Whippoorsnapper Award

The Whippoorsnapper Award was created in 2018 to recognize and encourage the contributions and Lake Rabun community volunteer efforts of a deserving young person. Fashioned after the Whippoorwill Award, which recognizes long-term volunteer service, the Whippoorsnapper Award gives credit to the next generation and its volunteer activity on the lake.

Be it lake clean-up, event participation, water safety, technical skills, recruitment, or committee work, a Whippoorsnapper personifies the spirit of giving and character of an up-and-coming member and potentially a future Whippoorwill. This award shines a light on and gives credit to our many young people who will carry the torch for the future of the Lake Rabun Association.

Criteria

• An individual who is an ambassador for promoting the mission statement and goals of the LRA.
• An individual who steps up willingly to facilitate efforts by the LRA and has volunteered or assisted with multiple events or committees for at least two years.
• An individual who exhibits character, willingness, and energy and displays positive role modeling for others in his/her peer group.
• An individual who is a problem solver and communicates ideas thoughtfully.

The Whippoorsnapper Award is announced at Labor Day member meetings, although it may not be awarded yearly.

Any LRA member can nominate an eligible member for the Whippoorsnapper by completing the nomination form and submitting it to Mike Swink by email or mail no later than August 1st, as noted on the form.

NOMINATION FORM (Microsoft Word)
NOMINATION FORM (PDF)

2024 WHIPPOORSNAPPER AWARD RECIPIENT

Mary Turner Troutman

The Whippoorsnapper Award gives credit to the next generation.  The Whippoorsnapper Award shines light on and gives credit to the people that will carry the torch for the future of our organization.

Her love of the lake naturally evolved into volunteerism with the Lake Rabun Association. Mary Turner has helped with the Tour of Homes as a dock volunteer, with the Rabun Ramble for several years, and most recently with the LoCAL art event. She has also served as a mentor to one of our scholarship students in the Lake Rabun Foundation Connections Program. Mary Turner currently serves on the LRA Board of Trustees. She also serves on the Technology Committee as the Social Media Chair. In that capacity, she manages all LRA social media announcements and posts which ensures the dissemination of immediate, up to the minute information for our membership. It is a critically important job and one she does with intelligence and graciousness. She knows her stuff and it is a blessing to us all that someone of her generation is willing to volunteer and serve.

PAST RECIPIENTS

Year	Recipients
2024	Mary Turner Troutman
2023	Hannah Salwen
2019	Emily Thompson
2018	Forrest Kennedy