Hard Labor Creek Volunteer Honored for 17 Years of Service
17 Years, 60+ New Volunteers, Six Butterfly Gardens
Sharon McCullough has helped to mobilize volunteers, expand accessible trails, and bring new events to the park.
Pictured: Sharon McCullough (center) stands with Hard Labor Creek Superintendent Carol Sanchez and the Friends of Hard Labor Creek State Park.
After 17 years of caring for Hard Labor Creek State Park, Sharon McCullough still brings homemade cookies and thank-you cards to park employees.
On October 13, it was her turn to be thanked. Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites presented McCullough with the Volunteer Spirit Award, recognizing her service and leadership as president of the park’s Friends chapter.
Park staff described McCullough as the chapter’s “bedrock and spark.” She contributes hundreds of volunteer hours annually, bringing together people with diverse interests to improve the park.
Her accomplishments include securing a grant-funded boardwalk that expanded accessible trails and helping recruit more than 60 new volunteers in a single year through events developed with park staff.
A retired educator and Monarchs Across Georgia ambassador, McCullough also coordinates care for six butterfly gardens and shares her knowledge through monarch displays and butterfly releases.
McCullough’s lasting contribution is the community she has helped build: volunteers who feel welcome, discover what they can contribute, and return to help again. After 17 years, her enthusiasm continues to bring new people into the work of caring for Hard Labor Creek State Park.
About the Volunteer Spirit Award
Established in 2010 in memory of volunteer Jim Burson, the Volunteer Spirit Award honors service, leadership, and enthusiasm that inspires community involvement in Georgia’s state parks and historic sites. Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites presents the award annually to two recipients statewide—one recognizing service at a state park and one at a state historic site.
Get Involved
Volunteers like Sharon are the heart of Georgia’s State Parks & Historic Sites. Whether it’s a few hours or a few decades, every volunteer helps these special places thrive.