2 Cherokee Parks Volunteers Earn State Honors

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Two Cherokee County Recreation and Parks volunteers were recognized Tuesday night during the regular Board of Commissioners meeting.

Jason Nelms, former District 4 commissioner and longtime recreation and parks advisory board member, was awarded the Georgia Recreation & Parks Association Volunteer of the Year, and Delaine Cagle, accounts and reports manager for Cherokee County, was presented the GRPA Programmer’s Network Volunteer of the Year award. Both recipients were presented their awards by TJ Imberger, vice chair of the Georgia Recreation & Parks Association, which represents over 200 parks and recreation agencies in the state of Georgia.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of our agencies, and I’m excited tonight to recognize two of those citizen volunteers from your community,” Imberger said.

“It is always an honor to recognize volunteers for giving back to the community, but to see two of our very own here in Cherokee County being honored at the state level is a tremendous honor not only them, but us too,” said Jay Worley, Cherokee Recreation and Parks director. “Both Delaine and Jason are staples in our community and are well deserving for what they do.”

Cagle was selected for the GRPA Programmer’s Network Volunteer of the Year for her work with the Leisure Spectrum program. She volunteers on Tuesday evenings working with special needs youth.

“She is dedicated to the special needs youth in this county,” Imberger said.

The nomination submitted for Cagle describes her as someone who makes the Leisure Spectrum clients feel valued and loved. “She is an invaluable resource for our staff in successfully offering this program,” Worley said in his nomination.

“I love volunteering with this group. We have a lot of fun doing different activities such as music, bingo, bowling, etc. They are honest, kind, and always brighten my day with their enthusiasm and smiles,” Cagle said. “I do not volunteer to get awards. I do it because I really enjoy interacting with this group and they are dear to my heart. I am glad that the Leisure Spectrum program was recognized as I believe it is a very important part of Cherokee County Recreation and Parks and a vital part of the community.”

Nelms was recognized as the State Volunteer of the Year for his outstanding dedication to Recreation and Parks for the last 10 years. His volunteer work includes coach, board member and president of Cherokee Youth Football Association, member and chairman of the Cherokee Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, and as a coach for Cherokee Youth Basketball.

In his service as a District 4 Commissioner, Nelms was a champion for Recreation and Parks in Cherokee County, his nomination read. He consistently shares about Cherokee Recreation and Parks and stresses playing safe first and then how to be great team players.

“His dedication to our community has helped to make Recreation and Parks a priority,” the nomination read. “His leadership has helped to grow CYFA into a continually successful program, and has helped to champion Recreation and Parks opportunities throughout our county.”

“I don’t think it’s a ‘me’ thing. To me it’s a collaborative team award that everyone at CRPA has earned the honor of receiving,” Nelms said. “CRPA is the best of any other within our peer group of surrounding counties. The citizens of this county, our shareholders who we are accountable to, should be very proud and honored of all that CRPA and their incredible team does. The future is bright for Cherokee County and our incredible recreation and parks team.”

Also during the Board of Commissioners’ meeting, Chairman Harry Johnston read a proclamation,
proclaiming Oct. 20, 2020 Youth Sports Champions Day. The Board honored three local sports teams that recently won championships.

Head Coach Miles Lathem was recognized for the success of his team, the 6U Canton Stingers baseball team, that claimed the Dizzy Dean State Championship with a 15-5 win over West Cobb. Head Coach Matt Hackett was recognized for his team’s success – the CHILL Woodstock High School Roller Hockey Team won the Metro Atlanta Roller Hockey League State Championship, defeating the defending champions, McDonough High School. CHILL Woodstock Middle School Roller Hockey Team Head Coach Mark Smith was recognized for his team’s success, defeating the two-time state champion McDonough Middle School Team with a 6-0 win to become the Metro Atlanta Roller Hockey League State Champions. Cherokee Impact 16U Girls Soccer Team’s head coach Alex Pama – who was represented by coach Shane Moore – was honored for the team’s Georgia Soccer Athena A League Championship.

The teens secured the victor with a 10-1-1 record and earned them a promotion to the U.S. National League Piedmont Conference, elevating them to playing the best teams from South Carolina and North Carolina, in addition to other top Georgia teams.