Heritage Sandy Springs Honors Volunteers

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Heritage Sandy Springs members, volunteers and staff gathered earlier this month for its annual meeting and volunteer recognition ceremony where its 2017 award recipients were commended for their support. These volunteers were honored for their dedication to the community and their outstanding volunteer contributions to the nonprofit organization.

“We are so very proud of all that our Heritage Sandy Springs volunteers have done over the past three decades – as board members, committee chairs, community volunteers, and friends of Heritage Sandy Springs – to get us where we are today,” said Executive Director Carol Thompson. “Volunteers have put in countless hours over many years to help create a gathering place for our community where we can come together to celebrate our culture, to learn about our history, to connect with nature, to enjoy music with family and friends, or just to sit on a bench and eat a sandwich. You have done amazing work for this community, and we salute you."

The 2017 volunteer awards and recipients were:

Youth Volunteer Of The Year Award – Ainslee Coombs

The recipient of this award is recognized for outstanding contributions to the community through volunteer work with events or programs such as the Festival, Concerts, museum programming, membership events, etc.

Group Volunteer Award – North Springs Charter High School’s Thespian Honor Troupe #4389

This award recognizes excellence in dedication to volunteering by a group of individuals volunteering on behalf of a community group, organization, or business.

James Kambourian Landscape Award – Jim Brannon

Honors an individual or organization for outstanding contributions to the Heritage Green gardens, park landscaping, and nature-based programs.

Historic Achievement Award – Leslie Walden

Recognizes outstanding volunteer work that uses Heritage Sandy Springs’ historic collections to help the community better understand and appreciate local heritage through: cataloging collections, archives, and library resources; collections conservation; exhibition development and support; and / or original research.

Community Partner Award – The Reporter Newspapers

Established in 2005, this award honors business sponsors for their exemplary support of the organization through sponsorship, provision of volunteers, equipment, and/or expertise for programs or physical improvements to the site.

Sandy Springs Festival Volunteer Award – Drew Mancini and Brent Schwieger

Honors extraordinary service to the community through volunteer commitment to the Sandy Springs Festival.

Volunteer Of The Year Award – Erica Bibbey

Recipient is selected based on extraordinary services during the current year. Bibbey co-created and leads the Heritage Sandy Springs Outdoors Club.

President's Award – Bob and Susan Beard

This award is given at the discretion of the President of the Board of Trustees for outstanding contributions to Heritage Sandy Springs.

Garnett Cobb Outstanding Volunteer Award – Danny Martin

A recipient is selected from among all volunteers who have exhibited extraordinary service over the years, not limited to the current year of service.

For more information about Heritage Sandy Springs, visit its website at www.heritagesandysprings.org.

Photo: Erica Bibbey, who co-created and leads the Heritage Sandy Springs Outdoors Club. Credit: Dark Rush Photography