Georgia Rivers to host celebratory gala in September

Georgia Rivers a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the state s rivers is hosting a celebratory gala in Atlanta on Sept The event will commemorate the organization s effective efforts in halting a proposed project in which a mine would have been built near the Okefenokee Swamp For six years Georgia Rivers fought the proposed mineral mine a project that the nonprofit noted would have dewatered the canoe trails and headwaters of the St Marys and Suwannee Rivers Among the tactics Georgia Rivers combatted the project included lobbying at the Capitol increasing society awareness leading Okefenokee Wilderness canoe trips and connecting nature philanthropists to The Conservation Fund who purchased the likely mine site property according to a release While raising the visibility of the Okefenokee with music and movies and lobbying down at the Capitol is exciting the most of rewarding work is taking people boating on the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail and recruiting conservation buyers for protecting the swamp forever mentioned Rena Ann Peck executive director of Georgia Rivers During the gala Georgia Rivers will honor a number of people that the organization says played substantial roles in protecting the Okefenokee Swamp Among the honorees are Kim Bednarek Okefenokee Swamp Park executive director Andrew Schock and Stacy Funderburke The Conservation Fund Andrew Morse president of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Congressman Billy Stuckey and Rev Antwon Nixon founder of nonprofit Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls Additionally the event will celebrate the th anniversary of Paddle Georgia an annual week-long paddle and camping experience that Georgia Rivers offers for outdoor enthusiasts throughout the state When people are connected to our rivers they care about them And when they care about them they protect them declared Joe Cook founder of Paddle Georgia Event chairs Blain and Ivan Allen will host the gala at their family meadow located near the Governor s Mansion in Atlanta I first paddled into the Okefenokee as an th grader at Pace Academy wide-eyed and awe-struck by a world so different from my own explained Blain Allen Supporting Georgia Rivers and their mission to protect places like the Okefenokee is deeply personal for me I am proud to chair this year s Gala and help ensure future generations can fall in love with this swamp just like I did Proceeds from the event will go towards the Georgia Water Trails initiative and supporting Georgia Rivers work in promoting and protecting waterways throughout the state The post Georgia Rivers to host celebratory gala in September appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta