Georgia Magazine - November 2021 - 14

Currents
News from Georgia's electric co-ops * Compiled by Amy Schneider
EMCs support Isakson
medical-research initiative
R
epresentatives of Georgia's electric membership
cooperatives (EMCs) joined current and former members
of Congress, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Speaker of the
House David Ralston and other elected officials at a kickoff lunch
on Sept. 27 at the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta to celebrate
the Isakson Initiative.
The Isakson Initiative was established by former U.S. Sen.
Johnny Isakson of Georgia after he retired in 2019 because of
Parkinson's disease. It continues Isakson's lifelong commitment
to public service and his dedication to championing advancements
in biomedical research and development. The Isakson
Initiative seeks to raise awareness of and funding for research
related to neurocognitive diseases, including Parkinson's,
Alzheimer's and related dementia.
Georgia's EMCs have donated a combined total of more
than $300,000 to the Isakson Initiative. Contributing EMCs are
Amicalola (based in Jasper), Carroll (Carrollton), Cobb
(Marietta), Coweta-Fayette (Palmetto), Excelsior (Metter),
Jackson (Jefferson), Oconee (Dudley), Snapping Shoals
(Covington) and Sumter (Americus) as well as Tucker-based
Georgia EMC and Oglethorpe Power Corp.
Isakson has said of this effort: " Upon my retirement, I have
Representatives of Georgia's EMCs present former U.S. Sen. Johnny
Isakson (center) with the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association Distinguished Service Award in 2019. From left behind
Isakson are Bob Ray, former CEO of Flint Energies in Reynolds; Chris
Stephens, CEO of Coweta-Fayette EMC in Palmetto; Dennis Chastain,
president and CEO of Georgia EMC in Tucker; and Coweta-Fayette
EMC directors James W. " Jim " Fulton and J. Neal Shepard.
rededicated my life to serving the people of Georgia and the United States
by doing everything within my power to help those who are working toward
a cure for Parkinson's and other related neurocognitive issues. If our great
nation continues to invest in public-private partnerships around biomedical
research, we can improve and save the lives of
millions of people. What a noble calling. "
For more information about the Isakson
Initiative, visit isaksoninitiative.com.
Remembering a president's love for Georgia
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14
Georgia Magazine November 2021
ucker-based Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (EMC) and the
Georgia Humanities Council were sponsors of a new documentary,
" A President in Our Midst: Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Georgia, "
that chronicles the former president's connection to Georgia.
The film is based on a book with the same name by Kaye Lanning
Minchew (University of Georgia Press, 2017). It depicts Roosevelt's visits to
Georgia and interactions with its people during his quest to find relief from
his polio in the reputedly healing waters at Warm Springs.
Though he was a New York native, Roosevelt called Georgia his " other
state " and visited 41 times between 1924 and 1945. He died in April 1945 in
the Little White House in Warm Springs; it now is a state historic site.
The hourlong documentary aired on Georgia Public Broadcasting in
September and is available to watch online at bit.ly/presidentinmidst.
" A President in Our Midst " was honored as the best feature documentary
and earned the People's Choice Award at the Southern Film Festival
Aug. 27-28 at the Lafayette Society for Performing Arts in LaGrange. It was
the only film to win two awards.
COURTESY DAN WHITE
BETH MCMILLAN / GEORGIA EMC
http://www.isaksoninitiative.com http://www.bit.ly/presidentinmidst
Georgia Magazine - November 2021

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