Need some great PR for your business or organization? Now is your chance. Be a corporate sponsor of the Chamber & Development Authorities' September "Industry Appreciation Golf Tournament."

You can choose to be a hole sponsor for $100 or give a door prize. Last year, over 108 golfers participated.

Call the Chamber at 237-6426 for more information or mail your check to Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce, 102 South Main Street, Swainsboro, Ga. 30401.

The Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce has announced the names of participants selected for this fall's "Leadership Emanuel 2009" class.

Earlier in the year, the Chamber was awarded a $5000 grant from The University of Georgia's Fanning Institute to assist the local organization in its efforts to implement a leadership program for Emanuel County.

"The goal of the program is to create a new level of leadership for Emanuel County," stated Bill Rogers Jr., chamber president. "Program goals will focus on economic development with session topics on understanding community leadership, knowing your community, community leader's role in economic development and local governance."

The class is scheduled to begin September 1st, with a 6 p.m. kickoff dinner at East Georgia College followed by nine classes on consecutive Tuesday nights. Appeals Court Judge John Ellington will be the guest speaker. (See story elsewhere.)

Selected for the class are Wendy Ahrens, Toni Terwilliger, Belinda Thomas, Christine Whitaker, Allen Gambrell, Stacey Barber, Brett Reynolds, Jim Roberts, Mary Shepherd, Samantha Holden, Katelyn Moore, Cindy Phillips, Candy Powers, David Ray, Joe Lanier, Dr. Sonji Leach, Gloria Mason, Daniel Massa, Barbara Moore, DeAnna Moore, Eric Carlyle, Heather Cook, Dr. Tommy Craft, Zach Frye, Anna Gambrell, and Shanna Taylor.

Schedule of classes are:

Tuesday, September 9, "Understanding Leadership: How does it work?"-- Location: Twin City Primary Media Center.
Tuesday, September 16, "Emanuel County Socio- Demographics, a Quick Study of Emanuel's Statistical Data"--Location: 4-H Club Center.
Tuesday, September 23, "Communicating Effectively"-- Location: Citizens Bank Community Room.
Tuesday, September 30, "Making Group Decisions"-- Location: Swainsboro High School Media Center.
Tuesday, October 7, "Building Communities through Collaboration"--Location: Emanuel Medical Center Cafeteria.
Tuesday, October 14, "Leading Community Change"-- Location: Swainsboro Technical College.
Tuesday, October 21, "Understanding Local Governments"--Location: Swainsboro/Emanuel County Recreation Complex.
Tuesday, October 28, "A Community Leader's Role in Economic Development"--Location: Durden Bank Community Room, Swainsboro.
Tuesday, November 4, "Wrap-Up and Graduation"-- Location: Flat Creek Lodge.

State Appeals Court Judge John Ellington will serve as this year's keynote speaker for "Leadership Emanuel 2009" kickoff banquet, which will be held at East Georgia College on Tuesday, September 1st.

Twenty-six citizens have been selected for the fall class, which will be directed by the University of Georgia's Fanning Institute. The class is part of the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce ongoing leadership activities.

Judge John J. Ellington is from Soperton, Treutlen County, Georgia, and was sworn in as the 66th Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals by Governor Roy Barnes on July 12, 1999. He was elected statewide to a full six-year term in 2000. Judge Ellington was born in Vidalia, Toombs County, Georgia, on October 26, 1960, the son of the late Charles E. Ellington, Sr. from Laurens County, Georgia, and Nan Davis Ellington from Johnson County, Georgia.

Judge Ellington graduated from the University of Georgia with a BBA in Accounting in 1982, and from the University of Georgia Law School with a J.D. in 1985. He graduated from Treutlen County High School in Soperton, Georgia, in 1978. He attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and graduated with degrees in Business and Political Science. At ABAC, Judge Ellington served as President of the Student Government Association, and he received the George P. Donaldson Award as the outstanding graduate in the Class of 1980.

The first event of the 2009-2010 Vision Series at East Georgia College will be held this next Thursday, Sept. 3rd.

On campus will be the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra "Pops" Ensemble for two concerts at 11 a.m. and at 7 p.m. The program will feature tunes from Broadway musicals and film themes.

The concerts will be presented in the Luck Flanders Gambrell Auditorium. The concerts are free and open to the public. Please make plans to attend and join us for this terrific event.

On August 15th, The Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce launched its redesign of the organization's website, www.emanuelchamber.org.

The new look features modern appealing graphics, movement, optimal balance between graphics and text, easy navigation, and advertising possibilities.

"We have the same basic, important information on our community and chamber, everything from our membership listings to our industrial parks. It's packaged differently," stated Bill Rogers, Jr., president of the organization.

"It had been three years since our last redesign and technology now allows us to do so much more. We hope our members will visit the site and let us know their thoughts and opinions on the new design."

Eight advertising banners are available on the chamber website. Banners will appear on the home page, membership pages and community calendar page. Contracts are for 1 year period. If your business is interested in securing a spot, please call the chamber.

As part of ongoing efforts to assist local businesses and industries during difficult economic times, the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce joined forces with the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Joint Development Authorities and the Small Business Development Center at Georgia Southern University to sponsor a breakfast seminar on Wednesday morning, August 19th. The event was held at North Main Grill.

Entitled "Survival Tips for Tough Economic Times," some sixty individuals, representing 32 different companies, gained insight into strategies to help offset the current economic downturn. The seminar was free to all businesses and industries in the area. Topics included solving cash crisis, managing inventory, managing accounts payable and receivable, adjusting prices, marketing ideas, reducing costs and other valuable tips.

"SBDC Director Lori Durden did a great job in reminding businesses of tips that can add extra dollars to the bottom line. We were delighted to see 32 different companies taking advantage of this helpful information," stated Bill Rogers, Jr., president of the local chamber. "From comments received, the session must have been very helpful. Our plans are to be proactive in continuing to offer these types of seminars to our local business community."

Here is new service now being offered in Emanuel County. Mill Pond Kayak, LLC is a new business in Emanuel County, offering guided tours of the 412-acre cypress-lined Watson Mill Pond at George L. Smith State Park.

A great outing for school groups, scout troops, church groups, reunions or family and friends, tours last approximately 2-1/2 hours and explore some ten miles of blackwater trails on the mill pond.

Tours will run from September 1 through Nov. 30th. For more information call 478-299-6616 or email info@millpondkayak.com. The company is owned and operated by Wesley Hendley. Congratulations and best wishes to our newest chamber member!

Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Rogers, Medical Service Corp, United States Army, will be the guest speaker at the Friday, September 11th ceremony scheduled for downtown Swainsboro at 6:00 p.m.

Local members of the VFW will also be laying a wreath at the memorial in the Square. The public is invited to attend.

Yesterday was a great day for Georgia's energy future, as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued an Early Site Permit (ESP) for the two new reactors at Plant Vogtle. The permit essentially determines that the site is suitable for construction of the new generating units, and allows for preliminary construction work.

The two new units at Plant Vogtle will benefit citizens throughout the state, because, in addition to Georgia Power, the plant is owned by Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power), and Dalton Utilities. These organizations represent the state's Electric Membership Corporations and municipal utilities.

Plant Vogtle's new units will help meet the demand for growing energy use in our state by providing safe, reliable and economical electricity with a zero- emission technology.

The project also will benefit Georgia's economy because it represents a $14 billion capital investment in Georgia that will create thousands of construction jobs and 800 permanent jobs once the units are operational.

Plant Vogtle's owners appreciate the support they have received from citizens and community leaders throughout the state. In March, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Georgia Power's request to certify Vogtle units 3 and 4, following the passage and signing of Senate Bill 31, which lowers the financing cost of the new units for Georgia Power customers. Customers of other utilities in Georgia have previously benefited from recovery of financing costs during construction, which was also endorsed by the Georgia PSC.

The new units at Plant Vogtle are similar to the existing two units, but they also represent a new era of nuclear power technology, including a streamlined regulatory process, certified designs that utilities will share, improved efficiency and safety systems and better construction techniques.

The two new units at Plant Vogtle represent the hard work of our employees, Georgia's community leaders and our state leaders.

Thank you for your interest in and support of our efforts to plan for Georgia's future. For more information about yesterday's announcement, and other news at Georgia Power, please click on the following link: http://www.georgiapower.com/pluggedin/home.asp

Mike Garrett
Georgia Power President and CEO