Members of the Links, with Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue "Links Day at the Capitol" in Georgia recently took place with members of The Links, Incorporated from chapters in Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Fort Valley, LaGrange, Macon and Savannah attending this full day of activities.

Georgia Legislators who are members of The Links -- Senator Freddie Powell Sims (District #12) and Representative Carolyn Hugley (District #133) -- welcomed the group of more than seventy women to the Georgia Capitol.

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle acknowledged The Links prior to Senator Ed Tarver (District #22) and Senator Sims presenting a resolution recognizing The Links on the floor of the Senate. Southern Area Director Mary Currie addressed the legislative body reminding them that childhood obesity has become an epidemic in Georgia and that one in every three children in our state is overweight or obese. Governor Sonny Purdue greeted the group along with Senators Gail Buckner (44), Gloria Butler (55), Vincent Fort (39), Emanuel Jones (10 - Chair of the Black Caucus), Nan Orrock (36), Ron Ramsey (43), Kasim Reed (35), Valencia Seay (34), Freddie Powell Sims, Ed Tarver, and Horacena Tate (38).

Other members of House of Representatives who visited with The Links included Katy Ashe (56), Roger Bruce, Carolyn Hugley, Sheila Jones (44), Ralph Long (61), Billy Mitchell, (88), Quincy Murphy (120), Barbara Simms (119), Calvin Smyre (132), and Earnest "Coach" Williams (89).

Audrey D. Hines (Dogwood City Chapter in Atlanta) and Beverly Y.M. Tarver (Augusta Chapter), co-chairs of the "Georgia Links Day at the Capitol," planned a program packed with information to counter

childhood obesity and that also involved a possible

legislative agenda to tackle the problem. Having a presence at the Georgia Capitol for The Links, Inc. extended beyond the legislative and the executive branches of government; the judicial branch also played a part in the day's program. Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears of the Supreme Court of Georgia, and Chief Judge M. Yvette Miller of the Court of Appeals of Georgia - both members of The Links, Inc., hosted the group for breakfast and lunch in the Judicial Office Building and participated in the panel discussions. Chief Judge Yvette Miller presented an achievement award to Representative Calvin Smyre, President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears of the Supreme Court of Georgia, and Chief Judge M. Yvette Miller of the Court of Appeals of Georgia - both members of The Links, Inc., hosted the group for breakfast and lunch in the Judicial Office Building and participated in the panel discussions.

Chief Judge Yvette Miller presented an achievement award to Representative Calvin Smyre, President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, for his 35 years of service in the Georgia House of Representatives.

The Southern Area of The Links, Incorporated and its 3,000 plus members - Black women from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina - will gather in their respective state's capitol cities, during the 2009 sessions, to let their legislative representatives know that they want the issue of childhood obesity to become a priority.

The Links, Incorporated, a national organization of more than 12,000 members, who are linked together by 273 chapters around the globe in order to enrich, sustain and ensure the identities, culture and economic survival of all people of African origin.