TUSCUMBIA-The Northwest Alabama Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council won two state awards for 2017 –Council Member of the Year and Hall of Fame– at the Alabama Association of RC&D Council (AARC&DC) meeting in Perdido Beach, Alabama, on Monday, April 3, 2017.
Vice-Chairman Don Barnwell of Hackleburg, Alabama, won the award for Council Member of the Year among the AARC&DC Members for 2017. Don Barnwell has served the Northwest AL RC&D for 22 years. He is also currently a Hackleburg Town Councilman, and he was previously a Marion County Commissioner. Don demonstrated success in three major areas to win this award: innovation/spirit, outreach/team-building, and coordination. Don has worked tirelessly for the people in his community, and he plans to continue doing so as long as he is able.
Retired Executive Director Charlie Meek won the Hall of Fame award among the Alabama Association of RC&D Council Members for 2017. Charlie Meek served the Northwest AL RC&D Council for 12 years, and he also served RC&D in Georgia for a few years prior to that. He is currently retired as of October 2016, but he left a legacy behind with his admirable work ethic, new and improved ideas, and ability to include and collaborate with countless community members and agencies. Charlie exhibited the following characteristics to receive this great honor: commitment, dedication, effective leadership, integrity, efforts above and beyond normal duties, innovative ideas, and exemplification of the RC&D spirit.
The Northwest AL RC&D Council serves five counties – Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Marion, and Winston counties. We are a 501©3 non-profit organization that has four employees and seven board members. We give education and state grants to members of our community (i.e. schools, local government agencies, other non-profits) for the betterment of our economy, our education, and our earth. We are one of nine councils in the state of Alabama. We are also a member of the regional RC&D (Southeast RC&D Council) and the national RC&D (National Association of RC&D Councils).
Media Release/Brianna Coleman Burns
Program Assistant
Northwest AL RC&D
