Stan Murray Award for Volunteer Service

In 1989, the Stanley A. Murray Award for Volunteer Service was created to honor persons who have made outstanding volunteer contributions to the work of SAHC emulating the lifelong dedication of our founder, Stanley A. Murray. The following are a list of the award recipients:

1989 - Richard M. Currie, Jr., Kingsport, TN - Rick served on the Board of Directors and as a corporation and board secretary for five years. Until SAHC received a computer, Rick was responsible for handling all thank you letters and renewal noticed. Rick volunteered his legal services for many years.

1990 - Robert M. Harvey, Newland, NC - Bob maintains and monitors the overmountain victory trail, serves as a field assistant for research on the balds and initiated the Adopt a Patch program for individuals interested in the on-going maintenance for a single area. Year round Bob recruits volunteers and members to SAHC.

1991 - Ed Schell, Johnson City, TN. - Ed has been a member since 1976 and has graciously donated the use of his nature photographs to SAHC to use for note cards, calendars, and special publications. His book, Tennessee, has been made available to SAHC at cost and he is always donating the sales of the book. Ed is a perennial favorite hike leader at our Annual Meetings and works closely with the Stewardship committee identifying plants of note in the Highlands.

1992 - Darrol Nickels, Kingsport, TN - Darrol is a founding member who handled the bulk mailings for SAHC for several years and a favorite hike leader at the Conservancy's annual meetings. Darrol had assisted the Konnarock Crew with grassy bald maintenance, Appalachian Trial shelter construction, bridge building and trail relocation. He is also an "End-to-Ender" - he's hiked the entire Appalachian Trail.

1993 - Helen Hollingsworth, Johnson City TN. - Helen served as editor of SAHC's printed materials including Highlands Bulletin for fourteen years. Her craft for the English language enhanced our ability to communicate our message to the public.

1994 - Arthur Smith, Kingsport, TN - Arthur, an accomplished birder and naturalist, he was a teacher in the largest sense of the word - helping others understand the natural world, so that they may become leaders themselves. Arthur led hikes for SAHC for many years. His depth of knowledge inspired many to love special places and to join in the effort to protect them.

1995 - Tom Gatti, Kingsport, TN. - Tom's work with the Conservancy began in 1976 as the Conservancy's first seasonal ecologist and he hasn't stopped volunteering! Tom has worked hundreds of hours coordinating and leading hikes, assisting with mailings,balds maintenance, trail relocation work, stream bank stabilization and the list continues.

1996 - Harry R. "Hank" Gamble, Johnson City, TN - Hank's volunteer service encompasses all the aspects of good stewardship: from balds management to the care and feeding of goats and their canine companions; from public education to stream clean-up; from surveying flying squirrel boxes to cleaning up litter.

1997 - Dan & Rosalie Russo, Jonesborough, TN - Dan and Rosalie's volunteer service and membership in the Conservancy began in 1990. They not only engaged in briar bashing on Roan for our stewardship programs, but also stuffed envelopes, licked stamps, solicited members, and have written cogent, well-informed letters to public officials.

1998 - William Smith, Asheville, NC, - William first gazed on the Southern Appalachian Highlands on a hiking trip in 1962 when he and his companions climbed Blue Ridge Pinnacle. The experience kindled a lifelong love of the mountains. Some sixty years later, he joined volunteer crews of SAHC and served on the Board of Trustees from 1985 -1991. He will be remembered as a quiet saint whose energy and kindness will always inspire us.

1999 - Robert G. Young, Bakersville, NC - Not only does Bob engages in briar bashing every year on the Roan, but he is also actively serves on the SAHC Stewardship Committee and the Roan Mountain Steering Committee.

2000 - Frank Oglesby, Sr., Kingsport, TN - Frank has served as a volunteer of the organization since the very beginning. Frank founded the Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club in 1946 and in 1947 volunteered the club to maintain the AT from Erwin, TN to Damascus, VA, which continues to this day. At that time the AT was mostly on roads. Frank and others moved it to largely its location today.

2001 - Dr. Charles T. McCullough, Jr., Asheville NC - Charlie served on the board of trustees for six years and along with Wilma Dykeman and Mimi Cecil served as Honorary Chair of SAHC's successful three-year, $4.2 Million Capital Campaign.

2002 - David Ramsey, Johnson City, TN - For the past 3 years, David has produced a scenic, informational calendar as a popular fundraising and outreach tool for SAHC. He has carried out this project entirely on his own. He covered his printing costs and then donated the rest to the Conservancy. As a general manager of Mahoneys' Outfitters in Johnson City, TN, he has generously supported our fundraising events in a number of ways for several years. David also volunteers on our annual balds maintenance team and is always ready to lead a hike.

2003 - Anita Reilly, Kingsport, Tennessee, was a former student of Carolyn Novak's web design class at ETSU. She is retired, a wife, mother, and grandmother who enjoys tennis, reading, bridge and creating and maintaining websites. Anita has been more than happy to work for SAHC on a pro bono basis over the last two years in keeping our website up-to-date. She has been offered a complimentary pass to the weekend festivities, but prefers to work behind the scenes and doesn't wish to be compensated in any way. There have been numerous comments from members and affiliates praising the web site. We are extremely thankful for the great work that Anita does for the organization and look forward to a lasting relationship.

If you know of someone you would like to nominate for the 2005 recipient, please send us an email and let us know who you would like to nominate and why. Nominations are accepted from April 1 through March 1.

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