River Celebration Awards

Established in 2005, the River Celebration Awards are designed to celebrate the successes and dedicated efforts of river activists in Georgia. Do you know a River Hero? Someone in your community who speaks on behalf of your local waterways, who works to keep them healthy and clean, and who helps the rest of us appreciate their beauty, utility and uniqueness? Every river needs a hero, and we at GRN appreciate these people so much, we honor them each year in our River Celebration Awards ceremony. During our Weekend for Rivers each year, we give three different awards to our rivers’ unsung heroes:

Volunteer of the Year

 This award is given for purely freelance heroics in the field of river conservation. The winner of this award generally doesn’t get paid for looking after their river, but does it because it’s just important to them. This dedicated person has not only demonstrated that they care about their local streams and rivers, but has also inspired river love in others.

Conservationist of the Year

Conservationist of the Year goes to someone whose work has had a direct impact on the health of their river. This may be through education, science, outreach or policy, and will be given to someone who has demonstrated heroic leadership, inspiration, creativity and dedication to a vision of clean, healthy, plentiful water for our communities, our families and wildlife.

River Group of the Year

This award is given to a group of river heroes that is out there on the front lines every day, working on behalf of all of us to keep our rivers flowing clean. The River Group of the Year generally has done something spectacular during the year, and achieved significant results through their leadership, dedication and abilities.

2018 River Celebration Awards
Volunteer of the Year – Chuck Moody
Conservationist of the Year – April Lipscomb
Watershed Group of the Year – Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
Sally Bethea Lifetime Achievement Award – Joe Cook

2017 River Network River Celebration Awards
Watershed Group of the Year – Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, and Suwannee River Watershed Coalition
River Conservationist of the Year – Charlotte Gillis
Volunteer of the Year – Vincent Payne

2015 River Network River Celebration Awards
Watershed Group of the Year – Push Back the Pipeline Coalition
Jen Hilburn (Altamaha Riverkeeper)
Tonya Bonitatibus (Satilla Riverkeeper)
Emily Markensteyn ( Ogeechee Riverkeeper)
Mary Freund (Satilla Riverkeeper)- receiving for Ashby Nix
River Conservationist of the Year: Justin Ellis, Soque River Watershed Association
Volunteer of the Year: Margaret Tyson, Ochlockonee River Water Trail

2014 River Network River Celebration Awards
Watershed Group of the Year – Yellow River Water Trail
River Conservationist of the Year: Emily Markesteyn, Ogeechee Riverkeeper
Volunteer of the Year: Clay Montague, Satilla Riverkeeper

2013 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Watershed Group of the Year – South River Watershed Alliance
Volunteer of the Year – Richard Milligan
River Conservationist Award – Keith Parsons
River Conservationist Award – Jerry McCollum

2012 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Watershed Group of the Year – Ogeechee
River Conservationist of the Year – Allison Hughes and Tara Muenz
Volunteer of the Year – Poni Shannon

2011 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Watershed Group of the Year – Soque River Watershed Association
River Conservationist of the Year – Ben Emanuel
Volunteer of the Year – Patty Berkovitz
Volunteer of the Year – Chris Manganiello

2010 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Volunteer of the Year – Lee Becker
Conservationist of the Year – Gordon Rogers
Watershed Group of the Year – Coosa River Basin Initiative

2009 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Volunteer of the Year – Jim Butler, Paul Deloach & Mark Woodall
Conservationist of the Year – Neill Herring
Watershed Group of the Year – Chattooga Conservancy

2008 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Volunteer of the Year – Bonny Putney
Conservationist of the Year – Frank Sagona
Watershed Group of the Year – High Falls Towaliga Watershed Alliance
Sally Bethea River Champion Award – Sally Bethea

2007 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Volunteer of the Year – Diane Minick
Conservationist of the Year – Chandra Brown
Watershed Group of the Year (Staffed) – Altamaha Riverkeeper
Watershed Group of the Year (All Volunteer)- Broad River Watershed Association

2006 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Volunteer of the Year – Bud Queen
Conservationist of the Year – Ann Bergstrom, Executive Director of Chattahoochee Nature Center
Watershed Group of the Year – Upper Oconee Watershed Network

2005 Georgia River Network River Celebration Awards
Volunteer of the Year – Gloria Taylor of Save Our Satilla
Conservationist of the Year – James Holland, Altamaha Riverkeeper
Watershed Group of the Year – Canoochee Riverkeeper
Award of Special Merit – Etowah Habitat Conservation Plan