Artesian Alliance Annual Report 2021

ARTESIAN ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT

Overview

Artesian Alliance Vision

The Artesian Alliance envisions a community that contributes the betterment of its people, its flora, its fauna, and its world.

Artesian Alliance Mission

To develop partnerships and create opportunities that promote discovery, curiosity, and adventure.

Formed in 2019 and formally named in 2020, the Artesian Alliance is a partnership between Chehaw Park & Zoo, the Flint RiverQuarium, and Thronateeska Heritage Center. The collaboration created by the partnership has already led to joint programmatic efforts, greater operating efficiencies and cost containment, and a more effective use of limited resources for the three organizations involved The Artesian Alliance designation also paves the way for future joint staffing and programming, as well as memberships and fundraising. In short, we are all much stronger together then individually. Through the Artesian Alliance, the three venues look forward to both a re-energized base of support and a slate of new initiatives that will help lead the community into the future

Tommy Gr Director Artesian All

CHEHAW

With over 700 acres of pristine, conservation land and a zoo dedicated to education, Chehaw is a unique attraction for South Georgia Chehaw continues to be devoted to the three areas it was founded on: conservation, preservation, and education From the zoo to the endless recreational opportunities, Chehaw has an activity for every visitor In addition to the zoo, guests can enjoy one of the state's largest Play Parks, Splash Park, RC car track, disc golf course, fishing, camping, picnicking, hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. Chehaw truly is Nature's Playground.

Mission Statement: To connect people with nature and encourage conservation action through educational and recreational experiences.

FLINT RIVERQUARIUM

Located on the banks of the Flint River, the Flint RiverQuarium tells the story of the Flint River and the blue hole springs that helped create it Visitors experience the unique ecosystems of the Flint River watershed through a variety of interactive exhibits featuring more then 100 species of native aquatic life. An outdoor aviary also gives visitors an up-close look at a wide variety of birds found in the surrounding wetland habitat. The Flint RiverQuarium's Imagination Theater presents nature-based educational films on a screen three stories tall. Other ongoing programming, such as dive shows, alligator feedings, and animal presentations, ensures that every visit has something new to offer.

Mission Statement: To interpret the Flint River ecosystem and its connection to the waters of the world and to promote learning, conservation, and action.

THRONATEESKA

Thronateeska Heritage Center was incorporated in 1974 for the purpose of historic preservation and science education in Albany and Southwest Georgia. Thronateeska is located at Heritage Plaza on the only remaining brick street in the city, Thronateeska's campus includes a history museum, science museum, rail car display, a 40' full-dome HD planetarium, and the South Georgia Archives The museum facilities are housed in historic structures and new construction designed to reflect and retain the railroad heritage of the area

Mission Statement: To provide an environment where human, natural, and physical sciences can be explored to gain a better understanding of our changing world.

Morgan Burnette Director of Chehaw

Bobbie Yandell

Director of Flint RiverQuarium & Thronateeska

STRATEGICPLANNING

In July 2020, the Artesian Alliance, comprised of Chehaw Park & Zoo, the Flint RiverQuarium, and Thronateeska Heritage Center, hired Felis Consulting LLC to complete a Comprehensive Master Plan Over the course of nearly 18 months, the newly formed Artesian Alliance developed a long-term vision for each of its sister organizations as a means to work together toward a common goal of uplifting the Albany region through educational and entertaining experiences.

Each organization brings a unique perspective on the Albany experience to the table from our collective history to the natural world around us. As these entities transition from working independently into a cohesive shared vision and approach including shared staff members this comprehensive master plan serves as a guide to ensure shared messaging and consistent level of quality while highlighting the experiences that make each special.

The Artesian Alliance is comprised of three distinct facilities, each with its own unique focus or “heart ” These hearts help differentiate the facilities from each other while sharing key brand characteristics, such as interactivity, hospitality, water focus, conservation and preservation, and local stories that link to the world.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Flint RiverQuarium

Chehaw

Thronateeska

All organizations share three key messages to support the overall Artesian Alliance core message:

“The Albany region is a tapestry of rich, diverse cultural and natural histories with great potential to positively impact the world.”

Master Plan Goals

Improve Facilities

Add new attractions that appeal to potential visitors

Create facility brand experiences (‘look & character’) that support the individual and the overall Alliance brands Plan for prioritizing deferred maintenance and build a plan for on-going maintenance of improved /new facilities

Add support spaces and new attractions that improve efficiency, allow flexibility, and support our mission

Increase Revenues

Increase membership base to above the sum of the individual memberships

Increase attendances at all facilities

Increase participants in paid educational programs across the Alliance

Provide venue rental packages building on the assets of each facility

Create new lines of revenues to diversify financial health

Support Albany as a Whole

Increase tourism to the City/Region

Provide educational programs to support school curriculums and adult learning

Strengthen the message of Albany as a “great place to live” by becoming key community assets

Value diversity in overt ways, becoming more relevant to all people in Albany

Overall, the vision of the Artesian Alliance is to become a true community asset and source of pride, improving the awareness of the Albany region as a great place to live and work This will be accomplished by highlighting the natural resources of the area, providing educational programs that supplement school curriculums, developing star attractions that draw tourists, becoming catalysts for celebrating diversity, expanding the employment base, and providing opportunities to get outside, get active and improve the overall health of the community.

For all facilities, the greatest potential for growth in attendance lies within the tourist markets, especially within a 3–4-hour drive time from Albany. This market most aligns with typical expectations of a visitor profile to zoos, aquariums, and museums. Because the tourism market to the Albany region is small at this time, the Artesian Alliance attractions must serve as drivers for growth in tourism to the region. The understanding that tourists typically express highest interest in visiting attractions that tell the local story has guided the creative development within the master plan.

E D U C A T I O N

Education team members made a huge splash in both the virtual and in-person world. In the beginning of 2021, we delivered more than 100 different live, virtual lessons to K-12 students as part of the Southwest Georgia Learning Initiative. Educators cheered in 2021 as we were able to provide increasingly more in-person programming. From summer camps to weekend programs and from outreaches to special events with record-breaking attendance, we are proud to say programming tripled as we continue bouncing back from COVID 19.

AT A GLANCE . . .

Southwest Georgia Learning Initiative has 220 archived learning videos. More than 3,000 participants registered for the live virtual lessons, and the program had an estimated reach of 12,000 people.

More special events were offered, most with record-breaking numbers: Mermaid Morning, Party for the Planet, World Oceans Day, Butterfly Breakfast, Water, Wings & Wildlife, Tricks and Treats, Boo at the Zoo, Chehaw Animal Thanksgiving, Flint RiverQuarium Animal Thanksgiving, The Great Holiday Hunt, and Reindeer Games.

More than 500 campers attended the 40 sessions offered Youth volunteers donated 5,725 hours

THROUGH BOTH ONSITE AND OUTREACH EFFORTS, EDUCATORS REACHED MORE THAN 32,000 PEOPLE IN 2022 AND DELIVERED 1,062 PROGRAMS!

Director of Education

WEEKEND PROGRAMS

Weekend foot traffic to all three facilities has been on the rise, thanks in large part to recent interactive programming. Chehaw, the Flint RiverQuarium, and Thronateeska offer free weekend programs to the public. Guests are encouraged to engage with our educators, youth volunteers, zookeepers, and aquarists to make their visits special Animal meet-and-greets, exhibit chats, tank talks, science experiments, and fun crafts are all part of the guest experience

WE HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO INTERACT WITH MORE THAN 9,000 PEOPLE THROUGH OUR WEEKEND PROGRAM OFFERINGS.

Jackie Entz Shores

&

DEVELOPMENT

The new Artesian Alliance family membership options are picking up steam and have been well received by the community.

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES

Chehaw Park Only $60 | Chehaw Park & Zoo $95 | Thronateeska $60 | Flint RiverQuarium $95

Each membership includes 2 named adults, 4 children under 18, children 3 and under free, $10 per additional child, 10% discount on concessions, gift shop, and camps.

DUAL ADULT MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES

Chehaw Park & Zoo + Flint RiverQuarium $125

Chehaw Park & Zoo + Flint RiverQuarium + Thronateeska $175

Each membership includes 2 named adults OR 1 named adult and one guest, 10% discount on concessions, gift shops, and camps.

CONSERVATION MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES

Chehaw Park & Zoo + Flint RiverQuarium $250

Chehaw Park & Zoo + Flint RiverQuarium + Thronateeska $300

Each membership includes 2 named adults, 4 children under 18, children 3 and under are free, $10 per additional child, 10% discount on concessions, gift shop, and camps, PLUS 4 guest passes

Parker Douglas Director of Membership & Development

The revamped corporate membership structure, which includes packages for libraries, service organizations, and businesses, is also off to a great start. A membership program with Procter & Gamble has already added 750 additional Artesian Alliance members!

LIBRARY PACKAGES

2 Family Memberships $700 | 4 Family Memberships $1,400 | 8 Family Memberships $2,500

Perfect for our local and regional libraries, large or small Family memberships purchased by the library may be checked out by library members for free admission to all three Artesian Alliance organizations

SERVICE ORGANIZATION PACKAGES

1 pass for Chehaw Park & Zoo and the Flint RiverQuarium $500

1 pass to all three Artesian Alliance organizations $750

2 passes to all three Artesian Alliance organizations $1,500

4 passes to all three Artesian Alliance organizations $2,500

Great for our fellow non-profit organizations. Each pass admits 10 adults per entry.

BUSINESS / CORPORATE PACKAGES

Please inquire for a custom quote. These packages are based on the number of employees. Designed for businesses Employee badges serve as an all-access pass that allows your employees and their families to have all the benefits of a family-level membership to all three Artesian Alliance organizations Great for company morale and an added employee benefit

D O N O R S

CHEHAW DONORS

Carlton Foundation

Chehaw Challenge Bike Race

City of Albany/Albany CVB

Darsey Family Foundation

W.B. Haley Foundation

FLINT RIVERQUARIUM DONORS

Partners for Sustainability

Albany Convention & Visitors Bureau

James M. Barnett, Jr. Foundation, Inc.

Chehaw Park & Zoo

City of Albany

Flint Equipment Holdings

Edward C. Fogg & Lisabeth A. Fogg Charitable Trust

James & Pam Reynolds

Thronateeska Heritage Foundation

FRQ Forward

John Culbreath

Emily Jean McAfee

Loretta Haley McKnight Foundation

Sara Wetherbee Charitable Trust

FRQ Forward

Gayle Chapman

Christie & Jay Cole

Four G’s Charitable Trust

Georgia Pacific Foundation, Inc

Spencer & Lacy Lee

Miller Coors-Albany

Abby Milner

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital

Radiation Oncology & Associates

Victor Sullivan

W.B. Haley Foundation

THRONATEESKADONORS

HeatherBryant

Herbert&MarianHaleyFoundation

HortonFundFoundation

LorettaHaleyMcKnightFoundation

BeeMcCormack

Ron&PatSimpson

Harold&SaraWetherbeeTrust

EDWARD C. FOGG & LISABETH A. FOGG CHARITABLE TRUST

Thanks in large part to the continued support of The Edward C. Fogg, III and Lisbeth A. Fogg Charitable Trust, the Flint RiverQuarium has positively impacted thousands of visitors each year by interpreting the Flint River ecosystem and its connection to the waters of the world. Perhaps most importantly, our children, the leaders of tomorrow, are benefitting from our strengthened ability to provide learning opportunities to those most in need as we seek to promote learning, conservation, and action.

With their $20,000 contribution in 2021, the Fogg Foundation has demonstrated their commitment of philanthropy and generosity with gifts totaling $179,000. We sincerely appreciate their interest and love of the Flint River and southwest Georgia and are grateful for their faith and investment in the Flint RiverQuarium as a leader of positive change.

The Forever Fund

The Artesian Alliance Forever Fund Endowment extends to donors a unique opportunity to provide perpetual support in fulfillment of the Alliance’s mission of conservation and education

The Forever Fund was established to provide financial support for the member organizations of the Artesian Alliance: Chehaw Park and Zoo, Flint RiverQuarium and Thronateeska Heritage Center The purpose of the fund is to provide the financial resources needed to support our collective missions of educational outreach and conservation, as well as to offset operational costs. Contributions go directly to the Forever Fund Endowment where the principal remains intact, while the annual interest income generated provides permanent funding. There are many ways to support the Artesian Alliance Forever Fund Endowment, including cash gifts, bequests, and other types of planned gifts.

$75,000 and above

Jay & Pam Reynolds

$50,000-$74,999

Warren and Suzanne Willis

James M. Barnett, Jr. Foundation

$25,000-$49,999

Darsey Family Foundation

$10,000-$24,999

AB&T

$50-$9,999

Whitcomb and Lindsay Barnhill

Nathan and Becky Borer

Mike and Sabrina Brown

Chris and Heather Bryant

Morgan Burnette

David Daniels

Matthew and Carrie Davis

Todd Deariso

Parker and Rob Douglas

Pam and Mike Fennewald

Fisher Crum Foundation

Greg & Carol Fullerton

Angela Gibson

Tommy and Sandy Gregors

Sean and Anna Hendley

Lacy and Spencer Lee

Robert and Katherine Lindsey

Jimmy and Anita Lindsey

Emily Jean McAfee

Wes McMillan

Judy Powell

Sal and Samantha Sassone

Tom and Kelly Seegmueller

Jackie and Billy Shores

Scott and Tracy Steiner

Jamison and Shannon Turner

Granville & Louise Wrensford

Bobbie Yandell

FLINT RIVERQUARIUM OPENS NEW SENSORY ROOM

The Flint RiverQuarium, in partnership with KultureCity, opened the Eric and Carol Pittman Sensory Room in August of 2021.

KultureCity is a non-profit recognized nationwide for using its resources to revolutionize and effect change in the community for those with sensorybased needs, not just those with autism. The Flint RiverQuarium, along with sister organization Thronateeska Heritage Center, was certified as sensory inclusive by KultureCity in 2019. The new sensory room was made possible through the generosity of Eric and Carol Pittman of Birmingham, Alabama, and was organized and developed by the KultureCity team working closely with staff at the Flint RiverQuarium

Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are often experienced by individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD, and other similar conditions

“One of the major barriers for these individuals is sensitivity to overstimulation and noise, which can be a challenge in a public venue like the Flint RiverQuarium,” said Artesian Alliance Director Tommy Gregors. “The new sensory room, paired with our staff training and other resources available for our visitors, makes us better prepared to assist guests with sensory sensitivities, ensuring that they have the most comfortable and accommodating experience possible.”

As part of the earlier certification process, Flint RiverQuarium and Thronateeska staff were trained by leading medical professionals on how to recognize visitors with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation Sensory bags, equipped with noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads are available to all guests at the Flint RiverQuarium and Thronateeska who may feel overwhelmed by the environment Now, guests can also retreat to the sensory room, which features soothing lights and sounds, soft beanbags, and hands-on activities designed to calm and focus individuals who may be overstimulated.

“Our communities are what shapes our lives and to know that the Flint RiverQuarium and Thronateeska Heritage Center are both willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone, no matter their ability, is included in their community is amazing,” said Dr. Julian Maha, co-founder of KultureCity.

Eric & Carol Pittman

LIVING COLLECTIONS

Artesian Alliance animal care departments have partnered for the deliberate purpose of sharing resources and expertise Animal collections remained stable while efforts focused on growing our team, improving standards and protocols, and initiating staff development programs

The Living Collections Manager position was created to provide direct support to aquarists and zookeepers. This role ensures high standards of animal welfare and workplace safety. Lead husbandry staff were appointed at both Chehaw and Flint RiverQuarium. Additionally, four new aquarists from across the U.S. have joined the team.

At Chehaw, new exhibits were built to display animals displaced by Hurricane Michael, and several general site improvement projects were completed. Larger enclosures were purchased with assistance from Georgia DNR to house our rattlesnake population.

Flint RiverQuarium created five quarantine systems and beneficial bacteria colonies to better care for incoming and resident animals Nutritional and veterinary programs, population management guidelines, and team organization were reviewed and refined at both facilities

Husbandry staff were encouraged to participate in career development and training programs, including various online courses, visits to other zoological facilities, and participation in professional organizations. Staff now have access to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Academy's learning platform. This online resource offers courses to meet the specific needs of individuals in the zoological profession.

Both Chehaw and the Flint RiverQuarium are enrolled in the American Zoological Association’s (AZA) Pathway Toward Membership Program to confirm our commitment to achieving AZA accreditation.

Director of Living Collections

NEW ARRIVALS

Scrawled Cowfish in Oyster Beds

Southern Crayfish in Mountain Springs

Bass Fry, Blue Crab, Spiny Lobster, & Yellowhead Jawfish in Hatchery

Red Lionfish in Florida Keys Reef

Poison Dart Frogs and Red-eyed Treefrogs in Bogs

Bighead Sea Robin, Blue Hamlet, Spanish Hogfish, Atlantic Spadefish, Lane Snappers, and Grey Triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico

Horseshoe Crabs, American Alligators, Sea Pork, Monitor Lizard in Education Collection

Samantha Sassone

Chehaw Park & zoo is home to 63 different species. Our staff cares for more than 190 animals each day.

Over 1200 pounds of fresh fruit was fed to the Straw-colored Fruit Bats this year.

Chehaw

Our 3 cheetahs ate more than 2800 pounds of meat this year.

22 American Alligators live at Chehaw.

5 Straw-colored Fruit Bats were born this year. There are 32 viewable exhibits.

Southern Black Rhino, Sam Houston, recently weighed 2,414 pounds.

We are home to 4 Near Threatened, 7 Vulnerable, 6 Endangered, and 5 Critically Endangered species.

65 mammals live at Chehaw.

Flint RiverQuarium

The Flint RiverQuarium is home to more than 106 different species. Our staff cares for more than 735 animals each day.

The Blue Hole Exhibit contains 175,000 gallons of water.

45 native turtles live at Flint RiverQuarium.

There are 48 viewable exhibits. We are home to 7 Near Threatened, 7 Vulnerable, 1 Endangered, and 2 Critically Endangered species. There are 16 species of invertebrates living at Flint RiverQuarium.

6 American Alligators live at Flint RiverQuarium. There are over 151 individual life support components in use at all times. There are 9 saltwater life support systems. There are 15 freshwater life support systems.

Thronateeska's repository contains 1,350,013 images at 5,934.35 GB of storage space.

The City of Albany portion contains 891,567 images at 4,571.79 GB of storage space.

Thronateeska

THC currently houses 9,619 books, boxes, and miscellaneous items from clients at 5,440.51 cubic feet.

These items would fill 5 1/2 U-Haul trucks.

The boxes of clients' items take up 5,272.25 cubic feet.

Placed end to end, the boxes would stretch more than a mile.

South Georgia Archives

The South Georgia Archives at Thronateeska Heritage Center is dedicated to collecting and caring for the archives and artifacts that tell the story of Albany and Southwest Georgia's history. From applying restoration techniques and proper storage, to creating a digital database record of all items, to displaying the items in our History and Science Museums, the South Georgia Archives strives to preserve and share the region's history.

Here are just a few of the services we provide:

Scanning and digitizing records

Records storage

Document destruction

Open Records requests

Disaster Preparation and recovery

Mold, mildew, and pest remediation

Security evaluation

SouthGeorgiaArchivesMission:Tobearepositoryof documentsandobjectswhichrelatetothecultural, social,political,andeconomichistoryofSouthGeorgia andtoserveasaninstitutionthatpromotes understanding,learning,andknowledge.

Our staff holds certifications with the Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM), the National Association of Government Archives & Records Administrators (NAGARA), the Georgia Records Association (GRA), and is partner with a GCIC certified records destruction vendor.

Greetings! As I sat down to write this report, I began to reflect on my time on the Chehaw board and, specifically, the last two years as board chairman. When you do that, your mind cannot help but drift to the impact felt in our community here in southwest Georgia in the last five years. We have seen unexplainable storms, hurricanes, and a horrific pandemic. I imagine each and every one of us has been impacted by these in some way, but we have faced each challenge with resolve and put the pieces back together each time. During all this turmoil, Chehaw has been here to provide an outlet for those in our community - a chance to get outside and relax amongst nature, whether it be visiting the zoo and seeing our wonderful animals, hiking/running/biking the trails, visiting the play park, picnicking, camping, or any of the other amazing activities we provide access to. Although we saw a decrease in attendance during the time periods where we were closed to the public, overall, we have experienced a period of growth. And we thank you southwest Georgia for choosing to spend your time with us!

Also, during this time, we embarked on several initiatives that are vital to the future success of the attractions in our area, not just Chehaw The Artesian Alliance was formed, which is comprised of Thronateeska Heritage Center, the Flint RiverQuarium, and Chehaw Park and Zoo This is something that will be benefit all three organizations as well Albany and the surrounding areas They will share a unified vision and be able to pool resources in key areas We have also gone through a master planning process and come out with a plan encompassing all three entities This plan will provide the roadmap to developing three world class tourist attractions right here in Albany, GA! These are exciting times and I have been lucky to have been a part of it. I want to also thank the board members of all three organizations for their involvement in this process and for their willingness to actively take part in the communities they live in. I think we are all here because we care about our corner of this State and want to be involved in making a difference where we live. I would be remiss if I did not recognize our amazing staff for all they do each and every day! From the bottom of my heart and each board member’s, we sincerely THANK YOU!

Once again, I encourage you and your family, friends, and loved ones to get outside and come visit us here at Chehaw. It is an exciting time indeed to be a part of such an amazing organization, and I want you to experience all we have to offer in southwest Georgia.

Appreciatively,

Nathan Borer, Vice Chair/Treasurer Owner, South Georgia Furniture, Mattress & Appliance

George Walls, Lee County Commission Retired, Albany Utilities Commission

Scott Steiner President & CEO, Phoebe Putney Health System

Bo Dorough Attorney & Mayor of City of Albany

Rachelle Bitterman

Retired, Albany Area Chamber of Commerce

Tom Seegmueller

B O A R D M E M B E R S

Friends of Chehaw, Retired, Georgia Department of Public Health

David J. Daniels

Turner Job Corps

Steven Carter Albany City Manager

Sean Hendley, Chair Draffin & Tucker

Flint RiverQuarium

This April, for the first time in three years, over 350 supporters of the RiverQuarium gathered on the banks of the Flint River for a relaunch of A Wild Affair – our signature fundraising event. As I looked around, I was heartened to see a lot of new faces and a lot of younger faces as well. It was the perfect time to reflect on the accomplishments of 2021 that led us to this magical night. As I enjoyed the music of the band, listened to the laughter of our guests and savored the distinct flavor of alligator sausage with grilled pineapple, it occurred to me that at this time in our history, everything seems to be falling into place.

The Board of Directors recently completed a new master plan. It is both extensive and ambitious. While the overall plan for the Artesian Alliance is outlined in another section of this report, specific highlights for the RiverQuarium include:

Strengthen the aquarium’s place a downtown anchor

Increase revenues

Increase efficiency, safety, and accessibility throughout the aquarium

We have embarked on a two-year journey in pursuit of accreditation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Their very high standards and stringent requirements ensure the highest quality in animal welfare, care, and management. AZA accreditation represents the “gold standard” of zoological facilities.

We have kicked off the Artesian Alliance FOREVER FUND. This unique opportunity allows all Artesian Alliance supporters to provide perpetual support in fulfillment of our mission and vision.

Years ago, as part of our business strategy, we deliberately set out to create useful and meaningful partnerships. The Artesian Alliance is quickly proving to be the realization of that dream The level of cooperation between FRQ, Thronateeska, and Chehaw is phenomenal It is also unprecedented All three organizations are achieving significant economies of scale and economies of scope It is a big win for all three venues It is also a win for Albany By sharing our organizational strengths, talents, and visitors, we are enhancing local tourism

As I left the party that evening, I knew that not only had A Wild Affair been magical, but the success of the event was emblematic of the magic that is happening at the RiverQuarium. Our future has never looked brighter!

Whitcomb Barnhill, Vice Chair

President/CEO Complete Carriers

Bobby Lindsey, Secretary Piedmont National

Chase Harvard, Treasurer

Trust Officer AB&T Trust & Investments

Judy Powell, Past Chair

Leesburg City Commissioner

Wilburn Campbell, Ph.D.

Retired ASU Aquatics Coach & Faculty Member

Christie Cannon Cole

Marketing Director Flint Ag & Turf

Carrie Davis Davis Companies

Brad Hallford

Vice President of Operations, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital

Lacy Lee

Retired, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital

James Luckey

Plant Manager, Exelon (Albany Green Energy)

Emily Jean McAfee

Owner, Fowltown Farms; Community Steward

Faison Middleton Attorney, Watson Spence

Dedric Perkins Miller Coors Technical Services Manager

Shayla Williams, Ph.D.

ASU Assistant Professor of Biology

Louise Wrensford

ASU Associate Provost/Graduate Dean

Jimmy Lindsey, Chair

Retired AB&T Marketing Manager

After the life-altering year of 2020, the beginning of 2021 was uncertain on many levels. At Thronateeska, however, we wasted no time pondering our next move. The staff continued to move forward and stayed the course in providing our clients and customers the service they had come to depend on from the archives and from our education programs. While maintaining and fulfilling our archival contracts, we also added some great items to our collection and more content to our educational offerings And our guests began to return

As we regained momentum in 2021, we also looked toward the future of our organization and our role in the Artesian Alliance In master planning sessions beginning in January 2021, the staff and board, led by Stacey Ludlum of Felis Consulting, developed a truly SITE changing plan for Thronateeska. The plan provides for an entirely new experience for our visitors, allowing us to showcase our collection and better tell the story of Albany and Southwest Georgia.

At Thronateeska we are excited about the future as we grow, build, and partner with our fellow Artesian Alliance attractions. Ours is a story of how our diverse people, culture, environment, agriculture, and history have impacted our area and the entire world and we can’t wait to tell it!

Thronateeska

Shannon Turner, Vice President Southern Community Newspapers

Bonnie Hardegree, Secretary Albany State University

Ron Simpson, Treasurer Retired GA DNR

Michael (Mike) Brown Major, USMC Retired

Wesley McMillan Georgia Community Bank

Bill Mitchell Attorney

Michele Bates State Farm Insurance

Patty Belt Retired

Harold Boling Harold Boling Designs

Phil Cannon Attorney

Greg Fullerton Attorney

Angela Gibson Retired DOCO School System, Educational Consultant/Writer/Researcher/Historian

Susan Harper Retired Educator & Media Specialist

Emily Jean McAfee (Lifetime) Owner Fowltown Farms; Community Steward

Anne Stokes (Lifetime) Retired

Heather Bryant, President

WFXL Fox 31

7,807

$460,209

$3,938

$456,271

$50,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$250,000