ACC Leisure Services Department Wins Awards at Annual Conference

By Cathy Padgett

The Athens-Clarke County Department of Leisure Services was recently honored by the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) with several awards at its annual conference in Columbus.  

For the seventh time in the past nine years, the Department received the prestigious “Agency Award” for population of 80,001-150,001.  The award is based on outstanding programs and accomplishments over the past year.  

The Department also received awards recognizing outstanding programs and a publication. The Athens Creative Theatre program “Monologues and More for the Cognitively Disabled” was chosen as the Therapeutics Section’s Innovative Program.  The program created a theatre-based program exclusively for individuals with disabilities.  This is the second year in a row that the Department has received this award.   

The Marketing and Visibility Section selected the “Sandy Creek Nature Center Expansion Dedication Invitation” for a Publication Award which is based on visual appeal and creativity.   The design featured vivid photos of the center and property along with a creative layout.   

The Special Event Award was presented to the Lyndon House Arts Center staff for the “India Festival.”  This special event celebrated Indian culture through art, dance, food, literature, music, and sports.   This award’s criteria include community involvement and impact on the community.  

The Innovative Camp Award honored “Teen Top Chef Art Camp” held at Lyndon House Arts Center.  This unique teen program used the combination of food and the idea of food as art to develop a summer camp, complete with a competition judged by an award winning chef. 

This award recipient is selected based on interagency cooperation, community involvement, impact on participant, and overall uniqueness of the program.
 
“It is very exciting to see the work of our staff recognized by our peers from across the state,” said Pam Reidy, ACC Leisure Services Department Director. “We look forward to continuing to offering award-winning programs to the community.”