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Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites employees were honored this week during the 2026 Rangers Conference at Lanier Islands Resort. Assistant managers, interpretive rangers, maintenance rangers and golf superintendents participated in training sessions, team building, and seminars. An awards ceremony celebrated the efforts of those who make the 66 sites outstanding destinations for Georgia citizens and visitors.
2026 Award Recipients
Si Longmire Ranger of the Year Award
West Malenke, Interpretive Ranger at Tallulah Gorge State Park, Tallulah Falls
In 18 years as Interpretive Ranger at Tallulah Gorge State Park, West Malenke has served as an educator, explorer, responder, and boating instructor. In 2025 alone, West single-handedly lead 38 school field trips consisting of over 1700 students. That is in addition to the other 1400 visitors for which he led programs.
For nearly two decades West has responded to those in need of help in the Gorge. He also works to prevent such incidents through education during permit classes, honest conversations with visitors, and personally sweeping the Gorge Floor for entrapment hazards before whitewater releases. For those countless lives protected and educated, we are proud to present West Malenke with the Si Longmire Ranger of the Year award.
Customer Service Award
Austin Brown, Assistant Manager at Fort Mountain State Park, Chatsworth
Austin Brown is the definition of the Division’s “We Serve” motto. He embodies genuine Southern hospitality, taking time to listen, engage, and show sincere care to everyone he interacts with. His calm demeanor and natural customer service skills earned him an Admin Assistant role at Cloudland, where he became the face of park registration and set the tone for positive guest experiences. Now serving as Assistant Manager at Fort Mountain, Austin continues to lead with the same warmth, efficiency, and service-first attitude that makes a lasting impact across the DNR family.
Most Outstanding Maintenance Project
Crooked River Visitor Center Extension, Saint Mary’s
Maintenance Technician Ronnie McClure designed and managed the construction of a 160-square-foot Visitor Center extension to meet retail security requirements. He led internal staff through the full build, including HVAC, electrical, and roofing, during the peak mowing season no less. This initiative was completed for a fraction of the cost of hiring specialized contractors while maintaining standard park operations.
Golf Superintendent of the Year
Robert Greer, Golf Superintendent at Brazell’s Creek Golf Course, Jack Hill State Park, Reidsville
Above creating an inviting course at Brazell’s Creek, Rob tackles projects head on. Due to a major waterline break, Rob worked through the challenge of being without water on the golf course for several months. He attempted repairs, contacted vendors, and scheduled service. He and his staff worked diligently on two stabilization projects on the board walk to prevent future issues with the irrigation pipe. Rob also fixed all areas of concern on the cart path boardwalk immediately after issues were noted during elevated structure surveys. Rob continually goes above and beyond assisting the clubhouse with staging carts in the morning, running golf tournaments, picking the range, and filling in at the pro shop as needed. Rob planted native wildflowers and made other enhancements to the pro shop and maintenance areas to make them more aesthetically pleasing and replaced rotted siding at the cart barn to prevent further damage. Rob is a true asset to Brazell’s Creek and Jack Hill State Park.
Most Innovative Program on a Historic Site
“Monumental Moments” First Day Hikes at Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic Site, Fort King George State Park, Fort Morris State Park, Fort McAllister State Park, and Wormsloe State Historic Site
This program challenged participants to complete a series of five interpretive hikes across five distinct historic sites in less than 24 hours on New Year’s Day. The event began at midnight with a plantation house tour and concluded 17 hours later with a sunset hike and VIP reception. By coordinating complex logistics including custom tokens, registration, and specialized equipment, the program successfully engaged hundreds of participants, with 34 completing the entire five-site circuit.
The innovation of the program lies in its "outside the box" approach to heritage tourism, blending physical activity with site-specific living history. Each location offered a unique experience: a plantation house tour at Hofwyl-Broadfield, a Scottish Highlander demonstration at Fort King George, a colonial soldier camp at Fort Morris, Civil War cartridge-making at Fort McAllister, and a bagpipe serenade at Wormsloe. This multi-layered narrative provided a cohesive chronological journey through Georgia’s history while maximizing visitor exposure to multiple state sites in a single day.
Most Innovative Program on a Park
Plum Leaf Azalea Festival at Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin
Providence Canyon hosted the first-annual Plum Leaf Azalea Festival on July 19th, 2025, corresponding with the program theme “Wild Georgia, a Plan for Tomorrow”. The festival showcased the rare plum leaf azalea, a threatened species indigenous to South Georgia and South Alabama that only blooms in July after all other azaleas have died off. The festival offered three programs: an ADA accessible indoor presentation with recent pictures of the wild azaleas blooming in the canyons, a guided hike into the canyons to see the azaleas up close and learn about the ecosystem they thrive in, and a presentation on 1800’s Farming Practices presented by Interpretive Ranger Chris Adams. Along with these programs, the festival also hosted several local vendors selling plants, honey, and food, and local agencies like the Georgia Forestry Commission and Quail Forever giving attendees information on habitat and land management.
Outstanding Housekeeping Award
Indian Springs State Park, Flovilla
Led by Head Housekeeper Kathy Edwards, the Indian Springs Housekeeping team are known for having a positive attitude, hard work, attention to detail, and cleanliness. Thanks to their efforts, the site enjoys consistent positive visitor reviews about the cottages. The housekeeping team is always willing to help in other areas of the park when needed. They have also worked hard on getting the cottages ready for Division and Departmental functions, meetings, and trainings. They also keep a quality inventory count of supplies and linens, and report any equipment needs with washers, dryers, and linen carts.
