Effingham Living Autumn 2017 by Effingham Herald

Autumn 2017

Effinghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rising Stars:

Local students Rose Moss and Darius Scott aim high

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Autumn 2017 • 3

Effingham

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Rose Moss: Get involved, have fun Rose is a senior at Effingham County High School, and gives much of her time to help others. But that doesn’t slow her down when it comes to earning her own honors and medals – she’s a star athlete, a mentor and a great leader. She’s a dynamo you will

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want to read about. ��

Darius Scott: Reaching back to reach the stars

Kim Dennis General Manager

Keep watching the headlines – you’re going to be reading about Darius. He’s a senior at South Effingham, and he’s got his site set on not just doing well in track and field now, but maybe even in the Olympics someday. And he’s working to make a difference for those affected by human trafficking. ��

Former GSS president travels to Germany

Angye Morrison Editor

Hunter McCumber Art Director

Georgia Salzburgers were represented well by former Georgia Salzburger Society president Gary Nizzi, as he paid a visit to the Francke Foundation, located in Halle, Germany. The visit was part of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. ��

editor’s

NOTE

Angye Morrison

t’s fall, y’all! And my favorite time of year. Although this go ‘round, it’s been a bit weird. We’ve had about three days of weather that actually felt like fall, then it went back to summer temperatures. Well, it was nice while it lasted. Hopefully, we’ll finally have some fall foliage, cool temperatures and crisp breezes – all the best parts of this time of year. We’ve given you some great reading this issue. We identified two of our brightest young people and had a sit-down with each of them: Rose Moss, a student at Effingham County High, and Darius Scott, a student at South Effingham. These two seniors are unbelievable. They are incredible students, athletes and just, well, human beings. It was a joy to speak with them and get to know them. You’ll enjoy it, too. We also have our Living Effingham guest column, and this month, it’s penned by Sonja Scott, who is the mother of Darius Scott. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting this dynamic lady, make a point to do so. You will walk away feeling like you can conquer the world, I assure you. Enjoy this issue. And be sure to take in a little of this fall sunshine. We can all at least dream of cooler weather…

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6 â&#x20AC;¢ Effingham Living

Rose Moss: Get involved, have fun

Written By Angye Morrison

ose Moss, a senior at Effingham County High School, keeps busy with a variety of activities, both in school and out. She’s won awards like a Girl Scout Bronze Award, was named to the 2017 Savannah Best in Preps and even won a crown as Miss ECHS 2017. But you won’t hear this humble 17-year-old spouting her accolades. Instead, Rose prefers to quietly do the things she loves, knowing she is helping others. In school, Rose is not only the captain of the varsity game cheer squad, she’s also a member of the school’s golf team, and has qualified for the Georgia High School Association state golf tournament, the Georgia PGA Junior Tour and Savannah Junior Golf. She’s in dual enrollment classes, and won the President’s Education Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, has been on the honor roll, won a Presbyterian College Fellows Award and is a member of the National Honor Society. Yet when asked about herself as a rising star, she says she just doesn’t think of herself in that way, and points to other students she thinks are more deserving of the honor. Rose has a list of extracurricular activities a mile long – she’s heavily involved in 4-H, serving as a Leadership Board member, and she’s an ECHS Student Council member-at-large. She’s also a member of the Beta Club, the National Art Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Rotary Interact Club and the Girl Scouts. She’s attended the University of Tennessee Design Matters Architecture and Design Camp, Turner Voices Media Youth Institute, 21st Century Leaders Earth Care Summer Institute and Summer Youth Leadership Institute at Goizueta, the 2015-16 Effingham County YMCA Christian Leadership Academy, Effingham Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students, and the Georgia Department of Human Services Youth Empowerment Series, and has served as a Georgia Secretary of State student ambassador. She’s earned the distinction of Georgia Master 4-Her, having won first place in the States in Sports demonstration project category, something she is very proud of and counts as one of two of her greatest achievements. She competed at the district level with a 10- to 12-minute presentation, along with a portfolio of everything she’s done for the year. She won second place in the state the first go-round, and came back to compete a second year, winning first place on her second try. She says the win was extremely rewarding. “It’s something that I’ve worked hard for,” she said. Her other greatest accomplishment was winning Miss ECHS, the first pageant in which she’s competed. She was hesitant to compete, but after some encouragement

Autumn 2017 • 7

from the pageant coordinator and a last minute purchase of her pageant gown, she entered. She ended up tying with another contestant for best interview, and won best formal wear and Miss Photogenic, in addition to the crown. “That was pretty surprising. I’m pretty proud because I was going up against girls who do pageants and have done them before, even this pageant. So it was good. But I don’t have any intentions of doing it again,” she said, laughing and adding that she hates wearing makeup. Having won the title of Miss ECHS, Rose turned her attention toward something that is near and dear to her heart – community service. She’s heavily involved in a variety of community service projects, and as Miss ECHS, worked to organize a day of service. Thirty-six students came to the school to join Rose in pulling weeds and picking up trash on the campus. Rose worked to secure funds for the event and it helped to provide community service hours for herself and the other student volunteers. Rose has volunteered more than 90 hours as a 4-H certified teen leader, and has a total of at least 150 hours of community service in 4-H. She also volunteers weekly at Blessingdales Gift and Thrift Store, in addition to the time she gives to the Effingham County YMCA, the LPGA girls golf clinic, The Club at Savannah Harbor, Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club, the Effingham County Family Promise Homeless Shelter and the Effingham County Health Department. She also works with toddlers each week at her church, Compassion Christian. “A lot of the community service I do I enjoy what I do and the people I do it with. It’s fun. Whenever I volunteer, I do things I enjoy doing, so it’s not like, I have to go volunteer. It’s oh, I get to do this,” she said. Rose has grown up volunteering, and it’s certainly a family affair. Following the example of service set by their parents, Aurelia and Michael Moss, she and her sister, April, have together created a database, Youth Engaged in Service (YES), which includes 12 organizations so far. The database contains the contact and service information about the organizations so that if people are seeking a place to serve, they

8 • Effingham Living

can use it to find one. They plan to increase the database, and make it more widely available in the future. She plans to continue her service throughout her life, knowing it will help her community, wherever she lives in the future. “It’s kind of cool, especially when you see how you’ve helped somebody, and that they’re changed,” she said. Rose is also a youth apprentice at Gulfstream Aerospace, where she was able to work full-time during the summer. She says she assists the designers with anything they need, and keeps the showroom materials organized. She’s even been consulted on some projects. The experience is invaluable, considering her chosen career path. She is planning to major in interior design, and is considering the University of Tennessee, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, but is particularly interested in UT. “I think what sparked my interest was watching HGTV all the time, and my mom suggested I look into it,” Rose said. In 10 years, she sees herself living in the Knoxville, Tennessee or Atlanta area, “hopefully working at an architecture firm as an interior designer.” Rose says she’s a good student, but says she tends to procrastinate a bit. Her strength, she feels, has been in encouraging her friends. “I have friends that stress out a lot, and I tell them it’s OK. I guess it’s that mental aspect of not stressing and helping others to not stress too much when it comes to school work, and everything that goes on throughout the year,” she said. “I kind of go with the flow. I don’t tend to stress a lot.” When asked how her friends would describe her, Rose says they would say she’s funny, smart and encouraging. “I adapt well with others. So I guess they’d say that no matter the situation, I’m able to kind of adapt and change to whatever it is. I can lighten the mood sometimes if there’s tension. Like, I’ll say a corny joke or something,” she said, smiling. Her teachers would describe her, she thinks, as a good student and a good communicator. While she’s aware that she is a leader, the aspect of others looking up to her isn’t something Rose gives a lot of

thought to, even when it comes to her little sister. “I just don’t really think about it, but I’m aware. I’m not always thinking, let me do this because of April. I’m just kind of, this is myself, and she can kind of learn from my mistakes and successes,” she said. She looks to her own mom, Aurelia, as a mentor. “She kind of keeps everything together, which is really helpful,” Rose said. Another hero for her was her great-grandfather, Booker T. Newsome, who passed away three years ago. “He did a lot to provide for his family, his children, grandchildren and his greatgrandchildren. He was just always there for encouragement,” she said. Rose also says she looks up to Abby Smith, Effingham County Extension coordinator

for 4-H. “She’s like my mom away from home. She keeps us 4-Hers organized and makes sure we’re on our best behavior,” she said. As for new students heading into high school for the first time, Rose has some advice: have fun. “If you ask most high schoolers to look back on middle school, they’ll be like, ‘Oh I hated middle school.’ I had fun. I enjoyed it. I don’t have that. Even looking back at high school, I’ve enjoyed it. I’m going to look back and say it may have been hard but it was fun. There’s nothing that I really regret or would change, because I didn’t hate any part of it,” she said. “You want to look back and say, ‘I had fun.’ When I think of fun, I think of being involved in stuff, having good friend groups that you can have fun with and getting involved in stuff at school.”

Autumn 2017 • 9

10 â&#x20AC;¢ Effingham Living

Darius Scott: Reaching back to reach the stars Written By Angye Morrison

hen reaching toward his goals, South Effingham High School senior Darius Scott is making sure to reach back and thank those who have helped him along the way. When you talk with the teen, he’s quick to thank his parents and others who have both inspired him and encouraged him. Darius is certainly the epitome of a star athlete – he’s won numerous athletic awards. He is the SEHS varsity basketball starting point guard, and won the Mustang Award in 2016, and the GPA award in 2016 and 2017. He was named to the Best of Prep Track & Field by the Savannah Morning News in 2016. And he’s taken first place in the triple jump in numerous competitions. He also qualified for the AAU National Junior Olympics. He even has his site set on a bid for the Olympics someday. “First I want to join a team and become a valuable member of it, and help my teammates achieve their best. I hope to be a part of some NCAA track and field championships, then maybe try out for the U.S. team. Then maybe on from there,” he said. “It’s a process. It takes a long time, but (the Olympics) is on my radar.” His achievements extend beyond the athletic arena. He is also on the honor roll, and participated in the gifted program at his school from the second through 11th grades. He’s been active in the Beta Club, as well as 4-H and the Interact Club, and is a Technology Student Association member. He has served as Sergeant-at-Arms for Jack & Jill of America Inc., an organization introduced to him by his mother, Sonja Scott. Jack & Jill of America is a membership organization of mothers with children ages 2-19, which focuses on nurturing leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty. Darius was intrigued with the organization. “I think that is where I really fit in. It’s somewhere that I can really grow,” he said. It was in a Jack & Jill oratorical competition that Darius won first place in the Savannah chapter in 2016, then second place in the regional competition in Atlanta. He has won first place in the Richmond Hill Rotary District Speech Contest in 2016 and 2017, and was the grand prize winner in the Rotary Area Exhibition in 2016 in Savannah. He also won first place in the Effingham Rotary Club speech contest in 2016 and 2017, with a speech on human trafficking, a subject for which he has developed a deep passion. When considering subject matter for his speech, his mother advised him to choose something out of the box – something that no one really talks about, to set his speech apart.

Autumn 2017 • 11

“She came across the subject of human trafficking, and I had never heard of it. When I started researching it, and watching videos and interviews and documentaries, I really started to feel for that. This is something that I really want to talk about,” he said. Since his ninth grade year, he has spoken out about and been an activist against human trafficking. Darius continues to speak about the subject, and has given out “Be Free” bracelets, which bear the message as well as the human trafficking hotline. He distributed 200 of the bracelets at last year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Savannah, and gave some out in Atlanta to lower income and homeless people more recently. In both situations, he got a lot of positive feedback. “People were telling me I was doing a good thing. That just made me want to drive harder,” he said. “That almost made me tear up, to see them come up to me and shake my hand and say, ‘Hey bro, you’re doing a good thing.’ From someone who doesn’t have anything, to come up to me and say that, it makes you not take anything for granted and realize that you’ve got something special.” Darius plans to continue his work. “I hope to maybe start a small club or organization at my university, whether it’s private or supported by the school. I don’t want to abandon what I’ve been doing so far. It hasn’t been much, but I really want to do a whole lot more. There is still human trafficking out there and something needs to be done about it,” he said. As for his college plans, Darius hasn’t decided where he will attend. He is looking at Duke, Wake Forest and Harvard, and is talking to coaches at each of the schools in the hopes of participating in track and field during his collegiate career. He’s interested in something in biomedical or mechanical engineering. For now, he is working hard at his other passion, one that has grown since his freshman year – track and field. It was during that year that Darius realized that his participation in the sport wasn’t just fun, but that he also had a talent for it. “And I realized I could use that talent to get a college education,” he said, adding that he has to thank Coach Laura Soles, the track coach at SEHS, for helping him, particularly during that period of time. 12 • Effingham Living

“I just want to thank her for pushing me through that,” he said. Darius also points to Coach Ed Jinks, who helped him get involved in AAU, which got him to regional and state meets and then the Junior Olympics. He’s also had moments where he has struggled. He scratched out of six meets after heading into a meet rusty, following basketball season. “That was really hard for me. I thought about quitting. Coach Soles, my parents, they really had a good influence on me to keep going if it’s something you really want to do. I just want to thank them for that, because that led me to go to state and place fourth, and also break the school record, and extend my personal best by 2 feet. That was really a touching moment for me. I cried. It was very emotional for me,” he said. Those setbacks have fueled a fire in Darius. Last summer, he began training with Northern Lights Athletics, under Coach Kimberly Wilson and Rosemarie White, a two-time Olympian. It’s already made a difference. “It’s really fun and hard and hectic, but it shows,” he said. “I see a difference in the way I run, the way I train and the way I act every day. I placed fourth in the Junior Olympics because of that program.” And through every accomplishment, every struggle, Darius says his family has been his strength, particularly his parents, Sonja and Roger. “They have invested so much time and money and effort to get me here. I can never thank them enough for it,” he said. His parents’ belief in him has been a constant inspiration. “Ever since I was born, they always said I was a star and I was important and I was going to do big things,” he said. “My dad is known for being a hype man of everybody. He is a very energetic and positive person, and for that I love him. My mom is the same way. She is fun, she is prayerful. She’s there when I want to cry, she’s there when I want to scream, she’s there when I want to smile with her. She’s pushing me, challenging me, always there for me. Without her, I wouldn’t be here today.” Darius also points to his brothers, R.J. and Isaiah. “My little brother, Isaiah, he inspires me to be creative and be myself, and just smile through the tough times. He inspires me

“People were telling me I was doing a good thing. That just made me want to drive harder.”

to just let go and have fun sometimes,” he said. “My older brother, R.J., he inspires me to work hard and not give up on my dreams. When he was a toddler, he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart, and part of his brain isn’t functional. He graduated and has a great job, he has a great girlfriend, and he goes to Savannah Technical College and is studying to be a welder. He is a very intelligent person. I wouldn’t trade him or Isaiah for the world. I love them to the depths of my heart.” Darius says that his coaches have been huge influences in his life, but there have been others as well. “Pastor Osborne is a mentor of mine. He’s been through a lot of the things that I’ve been

through, and I’m still overcoming. I thank him for that,” Darius said. “My godfather, Bishop James Wright, always praying for me and lifting me up, just keeping up with me. I can’t take those things for granted because those things show up in your future.” He also points to close friends, extended family, his church family and his grandmothers, Nellie and Willa Mae, “for always sliding me a couple of dollars to help me out with gas and praying for me. Just spending time with them is priceless.” “I just want to cherish all the memories I have with them before I take my next step in life,” he said. He is thankful as well for “Miss Dionne,” who works for his dad at Scott and Sons

Trucking. Darius says she’s always there for them in the office and in their family. “She prays for us a lot. She’s really a good woman to know and I want her to know that I love her and I appreciate her,” he said. Darius has a healthy perspective on his strengths and weaknesses. He sees his emotions as a weakness, but understands that his ability to overcome adversity and those challenges will help him grow as a student, an athlete and as a person overall. “If I’m going to be this leader, then I have to set that example. I would never have been able to do anything if it had not been for my faith in God, my parents, and everybody who supported me and wants to see me achieve the things I know I can do.” Autumn 2017 • 13

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Living Effingham:

Appreciating the value of good conversation Written By Sonja R. Scott

18 â&#x20AC;˘ Effingham Living

As much as I am truly in love with minds while creating a sense of belonging, the antidote for a cup of coffee or herbal tea with loneliness. In the book, “The Dangers of Loneliness,” Estroff a generous slice of lemon pound Marano states, ” we fall apart mentally and even physically” cake (icing included), my zeal for without frequent human interaction, which includes good conversation supersedes these engaging conversations. Our heart suffers. Our blood epicurean delights. Chewing the fat, pressure rises. Excessive stress hormones flow throughout shooting the breeze, or talking turkey. our bodies seeking to set our body systems awry. Just think Whatever you prefer to call it, good of the implications. Conversations can actually heal or halt conversation is the cornerstone of physiological disorders. God says it like this, “Pleasant words civil societies. It doesn’t matter if you’re celebrating over a are a honeycomb sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” candlelight dinner at the Mansion on Forsythe, commuting Proverbs 16:24 A sweet exchange. A sharing of burdens and joys. Bearing to tennis practice too early on a Saturday morning, or gazing at the moon’s reflection on the ocean at midnight, good with one another in love. Therapeutic conversations can conversation is therapeutic to the mind, body and soul. It is provide healing for the mind and body, but what about a balm for many of our ills, a freshness that eradicates layers the soul? David said in Psalm 32 that he was tormented by his sins, but when he confessed them…. joy returned! of dust, a gentle rain in a desperately dry season. According to a University of Michigan study, conversation What a wonderful picture of the power of our words in a is imperative to our mental well-being. Just think of this. conversation. Have you ever carried a heavy burden that you Simply engaging in small talk with a resident in a nursing felt that you could no longer handle? Having a conversation facility or chatting with an acquaintance who is enduring with wise counsel or an empathetic ear can greatly increase grueling cancer treatments, or even hanging out with a teen your ability to travel through rough terrain. You know…like caught in a web of depression can greatly improve their the news that your infant son must have open-heart surgery cognitive function in the same manner as solving brain or your job is planning a massive lay-off three weeks before teasers, learning a new language or completing crossword Christmas, or the “ D” word was spoken aloud during a heated argument with your spouse. puzzles. Chatting with others causes Rough terrain seems smoother, us to engage in their thoughts not ours, thus rescuing us from “Night air, good conversation lower, less daunting after putting your shattered and sometimes constantly rummaging through and a sky full of stars can unidentifiable emotions into words. our past failures, present problems Therapeutic conversations have and future concerns. It gives us a heal almost any wound.” the capacity to encapsulate the mental “timeout” so to speak. Yes, Beau Taplin emptiness, and tame the terror all conversations are an integral part of while soothing the soul. a healthy social network. It is the lack We were built to live together, of this network and even the sheer awareness that you lack frequent human interaction that play together, and talk together. The challenge for us may lead to increased rates of depression and compromised as a society is to slow down and make this phenomenal quality of sleep. Lack of human interaction and conversation connection called face-to-face conversations a priority. It has even been linked to increased high school withdrawals. will cost us time, but it will be time well spent. Consider Imagine the emotional desperation of children who fail to sacrificing some of our important activities, or even plan for discover a clique or group of other students who accepts specific moments to engage other in this method. Plan to them. They are left alone and isolated during unstructured go to the nursing facilities after church on Sundays, plan ice periods of the day such as lunch time, between classes and cream socials for teens in your neighborhood on a Saturday on the bus. Our minds crave, yearn, and simply demand afternoon, or simply engage students who seem lost in the shuffle at school. Whatever we have to do individually good conversations that engage us with other humans. I am guilty. Guilty of over indulging technology, especially and collectively, we must not give in to the pressure and social media. Yes, I have Facebook, Band, Marco Polo and pace of this present culture. Our conversations promote LinkedIn. There is more. Yahoo! and Messenger Plus as understanding and connectedness across all racial, social, well. Does, YouTube count? Anyway…as much as I enjoy and economic lines. Engaging conversations can be therapy using these tools to keep up with the shenanigans of the for our communities, healing us from preconceived notions, ECHS Class of ’85, my husband and three sons, fellow myths, and fables of those sitting across the table. There is UGA graduates, my nephews in Atlanta, and my extended nothing more exciting to me than meeting with someone for family and friends, nothing can replace the gesture of my a quick cup of coffee or herbal tea. My physician reminds husband’s strong hands, the slight tilt of my son’s head, me at check-ups that I should limit my caffeine intake, but or the faint aura of my mom’s favorite perfume. Nothing. certainly I will not be limiting my portion of engaging, Face-to-face communication is powerful. It stimulates our therapeutic and edifying conversations. Autumn 2017 • 19

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eLECTED oFFICIALS Effingham County Commission Chairman — Wesley Corbitt Elected through 2021 District 1 — Forrest Floyd Elected through 2020 District 2 — Vera Jones Elected through 2018 District 3 — Jamie Deloach Elected through 2018 District 4 — Reggie Loper Elected through 2020 District 5 — Phil Kieffer Elected through 2018 County Clerk Stephanie Johnson 610 North Laurel Street Springfield, GA 31329 Phone: 754-2123 Fax: 754-4157 County Administration County Administrator Steve Davis State Lawmakers Gov. Nathan Deal Office of the Governor 206 Washington Street Suite 203, State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404) 656-1776 Website: gov.georgia.gov Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle Office of the Lieutenant Governor Administrative Staff 240 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404) 656-5030 Fax: (404) 656-6739 Web site: www.ltgov.georgia.gov State website: www.georgia.gov Effingham’s General Assembly Delegation State Sen. Jack Hill (R-Reidsville) Capitol Office State Capitol Building Room 234 Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404) 656-5038 Fax: (404) 657-7094 Email: jack.hill@senate.ga.gov District Office P.O. Box 486 Reidsville, GA 30453 Phone: (912) 557-3811 Fax: (912) 557-3522 Committees: Appropriations (Chairman); Finance; Natural Resources and the Environment; Regulated Industries and Utilities; Rules

State Rep. Jon Burns (R-Newington) Capitol Office House Majority Leader State Capitol Building Room 338 Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404) 656-5099 Email: jon.burns@house.ga.gov District Office 5829 Clyo-Kildare Road Newington, GA 30446 Committees: Agriculture and Consumer Affairs; Appropriations; Economic Development and Tourism; Game,; Rules; Ethics; Transportation State Rep. Bill Hitchens (R-Rincon) Capitol Office 408-C Coverdell Legislative Office Building Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404) 657-1803 Email: bill.hitchens@house.ga.gov District Office 2440 Rincon-Stillwell Road Phone: (912) 663-8941 Committees: Appropriations; Defense and Veterans Affairs; Public Safety and Homeland Security; Transportation

Federal Lawmakers U.S. Rep. Rick W. Allen (R-Augusta) Capitol Office 513 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2823 Fax: (202) 225-3377 Website: allen.house.gov District Office 50 E. Main Street Statesboro, GA 30458 Phone: (912) 243-9452 Fax: (912) 243-9453 Committees: House Committee on Agriculture; House Education and Workforce Committee Subcommittees: General Farm Commodities and Risk Management; Conservation and Forestry; Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions; Higher Education and Workforce Training U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) Capitol Office 432 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5831 Fax: (202) 226-2269 Website: buddycarter.house.gov District Office 6602 Abercorn St., Suite 105B Savannah, GA 31405 Phone: (912) 352-0101

Fax: (912) 352-0105 Committees: Education and the Workforce Committee; Homeland Security, Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittees: Subcommittee on Transportation Security; Oversight and Management Efficiency; Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions; Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education; Healthcare, Benefits and Administrative Works; Government Operations U.S. Sen. David Perdue (R-Sea Island) Capitol Office 383 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-3521 Fax: (202) 224-0103 Website: perdue.senate.gov Regional Office 191 Peachtree St. NE Suite 3250 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: (404) 865-0087 Fax: (404) 865-0311 Committees: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Budget; Foreign Relations; Judiciary; Special Committee on Aging Subcommittees: State Department and USAID Management (chairman); Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources (chairman) U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Marietta) Capitol Office 131 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-3643 Fax: (202) 228-0724 Website: isakson.senate.gov Regional Office 1 Overton Park 3625 Cumberland Boulevard, Suite 970 Atlanta, GA 30339 Phone: (770) 661-0999 Fax: (770) 661-0768 Committees: Finance; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Veterans’ Affairs; Select Committee on Ethics; Foreign Relations Subcommittees: Subcommittee on International Trade; Customs and Global Competitiveness; Taxation and IRS Oversight; Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy; East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy; Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, Global Women’s Issues

Visit us online at www.effinghamcounty.com for more information. Autumn 2017 • 21

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Dr. Thomas MüllerBahlke is shown speaking during one of the meetings at the Francke Foundation. MüllerBahlke is the director of the foundation and Gary Nizzi traveled to Germany at his invitation.

24 • Effingham Living

Christine Koch, shown with Gary Nizzi, served as interpreter and guide for Nizzi during his trip.

Former GSS president travels to Germany

Written By Angye Morrison | Photography by Gary Nizzi

ary Nizzi, who grew up in Effingham County, traveled to Halle, Germany earlier this year to the Francke Foundation, representing the Georgia Salzburger Society. The foundation was established in 1695 as a Christian, social and educational work by August Hermann Francke, and was based on “changing the world through education.” Nizzi was invited to be a part of the annual observance at the foundation, which was held March 24-26, part of a series of events held this yearcelebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation due to the efforts of Martin Luther, and to celebrate Francke’s birthday. The celebration included a concert, a visit with dignitaries, a round table discussion and the opportunity for Nizzi to place flowers at the Francke monument. “They asked me to help represent the Salzburgers, which are the Ebenezer colony, and there were others who were invited but were unable to make it, so I was the only one,” Nizzi said. He described his

experience while there as “unbelievable.” “I was there for four days, and everything was very scheduled. The concerts were just unreal. They featured world-acclaimed pianists. There were meetings, and it was like an international conference. They talked about how they do all their research and how the colonies should all work together, and how best to do so,” he said. “It was a very humbling and moving experience.” Nizzi has been to Germany a few times and has done research there on his own family lineage, and had always wanted to go to the Francke. While there, Nizzi said he was also able to go into the archives and see documents from early Georgia history related to Ebenezer, and it was very moving and special for him. “Georgia’s success was well known to be largely due to Ebenezer, and the hard work of all the German trades,” he said. “It was really special.” Nizzi said the Georgia Salzburger Society is also really well known, and has been an example to others of its kind because of its organization and accomplishments. Nizzi served as president of the GSS for three years before stepping down, and now sits on the board as a past president. Autumn 2017 • 25

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Out & About Want to see your event photos in Out & About? Send your photos to Angye Morrison at amorrison@effinghamherald.net. Please include event information such as dates, names and location.

Local residents gathered on Sept. 4 for the 283rd anniversary of the Salzburgersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; landing in Georgia, celebrating Heritage Day at historic Ebenezer. A range of activities were on display, from sugar caning to blacksmithing, showcasing what life was like for the Salzburgers when they settled at Ebenezer nearly 300 years ago. In addition to museum and church tours, there were craft booths, baked goods and live music. Guest speaker for the event was Dr. Kirk Bridgers. Photos by Birk Herrath

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