EATONTON, Ga. - May 24, 2007 - Any child 10 years of age or younger is required by state law to wear a life jacket when boating. To encourage adherence to the law, Georgia Power, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Baldwin and Putnam Sheriffs’ departments are joining force to hand out T-shirts to all kids wearing life jackets while boating on lakes Oconee and Sinclair this summer.

DNR rangers and sheriff deputies routinely make boating inspections on the lakes and will give out the T-shirts to those with children who are following the law, to reinforce boating safety. Georgia Power is supplying the DNR with about 1,000 Junior Ranger T-shirts that will have the logos of Georgia Power and the American Red Cross on the back. Each sheriff’s department will have about 250 “Life Jackets Float, Kids Don’t” T-shirts with their logos added to the Georgia Power and American Red Cross logos. Additionally, Georgia Power will give the DNR about 300 Junior Ranger shirts for Lake Jackson.

“Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the start of boating season in Georgia,” said Mark Gordy, water safety coordinator for Georgia Power. “We want to celebrate National Safe Boating Week with our T-shirt program that will help remind kids to wear their life jackets.”

In addition to the T-shirt program, Gordy works with schools, summer camps and civic organizations to speak to kids about water safety. He plans on getting a water safety message to about 2,000 kids this summer in Putnam, Baldwin, Green, Hancock and Morgan counties.

“We want people to use our lakes in a safe manner. Our goal is to have zero fatalities on our lakes this summer,” Gordy said. “Anything we can do to remind parents and kids about safe boating, will help us accomplish that goal.” -

Any group in the five county area that would like to have Gordy speak to them about water safety can contact him at 706-485-8770 ext. 1, or they can write him at Georgia Power, 125 Wallace Dam Road, Eatonton, Ga. 31061.

For more information on safe boating go to: www.safeboating council.org

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates well below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.3 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties.