Whippoorwill Award
The Whippoorwill Award is presented each year to an LRA member who has demonstrated his/her love for Lake Rabun by many years of service to and involvement in lake activities. Recipients of this award have demonstrated a strong spirit of volunteerism but may not have been publicly recognized for his/her contributions.
Criteria
Any LRA member can nominate an eligible member for the Whippoorwill 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)
2024 WHIPPOORWILL AWARD RECIPIENT
Dee McElroy
The Whippoorwill Award is presented each year to a LRA Member who has demonstrated their love for Lake Rabun by many years of service to and involvement in Lake Activities, showing a spirit of volunteerism, and has not necessarily been recognized for their contributions.
Dee McElroy has been an enthusiastic leader and participant in all things Lake Rabun. When we needed leadership, she was there, and when we needed support and back up, Dee is the one you could count on. It is not about one thing – it is the totality of her involvement and support that have made the difference to our community.
She worked for years with our Tour of Homes. She started volunteering as a docent and then she and Betty King served as hostesses for the Barge House in 2014. They were House Chairs for all the houses in 2016 and they chaired the entire event in 2018 when they also published a new Lake Rabun cookbook. Dee’s home was used for one of the photo shoots and she was the person that coordinated getting all the recipes tested, rated, and turned into Mary Boland. If a tester had any question about a recipe, it was Dee that contacted the person that turned in that recipe to find out the answer to the question. Believe me, there were LOTS of things left out of recipes and lots of questions! It was a massive job – on top of putting on the Tour of Homes.
She has hosted boathouse yoga on her boathouse for over 7 years – including through the pandemic. In 2016 she organized a hiking group that runs from October to April each year and continues to coordinate this group for full time residents on the lake. Almost all the lunch gatherings after the hikes are at a restaurant, but one of the treats of the hiking season every year is a delicious lunch provided by Dee at her home. She is also a Connections Person for one of our scholarship students.
When you want something done and done well, then Dee McElroy is the person you call. Whether it is Smoke on the Mountain, the Flea Market, The Market at Lake Rabun, Local on the Lake, Centennial Birthday Party, kayaking, or the Lakemont Book Club, if there is something being done to benefit the Foundation or bring people together and enrich their lives, then Dee McElroy is one of the firsts to volunteer to help or lead. During the off season, Dee has organized a group of lake folks for hiking and lunching together. She has done this for years and it is a key to strengthening relationships among full-time residents.
The Whippoorwill Award has been awarded annually since 1991. LRA members will likely recognize or know personally most of the following past recipients because of their long-term service and volunteerism in the lake community.
Past Recipients
| Year | Recipient |
| 2024 | Dee McElroy |
| 2023 | Ruddy Deas |
| 2022 | Thad Warren |
| 2021 | Helen McSwain |
| 2020 | Laura Rhodes |
| 2019 | Anne Pledger & Bob Pledger |
| 2018 | Bob Voyles |
| 2017 | Barbara Roper |
| 2016 | Steve Raeber |
| 2015 | Marie Brownlow |
| 2014 | Mike Swink |
| 2013 | Rick Asbill |
| 2012 | Libby Matthews |
| 2011 | Kirk Knous |
| 2010 | Penny Burkitt Marshall |
| 2009 | Felicia Lease |
| 2008 | Charlie Arp |
| 2007 | Dave & Jeanne Cowan |
| 2006 | Denny & Ann Webb |
| 2005 | Carole Raeber |
| 2004 | Jim Funk |
| 2003 | Jean Sheldon |
| 2002 | Joe Hamiliton |
| 2001 | Betty R. Moore |
| 2000 | Jack King |
| 1999 | Buz Stone |
| 1998 | Clayton Rich |
| 1997 | Patty Gray |
| 1996 | Lib Kennedy |
| 1995 | Ben Noble |
| 1994 | Roses Longino |
| 1993 | Winnie Brown |
| 1992 | Herta Schartle |
| 1991 | Stuart Witham |
