This Year's Award Winners

The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy and Central Virginia Land Conservancy's annual Conservation Celebration honors the hard work and dedication of local land heroes with the A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewarship Award and the inaugural George A. Kegley Award for Volunteerism.

A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award

This year's recipient of the A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award is Ron Crawford, a Botetourt County volunteer whose grassroots advocacy helped to conserve the top of Read Mountain and led to the creation of the Read Mountain Preserve park. Crawford started the group that became Read Mountain Alliance in 2001 to preserve the undeveloped slopes and ridges of Read Mountain. Crawford has diligently worked with the Alliance to conserve over 200 acres in the Roanoke County Park.

George Kegley Award for Volunteerism

The first recipient of the George Kegley Award is Linda Pharis of Roanoke. A former board member and past president of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, she also served on the Boards of the Richmond Printmaking Workshop and Habitat for Humanity.

The award is named after long-time land conservancy volunteer and supporter, George Kegley of Roanoke.