A Night of “Firsts” for Cherokee & GRPA

Posted Tuesday, December 12, 2006

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The Georgia Recreation & Park Association’s (GRPA) 61st Annual Conference & Trade Show experienced two “firsts” during the Awards Banquet held November 9 at the Civic Center in Savannah. The banquet recognizes professionals, agencies and volunteers for the work and promotion of recreation and parks in their local communities and throughout the State of Georgia.

Both “firsts” occurred simultaneously when Cherokee Recreation & Parks Authority (CRPA) Director Keith Hammond was presented with GRPA’s highest professional award, the “Distinguished Professional Award.” The honor made Hammond and his late father Roy the first and only father-son tandem to receive the Distinguished Professional award from GRPA, as Roy Hammond had received the same designation in 1967. The first half of the “first” was completed moments prior as Hammond had been at the awards podium presenting the GRPA “Mike Daniel Award” to CRPA Assistant Director Kim Hamilton. The Mike Daniel Award is the highest award given by GRPA for outstanding work at the local programming level. With these 2006 statewide awards, Hammond and Hamilton become the first and the only recipients from the same agency to receive these GRPA awards in the same year.

Another award presented to CRPA at the 61st Annual Conference’s Business Meeting held on November 8 was the Outstanding Publication Award, which recognized the CRPA Annual Report in the multi-event awards category. Last month, CRPA was also recognized as the “Agency of the Year” by GRPA’s District 5 membership.

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