by Natalie Bradley, Flint Energies Community Connections Specialist
If we met, you probably wouldn’t think that I’m originally from rural central Georgia. My southern drawl is not thick—it’s medium at best. I don’t hunt and would cry if you made me go (although Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games seriously made me give this more thought). When I fish, I wear gloves to take the fish off and usually scream while removing the hook. I live for going to the movies, Broadway, museums, and art shows, and love to be in the center of activity. And yet, while not your stereotypical country Georgia “girl,” I am passionate about this area of rural Georgia that my Grandaddy referred to as “God’s country.” Just like in John Denver’s popular song, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” I felt the call to return to my rural home after living in the city for 29 years of my life.
I grew up in Oglethorpe, a tiny town in Macon County. Almost my entire family lived there, including both sets of grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. In 1989, my mom and I moved to Roswell; however, many times throughout the year, we came back to Oglethorpe for family events, and I spent every summer here with my dad and grandparents, so I basically had dual citizenship to rural and city life.
Sadly, with time, Oglethorpe and Macon County started to suffer. The flood of 1994 devastated much of Macon County, especially the neighboring town of Montezuma. People couldn’t afford to rebuild, insurance didn’t help in a lot of cases, and some started over elsewhere. At the same time, many of the large factories and industries in the area closed or moved, dealing a blow to the economy.
During those same years, I went to the University of Georgia and met my husband, Edward, and we made Athens our home for 16 years where I owned a successful full-service event planning and design company. We loved our lives there, but we agreed that something was calling us to move to Oglethorpe, enjoy a simpler life, and to help revitalize the area.
We got involved, volunteering to plan the local festivals, events, and fundraisers, and I became the Downtown Development Authority Director for the City of Oglethorpe. With the best volunteers ever, we worked hard to wake up the town. It became a beautiful downtown again with public art decorating the streetscape, people attending events, markets, and buildings being purchased and renovated. It was miraculous! We joined the renewal of the town and lovingly renovated my late grandparents’ home, where you’ll find us rocking on our front porch, hosting neighborhood get-togethers, and gardening. We love living and working in rural central Georgia and helping people see the charm of these country communities!
This year, Flint Energies offered me a position that was my perfect blend of economic and community development, creativity, and event planning. In this role, I will introduce you to some of the best festivals, events, businesses, art, culture, and places that central rural Georgia has to offer. I hope you’ll take advantage of these fabulous experiences and fall in love with them like I have. Invite your friends to come with you, share the beauty of rural central Georgia, and enjoy this piece of God’s country that is ripe with opportunity!
