The Ledger

By Ken Land
Director, Cochran Downtown Development Authority

COCHRAN, Ga : Cochran is a great place to live. Almost every week, I meet someone who has recently moved to the area, and, to a person, they find themselves shocked at the hospitable nature of our community.

Being a transplant myself, I can remember that same feeling of awe at the way my family was enveloped by the people of Bleckley County.

Is Cochran perfect? By no means.

Are there things I would change if given a magic wand? Most likely.

Is there a better place to raise a family? I haven’t found it yet.

What is the secret sauce? I personally believe it is something I refer to as the “power of everybody.”

I have never been part of a community that was more willing to help out a friend, stranger and, in some cases, even an “enemy.” I think that is the essence of the secret sauce.

With all that being said, there are still issues. There are gaps where this doesn’t take place. There are people who only look to serve their self-interests. There are bad days. There are moments when we can feel slighted. There are interactions where we act without any regard for people at large.

And that is the rub — we are all imperfect. We will let people down. We will be misunderstood. We will be selfish.

Yet none of that takes away from the first paragraph. I sincerely believe that being aware of the positive and negative aspects of our community allows the individual to make a concerted effort to build our community rather than build a self-centered existence.

None of us will get it right every time, but we can try. We can make an effort to invoke the power of everybody.

You may be asking yourself, what does this have to do with the Downtown Development Authority?

As the DDA, we realize that we can’t make any lasting change without the support of our community.

The mission of the DDA is: “The Downtown Development Authority works to stimulate economic growth by strengthening local businesses, attracting investment, and fostering a vibrant downtown that supports the long-term prosperity of the community.”

This cannot happen without the power of everybody.

There are generations of families that have invested time, energy and resources to build the community whose benefits we reap. Men and women started businesses that sell products or services that benefit the community at large. People built businesses that employ our family members. Individuals took a shot at a dream, and our community benefits tremendously.

There are businesses like the Cochran Oil Mill, where your grandad’s dad worked. There are new businesses like the Mule Barn that create an environment for community to happen. There are entities like House of Grace, which took an empty lot and created a place — Grace Space — for people to do life together.

These are just a few examples from our downtown district, but these stories exist in almost every local business you will find in the city of Cochran. It is imperative for any local business to have the support of the community at large.

It is the power of everybody.

Therefore, I wanted to take time in my first installment of this column to implore those reading this to seriously consider supporting our local businesses.

Shop local. Eat local. Live local.

Become involved in the life of our community. There are opportunities through local clubs, the Chamber of Commerce and even through the DDA.

For example, if you are part of an organization, we have a fun activity your entity can be a part of. We have an annual Scarecrow Decorating Contest, where your group or business can participate by simply making a scarecrow and putting it at one of our designated locations.

This year’s theme is “Through the Decades,” so each party will decorate its scarecrow in garb from a favorite decade. It is a simple way for your organization to be plugged into the community at large.

The scarecrows will be judged the week leading into The Great Pumpkin Festival on October 17, 2026. If you are interested, please reach out to me at 478-934-2965 or email me at Ken@CochranDowntown.com.

And even if you don’t take advantage of this fun activity, you can still find other ways to get involved.

I have found that those on the field get more done than those in the stands. Everyone has opinions; however, when you are on the field, you understand the objective more than someone watching from their recliner.

If you want your voice to matter, find a way to get on the field — and watch how you begin to see things differently through that lens.