Georgia native to share story of hometown progress
The city of Douglas is deep in the pine thickets of south Georgia, midway between Tifton and Waycross. With nearly 11,000 population, it is the county seat of Coffee County. Years ago tobacco and turpentine drove its economy. Today the economy is much more diverse. For example, it has a 1,400-employee Wal-Mart distribution facility, even though it’s 45 miles to the nearest interstate.
This is where Oscar Street was born and raised. And where he returned after college. The first African-American admitted to South Georgia College in 1965, Street has played an active role in community development for decades. He spent 31 years in the school system, served on the City Commission and has been on the Douglas-Coffee County Economic Development Authority for 16 years.
Just how far has he watched Coffee County come? Since 1950, it has had a 67.6 percent increase in population, as much the eight counties that adjoin it combined.
Street will be sharing the story of his hometown’s progress at the June 21 kickoff of the Vision 13 program at Southern Union State Community College in Wadley.
“One of the things we’ve learned in Douglas is that it is important to help local businesses grow and thrive,” says Street, who serves on the Coffee County Small Business and Entrepreneurial Committee. This was evidenced by the fact that Douglas was the first rural community in Georgia to be named “Entrepreneur Friendly.”
Vision 13 is a regional leadership development program for Cleburne, Chambers, Clay, Randolph and parts of Lee and Cherokee counties. This is the district represented by state Sen. Kim Benefield.
Leadership training will be based on the LeadershipPlenty model developed by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change. This includes such topics as managing groups for results, managing conflict, building strategic partnerships and communicating for change.
“In today’s global economy, it is critical that we have leaders with the skills to take on new challenges,” says Benefield.
Vision 13 kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on June 21 with the Southern Union regional meeting. In addition to Street, other speakers will be Will Lambe from the University of North Carolina and Dr. Wayne Flynt, former Auburn University history professor and a Pulitzer Prize nominee.
“We want to give people from all across east Alabama a first-hand look at what successful rural communities around the country are doing, as well as to introduce them to the LeadershipPlenty program,” says Benefield.
Registration for the event is $10 and includes dinner. Checks should be made payable: EARPDC and mailed to Vision 13, P. O. Box 2186, Anniston, AL 36202.
Project director is Larry Lee. For more information, he may be contacted at [email protected] or (334) 787-0410.
