Area 3 Report
October 12, 2001


The Savannah Section has had 11 meetings during the last 12 months.
Four of the meetings have been in conjunction with tours of local
facilities including a recent tour of Savannah Electric's Plant
Riverside.  As they have done in the past, they have sponsored a
special award at the First District Science Fair for middle and
high-school students.  The section is busy preparing for the
Industrial and Commercial Power Systems 2002 Technical Conference to
be held in Savannah in May of 2002.

The Central Georgia Section has had 10 meetings in the last 12 months
including plant tours and speaker presentations.  The section has
tried some innovative techniques to improve meeting attendance.  These
have included having a drawing for a cash prize. If the first member
name drawn is present that individual receives the drawing prize.  If
not, a second name is drawn.  If no one wins the drawing, the cash
prize is increase by $20.  The current price is $420.  However, even
this has not significantly increased meeting attendance.  The section
will cap the prize at $500 but they are not sure what to do after it
reaches that amount.  The executive committee tried to increase
meeting attendance by each calling two members prior to the meetings.
This also didn't increase the attendance and has since been
discontinued.  Membership is up by 37 from a year ago.  Most of these
are associates and student members from Mercer whose student branch
has been revitalized.  The section plans to involve the students
more. The section for the past three years has sponsored a Future
Scientists and Engineers of America after school program at a local
elementary school.  This has involved four of the schools teachers and
six engineers from industry.  Last year 100 students participated.
Due to the annual cost of the program ($1500) the project is on hold
due to lack of section funds.  The section still continues to mail a
newsletter to the members.  However, the printer has gone out of
business and the section must determine if it wants to print and fold
the letters themselves.  E-mailing the letter would help however this
may not reach all the membership.  On the whole, the section seems to
be holding its own.

No report has been submitted from the Atlanta section.  If one is
submitted this report will be amended.

Respectfully submitted,

Edward O'Brien
Area 3, Chair.