In the News

2008 Leadership Early

The 2008 Leadership Early class started their program of work earlier this month. They were assigned three projects: feasibility of a Boys and Girls Club; "Branding" Early County with the re-establishment of the Peanut Festival or other festival event; and feasibility of a county wide transit system.

The leadership class meets one day each month to learn about education, health care, city, county and state government; public safety; quality of life; diversity and economic development.

Leadership Early is a collaborative program of the Blakely-Early County Chamber of Commerce and the University of Georgia's Fanning Institute.

Lisa Collins, EC2055 director, and vice-chair of the chamber Community Affairs committee, as coordinator for the Leadership program, wrote a grant requesting $5,000 from the Community Leadership Initiative, a collaborative sponsored by the Georgia Rural Development council in partnership with the UGA Fanning Institute. These funds will be used to provide leadership instructors from Fanning Institute and to cover cost of materials, meals and supplies.

The 2008 class consists of Angela Alger, Steven Bonner, Sondra Brewer, Leigh Bruner, Michael Cox, Elsa Crawford, Larry Grimsley, Jennifer Kennedy, Eugene Menette, Lawana Mills, Denise Monday and Janice Whitehurst.

"The Leadership Early program ties into our economic development efforts by offering the county and the area a resource of leaders who will help guide and build prosperity for the future," Collins stated.

The program will run through December 2008 and graduates will be recognized at the Blakely/Early County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting in January 2009.