Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites employees, including those at Fort Morris, were honored last week during the 2026 Rangers Conference at Lanier Islands Resort. Assistant managers, interpretive rangers, maintenance rangers and golf superintendents participated in training sessions, team building, and seminars. An awards ceremony celebrated the efforts of those who make the 66 sites outstanding destinations for Georgia residents and visitors.
Fort Morris State Park was one of five parks and sites to win for most innovative program on a historic site, along with Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation, Fort King George State Park, Fort McAllister State Park and Wormsloe State Historic Site.
Their program, “Monumental Moments,” challenged participants to complete a series of five interpretive hikes across five distinct historic sites in less than 24 hours on New Year’s Day. The event began at midnight with a plantation house tour and concluded 17 hours later with a sunset hike and VIP reception. By coordinating complex logistics including custom tokens, registration, and specialized equipment, the program successfully engaged hundreds of participants, with 34 completing the entire five-site circuit.
The innovation of the program lies in its “outside the box” approach to heritage tourism, blending physical activity with site-specific living history. Each location offered a unique experience: a plantation house tour at Hofwyl-Broadfield, a Scottish Highlander demonstration at Fort King George, a colonial soldier camp at Fort Morris, Civil War cartridge-making at Fort McAllister, and a bagpipe serenade at Wormsloe. This multi-layered narrative provided a cohesive chronological journey through Georgia’s history while maximizing visitor exposure to multiple state sites in a single day.
Other winners included: Si Longmire Ranger of the Year Award - West Malenke, Interpretive Ranger at Tallulah Gorge State Park, Tallulah Falls In 18 years as interpretive ranger at Tallulah Gorge State Park, West Malenke has served as an educator, explorer, responder, and boating instructor. In 2025 alone, Malenke single-handedly lead 38 school field trips consisting of over 1,700 students. That is in addition to the other 1,400 visitors for which he led programs.
Customer Service Award Austin Brown, Assistant Manager at Fort Mountain State Park, Chatsworth Brown embodies genuine Southern hospitality, taking time to listen, engage, and show sincere care to everyone he interacts with. His calm demeanor and natural customer service skills earned him an administrative assistant role at Cloudland, where he became the face of park registration and set the tone for positive guest experiences.
Most Outstanding Maintenance Project - Crooked River Visitor Center Extension, Saint Mary’s Maintenance Technician Ronnie McClure designed and managed the construction of a 160-square-foot Visitor Center extension to meet retail security requirements. He led internal staff through the full build, including HVAC, electrical, and roofing, during the peak mowing season no less. This initiative was completed for a fraction of the cost of hiring specialized contractors while maintaining standard park operations.
Most Innovative Program on a Park - Plum Leaf Azalea Festival at Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin Providence Canyon hosted the first Plum Leaf Azalea Festival on July 19, 2025, corresponding with the program theme “Wild Georgia, a Plan for Tomorrow.” The festival showcased the rare plum leaf azalea, a threatened species indigenous to South Georgia and South Alabama that only blooms in July after all other azaleas have died off. The festival offered three programs: an ADA accessible indoor presentation with recent pictures of the wild azaleas blooming in the canyons, a guided hike into the canyons to see the azaleas up close and learn about the ecosystem they thrive in, and a presentation on 1800’s farming practices presented by Interpretive Ranger Chris Adams. Along with these programs, the festival also hosted several local vendors selling plants, honey, and food, and local agencies such as the Georgia Forestry Commission and Quail Forever giving attendees information on habitat and land management.
Golf Superintendent of the Year - Robert Greer, golf superintendent at Brazell’s Creek Golf Course, Jack Hill State Park, Reidsville Outstanding Housekeeping Award - Indian Springs State Park in Flovilla