Staff Reports
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Jackson County was well represented on the list of award winners at the annual Tennessee RiverLine Summit Awards Program. Two residents and the City of Bridgeport were named award recipients.
Tnriverline.org stated, “The Tennessee RiverLine proudly revealed the recipients of its 2023 awards during the 7th annual Tennessee RiverLine Summit at The Lodge at Pickwick Landing State Park. The event, held from February 25 to 28, brought together key stakeholders and partners to celebrate outstanding contributions to North America’s next great regional trail system.
The Tennessee RiverLine Awards program recognizes exemplary leadership in communities, individuals, and organizations committed to the transformational vision of the Tennessee RiverLine. These entities showcase dedication to its guiding principles through innovative Tennessee RiverTowns programming.
‘Partnerships power the Tennessee RiverLine. It stands as a testament that we can achieve something together that none of us could accomplish alone,’ said Brad Collett, Executive Director of the Tennessee RiverLine and professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. ‘Our dedicated team, UT Extension, and our principal partners, UT Knoxville and Tennessee Valley Authority, are inspired by the creative and place-based ways our collaborators in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee have made meaningful impacts in their communities and across the region.’
The 2023 Tennessee RiverLine Awards showcase partners who have significantly contributed to the continuous impact and development of the Tennessee RiverTowns Program. Their endeavors in 2023 underscore the program as a collaborative framework, actualizing the vision for the Tennessee RiverLine and yielding benefits in economic development, public health, resource stewardship, and equitable access.”
Several categories of awards were presented at the program. Bridgeport, Alabama, won the Excellence in River Animation award. The Excellence in River Animation Award recognizes a Tennessee RiverTowns community that has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to breaking down access barriers to river spaces and experiences through river animation programming that is safe, inclusive, and innovative. Bridgeport’s community efforts to engage youth in paddlesports activities last year demonstrated a commitment to expanding river users in the area. The initiatives showcase that the Tennessee River is an accessible recreation amenity that improves the quality of life and public health in Bridgeport. As recipients of the DEI Community Impact Grant, the Local Leadership Team in Bridgeport dedicated time and effort to implementing essential risk management and participant safety measures. This focused effort aimed to make rivers accessible to middle school students who lack their own paddling equipment or do not have easy access to such river experiences. Thanks to their hard work, the events empowered youth to feel welcomed and confident when accessing river spaces and experiences.
Two Jackson County individuals received the Extra Mile Award. This award honors volunteer members who have organized river animation and stewardship events, advocacy efforts, and other initiatives to heighten awareness of the Tennessee RiverLine and facilitate community participation. Each community’s Local Leadership Team is offered the opportunity to nominate a single member who demonstrates exemplary effort and leadership through their participation as an Extra Mile Award recipient.
Lieutenant Colonel John M. Walker of Bridgeport and Mountain Lakes Executive Director of Tourism Lydia Pennington earned the Extra Mile Award for their service to the Local Leadership Team.
Lieutenant Colonel Walker retired from the army after a distinguished career spanning 28 years in the military. After graduating from Jacksonville State University ROTC Department in 1984, he served in various roles, including Air Defense Artillery lieutenant at Fort Bliss, Military Intelligence Officer at Fort Huachuca specializing in imagery analysis, and brigade security and intelligence officer in Germany. After a stint as a Congressional Liaison Officer and Intelligence Budget Analyst, he returned to military service post-9/11. From 2001 to 2009, he worked on the intelligence general staff for the US Army Pacific Command, training allied armies in the Pacific theater. His service also included a 12-month combat tour in Baghdad, Iraq, where he led intelligence operations. Retiring in 2012, he now resides in his hometown of Bridgeport, AL, running a small horse farm with his wife and youngest son. He serves as the Senior Army Instructor for the Fort Payne High School JROTC. Besides the Extra Mile Award, he has been recognized with awards, including the Parachutists’ Badge, a Bronze Star, and the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster.
Lydia Pennington of Scottsboro serves as the Executive Director of Tourism at the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce. Prior to her current role, she served as the Director of Communications and marketing at the same Chamber for nearly two years. Before her involvement with the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Lydia spent four years at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber, initially as the Industry Relations Director for over three years and later as the Workforce Development Director for eight months.
All awardees were recognized at the 2024 Tennessee RiverLine Summit, presented by Board Safe Docks. This year’s Summit convened more than 160 partners from across the region for networking, engaging sessions, and excursions at The Lodge at Pickwick Landing State Park in Hardin County, TN.
