Community Corner

Local Pageant Queens Honored for Volunteer Services

Dacula and Mountain View pageant program participants receive awards for efforts on behalf of Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation.

Dacula and Mountain View pageant program participants were among those honored this year at the 66th annual Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) state conference.

Dacula and Mountain View pageant participants have donated more than 1,000 hours to Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation programs in the past six years according to a GCPR press release. The pageant queens range in age from pre-school to high school students.

“These young ladies have taken the lead in providing excellent service to the community at large and allowing GCPR to offer many programs they otherwise could not due to minimal staffing,” the release stated. “They are a shining example of young Gwinnett citizens working for the betterment of the community.”

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Other award recipients included:

  • Jeff Jansma - Volunteer Award in Therapeutic Recreation. Jansma, who represents the Gwinnett Masters Special Olympics (GMSO), has enabled his organization to serve hundreds of adult athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • Veterans of the Gwinnett Veterans Council War Memorial Museum - Volunteer Award for Facilities and Grounds. With the dedication and help of these volunteers, the Gwinnett Veterans Council War Memorial Museum located on the first floor of the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse has remained open.
  • Helping Others Organize Kreative Everyday Differences (H.O.O.K.E.D.) - Minority Section Award. H.O.O.K.E.D., a teen group sponsored by GCPR in conjunction with Gwinnett United in Drug Education (GUIDE), partnered with Norcross Elementary school to establish a regular reading program available to parents at no cost.
  • Teens In Leadership Training (TILT) - Program Section Award for Innovative Camp Award. TILT provides the skills and training teens need in order to serve as camp directors, counselors and role models.  The current TILT graduates served 13,200 hours. 
  • Stacy Fowler, Program Supervisor with GCPR - Distinguished Professional Award in the Athletic Section. Fowler was recognized for her contributions to adult athletics, an effort that has generated more participation in park programs and created a positive economic impact for the county.
  • GCPR - Senior Section Award. The Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Department was honored for the numerous programs and activities provided to seniors during the “May is Older Americans Month.”
  • Lois Allen - State Volunteer Award. Allen, former chair of the Gwinnett County Recreation Authority, was recognized for her dedication and involvement in parks and recreation for the past 40 years. Allen is credited with having played an integral part in the preservation of greenspace and park master planning in Gwinnett.

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