About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 27, 2009)
PAGE 2, JULY 27, 2009, THE ISLANDER Page 2 Brunswick reaping the benefits of Chinese Sister City relationship Brunswick Mayor Bryan Thomp son, Ms. Lei Lily Yang (China Rep resentative for Coastal Georgia) and a delegation from Southeast Georgia Health System (SGHS) returned last week from a very successful week- long trip to China, a trip that was the direct result of the City of Brunswick hosting a highly productive visit ear lier in April 2009 from their Chinese Sister City of Ganzhou, Jiangxi Prov ince. The Ganzhou delegation's tour of Brunswick in April included a visit to SGHS, which led Ganzhou municipal government leader Mr. Pan Yiyang to invite SGHS to visit Ganzhou in July to consult on the design and plan ning of a planned 1,500-bed hospital scheduled to be completed in 2012. Along with Mayor Thompson and Ms. Yang, SGHS Vice President Marjorie A. Mathieu, RPh, Fache and SGHS Facilities Director Dennis Johnson attended several planning meetings in Ganzhou to exchange design/engineering recommendations with their Chinese counterparts. Ganzhou officials wish to expand the collaboration by dispatching a delega tion of engineering specialists and plant managers to tour SGHS facili ties in October 2009. Discussions are also under way regarding possible joint-venture opportunities for SGHS at the new hospital. Among the other highlights of the China trip: Partnership between Jiangxi Sci ence & Technology University and Coastal College of Georgia (CCGA) - a delegation of officials from Jiangxi will be coming to Brunswick in Sep tember 2009 to discuss details of establishing a Confucius Institute at CCGA. The city of Ganzhou has announced they will also be sending sixty (60) public officials to CCGA for adminis trative/management training. In Beijing, Ms. Yang arranged for the Brunswick delegation to meet with key officials from the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and industry, including Mr. Wang Xia, Secretary General of the China Chamber of International Commerce Automotive Chamber, the leading trade asso ciation for the Chinese automobile industry. The delegation also met with one of the leading real estate development firms in China, China H0NPA Summer Clearance! Now At Nalley Honda Pontiac GMC Jeep 178 Altama Connector • Brunswick (912) 267-7000 • (800) 625-5394 David Hunt Al Lim (770)480-6374 www.nalleyauto.com (912)270-2256 Poly Group Corp., to discuss possibili ties for investment in Brunswick. "I wish to give special thanks to Lily Yang for her tireless work on behalf of Brunswick and our surrounding com munities," Mayor Thompson said. "It was her vision to utilize the framework of Sister Cities to create an environment for fostering closer bilateral ties between Brunswick and Ganzhou. By adopting this broad- based strategy of engagement, encom passing cultural and educational exchange opportunities as opposed to strictly trade development and investment recruitment, Brunswick has been able to make the most of its limited resources. The key to our suc cess was to form genuine friendships, as the Chinese place a huge premium on cultivating relationships prior to engaging in business. We didn't give anyone a hard sell. We went to forge common bonds with our Sister City counterparts, and the business oppor tunities have flourished as a result." All expenses incurred by the Bruns wick delegation while in China includ ing travel and accommodations were paid for by the city of Ganzhou. □ 4-H and Farm Bureau team up to help kids celebrate watermelons The Georgia 4-H program sponsored a Watermelon-Pumpkin growing con test this summer for youth state-wide and Glynn County 4-H'ers participated opting for watermelons over pumpkins. James Wooten took First Place growing a 46.87 pound Carolina Cross watermelon. Second and Third places went to Aaron Ratliff and Sarah Haymans respectively. The three were given their awards at a 'watermelon event' co-sponsored by Glynn County's University of Geor gia Cooperative Extension office and the local chapter of the Georgia Farm Bureau who supplied hot dogs, chips, drinks and cooked for the event. Along with watermelon races, seed spitting and eating contests the Sea Glynn County 4-H'er James Wooten received the First Place award in the Glynn County 4-H Watermelon growing competition for growing a 46.87 pound monster that was almost as big as he was. UGA Coopera tive Extension Coordinator Robi Gray presented Wooten with his certifi cate during the watermelon event last week at Ballard ballpark. I lie rail 31 I dUlU i’ll 'U WOrlH. * OKI rule DI UN ILK dNU llie UUIUcll Idled. Locally Owned and Operated. 912-264-6251. Island carvers were on hand to demon strate their abilities at turning water melons and other fruit into works of art. Glynn County Farm Bureau presi dent Betty Ann Lewis said, "We want to get involved in more local events and this was a great, agriculturally related way to do that. Plus, Robi Gray runs such a great 4-H program, this was a just a really good fit." Road Work • 1-95 South Exit Ramp 36A The ramp work scheduled to begin Monday, July 27 has been resched uled for Sunday, August 23 though Saturday, Sepember. 12. The Inter state 95 south exit ramp 36A (US 341) will be closed to allow for the construction of a new loop ramp. A signed detour will be in place using 1-95 south exit 42. This is a work zone and motorists are advised to use extreme caution. Motorists should reduce speeds as they commute through this construc tion work zone. □
