REDG Approved for Three Notch EMC

July 24, 2000.  About 25 people attended the ceremonial Big Check presentation from State Director Laura Meadows to Three Notch EMC, who in turn presented the Big Check to Haley Smith, CEO of Miller County Hospital.  The grant was for $330,000 to establish a revolving loan fund, with the first recipient being Miller County Hospital in Colquitt.  Funds will be used for a 2,315 sq. ft. renovation of emergency room facilities.  When completed, the renovation will result in 20 new jobs, with six new jobs at the hospital. 

Tattnall County Development Authority - RBEG 

July 17, 2000.  A large group of local, State, and Federal dignitaries came out for the check presentation to the Tattnall County Development Authority.  This $97,712 RBEG was awarded so that the Authority could purchase and then lease to the Coastal Georgia Minority Farmers Cooperative some produce processing equipment.  This equipment will allow the cooperative to create 35 seasonal jobs and to keep the 12 members of the association on the farm.

RBEG and RBOG for CSRA EC

June 1, 2000.   The State Director presented a big check for $90,000 to the City of Wadley for a water and sewer improvements to facilitate growth of a business and industrial complex. 

Also on that date, a presentation was made for one of the nation's first Rural Business Opportunity Grants. The  big check for $95,000 went to representatives of the Central Savannah River Area Rural Development Center to benefit 12 counties.  USDA-Rural Development is funding 19 percent of project costs, with $405,000 committed from other sources. Funds will be used to create a comprehensive mapping system that businesses can use over the Internet to locate sites that meet their needs.  Map layers will show such items as tax parcels, utility services,  industrial parks, zoning boundaries, school districts, technical schools, and location of transportation systems and highways.  The twelve counties are Burke, McDuffie, Jefferson, Taliaferro, Glascock, Screven, Warren, Hancock, Wilkes, Lincoln, Washington and Jenkins.

Rural Economic Development Grant for Relending Program

On Friday June 2, 2000, the State Director presented a ceremonial check for $200,000 to the Okefenokee Rural Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) to establish an intermediary relending program through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program.  The first loan will go to Blackshear Family Practice  to construct a 2,934 sq. ft. medical clinic in Nahunta, Georgia.  The EMC is contributing $40,000 and Blackshear Family Practice is contributing $122,232

RBEG Funds Restore Hotel

The historic Rooker Hotel in Calhoun, Georgia was recently restored with the use of RBEG funds from Rural Development and many partners.  The Calhoun/Gordon Arts Council converted the hotel into a cultural arts and business center.  Small businesses located in the hotel include the city ballet school, art school, piano instruction, and cello instruction.  A gift shop is also operating on the site.  A second floor meeting room and kitchen, where catered food can be prepared, are available for use.

Also included in the building is a museum celebrating the works of local hero, Roland Hayes .  The honoree, a son of slaves, was the first African-American to have an international career singing classical and operatic music on the concert stage.

Guaranteed B & I Loans

An employee at Fabrication Technologies is working on one step in the creative process.

  An employee R & D Auto-Truck Salvage is shown working on one of the "projects" that comes into the salvage business on a daily basis.

Satellite Campus in Eatonton

On January 19, 2000, a check presentation ceremony was held at the Eatonton/Putnam County Chamber of Commerce building.  This Rural Economic Development Loan of $450,000, made to Tri-County EMC, 
will allow Macon Tech to begin funding the construction of a satellite campus in Eatonton.  This campus is expected to provide training for 150 people at any one time once construction is completed. 

Shown with the check from left to right are: Jeanmarie DeLoach, RBS Specialist, Laura Meadows, State Director, Tom Thompson, Tri-County EMC President, and the President of Macon Tech. 

Shown above are more of the crowd at the ceremony. 

Child Care Center in Cordele

On December 2, 1999, a groundbreaking was held at the site of the St. Paul/Gillespie-Selden Rural Life Community Center in Cordele, Georgia. The Community Center will be located on the campus of the Gillespie-Selden Institute. 

This center will house a 24 hour-a-day childcare center for 125 children and will assist parents who are trying to get off welfare and go back to work. The existing facility currently provides care for 52 children from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parents of these children are either employed or in specialized training for employment. Currently, the facility is filled to capacity with a long waiting list. 

State Director Laura Meadows said, "This is a perfect example of cooperation between the federal and state government and community organizations. By working together, we can ensure that the most necessary facilities are provided to our most deserving rural areas." Meadows concluded, "When completed, this center will help the parents of 73 children get back to work. Restoring a person's confidence and self-esteem through gainful employment is critical in building strong communities that can meet the challenges of the future." 

USDA, Rural Development contributed $363,800 to the total cost of the project.  Other participating agencies/organizations were: 

Georgia Department of Community Affairs ($500,000), US Department of Health and Human Services ($82,000), St. Paul Presbyterian Church ($10,000), and the Gillespie Institute ($15,000).
 

Guaranteed B&I Loan in Toombs County

On March 22, 1999, USDA, Rural Development obligated $2,679,000 for a B&I guaranteed loan for Precision Manufacturing Tech. Inc.   As a result, Darby Bank and Trust Company was able to provide a loan to Precision Manufacturing Tech, Inc. at better terms and conditions than it could have done without the guarantee of USDA, Rural Development. 

Precision Manufacturing Tech, Inc. remains a significant part of the Toombs county economy.  Due to this loan, 63 full time jobs were saved.  These are highly technical, skilled jobs that provide a good living wage which is much needed in Toombs County.

Direct B&I Loan in Bacon County

A small group of farmers in five Southeast Georgia counties formed a Cooperative in the fall of 1998 with technical assistance from USDA, Rural Development, and the University of Georgia.  However, the initiative was hindered because of insufficient vegetable processing lines and lack of refrigeration to preserve crop shelf life.

On February 10, 1999, USDA, Rural Development, closed a $750,000 B&I Direct loan to the Cooperative for purchase of equipment to expand the processing operation. On March 16, 1999, USDA, Rural Development obligated a Rural Business Enterprise Grant of $99,950 to the City of Alma to add another carrot processing line in support of the Cooperative. USDA, Rural Development has continued to provide non-financial technical assistance to this developing Cooperative of minority producers.

The equipment and extra processing line extended the area's fruit and vegetable production and marketing season, while indirectly supporting more than 141 seasonal jobs, saving 70 existing full time jobs, and directly creating 40 new full-time employment opportunities. 

Please send any comments or suggestions to:   craig.scroggs@ga.usda.gov