“Milledgeville leaders recognize that citizens’ use of digital technologies will be the key to moving Milledgeville/Baldwin County from an economy based on state jobs to a workforce that is competitive in the knowledge economy,” said Beverly Blake, Knight Program Director for Columbus, Macon and Milledgeville.

The Digital Innovation Group housed at Georgia College & State University will facilitate the Digital Bridges. But the community will identify local challenges and opportunities and then match digital technologies to address them.

“It is indeed exciting that Knight’s smallest community has the opportunity to lead the charge in creating a community ownership model,” said Blake.

Georgia College President Dorothy Leland is pleased with the university’s leadership role in the initiative.

“Knowledge and information from across the globe that is readily accessible through the Internet is a key to our community’s education and economic growth,” Leland said. “I am pleased that Georgia College will be able to encourage our community’s connection to the world through this exciting and innovative project.”

Milledgeville Mayor Richard Bentley help set the stage for creating the city’s wireless community in 2006 when the city received a $862,500 Wireless Communities Georgia grant to establish their broadband network.

“The Knight Grant is a wonderful addition to the city’s efforts to bring wireless technology to serve our families and students and improve the quality of life for our citizens,” Bentley said. “Connecting our citizens and our community with innovative technology will allow Milledgeville to prosper and grow.”

“This is the community’s opportunity to experiment with means of improving the quality of their professional and personal lives through the use of technology innovation,” Digital Innovation Group Director Jim Wolfgang said. The Digital Bridges will include a Knight Community Innovation Center – a neighborhood facility for training, sharing, exploration and support.”

Community members will serve as resource leaders to teach their fellow citizens and K-12 students practical applications of digital technologies.

“Milledgeville has a chance to build a stronger physical community enhanced by exciting and new technology-based activities,” Wolfgang said.

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of the U.S. communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Knight Foundation focuses on projects with the potential to create transformational change. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.