SR365: SR365 Cohen's of Alma; recognize

25 LC 112 3292 Senate Resolution 365 By: Senator Tillery of the 19th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Cohen's of Alma on its 100th anniver sary; and for other1 purposes.2 WHEREAS, Cohen's of Alma, a cornerstone of the Alma and Bacon C ounty community,3 celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, representing a cent ury of dedication to quality4 service and community engagement; and5 WHEREAS, the legacy of Cohen's of Alma began with Nathan Cohen, who, at the age of 13,6 immigrated to the United States from a small village on the border of Russia and Poland in7 1913, ultimately settling in Nicholls, Georgia, with his older half-brothers, Julius "Jake" and8 William Cohen; and9 WHEREAS, with the support of his brothers, Nathan overcame lang uage barriers and10 completed his education before establishing his first business venture as a traveling peddler11 with a Belgian horse named "Babe"and a wagon filled with goods needed by rural families,12 laying the foundation for what would become Cohen's of Alma; and13 S. R. 365 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3292 WHEREAS, in 1924, after years of hard work, Nathan purchased Sa ndy Mercer's general14 store on Dixon Street in Alma, restocked it with apparel, and o fficially opened Cohen's of15 Alma on April 4; and16 WHEREAS, his son, Jerald, graduated from the University of Georgia, served in the United17 States Army during the Korean War, and joined the family business in 1952 before assuming18 management in 1957, overseeing the store's continued growth and success; and19 WHEREAS, under Jerald's leadership, Cohen's expanded in 1967 with the purchase of the20 Butler Supply location next door, increasing the store size by 3,000 square feet and21 introducing the "Roundtable Shop," which specialized in name-br and apparel for work,22 hunting, and formal wear; and23 WHEREAS, upon Jerald's retirement in 1997, the late Wayne Golde n was hired as store24 manager, and through the efforts of Mark Cohen, Jerald's oldest son, and his wife, Laure, the25 store was once again expanded by an additional 2,000 square feet; and26 WHEREAS, today, Cohen's of Alma remains one of the oldest singl e-family-owned27 businesses in the State of Georgia, continuing to serve as a vi tal part of the Alma-Bacon28 County community while maintaining a legacy of integrity, servi ce, and economic29 contribution to South Georgia; and30 WHEREAS, the Cohen family has given back to the community in countless ways, ensuring31 that no local prom, homecoming, or wedding is complete without a visit to Cohen's and32 stocking top-quality products that have remained a hallmark of the business for generations.33 S. R. 365 - 2 - 25 LC 112 3292 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body34 recognize Cohen's of Alma on its 100th anniversary, commend the Cohen family for their35 century of dedication to the Alma-Bacon County community, and e xtend best wishes for36 continued success.37 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed38 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Cohen's of Alma.39 S. R. 365 - 3 -