Board Member Highlight
Jennifer McCoy
Water Communications & Education Division Manager, Cobb County Government
RA: What brought you to the Rivers Alive Board?
JM: I was recruited to serve on the board back in 2007. At the time I was organizing and facilitating several dozen cleanups a year. My role was to represent the perspective of local governments and water utility organizers on the board, help develop resources for organizers and mentor new event organizers. Since then I’ve transitioned across all the committees, helping as needed on annual themes, volunteer appreciation, fundraising, and executive roles.
RA: What do you believe are the most pressing water-related issues in our state?
JM: Human behavior has both positive and negative impacts on our fragile ecosystem, so we must all learn how to be better stewards of our environment. To me, this means teaching diverse audiences about the simple things they can do to positively impact the health of our waterways.
We need to educate every resident of our state about the state of our water resources so that they better understand the enormous role they play in the race to have clean water for future generations.
RA: What can community members do to support RA in our state?
JM: Community members can get involved in Rivers Alive events at any level. They can help sponsor clean-up events at both the local and state level; they can choose to help plan the annual Rivers Alive event in their community; or, they can get active and volunteer with family and friends at a local Rivers Alive clean-up. Regardless of the type of support, we all must be the voice of clean water year-round to ensure the message remains present in our everyday actions.
RA: What is your favorite Georgia waterway experience?
JM: I spent many years living on the Chattooga River where I was privileged to enjoy kayaking, swimming, rafting, and just plain old hanging out on the many rock outcroppings along the wild and beautiful river. This waterway, and the smell of its amazing ecosystem, will always hold a special place in my heart as it was an intricate part of the woman I am today.
Sponsor Highlight
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, America’s premier energy company. Value, reliability, customer service, and stewardship are the cornerstones of the company’s promise to 2.7 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Not only is Georgia Power committed to delivering clean, reliable energy to our customers today, but we are creating the future of energy tomorrow – all while protecting the environment.
For more than a century, Georgia Power has supported efforts that exemplify our mission to be “A Citizen Wherever We Serve.” The company’s education partnerships and environmental projects work towards conservation, restoration, and awareness, to help ensure that future generations will have a prosperous and beautiful place to call home. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that Georgia Power is the largest non-governmental provider of outdoor recreational facilities in the state, maintaining over 100,000 acres of land, 60,000 acres of water, and more than 15 lake properties.
A large part of the company’s pledge to preserve the natural legacy of Georgia includes protecting lakes, streams, and rivers through continued water management, conservation, and clean-up efforts. We are proud to sponsor and participate in river and lake cleanups around the state, with volunteers removing millions of pounds of trash from our state's waterways over the years. Through the support of and partnership with environmentally focused organizations like Rivers Alive, Georgia Power continues to uphold our commitment to strengthen Georgia communities and protect and preserve our state’s waterways.
Ripple Effect Film Project
10 Year Anniversary
