"I gotta come back here!"

That was a phrase that I heard time after time in Ellijay Saturday evening. As I moved from table to table at the Three Rivers Music Jam welcoming the participants of Paddle Georgia, and their families, to Gilmer County everyone was very impressed with the hospitality that the county exhibited. As the participants dined on great food from Corks & Crumbs, Canterbury & the Pink Pig and listened to the great sounds of The Shades they all were talking about their great day on the river and how impressed they were with Downtown Ellijay and Gilmer County. They seemed to be as impressed with folks lining the river bank in Coosawattee River Resort to watch, and cheer them on, as they were with the class three rapids on the river.

Most of the visitors moved through the shops, that stayed open, and the new pub “Jilly’s” was doing a bustling business, as was “Franks” and Cartecay River Trading Company on North Main St.

Great events like Paddle Georgia and Three Rivers Music Jam don’t happen by accident. Lots of volunteers were needed and showed up. Folks from D.E.M.A., Gilmer Chamber of Commerce, Coosawattee Watershed Alliance and the Georgia River Network, as well as many other volunteers, all worked hard over the past couple of months to make sure that Gilmer County made a positive impression on the hundreds of visitors we enjoyed this weekend.

Our sincere hope is that they will come back and bring more of their friends to enjoy the parks, rivers and hospitality of our county.