July 5, 2024
24-69
Jessica Pope
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
vs上 RDI激励早期县领导人扩大当地合作伙伴关系，促进可持续增长
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A five-member team from Early County recently attended the 美高梅博彩 Center for South Georgia Regional Impact Rural Development Institute, a three-day summit designed to help communities across Georgia develop an action plan for rural prosperity. They are Britt Price, member of the Early County Board of Education; 布莱克利市区发展局主席戴夫·阿特金斯（Dave Atkins）； 斯蒂芬妮·钱德勒，早期县行政官； 早期县发展局局长苏珊娜·雷诺兹； and Hank Jester, chairman of the Early County Board of Commissioners. Their RDI mentor is Emily Davenport, Georgia Municipal Association member services consultant.
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VALDOSTA — 一个来自厄尔利县的五人小组最近参加了美高梅博彩南乔治亚地区影响中心农村发展研究所，这是一个为期三天的峰会，旨在帮助乔治亚州各地的社区制定一项促进农村繁荣的行动计划。
“Rural communities and their citizens are integral to Georgia’s economy, culture, and future,” said Darrell Moore, director of vs上’s Center for South Georgia Regional Impact. “Through the RDI, vs上 is working to build capacity that encourages the growth and development of rural communities without sacrificing their distinctive rural character.”
To prepare for the RDI, Early County’s participating economic development, city, county, and community leaders were tasked with using a readiness index to conduct a self-assessment of their recruitment, education, infrastructure, leadership, demographics, and quality of life.
在峰会期间，他们分析了自我评估的结果，并与一位导师合作，确定了他们独特的机遇和挑战，与专家和其他可用资源建立联系，建立了一个支持网络，并制定了经济活力的路线图。
Moore said this year’s RDI, vs上’s third, offered a program that emphasized experiential learning with a heavy dose of discussion, debate, and teamwork.
Highlights included content experts, professional developers, and consultants delivering interactive and engaging sessions on the elected official’s role in economic development, the current economic environment and future projections, building the future workforce through pathways and partnerships, the impact of artificial intelligence, downtown redevelopment strategies, retail as a catalyst for economic growth, tourism opportunities to generate wealth, and more.
After each session the Early County leaders “worked with a mentor to reflect on what they had just learned and then talk about how they could take some of those ideas back and implement them in their communities,” Moore said.
“The RDI inspired me by showcasing successful rural development projects that foster community engagement, which provided valuable insight for appropriate, sustainable growth,” said Susanne Reynolds, director of the Development Authority of Early County. “I left with new ideas and plans to promote economic development opportunities by bringing local partnerships together to create a thriving future for Early County.”
Summit mentors represented various organizations — Electric Cities of Georgia, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Association County Commissioners of Georgia, One Valdosta-Lowndes, Georgia Power Company, Hodge Consulting Services, and the Georgia Municipal Association.
峰会的特邀演讲者来自路易斯安那大学拉斐特分校； 乔治亚州经济发展部； 乔治亚州社区事务部； 佐治亚州市政协会； 乔治亚州县专员协会； 华盛顿大学法学院； 西阿拉巴马州塔斯卡卢萨工厂； 班布里奇市区发展局； 零售策略; Hodge Consulting Services LLC； 州长布莱恩·p·坎普办公室； 以及阿拉巴马州威坦卡的商会。
早期的县领导离开RDI时，留下了一份优先项目和倡议清单，旨在为在其社区生活、工作、娱乐和访问的人们建立一个更美好的未来。
通过美高梅博彩的体验式学习计划，区域影响中心将利用大学教职员工和学生帮助早期县在未来几个月内实施至少一个项目。
“Our leadership wants to create an environment that provides opportunities to retain and attract younger generations to Early County,” Reynolds said. “One of the projects we plan to focus on within the next year is a Downtown Youth Advisory Program, which will involve Early County juniors and seniors in the Downtown Blakely revitalization process. 为了成功地创建该项目，需要建立明确的目标，并通过与早期县学校系统和西南乔治亚学院的合作伙伴关系吸引学生。 Students will learn about community development while playing an active role in creating a thriving future downtown.”
Based on feedback and comments from participants, presenters, and mentors, vs上’s RDI continues to be a tremendous success.
“The vs上 RDI creates opportunities for profound impacts on participating communities in several ways,” said Emily Davenport, Georgia Municipal Association member services consultant and Early County mentor. “By focusing on economic development, education, and community engagement, the RDI fosters sustainable growth and improves the quality of life for residents and businesses. 这是我担任RDI导师的第三年，我非常荣幸能成为这个项目的一小部分。 The future looks bright for the institute and the communities it supports, and each year I am reminded that when vision and teamwork come together, anything is possible.”
vs上’s Rural Development Institute is an opportunity for the university to continue supporting the work of the Governor’s Rural Strike Team and provide a positive impact on Georgia’s rural communities.
参与早期县领导：
• Susanne Reynolds, director of the Development Authority of Early County
• Hank Jester, chairman of the Early County Board of Commissioners
• Dave Atkins, chairman of the Blakely Downtown Development Authority
• Britt Price, member of the Early County Board of Education
• Stephanie Chandler, Early County administrator
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