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Goodman donation to Georgia Ag Foundation will fund scholarships
Posted on February 27, 2021 12:00 AM
By Jennifer Whittaker, Georgia Farm Bureau
Growing up during the Great Depression taught the late Dr. Jim Goodman the value of hard work and the importance of education. That’s why Nora Goodman, of Paulding County, is honoring her husband’s memory with a noteworthy gift to the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) scholarship fund.
GFB 3rd District Director Nora Goodman supports the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture Scholarship Program. She recently made a donation to the foundation in memory of her late husband, Dr. Jim Goodman. Photo by Tracy Grice
As a child, Jim’s family could not afford routine dental checkups.
“Jim’s father sold some hogs and farm equipment so Jim could go for a checkup. While sitting in the office, Jim knew then and there he wanted to be a dentist someday,” Nora recalled. “He also knew becoming a dentist would require a good education.”
Dr. Goodman worked hard to achieve his dream of becoming a dentist, holding down a full-time job at a nuclear plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, while he pursued a degree at the University of Tennessee. After graduating from UT, Jim entered the UT College of Dentistry in Memphis, where he lived and worked part-time at a mortuary in addition to working another part-time job.
After serving a three-year stint as an Army dentist in West Germany during the Korean Conflict, Goodman practiced dentistry in Chattanooga until friends and family urged him to relocate to Paulding County. Once he moved, Goodman bought a farm to raise cattle and grow hay in addition to practicing dentistry.
Dr. Goodman served on the Georgia Farm Bureau Board (GFB) of Directors from 1982 until his death in May 2003 and as president of Paulding County Farm Bureau from 1986-2003.
“We both felt for a person to move forward in their life they need to be armed with the best equipment and the most knowledge,” Nora said. “An education in agriculture fosters an appreciation for the land and for the life it provides. Being a good steward of the gifts we are given is the greatest lesson to learn.”
Nora has been an active Farm Bureau member since 1971. She is the PCFB president and represents GFB’s District 3 on the state board.
Nora commends the GFA for the work it is doing to improve ag literacy.
“The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture is doing a great job of improving ag literacy in our state through the Ag in the Classroom program that focuses on teaching elementary students about agriculture and the Georgia Ag Experience mobile classroom that is taking the farm experience to students across the state,” No Nora said. “The foundation is doing a great job of investing
in future Georgia ag leaders by offering scholarships for students pursuing ag-related degrees at college, technical
college and vet school.”
The GFA offers scholarships for graduating high school seniors, rising college juniors/seniors, technical college students and UGA College of Veterinary Medicine students specializing in large/food animals. Visit www.GaFoundationAg.org/ scholarships.html for more information about the scholarships. To learn more about the foundation visit www.gafoundationag.org .
Visit www.gfb.ag/GoodmanGFAdonation to read more about the Goodmans.