Ann Purcell was sworn in for a second go-round in the General Assembly as the new state Representative for District 159 on Sunday afternoon.

“Government is not an ‘I,’” Purcell said. “Government is a ‘we.’”

Purcell took her oath in a meeting room at the Port Wentworth Holiday Inn Express packed with friends, family and well-wishers.

“I’m just so proud that I have so many friends that could come out on a very busy, busy holiday weekend, to celebrate my oath of office and becoming your House District 159 representative,” she said. “I want to say a very special thank you to every one of you here, but a very special thank you to my husband. He has been by my side and I by his for almost 44 years now, and I’m very proud of that. Without his support and us working together, this would not be possible. Because it takes the support of one’s spouse.”

Purcell also thanked her children, Mikki, Mieke and Edwin, and their spouses for their support.

“I’m proud to have you as my children,” she said. “I’m proud of my grandchildren because we’ve instilled into them the importance of being a part of our community, of loving those around us and not to be self-serving but to serve the community.”

Purcell’s grandchildren Brittany and Courtney Purcell, Jillia, Alena and McKaela Kramer and Chase, Caden and Claire Thomas led the crowd in the pledge of allegiance. Purcell also thanked her sister Nan and her nephew Matt Fussell for being at the ceremony.

“She has been so wonderful,” Purcell said of her sister. “I’m telling you, we are like this,” she added, holding two fingers together, “all the time, because we communicate and we share. That is what a family is all about.”

Purcell also called upon the citizens for help and input.

“Without your support, your involvement, your communication, then we’re not going to be very successful,” she said. “Ladies and gentlemen, without this team of our senators, our House members, we can get nowhere. But it takes each one of us giving a part in what is important in our area of Georgia.”

Though she has not been a member of the state House for the last five years, Purcell has remained involved as a member of the state technical college system board. She’s looking forward to working with her fellow state lawmakers, including Sen. Jack Hill and Reps. Jon Burns and Ron Stephens.

“It takes us all working together and becoming a part of what we want on the coastal area of Georgia,” she said. “We may be small in population, but we are strong in determination.”

Purcell also called her fellow elected state officials, school board members and other elected representatives to the podium.

“Now, I want you to look at this team. Here we are — appointed or elected officials — and we are a team because not one of us can be successful without all of us,” she said. “It’s not a one-person deal, it’s a team. Without my family, without the upbringing that I have had, I would have not been in the situation where I could be a part of sharing talents with our communities.”

In speaking to fifth Sunday men’s breakfast in Guyton earlier that day, Purcell said she told them that they all have a boss. 

“That’s our Lord,” she said. “Because of that, I will always be answering to Him and responding to our community through him as the guidance that He gives me.”

Purcell said she was already hitting the ground running and that the other senators and representatives had been sending her pieces of legislation to look over.

“It’s been nice already because they have all been sending information, saying, ‘Ann, you might want to look at this bill so that you’re familiar with it,’ and they’ve sent me a lot of budget issues that we know that we need to start addressing and doing homework on, to be prepared to discuss,” she said.  “The work has already been under way before I was sworn in, but this is what is needed.

“As I looked out over the audience today, and I saw the different agencies or departments within our own government, knowing that they’ve already shared with me the needs of this district, not that we can make it happen instantly, but we need to be made aware of it so that we can make those connections when discussion gets under way and pull all of our groups together to make it successful.”