b'Darcy Gunter |VALDOSTA Anna Roberts Hurt | CORDELE Making a Difference As co-founder of Living Bridges Ministry,Regional Darcy Gunter lives her life waiting to see what direction God willImpact Living lead her. Gunter and her husband, Tony, started the Living Bridgesand working in Ministry on the premise of making a difference and creating a changethe town where in Valdosta. she was born and raised, is the We currently serve the low income and impoverished populationperfect fit for with a variety of programs geared to giving them a hand up moreAnna Roberts than a handout, Gunter says. Hurt. The CordeleAs the director of adult and childrens ministries, Gunter isnative says her responsible for the centers day-to-day operation, and programs thatlove for rural include a transformation class, community clothes closet, momsGeorgia runs connection group, and a community garden. deep.Last year, the center provided clothing to 719 individuals, served 527From a young lunches to families, and the community garden produced more thanage, my parents 500 pounds of food.taught menot in words, but actionto love, support, and take pride in the With an expanding outreach, Living Bridges Ministry purchased acommunity, says Hurt, who is a regional project manager for the 4,000-square-foot home in Valdosta to house current programs andGeorgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Global expand services.Commerce Division. Be proud of where you come from and doGunter also serves on the Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful board,whatever you are called to do to help all citizens and businesses succeed.president of the Valdosta Civic Roundtable, president-elect of the Valdosta Exchange Club, member of the Valdosta homeless taskServing a 16-county region, which includes Cordele, Americus, and force, a partner in ministry at the Church of Grady County, andColumbus, Hurt says she is proud to play a small part in making a co-chair of the Prayer Team for the Outrageous and Contagiouspositive impact. Womens Conference. I can honestly say that I love my job, says Hurt. The majority of the region I serve is extremely rural. Providing guidance, resources, and incentives to businesses in this area is vital not only for the businesses to grow and thrive but for the employees and the communities in which they live. Having owned and operated a small business, Hurt says she understands the struggles companies encounter, especially in rural communities.Last year, Hurt assisted more than 80 businesses, mostly manufacturers. The best part is having the opportunity to build a working relationship with the people; that is what I look forward to every day, that I am able to serve our region. An alum of South GeorgiaLEADS, Hurt is also a member of the Georgia Economic Development Association, Georgia Department of Economic Development, 42 SG MAGAZINE| FALL 2019 BUSINESS + CULTURE43'