PRESS RELEASE

Georgia Rivers Gala Celebrates Saving the Okefenokee Swamp, Paddle Georgia Anniversary and Muscogee Creek Canoe Culture

August 26, 2025

Georgia Rivers promotes and protects water trails across the state from the Chattahoochee River Water Trail to the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail.

The September 18 gala in Atlanta will honor Okefenokee champions, the founder of Paddle Georgia and Muscogee Creek canoe culture

ATHENS, GA, August 26, 2025 – Georgia Rivers will host the Georgia Rivers Gala at the Ivan Allen Family Meadow in Atlanta on September 18 to celebrate saving the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from a proposed mine, 20 years of leading river adventures with Paddle Georgia and Muscogee Nation leadership for guiding the Ocmulgee River National Park initiative and Okefenokee Swamp protection efforts.

The benefit will support advocacy to protect the Okefenokee from future mining threats and support the Georgia Water Trails program. 

Georgia Rivers is the only statewide organization dedicated to protecting Georgia rivers and is Georgia DNR’s non-profit partner running the statewide water trails network. Georgia Rivers protects and promotes water trails across the state from the Chattahoochee and Ocmulgee River Water Trails to the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail.  

Top L – R: Kim Bednarek, Andrew Schock, Stacy Funderburke. Bottom L -R: Andrew Morse, Congressman Bill Stuckey, Rev. Antwon Nixon

Celebrate Saving the Okefenokee

For six years Georgia Rivers used science and advocacy to fight a proposed mineral mine on the edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge that could have dewatered swamp canoe trails and the headwaters of the St. Marys River.  Georgia Rivers prevented the mine from moving forward by increasing public awareness, lobbying at the Capitol, leading Okefenokee Wilderness canoe trips and connecting nature philanthropists to The Conservation Fund who purchased the potential mine site property from Twin Pines Minerals. 

“While raising the visibility of the Okefenokee with music and movies and lobbying down at the Capitol is exciting, the most rewarding work is taking people boating on the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail and recruiting conservation buyers for protecting the swamp forever,” said Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers. 

The Georgia Rivers Gala will honor 2025 Okefenokee champions influential in raising awareness for the spirit of the swamp and protecting the Okefenokee from mining.

  • Congressman Bill Stuckey will be honored for designating the Okefenokee Wilderness in 1974. This designation first defined the swamp as an unique area unhabituated by humans and managed to preserve its natural conditions. 
  • Rev. Antwon Nixon, founder and director of Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls, will be honored for leading initiatives in Folkston to rally the swamp community to protect their natural heritage.
  • Kim Bednarek, Okefenokee Swamp Park executive director, will be honored for increasing visitation in the swamp as well as increasing international visibility of the natural treasure by nominating the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 
  • Andrew Morse, president and publisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, will be honored on behalf of the AJC for providing tenacious media coverage to protect the Okefenokee from mining threats. Investigative journalism shined a light on science that shows mining would impact the ecology of the Okefenokee. 
  • Andrew Schock and Stacy Funderburke of The Conservation Fund will be honored for achieving the historic conservation buyout of the Okefenokee Trail Ridge mine site. 

“Georgians and people across the South made their wishes clear over the past few years: the Okefenokee is a national treasure that must be protected from mining on Trail Ridge,” said Stacy Funderburke of The Conservation Fund. “The national wildlife refuge is one of the largest and wildest swamps in the country, and I’m proud of The Conservation Fund’s work – alongside many others – to protect it for future generations.”

“The preservation of the Okefenokee Swamp is a shining example of what dogged, community-centered journalism can do,” said Andrew Morse, president and publisher of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “At the AJC, we’re proud of the role our newsroom played, including Drew Kann’s compelling reporting, Dylan Jackson’s fearless investigations, and Greg Bluestein’s sharp political coverage that kept this issue front and center. Our editorial board spoke with clarity, and Mike Luckovich captured the spirit of the moment with his singular voice. We also celebrate the tireless efforts of the Conservation Fund and the generous support of the James M. Cox Foundation and its Chairman James C. Kennedy, whose leadership helped make this deal a reality.” 

Visiting the Okefenokee has been a treasured wilderness adventure for generations of families, including family of Congressman Bill Stuckey. “When I first saw the Okefenokee Swamp, I knew it had to be preserved — not just for Georgia, but for the whole country,” said Congressman Stuckey’s granddaughter Michelle Stuckey. “The Okefenokee is unlike any place, and once you experience it, you realize what a rare and sacred gift it is. I’m grateful that groups like Georgia Rivers are carrying on that work, making sure the Okefenokee is protected so future generations can experience it just as God intended.” 

Grassroots efforts by community members were essential during the six year fight to protect the Okefenokee and surrounding community.  Local swamper Rev. Antwon Nixon felt called to tend for the rich nature in his community. “As Adam was the man in Eden and given a charge to maintain and keep the garden, I’ve felt my charge was to bring about the spiritual responsibility, awareness and stewardship, lost in the narrative for the Eden-like, Okefenokee  Swamp. Many times over the years I’ve been asked how would I feel if things don’t turn out the way I’d like? My reply was always, “I’m never concerned about the results, that belongs to God. I’m only concerned about my effort, making sure I show up to the fight. That belongs to me,” he said.

The Georgia Rivers Gala is hosted by event chairs Blain and Ivan Allen at the Ivan Allen Family Meadow, a fitting backdrop for the Georgia Rivers Gala. The family estate near the Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta is steeped in history and surrounded by creeks that serve as a reminder that water connects us all. 

“I first paddled into the Okefenokee as an 8th grader at Pace Academy, wide-eyed and awe-struck by a world so different from my own,” said Blain Allen. “The stillness, the wildlife, the mystery—it was unforgettable. But what stayed with me just as much was the experience of paddling alongside classmates who became lifelong friends, learning together about the power and fragility of nature. That trip sparked my deep appreciation for Georgia’s wild places and showed me how rivers shape not just landscapes, but people too. Supporting Georgia Rivers and their mission to protect places like the Okefenokee is deeply personal for me. I am proud to chair this year’s Gala and help ensure future generations can fall in love with this swamp just like I did.”

Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Paddle Georgia 

The Georgia Rivers Gala will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of Paddle Georgia, the annual week-long paddle and camping adventure that has become the  largest of its kind in the nation. The event has introduced thousands to Georgia rivers and invited participants to advocate for river recreation and conservation. 

“When people are connected to our rivers, they care about them. And when they care about them, they protect them,” says Joe Cook, Paddle Georgia founder.

The gala will honor Primerica for their ongoing support of Paddle Georgia for ten consecutive years. Primerica, a leading provider of financial services for middle-income families across the U.S. and Canada, is committed to connecting people to nature and each other through the Primerica Foundation. 

Celebrate Muscogee Creek Canoe Culture

Georgia Rivers Gala will honor the Muscogee Creek Nation as the first people to paddle and protect Georgia rivers.

The gala will recognize Chief David Hill and RaeLynn Butler of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation at a special reception featuring Muscogee artisans who use traditional art to celebrate the Muscogee stewardship of Georgia rivers. Kenneth Johnson, an acclaimed Muscogee/Seminole metalsmith, will display his bronze canoe paddle titled “Genesis” next to a handcrafted dugout canoe. Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative advocacy director Tracie Revis will be honored during the dinner program for her work to create Georgia’s first national park at the ancient Muscogee mounds along the Ocmulgee River. 

Georgia Rivers Gala

Join outdoor recreation enthusiasts, conservationists and leaders from across the state at the Georgia Rivers Gala on September 18 from 6 – 9 p.m. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception, old-fashioned fish fry, brief awards ceremony, and live music by Rob Jordan & Friends.  VIP reception for honorees, sponsors and host committee kicks off the event at 5 p.m.

Proceeds from the Georgia Rivers Gala will benefit the Georgia Water Trails program and Georgia Rivers work to promote and protect waterways across the state, including the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trails. 

The presenting sponsors of the Georgia Rivers Gala are Butler Prather LLP, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Cox Enterprises. 

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Interview Contacts:

Media Kit:

See a full media kit with photos and maps here.

About Georgia Rivers:

Georgia Rivers is a statewide 501c3 organization with the mission to protect and connect people with Georgia rivers. Georgia Rivers serves as Georgia DNR’s non-profit partner running the Georgia Water Trails Network,  maps rivers and provides  the free Georgia River Guide mobile app. Georgia Rivers connects people to Georgia rivers by hosting paddle trips across the state, including the signature week-long Paddle Georgia camping adventure hosted on a different Georgia river each year, and kayak training and safety classes. Georgia Rivers also serves as a leader in and the fiscal sponsor of the Okefenokee Protection Alliance, Georgia Outdoor Recreation Coalition and Georgia Water Coalition.

Visit garivers.org to learn more about paddle trips, water trails and ways you can protect Georgia rivers.