On behalf of GA AADE, I would like to thank Dawn Taylor of Valdosta, for her leadership for the Coordinating Body over the past year. This organization as you know is "fueled by volunteers" and Dawn has spent countless hours keeping us on track. Even as I have agreed to step into this position for the coming year, she has agreed to stay on as chairman, emeritus as I begin to find my way. Thank you Dawn for all the countless hours you have invested. A special thank you is also due to the other members of the coordinating body who have actively volunteered, some for many years. Their "corporate" knowledge and technical expertise has been invaluable to our organization. Thank you to Glenda Summerville, financial leader; Britt Rotberg and Katie Mick (previous chairman), Outreach/Membership; Lisa Graham, Grassroots Coordinator; Norma Brown, Web Administrator; and Cheryl Orlansky , Education and Recorder. We are looking for individuals who would like to be "mentored" in any of these positions, to one day be ready to move into one of them.
Under Dawn's leadership we have had the LNG (local networking group) in Columbus begin to reorganize and the LNGs in Savanah and NE Georgia (Gainesville) become active. We are hoping by the end of 2018 to have a group in Macon and possibly Rome, and to have the group in Augusta reactivated. With the active groups in Atlanta and Valdosta, this hopefully would allow every educator in GA to be able to network and participate with a local group within a 1-2 hour drive of home! We have asked a member from each LNG to serve on the coordinating body as an ad hoc /"at large" member so that each group is represented in all our statewide decisions. Hannah Day of the NE GA group and Ellie Brooks from Columbus have agreed to serve. We are looking for someone from the Savannah group. We have monthly conference calls and try to meet face to face 2-3 times each year. Anyone interested in becoming involved with our CB should contact any of the current officers.
I will be attending the Coordinating Body training in Chicago in Jan and hope to be able to begin to fill Dawn's shoes (but am secretly delighted she will continue to help keep me on track!) Georgia, lets get excited about the possibilities for the upcoming year. We are a group who is passionate about what we do. Let's let that passion and commitment overflow to our local groups and encourage, motivate, educate and strengthen each other as we move forward in all our endeavors.