Alabama State Parks Eagle Award winners were honored by ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship and State Parks Director Greg Lein at a ceremony and luncheon Feb. 5 at Lake Guntersville State Park.
The honorees:
1) Bryan Eslava and Michael Sumlin with Down Under Dive Shop, of Gulf Shores (Community Partner)
2) Oliver Caver, of Gulf Shores (Youth)
3) Eufaula Mayor Jack Tibbs Jr. (Elected Official)
4) State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, of Rainsville (Elected Official)
5) Huntsville Area Mountain Bike Riders (Park Partner)
6) Mirandi Watson and Monica Fells, both of Collinsville, with Girls Who Hike Alabama (Park Partner)
7) Billy Glenn Rushing American Legion Post 90 in Atmore (Park Partner)
8) Robert Black, of Huntsville (Volunteer in Parks)
9) Shawn Donahoo, of Somerville (Volunteer in Parks)
The Eagle Award – sponsored by the State Parks Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources – is presented annually to people and organizations who have made outstanding contributions in support of the Alabama State Parks.
“We know our parks couldn’t thrive without the tireless efforts of so many groups and individuals.” said Greg Lein, Director of the Alabama State Parks System. “So many people give their time and talents to the park, and that’s why it’s a challenge to select the Eagle Award winners each year. The Eagle Awards provide the perfect way for us to say thanks and recognize people who truly make Alabama State Parks so special.”
Here are brief explanations of the Eagle Awards categories:
Elected Official: This award honors an elected official who has worked in conjunction with the parks to help fulfill its mission to preserve natural areas, operate recreational facilities and extend the public’s knowledge of the state’s natural environment.
Community Partner: Parks succeed with the cooperation and support of community organizations such as other government organizations, chambers of commerce, tourism organizations and local businesses – groups that understand that the success of the park means success for the community.
Park Partner: Organizations work to provide or maintain amenities in the parks, such as hiking and biking trails, that otherwise might not exist due to the allocation of resources for other services. This award celebrates those partners who see a need and cooperate with park leadership to fill it.
Volunteer in Parks: These VIPs work in various ways to make our parks system better. Volunteers may be providing physical labor or strategic planning to improve one park, or the entire system of parks.
Youth: Our parks inspire young and old, but the impression left on youngsters often lives with them forever. Many turn their love of the parks, of the outdoors, into projects to benefit some of their favorite places – often as part of a Scouting program. This award, for students 12th grade and younger, honors the person whose contribution is extraordinary.
Source: Alabama State Parks
