Impact Georgia, Apr. 2010

April 2010 Newsletter
DEPARTMENT HOSTS QUARTERLY AWARDS CEREMONY TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES

The Department held its 19th Quarterly Awards
Ceremony on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Employees were recognized from the Corrections Division, Operations, Planning, and Training Division, Administrative Division, and Executive Operations. Specialized Probation Supervision (SPS) Officer Brent Martin of the Lookout Mountain Circuit and Correctional Officer Norman Barber of Calhoun State Prison both received an Officer of the Quarter Award for their outstanding contributions.
Selected individuals received Customer Service Champion Awards for delivering exceptional customer service, and others were presented with the Unsung Hero Award for going above and beyond the call of duty. Faithful Service Awards were presented to dedicated employees with service ranging between five and 30 years.

From left to right: Commissioner Owens, Award recipient SPS Officer Brent Martin, and Probation Operations Director, Stan Cooper.

In this Issue:
Quarterly Awards Ceremony BPOT Graduation Forsythia Festival Director Harris Hodges Retires Warden Chase Wins Award Macon Day Reporting Center Corrections Leadership Institute
Upcoming Events:
April 15-16 - Board of Corrections in Glennville, Ga.
April 29 - Annual Awards Ceremony in Roberts Chapel at the State Offices South at Tift College
Announcement: The 2010 application deadline for the Georgia Prison Wardens' Association (GPWA) Scholarship Award is April 1. Please visit www.gpwainfo.org.

Laura Jones, Confidential Secretary for Commissioner Owens, was presented with a Customer Service Spirit Award.

John Keenan of Operations, Planning, and Training and Thedocia L. Johnson of Inmate Administration were both presented with Faithful Service Awards for their 30 years of service.

Candy Sarvis, Supervising Counsel for Legal, received the Unsung Hero's Award.

FIRST BASIC PROBATION OFFICER TRAINING GRADUATION HELD AT STATE OFFICES SOUTH AT TIFT COLLEGE
On Thursday, May 11, 2010 the Department held its first graduation for the Basic
Probation Officer Training (BPOT) class at the State Offices South at Tift College campus. Twenty-seven participants graduated from the class and will be placed in probation offices throughout the state.

"Probation Officer's supervision of offenders is crucial to the Department's mission of public safety and I want to thank them for their tremendous contributions to the agency.
- Commissioner Brian Owens

Did You Know?..... The Department currently has 384 female Probation Officers and 387 male Probation Officers.

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DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL FORSYTHIA FESTIVAL
For the fourth year in a row, GDC employees participated in the 23rd Annual Forsythia Festival in Forsyth, Georgia.
This year's Forsythia Festival was held March 13-14 in the historic Courthouse Square in Forsyth. This free, two-day event included an arts-and-crafts show, children's fair, a 5K and one-mile fun run, sporting tournaments, and live entertainment.
The public was also able to preview the new headquarters before the Department makes its transition in October 2010. They also toured the Department's training academy. Photo to the left.
HARRIS HODGES RECEIVES EAGLE AWARD
Commissioner Owens presented former Corrections Division Director, Harris Hodges, with an Eagle Award for his outstanding service to the Department on Thursday, March 11, 2010. Director Hodges is retiring from the Department after 34 years of service. Photo to the right.
WARDEN CHASE WINS SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD
Warden Alexis Chase of Men's State Prison has created a multitude of programs on a volunteer basis to provide services to inmates. The programs include the Deaf Prison Ministries Network and Kairos Prison Ministry. These programs and organizations have given the inmates a forum for successful communication.
On February 13, 2010 Georgia College and State University recognized Warden Chase for these accomplishments by awarding her with the Flagg Social Justice Legacy Award. This award is in honor of Wilkes B. Flagg, a Virginia owned slave who later bought his freedom and founded the Flagg Chapel in Milledgeville, Georgia. The church was also utilized as a school for African-American children. He later built the first school for African American Children in Milledgeville. Photo to the left.
MACON DAY REPORTING CENTER HOLDS B.A.S.I.C.S GRADUATION
The Macon Day Reporting Center held a commencement ceremony for B.A.S.I.C.S. (Bar Association Support to Improve Correctional Services) graduates on March 4, 2010. B.A.S.I.C.S. is an offender rehabilitation program sponsored by the BASICS Committee of the State Bar of Georgia. This program assists participants in being able to stay out of jail by legitimate means once they are released, by providing effective instruction, guidance, and employability counseling. Rev. Richard Lockett, Sr. brought forth words of encouragement to the graduates.
Participants were exposed to courses such as budgeting, maintaining good credit, goal setting, job hunting, the rewards of successful employment, effective communication, and the seven laws of leadership. Photo to the right.
CORRECTIONS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE GRADUATES 25
Georgia Department of Corrections held its 21st Corrections Leadership Institute graduation on February 25, 2010. The University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG) issued twenty-five certificates to participants. Graduates of the program had an opportunity to develop and enhance their leadership abilities through research, problem-solving analysis, presentations, work team projects, and also had opportunities to share experiences with other professionals throughout the Department. The Corrections Leadership program is designed to prepare middle and senior leadership staff for increasing levels of responsibility. Photo to the left.
Commissioner Brian Owens Public Affairs: Joan Heath, Director; Sharmelle Brooks, Managing Editor; Kristen Stancil, Contributor; Peggy Chapman, Contributor Contact: 404-656-9772; www.dcor.state.ga.us