KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — 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 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.
Award Categories and Recipients:
- Organizational Partner of the Year: UT Extension
- Individual Partner of the Year: Carrie Crawford, Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area
- Community Partner of the Year: Hardin County, TN
- J.E.D.I. Path Award: Shewanna Kendrick, The H2O Life
- Excellence in River Animation: Bridgeport, TN
- Excellence in River Stewardship: Spring City, TN
- Event of the Year: Chatt Town Cool Down, Chattanooga, TN
- Powered by Partnerships: NATR Fest
Extra Mile Awards:
- Knoxville, TN – Kim Bumpas
- Loudon, TN – Rodney Grugin
- Roane County, TN – Stephanie Wright
- Spring City, TN – Stephania Motes
- Meigs County, TN – Nadia Oliver
- Chattanooga, TN – Shawanna Kendrick
- South Pittsburg, TN – Walker Henley
- Bridgeport, AL – Lieutenant Colonel John M. Walker
- Jackson County, AL – Lydia Pennington
- Guntersville, AL – Katy Norton
- Huntsville, AL – Bob Stagg
- Decatur, AL – Dr. Bill Sims
- The Shoals, AL – Carrie Crawford
- Hardin County, TN – Brandon Weber
- Clifton, TN – Doug Kibbey
- Perry County, TN – Amanda Mathenia
- Benton County, TN – Josh Justice
- Calvert City, KY – Gene Colburn
- Paducah/McCracken County, KY – Jeff Canter and Steve Ervin
“It’s truly exhilarating to witness the developments unfolding in our Tennessee RiverTowns communities,” said Lizzy Gardner, Tennessee RiverLine Programs Director. “They serve as the vibrant core of this initiative, and their commendable passion, dedication, and tenacity greatly contribute to the success of our collective efforts.”
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.
Award recipients are nominated by members of the Tennessee RiverLine staff and Local Leadership Team members of each Tennessee RiverTowns community. All award recipients received a custom plaque commemorating their achievement. The award plaques are designed and fabricated by UT Knoxville students at the College of Architecture and Design’s Fab Lab.
ABOUT THE TN RIVERLINE
The Tennessee RiverLine is North America’s next great regional trail system. This historic multi-generational initiative offers economic development, public health, resource stewardship and equitable access benefits to 2.4 million people in diverse Tennessee River communities in four states. The Tennessee RiverLine is an initiative of the UT Extension and principal partners, UT Knoxville and TVA. For more information, visit tnriverline.org.
For more information about the Tennessee RiverLine Awards, visit tnriverline.org. Find Tennessee RiverLine on Facebook, Instagram and X .