ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Carolyn Crayton Volunteer of the Year

Named in honor of Georgia’s first affiliate leader, and someone who galvanized thousands of volunteers throughout her own career, this award recognizes a passionate individual who has dedicated an extraordinary amount of time and effort to improving the local environment.

Eric has served as a board member and volunteer for Keep Smyrna Beautiful for nearly a decade. In his time with the organization, he’s participated in numerous programs, including Bring One for the Chipper, Smyrna’s Garden Tour, Adopt-a-Mile, Adopt-a-Trail, Habitat Rehabilitation, America Recycles Day, and various community cleanups. He’s played pivotal roles in revitalizing KSB’s membership structure and connecting middle school teachers with school beautification grants. He also created the organization’s innovative Adopt-a-Tree program, which rescues young trees and seedlings from homeowners, community events, and properties slated for development and places them with residents, schools, parks, and other organizations at no cost. To date, nearly 1,200 seedlings have been distributed. Eric’s dedication, creativity, and ability to inspire others and build relationships have had a profound impact on the city. He’s a true leader in its efforts to improve the environment for future generations.

Barbara Mason Executive Director of the Year

Named in honor of the founder of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, this award recognizes an affiliate leader with a profound commitment to making our state cleaner, greener, and more beautiful. This person inspires others, implements innovative programming, and has an established record of creating lasting, positive change.

Karen first volunteered with Keep Liberty Beautiful in 2006, and since stepping into a leadership role in 2018, she’s had a profound impact on her community. She directs yearly beach sweeps, tree giveaways, quarterly Recycle It! Fairs, countywide Rivers Alive cleanups, America Recycles Day events, and numerous school cleanups and gardening events. Through her work with the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, she’s galvanized hundreds of volunteers, and she’s played key roles in organizing major projects like KLB’s Earth Day Celebration, which now draws over 600 participants each year, and a mobile garden initiative that brings fresh produce to hundreds of senior citizens and local families. Karen has spearheaded water conservation programs that have reached over 10,000 students, and she’s even adopted two sections of road herself–a testament of her commitment to the cause. Karen’s boundless energy and unwavering dedication inspire and uplift every corner of the region.

Lynn Cobb Student of the Year

Named in honor of a former executive director of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation and a true champion of environmental education, this award celebrates the achievements of an environmental steward between sixth and twelfth grade.

Sierra is a senior at Veterans High School, and over the last several years, she’s orchestrated numerous projects that have transformed her community. As a sophomore, she founded an environmental club after recognizing the need for greater awareness of sustainability efforts. Her leadership has galvanized her peers to take action, and by implementing recycling programs and adopting local roads, Sierra has translated her passion into tangible results. She even helped establish dedicated litter kits at her school, which empowered 202 students to participate in the first organized cleanup of 2024. Sierra has also left an indelible mark on the city of Warner Robins. She’s participated in ReLeaf tree giveaways, waterway cleanups, Arbor Day celebrations, and tree plantings. Her endless enthusiasm and innovative spirit demonstrate that one student’s actions can inspire lasting change.

Steve Reynolds Public Servant of the Year

Named in honor of a former state senator who was instrumental in establishing the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation network, this award recognizes an elected official, law enforcement officer, code officer, or other government employee who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the environment.

For 15 years, Commissioner Echols has been a driving force for sustainability in Georgia. In 2022, he launched the Energy Matters Awards program to recognize leaders advancing green initiatives across industries, government institutions, and local communities. During the 2023-2024 school year, he and Commission Chairman Jason Shaw spearheaded a statewide glass recycling contest that mobilized students from 23 high schools to collect over 37,000 pounds of recyclable glass. Through projects like this and his weekly Energy Matters podcast, Commissioner Echols inspires and empowers Georgians of all ages to embrace conservation efforts.

Trailblazer of Tomorrow

This celebrates members of our network who use a creative approach when solving challenges, launching projects, or building new programs.

Keep Liberty Beautiful is being recognized for its Mobile Garden Project, an initiative that has thus far provided 657 container gardens to families and senior citizens in need. Inspired by a successful Keep Golden Isles Beautiful model, it enables residents who may not otherwise have the space or means for a larger garden to grow their own vegetables and herbs. In its first year, the project brought together 160 volunteers, eight schools, seven cities, the Girl Scouts, the Hinesville Rotary Club, local libraries, youth groups, and a total of 58 businesses and organizations. It has strengthened local partnerships, improved food security, encouraged healthier eating habits, and fostered a lasting culture of sustainability. After successfully distributing 2,000 plants, Keep Liberty Beautiful plans to continue this project every year.

Community Catalyst

This award highlights the efforts of a group or individual to foster outstanding collaborative leadership between neighbors, local businesses, and community organizations with the purpose of collectively improving the local environment. 

Steve McGoy, Director of Operations for Georgia Works, leads a dedicated street team focused on tackling litter and environmental challenges across metro Atlanta. In partnership with Keep College Park Beautiful and other organizations, he’s organized monthly cleanups, addressed litter hotspots, and championed recycling efforts. In 2024, this resulted in the collection of over 3,000 tons of trash and tires. Steve actively encourages various community groups to collaborate, fostering a sense of unity and collective responsibility, and his efforts have created opportunities for diverse stakeholders to meet, support each other, and work together toward a common goal. Through strategic alliances with local cities, organizations, and volunteers, Steve has spearheaded impactful initiatives that have led to significant environmental improvements. He has effectively harnessed the power of collaborative partnerships to foster a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful community.

Clean Community Champion

This award honors the efforts of a group that strives to change the attitudes and behaviors toward litter in its community, through cleanups, educational workshops, promotional campaigns, or other preventative measures.

In partnership with the City of Smyrna’s Environmental Services Department, Keep Smyrna Beautiful serves over 56,000 residents and engages nearly 2,000 volunteers in litter abatement efforts each year. Its community cleanups, Adopt-a-Mile program, and annual Rivers Alive event foster a sense of unity and pride as residents work together to improve their surroundings. The organization also makes it easy for individuals to get involved on their own time by offering to-go cleanup kits at the local library. Through engaging educational initiatives like litter-picking demonstrations, water pollution lessons, storm drain marking, and even an environmental education wheel, KSB sparks awareness across all age groups. In 2024, they removed over 17,000 pounds of litter from Smyrna’s streets and trails, and reached 2,467 community members through school visits, festivals, presentations, and tours. By inspiring stewardship and planting the seeds of environmental responsibility, Keep Smyrna Beautiful is creating a lasting, positive impact on its community and natural spaces.

Waste Reduction Warrior

This award highlights the achievements of a group that has made significant strides in minimizing the impact of waste in its community through recycling, composting, or adaptive reuse projects. 

The Smyrna Recycling Center has transformed the way its community approaches waste management. Through innovative services and educational outreach, it empowers residents, businesses, schools, and organizations to take an active role in the circular economy. Educational initiatives like public tours, field trips, and utility bill inserts outlining proper recycling practices have impacted countless individuals. By accepting hard-to-recycle items such as Hefty Renew bags, paint, fluorescent bulbs, and more, the center has also steadily increased its totals, processing over 1.2 million pounds of materials in 2024. This growth, along with more than 28,000 patrons, acts as a powerful reflection of the community’s commitment to sustainability. The center’s continued success has done more than keep renewable resources out of the landfill–it’s fostered a greater sense of environmental responsibility among its residents.

Greenspace Guardian

This award commends a group who has added vibrancy and resiliency to the local landscape through native plantings, pollinator habitats, urban forests, or placemaking.

Keep Golden Isles Beautiful has made a remarkable impact on its community by creating a network of citrus orchards across Brunswick. These spaces, featuring orange and grapefruit trees, are strategically planted in high-traffic areas, including neighborhoods with low socio-economic populations. What initially started as a single grove has now expanded into 12 locations, with future plans for growth in Glynn County. The initiative addresses food insecurity by providing free, fresh fruit to passersby, and it also enhances the city’s tree canopy. In partnership with Coastal Greenery, which plants and maintains the trees, and the City of Brunswick, which provides land and watering, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful has cultivated a truly community-driven project that will benefit the area for years to come.