Spring is such a lovely time of the year! The beautiful blossoms, the pollen, and of course Georgia Archaeology! We hope that you will join us for our annual Spring Meeting as well as Archaeology Month events throughout the state. The SGA is committed annually to the recognition of May as Archaeology Month in Georgia and cordially invites you to attend this year’s meeting which features the theme Commemorating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. On Saturday, May 19, join your colleagues and friends at Georgia Gwinnett College for a morning session of papers (featuring an update on the Duckett site and the Veterans Project in Augusta) and the highlight of the day—an afternoon site visit to Fort Daniel and a visit by Abby—the ArchaeoBus. Please visit the website for details of the meeting and the preliminary presentation schedule.
The annual Archaeology Month coordination could not happen without the leadership of Chair Tammy Herron (Vice-President/President-Elect). What a tremendous effort undertaken to serve Georgia educators! A special shout-out to all who participate in all facets of its production and execution. Thank you to the professional talents of the staff at New South Associates for their assistance in the design of this year’s poster! The annual poster stuffing party will be hosted by TRC and we appreciate their support in organizing these resources to be delivered to the regional school districts. SGA is grateful for all the volunteer efforts of this initiative and issues its sincerest thanks to the sponsors who make this educational outreach possible through their financial contribution! The Archaeology Month schedule has been altered slightly to send these resources earlier in the school year so they may be used effectively in the classroom. The lesson plan will be coming during the summer and be aligned to curriculum standards.
The Board has been busy moving the organization forward. Pam Baughman has coordinated the events for Archaeology Month and kept members abreast of the latest SGA news. Sammy Smith continues to contribute to the website and its fresh and interesting posts. Lynn Pietak served on the Awards Committee and attended the annual State Social Studies Fair on behalf of the SGA and the Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists (GCPA), and presented two awards. The continued professionalism of the SGA’s Early Georgia journal and its coordination and delivery to SGA members is led by Jared Wood. Thank you to those who participate in this effort. Kelly Woodard (Editor of the SGA’s newsletter, The Profile) has been appointed to serve as the Endowment Chair and she has graciously accepted. We look forward to her suggestions for continuing to gain financial support for the Endowment. Our sincerest thanks to Rita Elliott for serving in this role and for the traction she has provided to the continued growth of the Endowment Fund—most recently the Audacious Archaeology Auction of this past fall. We invite you all to continue to support this initiative to preserve archaeological sites in Georgia.
The SGA has been aware of current events and are extremely discouraged at the recent television shows—“American Diggers” and “Diggers” as developed and aired by Spike TV and National Geographic (although it is noted that National Geographic media has currently pulled “Diggers”). Like other organizations and societies across the United States, letters were submitted to both organizations that addressed the message of archaeology and requested the removal of the shows. It is critically important that this message not be encouraged and promoted to the current and next generation of leadership in protecting America’s rich heritage. There is no value that can be assigned to our history—it is a resource that we all share and have the opportunity to leave this legacy for our children.
These are challenging times for archaeology and the SGA appreciates your support of making sure that the important message of preservation of archaeological sites and the continued public outreach initiatives are recognized by those leaders who not only determine budgets but also legislation that may affect these important cultural resources. We hope to continue to collaborate with stakeholders in Georgia to participate in these discussions.
We look forward to seeing you in May!
—Catherine Long, President
Send Endowment Fund contributions to: The Society for Georgia Archaeology, Treasurer, P.O. Box 693, Athens, GA 30603. Please put “Endowment Fund” on the subject line of your check. If the contribution is to honor someone, please include the honoree’s name and complete address with your contribution check. All recipients will be notified of the contribution made in their honor. To read all stories on this website about the SGA’s Endowment Fund, click here.
Posted online on Saturday, March 31st, 2012