Winners of the Annual Eagle Awards Announced by Alabama State Parks

Seven outstanding contributors were honored Saturday as winners of the 10th annual Eagle Awards during a ceremony at Lake Guntersville State Park.

The Eagle Awards program, sponsored by the Alabama State Parks Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), honors people or organizations who have made noteworthy contributions in support of Alabama State Parks.

"We are incredibly humbled by the many volunteers, community partners and elected officials who help our Alabama State Parks succeed," said ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship. "Their contributions help our State Parks attract millions of people every year and enrich the lives of Alabamians throughout the state. I'm so appreciative of these winners, because their work supports outdoor recreation and tourism. We are eternally grateful for their hard work and dedication."

This year's Eagle Award winners in each category are:

1. Government Official: Graham Sisson
2. Park Partner: Jonathan Farr, Walt Farr Native American Relic Museum - Park Partner
3. Park Partner: Cody Farr, Walt Farr Native American Relic Museum - Park Partner
4. Park Partner: Tim King, The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
5. Community Partner: Chris Stanley, Venture Out Supply
6. Volunteer in Parks: Beth Girard
7. Youth: Finley Rittenberry

Graham Sisson (Government Official): Served the State of Alabama for 28 years in a variety of leadership roles, including Executive Director of the Governor's Office on Disability (GOOD), Deputy Attorney General, State Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator, and Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services liaison to the State Rehabilitation Council. Through his work with the Alabama Trails Commission, he helped ensure outdoor recreational facilities and opportunities across Alabama are accessible to all. Graham also reviewed State Park construction plans to confirm code compliance and worked throughout the state park system as a consultant, providing staff training on accessibility and compliance standards.

Jonathan Farr and Cody Warr, Walt Farr Native American Relic Museum (Park Partner): The grandsons of Walt Farr are co-owners of the Walt Farr Native American Museum, formerly located within Cheaha State Park. The museum housed a remarkable collection of hundreds of Native American artifacts, including arrowheads, drills, and pottery, offering visitors a meaningful connection to Alabama's indigenous cultural history. This 15-year partnership with Alabama State Parks has inspired our park education team to develop a virtual exhibit that will continue educating visitors and students while honoring the enduring legacy of Walt Farr.

Tim King, The Caring Foundation of BCBS AL (Park Partner): King and his team at The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama have demonstrated exceptional support for the Alabama State Parks system through education and community engagement initiatives. Their commitment to the mission of Alabama State Parks has expanded access, strengthened health and educational equity, and helped cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards. This support has removed barriers for schools statewide, enabling high-quality, standards-aligned field trips and Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative(AMSTI)-approved teacher workshops.

Chris Stanley, Venture Out Supply (Community Partner): Stanley and his team consistently demonstrate a commitment to the accessibility, promotion and stewardship of Lake Guntersville State Park. They improve park resources with hands-on trail work, helping to ensure safe, sustainable mountain biking trails for all users, and their actions reflect outstanding service, leadership and dedication to the mission of the state park.

Beth Girard (Volunteer in the Parks): Girard is a passionate nature enthusiast and environmental educator who has helped create many exciting programs for Monte Sano State Park, including a new series of programs targeted for homeschoolers, and the success of the Junior Herpetologist Camp. She has assisted with Master Naturalist courses, Arthropod Adventure classes and conducted a program for a significant field trip group that visited the park. Beth continues to give hundreds of hours of her time selflessly to help promote and educate our park visitors.

Finley Rittenberry (Youth): Rittenberry embodies everything a true outdoorsman should be. His favorite outdoor activity is fishing at Roland Cooper State Park, and he is lovingly referred to as "Fishin' Fin." He spends countless days and hours participating in any event held within the park outside school hours and highlights the park by fishing and capturing gorgeous landscape pictures and sharing them with the locals around the park. He is currently working his way through his Junior Ranger Guidebook.

Alabama State Parks Director Matthew Capps said each Eagle Award winner made unique contributions and played a vital role in the State Parks System's success.

"The Eagle Award winners' accomplishments are truly inspiring," Capps said. "We're so fortunate that we have so many partners who work so hard to help our State Parks succeed. This is one way we can pause and thank them for all they have done."

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer or assisting the State Parks System can visit alapark.com or contact an individual park. To learn more about the Alabama State Parks Foundation or how to make an individual or corporate donation, visit asparksfoundation.org. Donations can be earmarked for individual projects or contributed to the Foundation's overall efforts to improve and sustain the Alabama State Parks System.

About the Alabama State Parks Division
The Alabama State Parks is a division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and maintains 21 state parks encompassing more than 50,000 acres of land and water in Alabama. The parks range from Gulf Coast beaches to Appalachian Mountains and provide opportunities and facilities from basic day-use activities to resort convention lodging, restaurants and golfing areas. These parks rely on visitor fees and the support of other partners like local communities to fund the majority of their operations. Learn more at www.alapark.com.

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