A number of Hall County projects, as well as a Hall County elected official, were honored Friday at the Hall County Green Alliance's annual awards ceremony.
Hall County Resource Recovery received the Project/Initiative of the Year Award for Public Education and Outreach for the second year in a row. This time, the Resource Recovery Division was recognized for its "Caught GREEN Handed" program.
"We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to protect one of our most valuable resources-the earth," said Resource Recovery Superintendent Bobby Purdum. "It is always our goal to encourage more and more citizens to recycle, and we will continue to find new and innovative ways to reach that goal in the years to come."
During the week of Nov. 16- 20, 2015, Hall County Resource Recovery launched the "Caught GREEN Handed" program in partnership with Keep Hall Beautiful and the City of Gainesville to recognize citizens for their recycling efforts. Throughout the week, representatives from each organization handed out prizes at various compactor sites (as well as some local residents' homes) as a way of thanking them for their dedication to recycling. The recognition coincided with America Recycles Day on Nov. 15.
Hall County Resource Recovery also received the Project/Initiative of the Year Award last year for their "Adopt-a-Can" program.
In addition to that award, Hall County and the City of Gainesville were recognized for the purchase and installation of the Flat Creek Bandalong Litter Trap, a device purchased, operated and maintained by the two entities through an intergovernmental agreement signed in 2015. The litter trap, which addresses the issue of litter flowing into Flat Creek-- and ultimately Lake Lanier-- received the Alliance's Project of the Year Award for Land and Water.
The Hall County Green Alliance also honored Hall County for its part in the I-985 Exit 17 Park and Ride Lot/Sidewalk Initiative. In another collaborative effort, Hall County partnered with the Georgia Department of Transportation, the City of Oakwood and the University of North Georgia (UNG) in order to construct an ADA accessible sidewalk from the parking lot along Landrum Education Drive to tie in with the existing sidewalk system on the UNG campus. The project was hailed as the 2015 Project of the Year Award for Air/Energy for its partnership and innovation, resulting in highly-utilized and "green" transportation infrastructure.
Finally, District 2 Commissioner Billy Powell was honored as the 2015 Elected Official of the Year. Powell was lauded by the Alliance for his continuing push for a more efficient government and better service to citizens in Hall County's day-to-day operations. He was also commended for his work with the annual Shore Sweep event and his involvement in both the Hall County Green Alliance and Keep Hall Beautiful.
