Each year, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recognizes outstanding state parks and historic sites for their customer service, programming, maintenance and other achievements.  Most of this year’s awards were presented during the January Managers Conference and the February Rangers Conference, both held at Unicoi State Park in Helen.   Employees were recognized for accomplishments as serious as fighting wildfires and as unusual as hosting bug-eating programs.

The 22 winners included:

OUTSTANDING PARK OPERATION

-- Amicalola Falls State Park, Dawsonville

Manager Bill Tanner and his staff operate the most visited state park in Georgia, offering excellent customer service while running a mountaintop lodge with limited staffing.  Ranger programs involving owls, hawks and snakes are always popular with visitors.

OUTSTANDING HISTORIC SITE OPERATION

– Fort King George Historic Site, Darien

Manager Steve Smith and his staff have developed an outstanding volunteer program, offering exceptional programs and a well maintained site.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

– Brian Ensley, Fort Mountain State Park, Chatsworth

Brian Ensley is a distinguished leader who is always willing to try new approaches for improving his park.  He is a Wilderness First Responder who was instrumental in working with local officials to improve safety on nearby roads.

RANGER OF THE YEAR

-- Sid Strickland, Kolomoki Mounds State Historic Park, Blakely

Sid Strickland’s “can-do” attitude was instrumental in lowering the park’s lake so that a fish fence could be installed, and while controlling plant growth on the historic Indian temple mound.

CUSTOMER SERVICE (MANAGER)

– Jerry Brown, Lodge Manager, Unicoi State Park, Helen

While managing a 100-room hotel within a popular state park, Jerry Brown maintains one of the most upbeat attitudes within the park system.  His customer service skills are outstanding and infectious.

CUSTOMER SERVICE (RANGER)

-- Robin Glass, Interpretive Ranger, Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site, Dahlonega

Last year, nearly every comment card received at Dahlonega Gold Museum included Robin Glass’ name in a complimentary manner.  He is exceptionally skilled at making history come alive for visitors of all ages.

BEST YEAR-ROUND PARK PROGRAMMING

– Fort Yargo State Park, Winder

Variety, volume, partnerships and commitment are characteristics of this year’s winner.  Manager Eric Bentley and his staff work with recreational groups to host numerous bike races, triathlons and other events.  They offer programs to school groups, scouts and civic clubs.

BEST YEAR-ROUND HISTORIC SITE PROGRAMMING

– Fort McAllister Historic Park, Richmond Hill

Programming is key to the success of any historic attraction.  During 2007, Fort McAllister showed young visitors what it was like to join the Army and live in a fort during the 1800s, held candle lantern tours at night, offered cannon firings and many other exciting programs. 

MOST INNOVATIVE PROGRAM AT A STATE PARK

– Crooked River State Park, St. Marys

Cricket jambalaya and cockroach kabobs were just some of the menu items served during this park’s unusual Bug Cooking Program.  Visiting “Bug Chef” Ryan joined Ranger Emily Hewitt and Assistant Manager Jessica Aldridge to teach visitors about the unknown insects we all eat each day.
 

MOST INNOVATIVE PROGRAM AT A HISTORIC SITE

-- Robert Toombs House State Historic Site, Washington

Staff and volunteers turned each floor of this historic house into a stage where they performed scenes from “A Christmas Carol.”  More than 200 visitors toured the stately 1860s home in one day.

RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT

– Crooked River State Park, St. Marys

Located on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, this park attracts birders from across the globe.  Manager Joe Bradford and his staff built a bird blind that can accommodate 20 people and has seating and shelves for scopes and cameras.  They are also fighting the spread of Congon Grass, one of the world’s most invasive plants.

MOST OUTSTANDING MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

– Indian Springs State Park, Flovilla

Indian Springs is one of the oldest public parks in the nation, opening as a state forest park in 1927.  The campground’s comfort station was renovated with such success that visitors thought it was a new facility.  Other improvements were made to cleaning processes and landscaping.

ABOVE AND BEYOND (MANAGER)

– Kathy Odom, Manager, SAM Shortline Excursion Train, Cordele

Many people have contributed to the success of south Georgia’s tourist train, but Kathy Odom has lead the charge since inception six years ago.  Her efforts brought Thomas the Tank Engine to Georgia for the first time, allowing more than 21,000 people to ride the “real” Thomas in just six days.

ABOVE AND BEYOND (RANGER)

-- Sam Williams, Assistant Manager, Stephen C. Foster State Park, Fargo

During the historic wildfires of 2007, Sam Williams helped fight fires in Waycross, Nahunta, Waynesville and Douglas.  He kept a positive attitude while working under an extremely stressful situation and in a dangerous environment for a long period of time.

GOLF OPERATIONS MANAGER OF THE YEAR

– Terry Phillips, The Creek, Hard Labor Creek State Park, Rutledge

Terry Phillips served as tournament director for the newly created Georgia Junior Golf Tour that started at Meadow Links with 32 golfers and ended at Arrowhead Pointe with 76 golfers.  He is expected to receive the Best New Junior Program award from the Georgia Section of the Professional Golfers Association of America.

GOLF SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR

-- Reggie Ricks, Brazell’s Creek at Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park, Reidsville

Superintendent Reggie Ricks battled drought conditions and daily winds from 10 to 20 miles per hour while expanding the golf course from nine holes to eighteen.  His leadership will enable the course to reopen this summer.

Danny Creel Award

-- Willetta McGowen, Region 2 Program Assistant, Brunswick

Willetta McGowen makes a difference in many peoples lives.  She is certified in prison ministry and works with women inmates at Hawkinsville State Prison.  She helps run a soup kitchen in Glynn County and leads her office’s Second Harvest food drive each year. 

Each year, millions of visitors enjoy museums, picnic shelters, cottages and other facilities at state parks and historic sites.  The employees who build and maintain these amenities received awards from the DNR’s Engineering & Construction Division.  The 2007 Project of the Year Award went to the Hard Labor Creek Shop and Blackburn Shop for construction of the Historic Sites Region Office in Stockbridge.  Safety awards were presented to the Georgia Veterans Shop, Hard Labor Creek Shop and South Georgia Utilities Crew for no time lost due to accidents.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources operates 63 state parks and historic sites, seven golf courses and a tourist train.  To learn more, visit www.GeorgiaStateParks.org or call 1-800-864-7275.