's family has visited the Hindu
This month's cover story is a powerful
one that addresses the serious public
health issue of suicide but also brings a
message of hope.
George Eshleman of Calhoun gained
the nickname " The Keeper " in 2016,
when he hiked the Appalachian Trail
while carrying the name tapes of U.S.
military veterans who had died by
suicide. He, too, found himself in a dark
place but, in a moment of clarity during
his hike, mustered the strength to move
forward.
Eshleman's story is chronicled in the
temple three times.
" We are [followers] of the BAPS organization, " Patel says. " We meet at this place
to perform rituals and spiritual activities throughout the year. It is also a symbol
of ancient Indian architecture. We want our kids to learn all Hindu values and
[incorporate] them into their lives. "
Flint Energies serves the Patels, and he says their favorite thing about
Georgia Magazine is the calendar of community events, which they use to plan trips.
To see this month's Picture this? photo, turn to page 6.
-Lindsay Penticuff
We go into Columbus often and get to see the actual
" Lady Columbus " mural in person! [See " The big picture:
Georgia muralists add splashes of color to drab surfaces, "
June 2024, page 21; bit.ly/gmart624.] Thank you!
-Julie Miller, Mauk
Story shoutout
As soon as Georgia Magazine hits my mailbox I'm
scanning the contents page as to what to read first.
In the January 2024 issue, the
story about the linemen who went
to Guatemala to bring electricity to a small village there was
heartwarming. [See " Illuminating Guatemala, " page 32;
bit.ly/emcgama0124.]
We are so blessed in America!
-Marv Preast, via email
Georgia
Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle
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FromMetter
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Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle
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MAGAZINE
A voice for good
page 16
Georgia's star
groundhog
page 24
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Visit the Delta Flight
Museum
page 27
The 'Jam Man' shares
abundance
page 34
FEBRUARY 2024
We at Georgia Magazine were saddened to
learn of the death of Lucy Brown of Metter (far left) in March.
She and her sister, Mattie Collins of Cobbtown, were featured
on our February cover and in that month's Georgia Cooks
story, " From Metter with love. " (See February 2024, page 30;
bit.ly/metter224.)
We offer our heartfelt condolences to her loved ones.
Share your thoughts. Email us at magazine@georgiaemc.com. Please include your name, address
and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.
4 Georgia Magazine September 2024
In memoriam
Visiting the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
in Lilburn last year are Tejesh Patel; his
daughter, Akshara; son, Yagna; and wife,
Madhuri.
movie " The Keeper, " which was released
in theaters in May. Today he honors his
fallen comrades and raises awareness
through speaking engagements and
ongoing work to help those living with
depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Read more about his journey on
page 16.
Do you know what you'd need to
have or do if a disaster strikes, such as an
ice storm, tornado or tropical storm like
Debby, which caused flooding and storm
damage last month? September is
National Preparedness Month, and it's a
good time to assess your plans and put
together a Ready Kit for your family.
Getting stranded on Interstate 285
for more than 20 hours in 2014 during
" Snowmageddon " inspired me to put
together my own Ready Kit for my car.
Turn to " Navigating the elements "
on page 24 to learn how weather forecasters
keep an eye on Mother Nature and
emergency-management teams spring
into action when disasters occur.
Many of us pass by those historical
signs along roadsides every day, but have
you slowed down or stopped to read one?
In the last 25 years, the Georgia
Historical Society has erected more than
300 new signs, and the organization also
maintains the more than 2,200 historical
markers around the state. For more about
this program, turn to " Signs of the times, "
beginning on page 20.
I hope you enjoy these and the other
stories in this month's issue.
Take care,
Jennifer J. Hewett
Editor
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Georgia linemen bring electricity, hope to Sesaltul
By Tara Duncan
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   
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   
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   

n a display of international goodwill, linemen
from seven Georgia electric membership
cooperatives (EMCs) embarked on a
transformative journey in September to Sesaltul, a
remote village in north central Guatemala. These
15 linemen represented Cobb EMC in Marietta,
Coweta-Fayette EMC in Palmetto, GreyStone Power
Corp. in Hiram, Habersham EMC in Clarkesville,
Jackson EMC in Jefferson, Snapping Shoals EMC in
Covington and Walton EMC in Monroe.
The team undertook a challenging mission to
install 4 miles of electric lines and bring the gift of
power to 90 homes, two schools and two churches.
Managed by NRECA International, an international
affiliate of the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association (NRECA) based in Arlington, Va., the
endeavor spanned more than two weeks of intense
labor in the Guatemalan heat and humidity.
Above: The day starts with a basic meeting to go over the crew's work
plan. " We'd have four [or so] guys climbing poles and framing poles,
and the rest would start pulling wire [by hand]. We worked as a unit;
it was very well-planned, and we had a good leader to help us stay on
track, " says Connor Hoff with Coweta-Fayette EMC. Right: Locals were
enthusiastic about power coming to their village and were a great help
to the linemen, says Hollis Lucas with Walton EMC.
Above: Villagers celebrate electricity coming to the
community. Right: Locals guide Georgia's volunteer
linemen through rugged terrain to each house needing
electricity. " Reliable electricity lifts communities out of
poverty, it encourages economic growth, better education,
health care and everything else that comes with power, "
Coweta-Fayette EMC President and CEO Chris Stephens says.
32 Georgia Magazine January 2024
32-34_Lineman_Trip_0124.indd 32
12/12/23 3:12 PM
COWETA-FAYETTE EMC
WALTON EMC
COBB EMC
COWETA-FAYETTE EMC
JULIE MILLER
GEMC
GEMC
GEMC

http://www.baps.org http://bit.ly/gmart624 http://bit.ly/emcgama0124 http://bit.ly/metter224 http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Georgia Magazine - September 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2024