Golden Triangle RC&D named “2022 Outstanding Council of the Year” by the National Association of RC&D Councils

The National Association of RC&D Councils has recognized Golden Triangle RC&D as “Outstanding Council of the Year” for 2022. This award recognizes the hard work that Golden Triangle RC&D has done throughout the year and celebrates FY 2019, 2020, and 2021 accomplishments. Golden Triangle RC&D has committed and strong leadership and a talented, dedicated, and hardworking staff. The team is flexible and can put boots on the ground…quickly. They forge new partnerships while maintaining current ones and are constantly seeking out new opportunities to learn and grow. The organization is willing to work and think creatively, inspire others, and continuously listen and make improvements. Golden Triangle thanks our Staff, Board, Representatives, and Partners for making this accomplishment possible.

Golden Triangle Awarded The Georgia Water Coalition - Clean 13 Award

Press Release: “In Southwest Georgia, the Golden Triangle Resource Conservation and Development Council, among many other initiatives, educates local county road crews on best practices for maintaining the region’s many dirt roads—an effort that keeps dirt out of streams and protects imperiled aquatic wildlife. The Council is producing a series of educational videos promoting tourism along the Flint River.”

Golden Triangle Receives “2019 RC&D of the Year” Award from the Southeast Association of RC&D’s 

The Golden Triangle Resource and Conservation Development Council was recently recognized for its service to the SWGA region through an award presented by the Southeastern RC&D Association.  Biennially, the Southeast US Conference of Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils recognizes several of its member Councils with a handful of awards for outstanding service to their particular region. Southwest Georgia’s Council, Golden Triangle RC&D based in Blakely, was recognized as the “2019 RC&D Council of the Year.”  The 2019 RC&D Council of the Year Award recognizes the RC&D Council that makes the greatest impact on the priority concerns of the local community and beyond by developing partnerships that contribute to the overall area plan, fostering participation by partners and local citizens (including underserved groups), facilitating efforts to implement projects and ensuring the sustainability of the RC&D Program through good non-profit management. The association identifies councils who promote projects with meaningful and sustainable social, economic, environmental, and/or conservation outcomes, especially projects that can be adapted by other RC&D Councils throughout the state; Use innovative approaches in solving local natural resource and community development needs; Move toward sustainability through good non-profit management; Promote the inclusion of underserved groups in RC&D Council membership, incorporating the insights and skills offered by underserved groups in RC&D Council work, and addressing the needs of underserved groups in the community; and Promote lasting partnerships and coordination among project partners.  Golden Triangle was delighted to have their council President, Billy Roland and their Executive Director, Rhonda Gordon at the recent conference in Asheville, North Carolina to receive the award.  Golden Triangle is honored by the award and affirms the “true team effort” it takes on a consistent basis to win an award of this merit.  “We are blessed with a great team, from our directors and members who offer their support and guidance to our amazing staff and partners who work together to make a difference” says Rhonda Gordon, Executive Director.  

Golden Triangle Executive Director receives McCarty Award for Outstanding RC&D Council Employee   

Each year, The Southeast US Conference of RC&D’s recognizes an outstanding RC&D employee who “effectively initiates and manages RC&D Council projects and empowers his or her RC& D Council to utilize the resources available through the RC&D program.”  Golden Triangle was honored to have our Executive Director, Rhonda Gordon, recognized as the recipient of The McCarty Award for Outstanding RC&D Council Employee for 2017. While grateful for this honor, she strongly affirms that it has been a team effort of everyone involved that has made Golden Triangle RC&D prosperous and achieved the success recognized in this award.

Golden Triangle President Billy Roland appointed as Georgia State RC&D Association Vice President

Golden Triangle is part of a statewide association of RC&D’s. The 11 member groups gather each quarter to share updates and network. It is also an opportunity to get the latest from our state association representative who advocates on our behalf in the state legislature. Golden Triangle’s President, Billy Roland, and Executive Director, Rhonda Gordon, regularly participate in statewide assocation meetings and projects. Gordon was uses these as opportunities to share about our numerous and diverse activities that make Golden Triangle one of the most active RC&D’s in the state. Roland was elected to be Vice President of the state association at a gathering in June of 2017. We are honored and grateful for his willingness to take this leadership role alongside state association president Jeanette Jamieson.  We trust that his participation and leadership will play a meaningful role in facilitating further success for RC&D’s across Georgia.

Board Members Recognized for 25 years of Service:

In April 2017, Billy Roland and Luther Clearman were honored at a dinner event for the exceptional length of service and dedication to the Golden Triangle Regional Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council.  Roland and Clearman have both served with the natural resource conservation non-profit group in various capacities since its inception in 1992. Together they have served as the representatives for Miller County to the RC&D, and in recent years Roland has been the President while Clearman has served as Vice President. Golden Triangle RC & D presented each gentleman with a plaque at their recent quarterly meeting held at the Moby Dick restaurant in Colquitt on April 20, 2017. The plaques carried the statement “With deepest gratitude for your 25 years of distinguished service and support of the Golden Triangle RC&D Council. Thank you for your dedication and devotion to our organization.” Clearman served as Mayor of Colquitt for many years while Roland is a Georgia Forestry Commission retiree and has served many other leadership roles in the community. “We are very honored to have their leadership and insight on our organization,” says Golden Triangle’s Executive Director Rhonda Gordon. “We look to our board to provide us with the necessary knowledge and education to carry out our mission.” She notes the board’s diversity with each member bringing some valuable component of expertise to the table.  “Clearman and Roland have provided excellent leadership in helping pull all the different components together,” says Gordon.