| Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce |
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Postal meeting is slated
The United States Postal Service will hold a public meeting to discuss a proposal to move the Area Mail Processing (AMP) operations from the Swainsboro Post Office Processing and Distribution Facility in Swainsboro. The meeting is set for Tuesday, December 13th, at the Emanuel County Courthouse at 6 p.m.
The Swainsboro Processing and Distribution Facility currently provides mail distribution to area post offices in the 304 Zip Code region. The region covers 42 offices.
Swainsboro is not the only operation being considered for closure. Other AMP facilities meetings are scheduled in Georgia for Columbus, Savannah, Gainesville, Albany, Valdosta, Waycross, and Augusta during late November and December. The Postal Service is also conducting studies at other locations across the United States including Panama City, Florida and Mansfield, Ohio.
"With deep decline in mail volume due to current economic conditions and continuing electronic diversion, the Postal Service has an excess of employees and equipment in some mail processing operations. Initial study results support consolidating some mail processing operations," states a quote from the U.S. Postal service which appeared on the internet.
The hearing will seek public input. |
Christmas Parade is set
 The 4th Annual Swainsboro Christmas Parade & Festivities are set for this Thursday, December 1. The event will include the parade, the Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce's "Carols on the Square", Relay For Life Chili Cook-Off, children's activities, and more. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m.
The parade will begin near BB&T on South Main Street, proceeding north until turning onto West Pine Street, then turning south onto Green Street and ending at the Boneyard. Prizes totaling $700 will be awarded for the best floats in the parade.
Following the parade, the Chamber of Commerce will host "Carols on the Square," featuring live local entertainment. The Pilot Club of Emanuel County will light the community Christmas Tree, and Relay For Life will hold its 3rd Annual Chili Cook-Off.
An artists' market will be held in the Main Street Market at the Boneyard.
Individuals or groups interested in participating in the Chili Cook-Off should contact Jill Harvey at (478) 237-6363 and vendors interested in participating in the artists' market may contact Joan Dunn at (478) 237-0936.
For more information about the 4th Annual Swainsboro Christmas Parade & Festivities, contact Lynn Brinson at (478) 237-7025. |
Ohoopee Dunes to be featured!
The Chamber has learned Georgia Magazine will be featuring Emanuel County's Ohoopee Dunes in a February, 2012, travel feature.
According to its website, "Georgia Magazine is the most widely read magazine for and about Georgians. Each issue celebrates the Georgia lifestyle in word and photo, revealing the spirit of its people and the flavor of its past in a friendly, conversational tone."
The magazine has an average of 500,800 copies mailed each month to members of Georgia's Electric Cooperatives, plus additional paid subscription mailings within Georgia and out of state. |
Economic Outlook Luncheon is planned for January 8
The Annual Rural Georgia Economic Outlook 2012 Luncheon, sponsored by UGA Terry College of Business, will be held at East Georgia College on Monday, January 9. This marks the 14th year the event has been held in Swainsboro.
Jeff L. Humphreys, Director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth, will present his forecast for rural Georgia. The event will be held in the Richard L. Brown Room from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets can now be reserved by calling East Georgia College, at 478-289-2037. |
Interesting visitors!
Swainsboro Antiques & Unique Gifts owner, Michael Bright, has provided interesting numbers on visitors to our community.
The local merchant keeps a guest book open for customers. Since opening five months ago, he has had customers from 33 states and 8 foreign countries sign the book. Visitors have been from as far away as Washington State, Hawaii, Denmark, Australia, Cuba, Germany and Canada. |
Community leaders welcome joint training session
The Georgia Municipal Association and Association of County Commissioners of Georgia will hold a joint training session on Georgia's Local Option Sales Tax (LOST). The event is slated for Thursday, December 1, in the Luck F. Gambrell Auditorium on the campus of East Georgia College.
The session will provide an overview of the history and purpose of local option sales tax along with requirements for the law.
The training session will also focused on city and county negotiations and distribution agreements. The training session is intended to assist in framing the issues to be confronted in negotiations and reducing tensions that are sometimes involved.
Local governments from this region of the state are expected to attended the session, which is sponsored locally by Emanuel County Commissioners, City Of Swainsboro, Chamber of Commerce, and Joint Development Authorities. |
Leadership Emanuel Course concludes
The Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce twenty-one students have been graduated from the ten-week leadership program which concluded in November. Graduates include Neil Shah, Lois Clark, John Thrift, Dennis Jones, Matt Henry, Beau Gunn, Tammy Wilkes, Dustin Vernon, Byrant Lewis, Jean Marie Cadle, Maria Daniels, Wanda Ellison, Jen Meadows, Rev. Eugene Davis, Lynn Brinson, Amy Carter, Greg Waters, Michelle Hutcheson, Trip Fitzner, Kenny Griffin, and Angel Morris.
"The ultimate goal of this program is to create sustained leadership for Emanuel County," stated Bill Rogers Jr., chamber president. "This initiative is one of the most important we undertake. We are very proud of the group's dedication and willingness to be involved."
The program focused on topics such as communicating effectively, understanding community strengths and weaknesses, a community leader's role in economic development, and understanding local government."
The program was conducted with the assistance of the University of Georgia's Fanning Institute and Mill Creek Foundation. Grants were made available to assist the chamber in their efforts to implement a leadership program for Emanuel County. This marks the third leadership class initiative in four years sponsored by the chamber. |
Welcome Dr. Bob Boehmer
A warm welcome is extended to Dr. Robert (Bob) Boehmer, new interim president of East Georgia College.
University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby announced earlier in the month he had appointed Dr. Boehmer to the position. Currently, he serves as associate provost for academic planning at the University of Georgia.
Boehmer's appointment, effective January 1, 2012, follows East Georgia College President John Black's recent announcement that he is retiring effective December 31, 2011. Dr. Black has served as president of the college since 2004.
Boehmer has served as associate provost for academic planning at UGA since 2010. He also serves as UGA's liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Boehmer has been a professor of legal studies in UGA's Terry College of Business since 2004. He served as associate provost for institutional effectiveness and extended campuses at UGA from July 2007 to December 2009.
He holds a doctor of jurisprudence degree (J.D.) from the University of Oregon School of Law, earned in 1977. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) degree from the University of Oregon School of Business Administration in 1974. Before becoming a faculty member at UGA, he practiced law in Oregon for more than ten years and was a partner in an Oregon law firm. He has also served as chair of the Regents Advisory Committee on Effectiveness and Accreditation, which advises the regents on institutional effectiveness and regional accreditation, including quality enhancement, student learning outcomes, comprehensive program review, assessment practices, continuous improvement, accreditation compliance, and public accountability.
Dr. Boehmer has received numerous awards for teaching excellence including the Richard Russell Teaching Award from UGA, the Teacher of the Year and the MBA Teacher of the Year awards from the Terry College of Business, the Howard Hatten award from the university's Honors Program and selection as a Lilly Teaching Fellow.
Dr. Boehmer and his wife, Joyce, have two children. Megan , age 32, is a graduate of Georgia Tech and is a banker in Porland Oregon. Beth, age 23, has recently graduated from University of Oregon School of Architecture and lives in Portland.
Dr. Boehmer is an avid long distance runner. The couple will be relocating to Swainsboro in January.
Welcome Bob and Joyce to our community! |
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Open house & ribbon cutting date is set
Edenfield House Inn owners, Mike and Peggy Grant, invite everyone to attend their open house and ribbon cutting ceremonies on Thursday afternoon, December 8. The event is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Inn's location at 426 West Church Street. Refreshments will be served and door prizes given away. See you there! |
| November 2011 Chamber Member Renewals |
Aeroxs, Inc.
Derden, John & Carolyn
Dixie Trophies & Engraving
Franklin Memorial Library
AllGreen Services, LLC
Chapman Funeral Home
Daniels Chevrolet
DRB Realty & Properties LLC
Tattnall Printing
Ware's Bar-B-Q |
Thursday, December 1st, 8:30 am - Georgia Municipal Association and Association of County Commissioners of Georgia joint training session on Georgia's Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), Luck F. Gambrell Auditorium at East Georgia College
Thursday, December 1st, 12:30 pm-1:30 pm - "Christmas Disease" Factor Deficiency, Emanuel Medical Center
Thursday, December 1st, 5:30 pm - Swainsboro Christmas Parade and Holiday Festivities
Tuesday, December 6th, 9:30 am - Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce Executive Board Meeting, Chamber Building
Wednesday, December 7th, 2:00 pm - Jean and Shot Strange Clubhouse Ribbon Cutting, Bobcat Villas at East Georgia College
Thursday, December 8th, 12:00 noon - Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce Regular Board Meeting, Chamber Building
Thursday, December 8th, 4:00 pm - Edenfield House Inn Ribbon Cutting
Thursday, December 8th, 7:00 pm - Holiday Cooking with Melissa Kitchens, Fulford Learning Center
Tuesday, December 13th, 6:00 pm - United States Postal Service Public Meeting, Emanuel County Courthouse
Tuesday, December 20th, 5:00 pm - Swainsboro/Emanuel County Joint Development Authorities Board Meeting, Chamber Building
Friday, December 23 & Monday, December 26th - Chamber closed in observance of Christmas Holidays |
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