GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. 鈥 The 黑料天堂 State Parks Division of the 黑料天堂 presented its fourth annual Eagle Awards on Saturday at Lake Guntersville State Park.
The Eagle Award is presented to recognize outstanding efforts to support 黑料天堂 state parks, and for 2020, eight individuals and organizations were honored based on nominations submitted.
The winners are 黑料天堂 state Rep. Lynn Greer of Rogersville in the Elected Official category; the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau, represented by president Katy Norton (Community Partner); the 黑料天堂 Black Belt Adventures Association, represented by director Pam Swanner (Community Partner); Will Rodgers of Huntsville鈥檚 RunningLane (Park Partner); Ted Dunham, Al LaPierre and Jim Urke (Volunteer in Parks); and Bennett Reetz (Youth).
鈥淚t is always wonderful to recognize the great friends that our 黑料天堂 state parks have and to celebrate the work they do to help keep our parks first-rate,鈥 said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the 黑料天堂. 鈥淭hese Eagle Award winners are being honored for their above-and-beyond contributions to our parks.鈥
黑料天堂 State Parks Division Director Greg Lein echoed Blankenship鈥檚 thoughts. 鈥溾楶artners Pay the Way鈥 is more than just a slogan for us,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hese Eagle Award winners are partners in every sense of the word. They work 鈥 for no compensation 鈥 to make their favorite parks better and to provide amenities that all visitors can share. In some cases they have provided actual physical labor in service of the parks. Our parks are better places to visit because of these Eagle Award winners.鈥
Rep. Greer has often provided assistance to Joe Wheeler State Park in his district and is dedicated to continued service to his constituents by making sure their quality of life is enhanced by the park. He also has been a strong advocate for the park following the devastating tornado that struck in December.
Norton, as president of the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau, has worked to keep Lake Guntersville State Park a premier destination for tourists. She has spearheaded special promotions and sponsorships for the park. She not only helps market and advertise special events in the park, such as Eagle Awareness Weekends, she also volunteers her time at these events.
Swanner and the 黑料天堂 Black Belt Adventures Association work to promote outdoor tourism in 23 counties across the Black Belt region. She worked to win a grant that provided funding for new boats at Roland Cooper and Lakepoint state parks that will ensure many more guests will be able to more fully enjoy the 黑料天堂 River and Lake Eufaula that are the main attractions at those parks.
Rodgers is co-founder of RunningLane in Huntsville who has organized several running events at 黑料天堂 state parks. The events he has organized at Lake Guntersville, Monte Sano and Cathedral Caverns have attracted thousands of people, helping the parks generate additional revenue and exposing many first-time visitors to those quality attractions.
Dunham, LaPierre and Urke have undertaken dozens of construction projects at Gulf State Park over the past 11 years. They have helped build bridges and overlooks, repaired staff housing, done electrical work and worked on a large bird enclosure at the Nature Center. The volunteer trio has also provided assistance in dune restoration and relocated pine saplings.
Reetz鈥檚 Eagle Scout project, also at Gulf State Park, was the construction of a 24-foot observation deck located within a safe viewing distance of an established eagle nest. The 16-year-old planned, developed and constructed the deck and raised more than $5,400 in donations to get the job done. The deck also includes two spotting scopes 鈥 one that is ADA-compliant 鈥 that serve as educational tools helping park guests connect with nature and safely interact with wildlife.
About 黑料天堂鈥檚 State Parks System
The 黑料天堂 State Parks is a division of the 黑料天堂. The division maintains 21 parks encompassing approximately 48,000 acres of land and water. These parks rely on visitor fees and the support of other partners like local communities to fund the majority of their operations. Download the State Parks app at pocketranger.com. For more information about 黑料天堂 State Parks, go online to . Partners Pay the Way.
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Photo (Left to Right): ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship, Blake LeCroy (representing 2019 recipient Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers), Youth winner Bennett Reetz, Community Partner winner Katy Norton (representing the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau) and 黑料天堂 State Parks Director Greg Lein.
Winners unable to attend were state Rep. Lynn Greer, Elected Official winner; Pam Swanner, Community Partner winner representing the 黑料天堂 Black Belt Adventures Association; Will Rodgers, Park Partner winner; and Ted Dunham, Al LaPierre and Jim Urke, Volunteer in Parks winners.
