We look forward to seeing you here in Rabun County.

Boland served on the task force to create the authority and has served in various capacities since it’s formation in 2005. She served on the foundational board of directors and was elected Secretary, a position she held for two terms.  She stepped in as interim executive director in May, 2007, upon the resignation of Emory Brock, and served in that capacity on a part-time basis until July, 2009, when the position was made permanent, full-time.

A search for her successor began in September, when Boland was reassigned by the RCCVBA board to the position of managing director for the Georgia Mountains Creative Economies Center.  A board resolution stated that the project had reached a critical stage of funding and development, which required full time attention.  The position was to take effect January 1, 2011.

Boland worked over the past year in cooperation with the Rabun County Board of Commissioners and the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission to bring together potential opportunities for funding the Creative Economies Center, including the US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Appalachian Regional Commission, Georgia Power Company and the OneGeorgia Authority.   

Boland achieved many milestones during her tenure with the CVB. During FY 2010, a successful $20,000 co-op marketing grant awarded from the Georgia Department of Economic Development provided financial resources to brand Rabun County as “the natural choice” in a campaign reaching millions and generating many thousands of inquiries.  A professional logo and print ads were developed, along with trade show displays, rack cards and other promotions.  According to Boland, “this is the closest Rabun County has ever come to achieving brand consistency, and we couldn’t have done it without this grant from the Department of Economic Development.”

Boland created the popular Explore Rabun visitors guide, among other brochures promoting the county’s tourism assets. Other key accomplishments include the creation of a media kit to provide story ideas to journalists.  Boland coordinated several media familiarization tours and hosted numerous independent journalists and travel writers, which resulted in articles being written and published about Rabun County throughout the U.S.   Boland also wrote for several publications.

Boland has worked with the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s film division over the past year to fulfill requirements for Rabun County to be designated as a “Camera Ready Community,” a designation that should be awarded during early 2011.

Boland launched Rabun County’s first social media campaigns and introduced mobile marketing.  She has presented talks on social media marketing at several conferences in the region, including the Georgia Techno-Tourism Conference, Winter Chautauqua and Georgia Agritourism Conference.

Boland brought several notable conferences to Rabun County.  She served on the steering committee for formation of the Georgia Agritourism Association and helped plan the Georgia Agritourism Conferences in 2009 and 2010.  She has aided Janus Economics in hosting the Janus Economics Forum in Rabun County for the past two years.  Rabun County hosted the 2010 Winter Chautauqua, sponsored jointly by the Northeast Georgia Mountains Travel Association and the Historic High Country Travel Association.  In her capacity as legislative chairman of the Northeast Georgia Mountains Travel Association, Boland brought the annual Tourism Legislative Dinner to Rabun County for three consecutive years, and coordinated Rabun County’s participation in the annual “Tourism Day at the Capitol.” Boland helped facilitate the successful inaugural Warrior Dash in 2010 and worked with organizers to bring it back in May, 2011.

In addition to serving on the board of the Northeast Georgia Mountains Travel Association, Boland has been actively affiliated with the Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, the Georgia Society of Association Executives, the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia, and the Southeast Tourism Society, among others.  She has served as Rabun County’s liaison with the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development and other state agencies.

Boland is a cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia.  Post-graduate professional development includes the Institute for Organizational Management sponsored by the US Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Academy for Economic Development, and STS Marketing College, where she recently completed coursework for TMP certification.

“I hope that I have made some lasting contributions to Rabun County during my term,” says Boland. “I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, and wish the CVB every success.”

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Performance dates for It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by Joe Landry will be December 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th and 12th at 7 pm, with matinees at 3 pm on the 5th and 12th. All shows are at the Dillard Playhouse in the Old Dillard School, 892 Franklin Street, Dillard, GA, right next to the famous Dillard House Restaurant. Tickets: $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12.

Ticket line is 706-212-2500 or email at ngcptickets@windstream.net.

Make sure to also check out NGCP’s web site at www.ngcommunityplayers.com

For more information, please contact Barbara Cantrell at RE/MAX of Rabun, 706.782.7133

The lake level will drop approximately eight (8′) feet, and will begin refilling on December 20th.

The 2010 Georgia Agritourism Conference, “Play, Learn, Grow,” will be held November 3 – 5 at the Dillard House.

Educational breakout sessions and networking opportunities highlight this year’s event. Dan Cathy, chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A, has been invited to end the conference with a keynote address Friday, November 5, at noon. The conference celebrates the newly formed Georgia Agritourism Association and will include the organization’s first official meeting.


The conference will begin after lunch on Wednesday, November 3. Sessions and exhibits will include relevant, current information from agritourism experts. The schedule is designed to help entrepreneurs learn the basics of building and sustaining agritourism enterprises including business planning, insurance and liability, budgeting, financing options, estate planning and legal issues facing agritourism operations. A session on the use of social media to effectively build business will also be offered.


Marketing specialists from the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development will discuss effective marketing strategies. Free marketing resources, like Market Maker, will be presented as well as information on loans and financing programs.


Thursday afternoon tours of Rabun County agritourism sites will include visits to the Kudzu Factory and Persimmon Creek Vineyards, among others.


Barbecue and a bonfire are planned for a casual Wednesday dinner. Georgia’s agriculture and tourism industries will host newly-elected legislators for a “Georgia Farm-to-Table” dinner on Thursday night.


Early bird registration is $125 before October 22 and $165 after. Registration includes meals, tours and materials. Organizations can exhibit for $250, but limited space is available. Varying sponsorship levels are available. Visit www.areg.caes.uga.edu for online or mail-in registration and sponsorship information.


A special conference-lodging rate of $89 per night, which has been extended through the weekend, is available by calling the Dillard House at 1-800-541-0671 or by visiting www.dillardhouse.com.


The conference is hosted and sponsored by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, the Georgia Resource Conservation and Development Council, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Center for Agriculture Innovation, Georgia Center for Local Government, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, UGA Cooperative Extension, Georgia Department of Economic Development Tourism Division, the Rock Ranch, Jaemor Farms, Hillcrest Orchards, AgGeorgia Farm Credit, Rabun County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Northeast Georgia Mountains Travel Association, Georgia Agribusiness Council and C7 Marketing and Sales Solution.


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