On Thursday the Tennessee River Gorge Trust had the great honor to acknowledge a very special individual, T.O. Helton. The event was held in Downtown Chattanooga at Table Two. Mr. Helton was surrounded by his family & friends when he was presented with the 2008 Adele Hampton Life Achievement Award for Conservation.

During the ceremony, Jack Kruesi, TRGT President, and Jim Brown, TRGT Executive Director, each shared stories of how T.O.'s generous contributions to the Trust will benefit our community for many years to come. T.O. joined the Board of Directors in 1995. During his five year term, his leadership was instrumental in the renegotiation of a multi-year lease agreement between the TRGT and BuzziUnicem. As the Chairperson of the "Rock Quarry Committee," T.O.'s guidance led to the preservation of half of Little Cedar Mountain. It also kept the rock quarry open, keeping hundreds of local jobs secured, all while reclaiming the site as the rock was removed. The negotiations led to the Trust receiving a yearly source of revenue that helps us to fulfill our mission of land protection, education and land stewardship.

This award is given in appreciation to those individuals who in the spirit of the Founders of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust have worked to preserve and protect the Tennessee River Gorge for the benefit of our community and generations to come. Past recipients include: Adele Hampton (1995), Sam Powell (1996), Mary Navaree' Moore & William G. Raoul (1997), Gladys Smith Mynatt & Fred Robinson (1999), Dudley Porter (2000), Nancy Evans (2001), Don Jensen (2002), Bill Holmberg (2003), Richard Park (2004), Norma P. "Butch" Mills (2006), and Alan Nichols (2007).