‘Made in Carroll’ campaign highlights local industries

Daniel Jackson, president and CEO of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, and Gary Leftwich, manager of media and community relations at Southwire, were the guest speakers during the May 1 meeting of the Rotary Club of Carrollton.

Leftwich, the chamber’s vice-chairman, opened the meeting by talking about the chamber’s commitment to developing awareness of local industry and what these businesses bring to the community. He said the focus is to remind residents and newcomers that industry involves all companies, not just those that “make something.”

Jackson unveiled the new campaign, “Made in Carroll County….Made Right. Here.”
“We wanted to focus on existing business and industry and do what we could to help strengthen these companies,” Jackson said. A new website will feature information on all of the businesses and industries in Carroll County as well as information of their products.

Leftwich and Jackson shared with the group many success stories of companies in our area, including how Southwire assisted the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks. In the early days after the attack, the Pentagon contacted Southwire requesting cable that was needed for the rebuilding process, Leftwich said. Southwire had the cable delivered within four days of the request. In a similar story, he told how Die-Tech Industries was able to fabricate a fan to be used in the engines of Hummers being used in the Middle East.
Currently Bremen-Bowdon Investments is focusing on producing apparel for the U.S. military, while Blue Water Ropes provides ropes for the NYC Fire Department and the United States Special Forces.

The businesses and industries in Carroll County supply goods and services in our own back yard and throughout the entire world. With a very diverse business base, Carroll County business and industry is poised for continued growth and expansion.

Gary Leftwich, our club’s public relations chairman, is shown with several awards received by the Rotary Club of Carrollton during the recent district convention held in Destin, Fla. The club was awarded Best Bulletin and was runner up for club administration. During the last year Georgia District 6900 planted an average of 50 trees per club member and highest giving (per capita) to the Will Watt Fellowship.

Commissioner: Georgians must address mental health crisis

Dr. Frank Shelp

Dr. Frank E. Shelp was the guest speaker during the April 24 meeting of the Rotary Club of Carrollton.

Shelp is the commissioner of Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the state agency responsible for policies, programs and services for people with mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities. Created by the General Assembly in 2009, the department began operations on July 1, 2009. Shelp was appointed as the agency’s first commissioner by Governor Sonny Perdue and re-appointed in 2011 by Governor Nathan Deal.

In its first two years of operation, Commissioner Shelp led the department in a successful settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, improving the safety and efficacy of hospital care, in expanding community-based services and in building public-sector partnerships with the Georgia Health Sciences University-Medical College of Georgia, Mercer University, and the Morehouse School of Medicine. In building a “department without borders,” Shelp has actively engaged consumers, advocates, and providers in the agency’s mission.

Shelp said that early signs of mental illness typically begin to manifest in the late teens and early twenties for the majority of patients. Currently, about 5 percent of the population suffers from severe forms of mental illness, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Shelp said that death by suicide is two times greater that the death rate caused by murder and is the fourth leading cause of death for people between the ages of 18 and 64.

“For many years mental illness was treated through custodial care,” he said. “Today expectation is for active, effective treatment. Mental illness is real and must be dealt with.”

Brazil team visits club, sings and dances!

Members of The Rotary International Group Study Exchange program from Brazil spoke during the April 17 meeting. The Group Study Exchange is not only a way for participating members to know and learn about their own vocations, it is also a better way to build everlasting friendships. Team members presented a program about themselves and their country, sang their national anthem, sang OUR national anthem and ended the program with samples of four popular Latin dances. Pictured with the team from Brazil are Jim and Diana Rash and Stacey Blackmon, president of the Rotary Club of Carrollton.

Club hosts picnic for Boys and Girls Club

Rotarian Lynn Kress, right, shares a picnic meal at the Boys and Girls Club of Carroll County with a student. On April 10, our club enjoyed food and fellowship while celebrating the achievements of youth at the club.

Middle East puzzle creates global uncertainty

Choosing a path of deterrence over military action provides the best option for the United States as it learns how to negotiate a future in which Iran possesses nuclear weapons, University of West Georgia international relations professor Dr. Greg Dixon told our club last week.

“We accept the fact Iran has weapons and say, ‘If there’s a nuclear attack by terrorists,
we’ll level you,’” Dixon said.

That and added sanctions again Iran would create a better outcome than using force, which would unify the nation’s religious and secular groups, creating a worse situation, according to Dixon. He said any attack would be made ineffective by a shortage of proper American military hardware.

Dixon provided a snapshot America’s current relations with Iran and Pakistan as well as an outlook for how those relationships will develop. “We really don’t know what the future will hold,” he said.

Pakistan could face civil war, a Taliban return to control or an illiberal democracy
rife with corruption and greed. Iran, plagued by a collapsing economy, is enduring similar uncertainty. The nation’s desire for nuclear weapons makes relations more tense.

Holmes discusses concerns of ‘Arab Awakening’

Rotarian Howard Jones, left, and Rotary President Stacey Blackmon welcome Dr, Lynn Holmes who spoke to our club last week about the political climate in the Middle East.

Dr. Lynn Holmes was the guest speaker at our March 20 meeting, discussing what he called an Arab awakening over the last few years. “Changes that started in the Arab world over a year ago have not stopped, he said. “It will not stop for some time.”

Holmes said the main catalyst of change came when non-governmental people marched peacefully through the streets of major middle eastern cities, demanding change in their government. Several countries, including Bahrain, have had major uprisings against their rulers.

The uprising in Bahrain had a great impact on the United States because of the large military base located in the area. The United States stood behind those hoping for change, but is no longer showing as much support because of the involvement of Saudi Arabia, an American ally, Holmes said.

Each of the 22 Arab countries has faced some form of change in the government. The continued unrest is caused in large part because the Arabs are not an organized front. The culture is broken into very different tribal and religious groups. “They do very few things cooperatively,” Holmes said.

Holmes described several scenarios that may happen in the near future: The Middle East will remain unstable. Because the United States does not have strong ties with many of the new leaders, the negotiating powers will be greatly reduced.

Relationships will remain strained because of the United States’ strong ties to Israel. Because the America may not be considered an honest broker peace between Israel and Palestine will likely be brokered by leadership from the European Union or the United Nations.

Davis receives Stanley Parkman Ethics Award

Stanley Parkman Ethics Award recipient and Rotarian Steve Davis, left, accepts the honor from Jim Cooper, chairman of the Awards Committee. Our club presents the annual award in memory of Rotarian Stanley Parkman, editor-publisher emeritus of the Times-Georgian newspaper.

During his acceptance of the award, Dr. Davis noted that Stanley Parkman was the first person he met when he came to Carrollton many years ago to interview for the pastor’s position at First Baptist Church and considered Mr. Parkman a mentor and dear friend.