Georgia Magazine - September 2012 - (Page 5)

BY PAUL WOOD President/CEO, Georgia Electric Membership Corporation www.georgiamagazine.org (800) 544-4362, in Georgia; (770) 270-6500 GEORGIA Magazine, the largest-circulation monthly magazine in the state, is published by Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (GEMC), the trade association for Georgia’s 42 consumer-owned electric utilities. On average, more than 500,000 members welcome the magazine into their homes each month. Georgia’s notfor-proﬁt electric cooperatives provide reliable, safe and affordable electric service to more than 73 percent of the state’s land area serving 4.5 million residents. For more information, visit www.georgiaemc.com. EDITOR Ann Orowski, CCC MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Hewett, CCC ASSOCIATE EDITOR Victoria Scharf DeCastro PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Steve Jacobs ASSISTANT EDITOR Kevin Braun ASSISTANT EDITOR Jim Jess EDITORIAL INTERN Bobbi Otis CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lynn Coulter, Gale Cutler, Margie Fishman, Deborah Geering, Melanie Gibbs, Jackie Kennedy, Mary McCarney, Ann McCleary, Amanda Robinson, Barbara S. Tapp CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Leigh-Anne Burgess, Carolyn Clarke, John T. Consoli, Lynn Coulter, Scott Eastman, Marty Evans, Sheri Garza-Pope, Deborah Geering, Van Jensen, Kelvin Kuo, Byron McCombs, Merritt Melancon, Ellen Nolen, Hope Paulk, Megan Phillips, Bradley Rhoton, Sue Shapiro, Sherry Sturgis ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES An unfulﬁlled dare M Laurel George, (404) 541-0628; Laine Kirby Wood, (770) 289-5700 Country Market, (800) 626-1181 National NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE DESIGNERS Trudie Thibodeaux, Kerstin Weis Mary Wellman, (770) 270-6981 SUBSCRIPTIONS 2012 ADVISORY BOARD Matthew Akins, Gale Cutler, Ren Davis, Nicole Dover, Hinson Mosley, Steve Mullice, Amy Orr, Jane Perfect, Rodney Reese, Angela Shipp, Brad Thomas, Louis Tonsmeire, Neal Trice GEORGIA EMC OFFICERS CHAIRMAN Alice Mallory, Coweta-Fayette EMC VICE CHAIRMAN G. Anthony Norton, Snapping SEC.-TREASURER Randy Crenshaw, Irwin PRESIDENT/CEO, GEMC A. Paul Wood Shoals EMC EMC GEORGIA Magazine (USPS-473120, ISSN 10615822) is published monthly by Georgia Electric Membership Corp., P.O. Box 1707, 2100 East Exchange Place, Tucker, GA 30085. Periodicals postage paid at Thomaston, GA, and additional mailing ofﬁces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GEORGIA Magazine, P.O. Box 1707, Tucker, GA 30085. Printed in Georgia by Quad/ Graphics. Acceptance of advertising by GEORGIA Magazine does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Georgia’s electric membership corporations of the product or services advertised. GEORGIA Magazine’s LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN, OR OMISSIONS OF, ADVERTISEMENTS, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES TO THE ADVERTISER’S BUSINESS, SHALL IN NO EVENT EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF CHARGES FOR THE ADVERTISEMENT THAT WAS OMITTED OR IN WHICH THE ERROR OCCURRED. ichael Jackson had his ﬂaws. No question about it. But set aside those ﬂaws for a moment and remember, we are all ﬂawed. Regardless of how you feel about Jackson, he was a creative genius, and on at least one occasion, he offered insightful advice on the kind of people we should strive to be. Jackson summarized his views this way: “In a world ﬁlled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world ﬁlled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world ﬁlled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world ﬁlled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.” Is there one of us who, upon reading that quote, hasn’t stopped to reﬂect upon its sentiment? I see the way Islamic fundamentalists in Egypt shout epithets of hate at their neighbors across the border in Israel, and how North Korean leaders hurl their vicious invectives at the USA. We must still dare to hope that reconciliation and peace will ﬁnd a way to prevail. I see the anger in the eyes of victims of the oppressive regime of Syria’s President Bashar Assad who call daily for the world to intervene militarily or with humanitarian action to save them from the civil war they confront. Options are limited for world leaders, of course, but every nation must still ﬁnd a way to comfort these victims and assuage their own anger. I see the despair in the eyes of victims of international sex trafﬁcking. It’s the same abject despair one can see in the barren eyes of children starving in too many Third World nations—and there are many. Can the world stand by and do nothing while (Contined from front the ﬂicker of dreams unfulﬁlled is extinguished in those eyes? In our own country, I see the way partisans on both sides of the political aisle deal with those who do not agree with them. Their distrust is palpable. Often, feelings are so intense they cannot agree on anything. On one recent summer day, the House of Representatives was ﬁghting over the deﬁnition of a catﬁsh! Is it so difﬁcult to address complex issues that we shrink from even trying? Sadly, news from around the world remains the same regardless of who is in power. Could it be that despair, anger, hate and distrust are simply part of the human condition—sprinkled as ﬂaws among all the potential that exists within us for good and evil? The cynic will undoubtedly answer “yes,” but I cannot do that. I confess that each time I see a newborn in church, held tight in its mother’s arms, I ask myself, “Is this that special one who will ﬁnd a way to help the world get along, who will help us dare to hope, to comfort, to believe and, yes, to dream? I’d like to believe that person will be raised up at the appropriate time and place to bring people together. After all, it is a very small globe. Wrap .375 Spine .8125 PAUL WOOD is the president and CEO of Georgia Electric Membership Corp., headquartere d in Tucker. Georgia EMC represents Georgia’s 42 electric membership corporations (EMCs), Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp., providing electricity to more than 4.5 million residents and businesses in Georgia. flap) Prior to his move to Georgia, Wood was executive director of the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives . Today, he has become one of Georgia’s most fervent promoters through his service to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, 4-H Foundation, FDR Warm Springs Memorial Advisory Committee and KidsPeace. In 2004, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue tapped Wood to serve as co-chairman of the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, and, in 2007, Wood to chair the Commission Perdue also asked for a New Georgia Service Delivery Taskforce. Not long after Gov. Nathan Deal was inaugurated in 2011, he appointed Wood to serve on his newly formed Georgia Competitiven ess Initiative. During his nearly half-century of service to electric membership cooperatives, Wood has held many leadership positions, including president of the Rural Electric Statewide Managers’ Association. ' If you enjoy reading It’s My View Paul Wood’s “Viewpoint” columns, visit www.georgiamag azine.org to order “It’s My View,” a hardbound book featuring 100 of the magazine readers’ favorite columns from past years. What readers asked for … GEORGIA Magazine readers have loved Paul Wood’s monthly most 15 years; response columns for alto the magazine points of every issue. After numerous readers suggestedto this being the most-read page columns in a book, that Wood put his “Viewpoint” he did. This book is the result. “Viewpoint,” the monthly column of Paul Wood: What readers say about “A new decade begins” was just chock-full of wisdom that many on both sides of the of our leaders aisle seem to lack. I’d like to shake your hand tell you how much I think of you.” one day and —Dave K., Townsend, Ga. inspirational in his common-sense approach to everything!” —Jamie W., Richmond Hill, Ga. “Paul, keep up the good work. I always enjoy your articles.” “Mr. Wood … is so —Larry W., Perry, Ga. “I am thrilled about this book. Paul Wood’s ‘Viewpoint’ is the first the magazine.” thing I read in —Anita J., West Point, Ga. “Thank you very much for the ‘Viewpoint’ article, ‘Growing older? This is a splendid article Who, me?’ on aging. We always enjoy Paul’s articles …” —Jeanette G., Cleveland, Ga. “My GEORGIA Magazine arrived yesterday. … Wood’s. His words My first article is always ring true to me. Please Paul pass along my applause.” —Angela S., Blairsville, Ga. “Paul Wood always gives us something to think about.” —Vickie H., Thomson, Ga. IT’S MY VIEW 2011 JACKET DESIGN BY TRUDIE THIBODEAUX JACKET PHOTOGRAP HY BY LOUIS TONSMEIRE PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. © 2011 GEMC GEORGIA MAGAZINE Back It’s My View It’s My View A collection of readers ’ favorite ‘Viewpoint’ columns from GEOR GIA Magazine President/CEO, Georgia Electric ' hen Paul Wood writes a in his monthly “Viewpo GEORGIA Magazine, h reflections are often laced wit lessons he learned while grow town of Natchitoches , La. One has only to read a co gain an appreciation for a life faith and education. Small towns in the 1950s The character of the town’s yo shaped by adults who accepted in life, putting every child on a and successful citizenship. It w “Remember who you are” was small-town mother, a cautionar on your best behavior when yo door to meet the world. A teena that anyone in the community c report.” W By Paul Wood Membership Corp. In Wood’s column, “Good v remember growing up when roc born, perhaps with parents who understand it. In “My mother sa raise,” you’ll discover Paul’s purp humor. In “The parade of our tim it all about,” he waxes philosoph meaning of life. In “Good friends times,” you’ll think of someone w when the going was rough. He als advice for graduates looking for a celebrating the Fourth of July and a more meaningful Christmas for There is also considerable commen officials could make government w levels. Hardly any subject escapes t opinion of Paul Wood. This collection of readers’ favo is more than a nostalgic look at the reminder that many of those learned are just as applicable early l today in mid-20th-century America. Wood every person possesses a unique gift discovered and cultivated, has the ca change the world. At the very least, t is apt to find Wood’s insights a helpf for understanding the problems that complicated world in early 21st-cent ' By Paul Wood (Con September 2012 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org 5 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiaemc.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2012

Georgia Magazine - September 2012
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Liberty Notes
Calendar of Events
Currents
Georgia's Energy Outlook
Dedicated to duty
Resolved, for good
The 2012 Washington Youth Tour
Focusing on the future
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - September 2012