Park Pride is proud to announce that Linda Cotten Taylor, leader of the Friends of Chapel Hill Park in DeKalb County, has been named Atlanta’s 2016 Cox Conserves Hero Award Winner! Created through the partnership of Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land, Cox Conserves Heroes recognizes local environmental volunteers and makes donations to local nonprofits on their behalf.
Linda Cotten Taylor believes that park maintenance and improvement is everyone’s duty versus just a few individuals. She brought this belief to life by securing funding to make improvements at Chapel Hill Park that include a fitness stations, playground fishing pier and signage. In addition to being the park’s lead fundraiser, she facilitates volunteer cleanups and works with the Parks Department on security issues.
In addition to receiving this honor, Linda has received $10,000 toward a capital park project. Over the last several months, Linda has been aggressively raising funds to build a floating fishing pier that will extend into the lake at Chapel Hill Park. The Cox Conserves Heroes Award has brought the Friends group within reach of their final fundraising goal!
Additionally, Cox Conserves Heroes also recognized Pauline Drake as a finalist. Pauline, the leader of the Friends of Jennie Drake Park, was accepted a $5,000 award to support capital park improvements in her northwest Atlanta greenspace.
Both women have been honored in prior years with Park Pride’s Inspiration Awards. Congratulations, Linda and Pauline – and the communities and Friends of Chapel Hill Park and Jennie Drake Park!
