City Of Milton: 5 Inducted Into Milton's Wall Of Fame Before Supportive Crowd

Press release from the City of Milton:

11/15/2021 10:47 AM

The five newest members of Milton’s Wall of Fame were honored under bright blue skies this weekend during a ceremony that featured moving remarks before a large, supportive crowd.

The Saturday event occurred at Bell Memorial Park, the same place where several of the attendees made their marks as extraordinary athletes and contributors to the Milton parks and recreation scene. This was the third year that a class was inducted – and the first at which each honoree or a suitable representative was on hand to accept the honor. Several dozen others also came out to show their love for the honorees.

After a brief introduction from Parks and Recreation Manager Tom McKlveen, Milton Council member and Mayor-elect Peyton Jamison talked about how Milton is a community that loves its parks, loves the outdoors, and loves its sports.

“This year’s class is a great representation of what this Wall of Fame is all about,” Jamison said.

He commented on the attendees’ excellence and contributions, noting that one way to pay tribute to them was by supporting Milton recreation programs and parks – something in evidence at Bell Park, the upcoming turfing of two Cox Road athletic complex fields, and the opening of new trails at the Lackey Road greenspace and soon at the former Milton Country Club.

McKlveen then introduced the inductees one-by-one before welcoming them up to speak. They are:

• Chase Coleman, one of Milton High School’s all-time winningest athletes from his time playing basketball (reaching four state championship games, winning two of them in 2010 and 2012) and as a football captain who went on to play that sport at Stetson University
• Jim Cregge, a former president of the Hopewell Youth Association who coached, umpired (even creating a Youth Umpire Group) and helped transform Bell Memorial Park before serving as the City of Milton’s Parks and Recreation Director
• Jeff Fester, who was heavily involved in the Hopewell baseball program as a coach and founder of the Hopewell Hawks, the program’s travel-team component
• Tim Lester, a one-time NFL standout (known as “The Bus Driver” for leading the way for Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, who was among those in attendance) who made a major impact in his adopted hometown of Milton as a founder of the City’s first youth football program, coach, mentor and inspiration to many. One of his Lester’s sons spoke in his late father’s place.
• Kyle Sloter, a former member of Milton’s youth football program who went on to star as a quarterback at Mount Pisgah Christian Academy, the University of Southern Mississippi, University of Northern Colorado, and as a NFL player on five different teams

The purpose of the Wall of Fame is to recognize and honor deserving participants, coaches and contributors to Milton parks and recreation programs – both before and after the City’s incorporation. If you’d like to nominate someone for the 2022 class, go to www.cityofmiltonga.us/WallOfFame, scroll to the bottom, and enter in your nominee’s information.

This press release was produced by the City of Milton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.