By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

Cathy Cox, Georgia's secretary of state, recently challenged local young women to “take advantage of the opportunities your ancestors left at your feet” and “begin setting goals now with your education.”

The first woman in Georgia history to hold the office, Cox addressed about a dozen cadette and senior Girl Scouts meeting recently in Peachtree City.

The girls from Fayette, Coweta, Clayton, Carroll and Henry counties participated in a day-long seminar focusing on public service. A workbook provided by the League of Women Voters introduced the scouts to women, starting with the suffragists, who have made it possible for them to seek leadership roles in government.

Cox said she was bitten by the political bug at age 14. She participated in the YMCA Youth Assembly, the Youth Legislature and decided, “I wanted to do the real thing.”

“I learned what was going on in politics from my father,” Cox said, explaining how he served as the mayor of Bainbridge for 16 years and represented southwest Georgia in the General Assembly. At age 16, she paged for him at the Capitol.

Armed with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a law degree, Cox represented House District 160 in the General Assembly, winning 64 percent of the vote.

“It was kind of a joke that I was running: no one had ever elected a woman in south Georgia before,” Cox told the girls. “But I worked 10 times harder than my opponent and beat the socks off that guy.”

Her opponent was a 16-year veteran of the legislature and was 71 years old. ”Two years later, no one ran against me,” she added.

Cox urged the girls to start preparing now for a future run for office, be it school board or the state house.

“Somebody doesn't come along with a magic wand and anoint you to work in public service,” she said.

Cox advised the scouts to be conscious of what they are doing now, warning that bad decisions like “hanging out with the wrong crowd” can “close the door on your opportunities.

“Prepare yourself with education and your reputation,” she said.

“For two weeks, read the front page of the newspaper... you will know 100 percent more than anybody else around you.”

“Get involved with your community... I'd love to see every one of you running for my job, running for city council. We need you.

“What you can do for the state is endless,” Cox concluded.