A couple of weeks ago, the Dismembered Tennesseans performed the song, “The Darkest Hour is Just before Dawn” during our church service. It struck me how appropriate this song was for the times we are living in. As one who worked the 5pm to 5am shift in my days in the Army, the hour just before dawn is the darkest and also the coldest.
The meaning of the phrase according to an internet search is there is hope, even in the worst of circumstances. Just as those who experienced the Great Depression, WWII, Vietnam, or the Civil Rights Movement - today we are living in very difficult times. Someone recently described the current economic crisis as the longest and deepest in their lifetime.
But even in the worst of times, Americans have traditionally remained hopeful. We are a resilient people. Thomas Jefferson said it this way, “We shall never give up our Union, the last anchor of our hope… I had rather be deceived than live without hope. It is so sweet! It makes us ride so smoothly over the roughness of life. My theory has always been, that if we are to dream, the flatteries of hope are cheap, and pleasanter than the gloom of despair.”
America and our sister nations are encountering a global economic reset that is much different than those in our past. Unfortunately our history of wars and injustice has not taught us much. Or is it that our progress made possible by our history teaches us so slow, it is hard to measure over long periods of time. Maybe we cannot fully comprehend our progress through the time dimension we understand.
The world is forever changing. Some will argue for the worse and others will argue for the better. Each of us sees our world through our own paradigms. And at least in America, we can freely argue for what will bring about the best possible outcomes. Our freedom is unlike any known in the world. But with it comes the right and obligation to argue for what each desires. And over time, our republic evolves because of the individual and collective desires of Americans.
This week the Dalton Rotary Club had the pleasure of our local football coaches discussing the upcoming football season. This program is always a highlight of the Rotary Year. And as one who is counting down the days to the first snap of Friday night and Saturday football, the program heightened my anticipation.
Although the discussion of Xs and Os was enjoyed and the perspective each coach presented about their season was very entertaining, something totally unexpected got my attention. Each coach discussed much more than football as they discussed their programs. Each coach emphasized the love of helping their players grow into responsible young men. They discussed the importance of academics and service and faith. These amazing coaches were more concerned about their players developing into good people than superstar athletes. Imagine that …
This past weekend, my wife and I, and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, threw a party for my in-laws in honor of and in celebration of their 50 years of marriage. What an accomplishment. And the Saturday before, we attended the wedding of the daughter of friends of ours. Both events spoke to the promise of and hope for all that is good. Hope is alive.
On a sign-up sheet for the guestbook at my in-laws celebration, my daughter chose the verse, Corinthians 13:13, “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” Regardless of the circumstances facing us, we have at our disposal these three amazing gifts.
Even in these challenging times, we can be faithful that He who created us is with us. Although we may not fully understand all that is happening to us, we can be faithful He has a plan and that ultimately good will triumph. Nothing will happen to us that we are not empowered to handle. I am so grateful that while football fundamentals and strategy are being taught by our football coaches, they are also instilling the power of faith in the young men of our community. And that they, the coaches, exemplify their faith.
Hope is eternal. Hope is free. Hope is powerful. Hope can be productive and useless depending upon the energy and passion behind it. Christopher Reeve said, “Once you choose hope, anything's possible.” And Vincent McNabb said, “Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them.” And my favorite quote on hope comes from Anne Lamott, “Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.”
And finally the greatest of these is love. On any given day, the news is full of violence. It can range from the Syrian or Libyan government against its citizens to individuals hurting others for various reasons. We even hear of stories of Mothers and Fathers hurting their children for reasons known and unknown.
We are challenged to love God with all thy heart and thy neighbor as thyself. Jefferson called this commandment the sum of all religion. What would our world be like if love were universally expressed? What would be possible if we truly loved our neighbor as we love ourselves?
I hope that as we all grapple with a myriad of very challenging headwinds, we will reach for all that is possible. That we will work as hard at uplifting our neighbor as some have worked to tear down their neighbor. There is nothing wrong with holding those in elected position accountable – but we must be respectful and honorable in our discourse. Let’s stop the name calling and personal attacks and vigo
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The Power of Positive Thinking
“The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” (Author Unknown)
If there ever was I time that positive thinking and positive actions were needed, it is now. I know that we are being bombarded with negative news on the economy, unemployment, and hundreds of other issues that justify our having a negative outlook. But being negative and thinking negative will not produce successful outcomes.
Adversity makes us stronger. It builds character. And hopefully, it will cause us to work harder and work smarter given the challenges facing us. Ideally times of limited resources cause people and organizations to work more collaboratively and to partner on joint solutions to complex issues. We are definitely in times of limited resources. And working together has never been more important.
Just thinking positively instantly changes our attitude and the way in which we see the world. While negative thoughts drain our energy and reduce our creativity, positive thinking increases our energy level and our creativity. In the toughest of times or when we face the most complex issues, we need every ounce of energy and creativity available to us.
Those of you that have read my columns in the past know that I am a big fan of Dr. Stephen Covey who wrote the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Dr. Covey touches on positive thinking in the discussion on proactive and reactive behaviors. He challenges the reader to listen to the language in a conversation. If the language is negative the behavior will be reactive in most cases. If the language is positive, the action will be proactive.
He further challenges students of his famous work to focus on that which one can control and to minimize the focus of that which one cannot control. The areas of our lives that we can control reside in our personal circle of influence. Those areas we cannot control should reside in our circle of concern.
For instance, I can control much in the area of my health. I can eat better and have a better diet, I can exercise regularly, and I can see my doctor regularly for a physical. The dimension of my health that I can control would be in my circle of influence.
I cannot control the stock market. If I am near retirement and my retirement income is in a 401k account, I should be concerned with the market and the value of my portfolio. A bad day on the stock market can ruin my attitude only if I choose to let it. My health can deteriorate if I ignore not to do those things I can control. My 401k or stock portfolio should be in my circle of concern (at least in the short-term).
Obviously we are in difficult times. And it looks like the challenges facing us individually and corporately are not going to magically improve overnight. But we can choose to focus on those things we can control and positively work toward collaboration and partnership. Even when we disagree, it would be more beneficial in the long-run to do so agreeably.
Before I get accused of saying do as I say and not as I do, I know that I can be just as negative as the next guy. My column last week was received by some that I was taking a position on the upcoming SPLOST votes, when I thought I was simply challenging all of us to get engaged and to become educated on the choices facing us. In hindsight, I agree my column was biased to a degree.
So this week, my message on the power of positive thinking is for me first and you the reader second. In my role (which I am grateful for each and every day) I see community issues up close and personal. I cannot be effective working with community leaders if my thinking and attitude are negative. And if most of us are having negative thoughts and negative attitudes more often than not, our community will suffer.
We have many positive initiatives underway in our community and potential for many more. The leaders of our community and each of us as citizens have to do our part to bring about positive community change. Washington will not do it for us nor will Atlanta … but we have the capacity to win if we so choose.
May God bless our great nation and our wonderful community!
If there ever was I time that positive thinking and positive actions were needed, it is now. I know that we are being bombarded with negative news on the economy, unemployment, and hundreds of other issues that justify our having a negative outlook. But being negative and thinking negative will not produce successful outcomes.
Adversity makes us stronger. It builds character. And hopefully, it will cause us to work harder and work smarter given the challenges facing us. Ideally times of limited resources cause people and organizations to work more collaboratively and to partner on joint solutions to complex issues. We are definitely in times of limited resources. And working together has never been more important.
Just thinking positively instantly changes our attitude and the way in which we see the world. While negative thoughts drain our energy and reduce our creativity, positive thinking increases our energy level and our creativity. In the toughest of times or when we face the most complex issues, we need every ounce of energy and creativity available to us.
Those of you that have read my columns in the past know that I am a big fan of Dr. Stephen Covey who wrote the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Dr. Covey touches on positive thinking in the discussion on proactive and reactive behaviors. He challenges the reader to listen to the language in a conversation. If the language is negative the behavior will be reactive in most cases. If the language is positive, the action will be proactive.
He further challenges students of his famous work to focus on that which one can control and to minimize the focus of that which one cannot control. The areas of our lives that we can control reside in our personal circle of influence. Those areas we cannot control should reside in our circle of concern.
For instance, I can control much in the area of my health. I can eat better and have a better diet, I can exercise regularly, and I can see my doctor regularly for a physical. The dimension of my health that I can control would be in my circle of influence.
I cannot control the stock market. If I am near retirement and my retirement income is in a 401k account, I should be concerned with the market and the value of my portfolio. A bad day on the stock market can ruin my attitude only if I choose to let it. My health can deteriorate if I ignore not to do those things I can control. My 401k or stock portfolio should be in my circle of concern (at least in the short-term).
Obviously we are in difficult times. And it looks like the challenges facing us individually and corporately are not going to magically improve overnight. But we can choose to focus on those things we can control and positively work toward collaboration and partnership. Even when we disagree, it would be more beneficial in the long-run to do so agreeably.
Before I get accused of saying do as I say and not as I do, I know that I can be just as negative as the next guy. My column last week was received by some that I was taking a position on the upcoming SPLOST votes, when I thought I was simply challenging all of us to get engaged and to become educated on the choices facing us. In hindsight, I agree my column was biased to a degree.
So this week, my message on the power of positive thinking is for me first and you the reader second. In my role (which I am grateful for each and every day) I see community issues up close and personal. I cannot be effective working with community leaders if my thinking and attitude are negative. And if most of us are having negative thoughts and negative attitudes more often than not, our community will suffer.
We have many positive initiatives underway in our community and potential for many more. The leaders of our community and each of us as citizens have to do our part to bring about positive community change. Washington will not do it for us nor will Atlanta … but we have the capacity to win if we so choose.
May God bless our great nation and our wonderful community!
Rome-Floyd Win Economic Development Project
Given the news coming out of Rome, I know the question that will be asked of me, our elected officials, and everyone involved in economic development – why did Lowe’s choose Rome. Why not Dalton-Whitfield? It is a fair question, especially given all that we are doing to promote job growth and capital investment for our community. And in this case, the answer is somewhat simple.
Our community was never submitted for this project. The initial project requirements called for two provisions that we could not deliver. The site had to be approximately a minimum of 100 acres 200 acres in size and be ready to build on. Even with all the work that has been done to get sites ready for development, we do not have one that is 100 contiguous acres 200 or more acres and ready for construction.
The second requirement for a community to be considered required 100% Freeport tax exemption on inventory taxes. Although our community passed a referendum allowing for a Freeport exemption a couple of years ago, we have only reduced the percentage of inventory tax 20%. In other words we still tax inventory at 80%.
Economic Development in these economic times is as competitive as any atmosphere known to man. Competition between communities, states, and nations for jobs and capital investment is fierce. It makes the cola wars that I was a part of for many years look like a checkers match at the Cracker Barrel.
And until the economy improves (and improves drastically), the competition for the few projects that occur will remain tough. When asked about the Lowes project, Nancy Smith, chairwoman of the Development Authority of Floyd County thanked the citizens of her community. “Everybody needs to remember that one of the keys to this is the citizens who went to the polls in 2009 and voted for the 1 cent sales tax to buy this property.” Smith said the special purpose local option sales tax vote sent a big signal to Lowe’s executives that the community was serious about developing the new industrial park.
I would agree with the chairwoman. All communities that are serious about economic development must have citizens, elected officials, and professional economic developers working together and on the same page. Although the strategies may be different given the needs of the different jurisdictions, we have most of that formula in place.
Specifically, our citizens understood the importance of jobs and capital investment and voted to allow for phasing out the double tax on inventory. Our elected officials immediately lowered the rate by 20%. But that is where we stopped. We need to be 100% today. The growth coming from new investment would offset the loss in tax revenue from the current inventory tax. The jurisdiction that takes the biggest risk in completely eliminating the inventory tax will have a definitive advantage over those that do not.
All of our elected officials are working hard to provide the ingredients for successful economic development. Our county officials have aggressively supported the Joint Development Authority in acquiring the land at the Carbondale interchange and building a first-class business park. Before Carbondale, the community had no land that we could market to prospects. And land not ready for purchase and development is useless for driving economic development in a community.
All of our City elected leaders have reduced taxes or maintained low to non-existent property tax rates to be more competitive with other communities that we compete against. They have invested in quality of life projects that make a community more attractive to prospects looking to invest (even in these difficult economic and budgetary times).
Even though many people have worked very hard collaborating on improving our economic development competitiveness, we still have work to do. We can wait on budgets to improve and reduce the inventory tax while we continue to lose projects, we can criticize our elected officials who invest in the necessary economic development tools needed for recruiting jobs and capital investment, or we can continue come together and collaborate in those areas where we are uncompetitive and make improvements.
Rome and Floyd County deserves a round of applause for bringing jobs to Georgia and our region. They put in place the tools that enabled them to recruit a very large project that will be good for them, our region, and our state. We will congratulate them today, and go back to competing against them tomorrow. As Chairman Babb recently stated,” there is nothing like having a job.”
Our community was never submitted for this project. The initial project requirements called for two provisions that we could not deliver. The site had to be approximately a minimum of 100 acres 200 acres in size and be ready to build on. Even with all the work that has been done to get sites ready for development, we do not have one that is 100 contiguous acres 200 or more acres and ready for construction.
The second requirement for a community to be considered required 100% Freeport tax exemption on inventory taxes. Although our community passed a referendum allowing for a Freeport exemption a couple of years ago, we have only reduced the percentage of inventory tax 20%. In other words we still tax inventory at 80%.
Economic Development in these economic times is as competitive as any atmosphere known to man. Competition between communities, states, and nations for jobs and capital investment is fierce. It makes the cola wars that I was a part of for many years look like a checkers match at the Cracker Barrel.
And until the economy improves (and improves drastically), the competition for the few projects that occur will remain tough. When asked about the Lowes project, Nancy Smith, chairwoman of the Development Authority of Floyd County thanked the citizens of her community. “Everybody needs to remember that one of the keys to this is the citizens who went to the polls in 2009 and voted for the 1 cent sales tax to buy this property.” Smith said the special purpose local option sales tax vote sent a big signal to Lowe’s executives that the community was serious about developing the new industrial park.
I would agree with the chairwoman. All communities that are serious about economic development must have citizens, elected officials, and professional economic developers working together and on the same page. Although the strategies may be different given the needs of the different jurisdictions, we have most of that formula in place.
Specifically, our citizens understood the importance of jobs and capital investment and voted to allow for phasing out the double tax on inventory. Our elected officials immediately lowered the rate by 20%. But that is where we stopped. We need to be 100% today. The growth coming from new investment would offset the loss in tax revenue from the current inventory tax. The jurisdiction that takes the biggest risk in completely eliminating the inventory tax will have a definitive advantage over those that do not.
All of our elected officials are working hard to provide the ingredients for successful economic development. Our county officials have aggressively supported the Joint Development Authority in acquiring the land at the Carbondale interchange and building a first-class business park. Before Carbondale, the community had no land that we could market to prospects. And land not ready for purchase and development is useless for driving economic development in a community.
All of our City elected leaders have reduced taxes or maintained low to non-existent property tax rates to be more competitive with other communities that we compete against. They have invested in quality of life projects that make a community more attractive to prospects looking to invest (even in these difficult economic and budgetary times).
Even though many people have worked very hard collaborating on improving our economic development competitiveness, we still have work to do. We can wait on budgets to improve and reduce the inventory tax while we continue to lose projects, we can criticize our elected officials who invest in the necessary economic development tools needed for recruiting jobs and capital investment, or we can continue come together and collaborate in those areas where we are uncompetitive and make improvements.
Rome and Floyd County deserves a round of applause for bringing jobs to Georgia and our region. They put in place the tools that enabled them to recruit a very large project that will be good for them, our region, and our state. We will congratulate them today, and go back to competing against them tomorrow. As Chairman Babb recently stated,” there is nothing like having a job.”
Difficult Decisions Ahead
In addition to enjoying football on Friday nights and Saturdays this fall, we will also be subjected to passionate dialogue surrounding many key decisions requiring our vote. By the time the November election arrives, it looks like we will be voting on a number of referendums and key important elected positions. The ballot will look like an alphabet soup with referendums going by acronyms like SPLOST, ESPLOST, TSPLOST, and TADs. Each and every decision that voters will consider is extremely important.
Normally this election cycle is primarily one for electing representatives for the various municipal governments and school board members for Dalton Public Schools. But given the additional referendum questions that affect all who live in Whitfield County (incorporated and unincorporated); this November will require a county wide vote. Through this column, it is not my intention to take a side on these issues (I hope), but to offer perspectives that might create further thought as you the voter consider the questions.
Of all the votes you will caste this fall, those for who you elect to represent you are the most important in my opinion. Because all the other votes are to ratify or defeat decisions that the elected representatives have made. Consider the recent article by Rachel Brown of the Daily Citizen detailing the new Coahulla Creek High School. It sounds like it will be the most technologically advanced high school in our region. The school board members who served over the last four or five years made the decision to build this new comprehensive high school, to ask county voters to support that decision with an EPLOST to pay for most of it, and to plan to vote for another EPLOST to finish paying for it.
Similarly, members of the DPS school board used proceeds from the current EPLOST to add a very nice wing onto Dalton High School. DHS was originally built to accommodate 1800 students and now can accommodate over 2000 with the new addition. Yet a recent story in the Daily Citizen on the Morris Street Innovative High School suggested the current 100 DPS students could grow to over 500 students. Those students will come from the main Dalton High School campus. But the Principal for Morris School states that they need another building for the Morris Street population.
Who we elect is crucial to the success or failure of our community. The decisions made by these representatives have long lasting effects on our community. We as citizens must continually ask the hard questions about the decisions affecting our children in our schools, the financial burdens we are asked to assume, and most importantly what is the vision for the organizations our representatives serve.
Fast-forward five years and our current school boards have chosen to pursue another fully loaded EPLOST. The project list includes paying off debt from recent capital projects, adding additional classrooms across both systems, technology improvements / upgrades, and everyday capital projects like roof repairs, HVAC replacements / repairs, etc.
On the heels of the school boards deciding for an ESPLOST, City and County leaders are also considering a general SPLOST. Capital needs like recreational facilities, fire and police vehicles, road improvements, and technology / information system upgrades have been presented. In making its case, the Board of Commissioners of Whitfield County presented evidence that its extremely low property tax rate (tied for lowest in the state) is the primary reason to use a SPLOST to pay for capital projects. There presentation was very good and well thought out.
Unfortunately, the missing variable in these decisions on SPLOSTs and ESPLOSTs is would there be a need for both and for them to be continuous in nature if we had consolidated organizations for education and general government. Again it is not my place to recommend consolidation, but a valid argument could be made that capital needs across a single organization could be more efficiently provided for than across multiple entities.
Consider law enforcement … outside of our incorporated cities, law enforcement / patrols are considerably less frequent than inside the city limits of our municipalities. If we had a consolidated police department, could we enjoy better patrolling, better investigations, and better capability against the bad guys, and do so more efficiently than we currently do through two organizations.
And last but not least, let’s look ahead further to next fall when we will be asked to vote on a regional TSPLOST. Our state elected representatives have determined that The Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) needs more funding to maintain our transportation infrastructure. As an economic development professional, I can appreciate that. Given this suggested need, our representatives could have simply increased income taxes, added an additional penny to the state’s sales tax (from 4% to 5%), or raised the revenue in any number of other ways.
But because so many of them have pledged to never raise taxes, they passed legislation that allows you and me and millions of other Georgians to tax ourselves through a SPLOST. They further passed the burden of deciding which projects would get funded down to local leaders (with GDOT final approval). This passing of the buck is disconcerting to me. Leaders are elected to study the issues, deliberate the options, propose solutions, and ultimately make decisions. Instead, we the average voter are supposed to educate ourselves on transportation planning, and vote to tax ourselves so our state representatives can claim to be anti-tax.
Recently on vacation, I drove over five hundred miles through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The medians along the interstate in SC and NC looked great – grass cut and free of litter. Our medians on the other hand look horrible. I was not proud to be a Georgian. If you cannot take care of the little stuff, how can you expect me / you to pay billions more for the big stuff?
Yes, many difficult decisions are ahead of us all…
Normally this election cycle is primarily one for electing representatives for the various municipal governments and school board members for Dalton Public Schools. But given the additional referendum questions that affect all who live in Whitfield County (incorporated and unincorporated); this November will require a county wide vote. Through this column, it is not my intention to take a side on these issues (I hope), but to offer perspectives that might create further thought as you the voter consider the questions.
Of all the votes you will caste this fall, those for who you elect to represent you are the most important in my opinion. Because all the other votes are to ratify or defeat decisions that the elected representatives have made. Consider the recent article by Rachel Brown of the Daily Citizen detailing the new Coahulla Creek High School. It sounds like it will be the most technologically advanced high school in our region. The school board members who served over the last four or five years made the decision to build this new comprehensive high school, to ask county voters to support that decision with an EPLOST to pay for most of it, and to plan to vote for another EPLOST to finish paying for it.
Similarly, members of the DPS school board used proceeds from the current EPLOST to add a very nice wing onto Dalton High School. DHS was originally built to accommodate 1800 students and now can accommodate over 2000 with the new addition. Yet a recent story in the Daily Citizen on the Morris Street Innovative High School suggested the current 100 DPS students could grow to over 500 students. Those students will come from the main Dalton High School campus. But the Principal for Morris School states that they need another building for the Morris Street population.
Who we elect is crucial to the success or failure of our community. The decisions made by these representatives have long lasting effects on our community. We as citizens must continually ask the hard questions about the decisions affecting our children in our schools, the financial burdens we are asked to assume, and most importantly what is the vision for the organizations our representatives serve.
Fast-forward five years and our current school boards have chosen to pursue another fully loaded EPLOST. The project list includes paying off debt from recent capital projects, adding additional classrooms across both systems, technology improvements / upgrades, and everyday capital projects like roof repairs, HVAC replacements / repairs, etc.
On the heels of the school boards deciding for an ESPLOST, City and County leaders are also considering a general SPLOST. Capital needs like recreational facilities, fire and police vehicles, road improvements, and technology / information system upgrades have been presented. In making its case, the Board of Commissioners of Whitfield County presented evidence that its extremely low property tax rate (tied for lowest in the state) is the primary reason to use a SPLOST to pay for capital projects. There presentation was very good and well thought out.
Unfortunately, the missing variable in these decisions on SPLOSTs and ESPLOSTs is would there be a need for both and for them to be continuous in nature if we had consolidated organizations for education and general government. Again it is not my place to recommend consolidation, but a valid argument could be made that capital needs across a single organization could be more efficiently provided for than across multiple entities.
Consider law enforcement … outside of our incorporated cities, law enforcement / patrols are considerably less frequent than inside the city limits of our municipalities. If we had a consolidated police department, could we enjoy better patrolling, better investigations, and better capability against the bad guys, and do so more efficiently than we currently do through two organizations.
And last but not least, let’s look ahead further to next fall when we will be asked to vote on a regional TSPLOST. Our state elected representatives have determined that The Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) needs more funding to maintain our transportation infrastructure. As an economic development professional, I can appreciate that. Given this suggested need, our representatives could have simply increased income taxes, added an additional penny to the state’s sales tax (from 4% to 5%), or raised the revenue in any number of other ways.
But because so many of them have pledged to never raise taxes, they passed legislation that allows you and me and millions of other Georgians to tax ourselves through a SPLOST. They further passed the burden of deciding which projects would get funded down to local leaders (with GDOT final approval). This passing of the buck is disconcerting to me. Leaders are elected to study the issues, deliberate the options, propose solutions, and ultimately make decisions. Instead, we the average voter are supposed to educate ourselves on transportation planning, and vote to tax ourselves so our state representatives can claim to be anti-tax.
Recently on vacation, I drove over five hundred miles through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The medians along the interstate in SC and NC looked great – grass cut and free of litter. Our medians on the other hand look horrible. I was not proud to be a Georgian. If you cannot take care of the little stuff, how can you expect me / you to pay billions more for the big stuff?
Yes, many difficult decisions are ahead of us all…
Hope Inspires Us to do the Unimaginable
“Once you choose hope, anything's possible” (Christopher Reeve).
Christopher Reeve could have been talking about Gregg Ellis and Mitchell Hollis after this weekend’s “24 Hours of Hope.” Beginning at 5pmlast Friday afternoon and continuing throughout the night until 5pm on Saturday, Ellis and Hollis and 250 community supporters continuously ran for 24 hours to raise funds and awareness for the Carter Hope Center.
Ellis individually ran 100.5 miles over the 24 hours while Hollis completed 50 miles in 13 hours. Gregg Ellis is no stranger to endurance events. He is also a recovering addict and former Carter Hope Center client. Ellis completed the very first Indoor Iron Distance Event at the Bradley Wellness Center last year and this year he came back with a new endurance event. For the 24 hour event, he partnered with the Run for God founder Hollis. Both men attempted to run for 24 hours, in what The Carter Hope Center called the "24 Hours of Hope."
Chamber Vice-President of member services, Beth Morrison, who serves on the board of directors at the Carter Hope Center introduced Ellis and Hollis. She saw the event could grow bigger by the association with Run for God. Both men have many things in common, and the partnership just made sense. “I think both men will agree they have each made a friend for life”, said Morris.
Ellis has been clean for 2.5 years. “Carter Hope saved my life, and I could never repay them for everything they have done for me,” said Ellis. The “24 Hours of Hope” raised over $10,000 dollars for the Carter Hope Center. Exposure for the CHC was the major reason for having the event. “Many in our area don’t know we have such a great facility in our community. They provide a 9 month in-patient program that really helps people recover from addiction. The center isn’t a 30-day band-aid for those struggling with addiction. It is a long term solution which teaches lifestyle changes and real coping skills,” said Morris.
Although Hollis came into the event with damaged IT bands in his knee, he had received treatment from his physician and felt he could complete the event. Although he wasn’t able to complete the event, he stayed by Ellis’ side the entire 24 hours and coached him through the miles. Ellis said he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the feat without Hollis’ support. Hollis never sat down, stayed in Ellis’s ear with encouraging words, and helped him keep pace and motivated throughout the event.
Ellis is now among elite endurance runners nationally and globally. He joins the ranks of only 30 people worldwide who have run 100 miles or more in a 24 hour period indoor on a treadmill. He is 1 of only 7 Americans who have accomplished the same. Our community should be very proud of Ellis and Hollis for their commitment to their individual health and wellness, their endurance in tackling such a grueling event, and their support for the Carter Hope Center.
Most of us know and appreciate that we live in a very special community. Events like the “24 Hours of Hope” prove it. And amazing citizens like Gregg Ellis, Mitchell Hollis, and the other 250 runners also prove it. The Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce salutes Greg, Mitchell, each and every runner who participated, and the Carter Hope Center!
Christopher Reeve could have been talking about Gregg Ellis and Mitchell Hollis after this weekend’s “24 Hours of Hope.” Beginning at 5pmlast Friday afternoon and continuing throughout the night until 5pm on Saturday, Ellis and Hollis and 250 community supporters continuously ran for 24 hours to raise funds and awareness for the Carter Hope Center.
Ellis individually ran 100.5 miles over the 24 hours while Hollis completed 50 miles in 13 hours. Gregg Ellis is no stranger to endurance events. He is also a recovering addict and former Carter Hope Center client. Ellis completed the very first Indoor Iron Distance Event at the Bradley Wellness Center last year and this year he came back with a new endurance event. For the 24 hour event, he partnered with the Run for God founder Hollis. Both men attempted to run for 24 hours, in what The Carter Hope Center called the "24 Hours of Hope."
Chamber Vice-President of member services, Beth Morrison, who serves on the board of directors at the Carter Hope Center introduced Ellis and Hollis. She saw the event could grow bigger by the association with Run for God. Both men have many things in common, and the partnership just made sense. “I think both men will agree they have each made a friend for life”, said Morris.
Ellis has been clean for 2.5 years. “Carter Hope saved my life, and I could never repay them for everything they have done for me,” said Ellis. The “24 Hours of Hope” raised over $10,000 dollars for the Carter Hope Center. Exposure for the CHC was the major reason for having the event. “Many in our area don’t know we have such a great facility in our community. They provide a 9 month in-patient program that really helps people recover from addiction. The center isn’t a 30-day band-aid for those struggling with addiction. It is a long term solution which teaches lifestyle changes and real coping skills,” said Morris.
Although Hollis came into the event with damaged IT bands in his knee, he had received treatment from his physician and felt he could complete the event. Although he wasn’t able to complete the event, he stayed by Ellis’ side the entire 24 hours and coached him through the miles. Ellis said he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the feat without Hollis’ support. Hollis never sat down, stayed in Ellis’s ear with encouraging words, and helped him keep pace and motivated throughout the event.
Ellis is now among elite endurance runners nationally and globally. He joins the ranks of only 30 people worldwide who have run 100 miles or more in a 24 hour period indoor on a treadmill. He is 1 of only 7 Americans who have accomplished the same. Our community should be very proud of Ellis and Hollis for their commitment to their individual health and wellness, their endurance in tackling such a grueling event, and their support for the Carter Hope Center.
Most of us know and appreciate that we live in a very special community. Events like the “24 Hours of Hope” prove it. And amazing citizens like Gregg Ellis, Mitchell Hollis, and the other 250 runners also prove it. The Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce salutes Greg, Mitchell, each and every runner who participated, and the Carter Hope Center!
Freedom Isn’t Free
Freedom is not free … our liberty resulted from the many who came before us who paid a tremendous price for the freedom we enjoy today. Although I believe freedom and liberty were and are God given, it was secured in America by heroic acts and everyday day acts of simple citizenship. Freedom and liberty are so commonplace in America, many take it for granted. But that which is so precious and envied the world over is constantly under attack from both internal and external adversaries.
Thomas Jefferson said, “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree.” In other words, our freedom rests on us – we the people. We must be actively engaged civically in the pursuit of good governance, protection of human rights, and holding our elected representatives accountable. When those who are legally allowed to register to vote only do so fifty percent of the time, and those who register to vote exercise that right ten to thirty percent of the time, can we say we the citizenry are engaged?
We the people must be educated and informed on the issues, and in choosing those seeking elected office. We have to do our homework. We should participate in the debate and demand that our elected officials represent us accordingly once a majority opinion is discerned. Instead, we the people have abdicated the best interests of our country to special interest groups, divisive political parties, and last but not least self-serving elected officials.
Jefferson further states, “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is in their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them. And it requires no very high degree of education to convince them of this. They [the people] are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” Do the math … half register to vote and only a minority of those exercise their right on a regular basis.
Why are we surprised (some would say shocked) that politicians and special interest groups are contributing to the erosion of American liberty and freedom each and every day. Would President Jefferson see that the masses are educated and informed on the issues of the day? No … he would see, just like many of us see, that we the people are complicit in the steady decline of the freedom we supposedly cherish. A freedom that still shines like a beacon to billions around the globe …
When our government has spent recent decades diminishing the initiative of our citizens by ever-increasing the safety net, is it a surprise that many will choose safety over initiative? Jefferson says it this way, “To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired to much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, `the guaranty to every one of a free exercise of his industry, and the fruits acquired by it.”
Jefferson, in other discussions on freedom and liberty, further elaborates on the proper division of powers and duties at each level of government. Stating that true representative government is only possible when power remains in the hands of the people and when each level of government is only allowed those powers necessary for that level’s purpose (national government is to protect and defend the nation, state government is to protect civil rights and law enforcement, and local wards / districts administer the remaining administrative duties that provide for a peaceful community).
Given the wisdom of President Jefferson who warned us two hundred and thirty plus years ago to be ever vigilant in protecting our freedom and even provided the mechanics of how to do so, it is amazing to me that “we the people” have allowed our country to get in the shape it is in. When over half of Americans pay no federal taxes, why is it a wonder that they do not participate in strengthening our nation? When everything is given to you, what incentive is there to get involved and to give back?
Our nation is at a fork in the road – we will either take the necessary steps to preserve our liberty and our pursuit of happiness, or we will continue to weaken as a world power. We the People must act and act now in preserving our freedom and liberty that has made us the envy of the world throughout our history!
Thomas Jefferson said, “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree.” In other words, our freedom rests on us – we the people. We must be actively engaged civically in the pursuit of good governance, protection of human rights, and holding our elected representatives accountable. When those who are legally allowed to register to vote only do so fifty percent of the time, and those who register to vote exercise that right ten to thirty percent of the time, can we say we the citizenry are engaged?
We the people must be educated and informed on the issues, and in choosing those seeking elected office. We have to do our homework. We should participate in the debate and demand that our elected officials represent us accordingly once a majority opinion is discerned. Instead, we the people have abdicated the best interests of our country to special interest groups, divisive political parties, and last but not least self-serving elected officials.
Jefferson further states, “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is in their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them. And it requires no very high degree of education to convince them of this. They [the people] are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” Do the math … half register to vote and only a minority of those exercise their right on a regular basis.
Why are we surprised (some would say shocked) that politicians and special interest groups are contributing to the erosion of American liberty and freedom each and every day. Would President Jefferson see that the masses are educated and informed on the issues of the day? No … he would see, just like many of us see, that we the people are complicit in the steady decline of the freedom we supposedly cherish. A freedom that still shines like a beacon to billions around the globe …
When our government has spent recent decades diminishing the initiative of our citizens by ever-increasing the safety net, is it a surprise that many will choose safety over initiative? Jefferson says it this way, “To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired to much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, `the guaranty to every one of a free exercise of his industry, and the fruits acquired by it.”
Jefferson, in other discussions on freedom and liberty, further elaborates on the proper division of powers and duties at each level of government. Stating that true representative government is only possible when power remains in the hands of the people and when each level of government is only allowed those powers necessary for that level’s purpose (national government is to protect and defend the nation, state government is to protect civil rights and law enforcement, and local wards / districts administer the remaining administrative duties that provide for a peaceful community).
Given the wisdom of President Jefferson who warned us two hundred and thirty plus years ago to be ever vigilant in protecting our freedom and even provided the mechanics of how to do so, it is amazing to me that “we the people” have allowed our country to get in the shape it is in. When over half of Americans pay no federal taxes, why is it a wonder that they do not participate in strengthening our nation? When everything is given to you, what incentive is there to get involved and to give back?
Our nation is at a fork in the road – we will either take the necessary steps to preserve our liberty and our pursuit of happiness, or we will continue to weaken as a world power. We the People must act and act now in preserving our freedom and liberty that has made us the envy of the world throughout our history!
All About Community
I know – what a cheesy title for a column. But that is okay. Sometimes being a little cheesy and humbling ourselves for the greater good is not only appropriate but necessary. As I write this, I am fired up and oozing with community. I just witnessed over 150 of Greater Dalton’s finest community cheerleaders step out of their comfort zone and espouse all things community. Our cheerleaders included leaders from our major flooring companies, CPAs, elected officials, small business owners, etc.
In four different sessions, 30-50 of our community’s finest called their friends, their suppliers, their venders, etc. and asked those who were not Chamber members to let them sponsor their membership in our Chamber of Commerce. In a little over six hours, 210 new members joined the 791 current members enabling us to become a 1000 member Chamber.
So what you ask? No community is successful in the long-term without a successful business community and vibrant local economy. A community doesn’t necessarily have to have large corporations based in it to thrive, but it must have some level of commerce. We just happen to be blessed with an industry being based here. But even the leaders of our flooring industry will tell you that they cannot sustain our community by themselves.
As my new friend Jimmy Cusano from Your Chamber Connections would say, “think about it” in his most dramatic Italian accent. Every sustainable community needs banks, dry cleaners, law offices, physicians, a hospital, manufacturers, etc. We have all of these and more. And we have traditionally enjoyed 700-800 of these as members of the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce. And after this week, our cheerleaders have enabled us to grow to over 1000 members.
Jimmy, the “Intertrainer”, gave each group a rousing, energetic, and impassioned “pep talk” about the importance of having a successful Chamber of Commerce and the relationship between a strong Chamber and a strong community. You have heard from me numerous times why Chambers are so important. We are all about commerce – taking care of / retaining current businesses, assisting / enabling new businesses to start and succeed, advocating for our businesses in legislatively, and facilitating the development of leadership for our community. In other words, we are economic development, community development, and leadership development.
And now having 1000 members, our voice will be amazingly loud. We will be better able to market our great community to those who we want to know us. And we can influence the fulfillment of our needs better at the state capitol and our nation’s capitol. If I have heard it once, I have heard it a thousand times that we do not get back from Atlanta or Washington anything close to the money sent to both as taxes. It is time for us to flex a little more and get our fair share.
Although we have endured a very difficult economic downturn and some felt it worse than others, most businesses have survived. They have retooled and repositioned themselves for what is next. Your Chamber of Commerce is doing the same. We have to work smarter and do things differently in order to be successful. And being bigger is a major step forward in representing our community.
For those that were not a part of these last two days, I wish you could have been. I have never felt so emboldened about our future. To be in a room with 50+ people including those I knew and many I did not, and hear them on the phone espousing the work we do and more importantly “selling” our community. We are blessed to live in this great community. I did not say perfect - we have areas needing improvement. But at the end of the day, I would put us up against most communities.
Although hundreds are responsible for the tremendous success of our first ever membership event and deserve to be listed by name, I will simply and humbly say to each – Thank you! You have energized me beyond my wildest expectations. And your Chamber team will do everything in our power to exceed all expectations and be worthy of your voice of confidence.
God Bless Greater Dalton and the United States of America!
In four different sessions, 30-50 of our community’s finest called their friends, their suppliers, their venders, etc. and asked those who were not Chamber members to let them sponsor their membership in our Chamber of Commerce. In a little over six hours, 210 new members joined the 791 current members enabling us to become a 1000 member Chamber.
So what you ask? No community is successful in the long-term without a successful business community and vibrant local economy. A community doesn’t necessarily have to have large corporations based in it to thrive, but it must have some level of commerce. We just happen to be blessed with an industry being based here. But even the leaders of our flooring industry will tell you that they cannot sustain our community by themselves.
As my new friend Jimmy Cusano from Your Chamber Connections would say, “think about it” in his most dramatic Italian accent. Every sustainable community needs banks, dry cleaners, law offices, physicians, a hospital, manufacturers, etc. We have all of these and more. And we have traditionally enjoyed 700-800 of these as members of the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce. And after this week, our cheerleaders have enabled us to grow to over 1000 members.
Jimmy, the “Intertrainer”, gave each group a rousing, energetic, and impassioned “pep talk” about the importance of having a successful Chamber of Commerce and the relationship between a strong Chamber and a strong community. You have heard from me numerous times why Chambers are so important. We are all about commerce – taking care of / retaining current businesses, assisting / enabling new businesses to start and succeed, advocating for our businesses in legislatively, and facilitating the development of leadership for our community. In other words, we are economic development, community development, and leadership development.
And now having 1000 members, our voice will be amazingly loud. We will be better able to market our great community to those who we want to know us. And we can influence the fulfillment of our needs better at the state capitol and our nation’s capitol. If I have heard it once, I have heard it a thousand times that we do not get back from Atlanta or Washington anything close to the money sent to both as taxes. It is time for us to flex a little more and get our fair share.
Although we have endured a very difficult economic downturn and some felt it worse than others, most businesses have survived. They have retooled and repositioned themselves for what is next. Your Chamber of Commerce is doing the same. We have to work smarter and do things differently in order to be successful. And being bigger is a major step forward in representing our community.
For those that were not a part of these last two days, I wish you could have been. I have never felt so emboldened about our future. To be in a room with 50+ people including those I knew and many I did not, and hear them on the phone espousing the work we do and more importantly “selling” our community. We are blessed to live in this great community. I did not say perfect - we have areas needing improvement. But at the end of the day, I would put us up against most communities.
Although hundreds are responsible for the tremendous success of our first ever membership event and deserve to be listed by name, I will simply and humbly say to each – Thank you! You have energized me beyond my wildest expectations. And your Chamber team will do everything in our power to exceed all expectations and be worthy of your voice of confidence.
God Bless Greater Dalton and the United States of America!
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