Presenting the awards was Horace Horn with PowerSouth Energy; Angus Cooper, III, AWF President; Susan Comensky with Alabama Power Company and Commissioner Gunter Guy
GUNTERSVILLE-Mike O’Neal of Guntersville was recently awarded the Hunter Safety Instructor of the Year Award at the 2016 Alabama Wildlife Federation Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards banquet. The Alabama Wildlife Federation held the banquet, co-sponsored by Alabama Power Company and PowerSouth Energy on Friday, August 5, 2016 at The Marriott Legends at Capitol Hill in Prattville. Additional sponsors included Talladega Superspeedway, Ralph & Catherine Martin, III, Josh & Mary Virginia Mandell, Russell Lands, River Bank & Trust, Stifel, Ball, Ball, Matthews & Novak, P.A., UBS Financial Services, Inc., Longleaf Wealth Management, WeldenField Development, Lee Thuston, CDG Engineers & Associates, Consolidated Construction Co., First South Farm Credit, Scott Bridge Company and David & Kelly Thomas. The Westervelt Company and Hammer Construction sponsored the social event prior to the banquet. Alabama Gulf Seafood was sponsored by the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission.
The AWF Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards (GCAA) are the most respected conservation honors in the state of Alabama. Over the past 30 years, the AWF has presented these awards to individuals and organizations that make great contributions to the conservation of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources.
Since obtaining certification in 1993, Mike has become an excellent hunter safety instructor by combining his love of the outdoors, his enthusiasm for teaching, and his desire to enhance safety programs in Marshall County. Mike has led well over 50 classes, reaching and certifying thousands of students.
Mike has donated a tremendous amount of time and money; always looking for new equipment, materials and facilities to enhance the hunter safety program. He understands and conveys the importance of safe and ethical practices, while engaging in the conservation of our wildlife and related natural resources.
As one of his peers stated, “Alabama has one of the best hunter safety records in the Southeast, and Mike’s leadership is partly responsible for that accomplishment. His level of dedication and enthusiasm is matched by few.”
The GCAA was created to promote leadership by example and in turn increase conservation of the natural resources in the state of Alabama including its wildlife, forests, soils, water and air. The program is designed to bring about a greater knowledge and awareness of conservation practices and projects and to give proper recognition to those persons and organizations that make outstanding contributions to the natural resource welfare of their community and state.
Media Release/MARLA RUSKIN, Communications Specialist
Alabama Wildlife Federation
