NOAA 97-R904
   

Contact: Greg Hernandez,                   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
         Matt Stout                        4/22/97
         NOAA Public Affairs

NOAA RECOGNIZES LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES
AS PART OF EARTH DAY CELEBRATIONS

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today presented two Georgians with its Local Environmental Hero award as part of Earth Day 1997 celebrations across the United States.

For the second year in a row, NOAA recognized local citizens who have volunteered their efforts to "protect and preserve" the nation's environment. This year's awards focused on the marine environment in keeping with the International Year of the Coral Reef, which NOAA is spearheading along with other domestic and foreign organizations.

Vice President Al Gore congratulated these environmental heroes in a letter, saying, "Through citizen service, we recognize that we are responsible for one another. It is a very American idea that we meet our challenges as a member of a community, all working together. Thank you for the service you perform to protect and preserve our environment."

In Tybee Island, Georgia, the environmental heroes being honored are:

Jack Elrod, writer and illustrator of the syndicated comic feature "Mark Trail." Elrod has been associated with the comic feature for more than 40 years. Mark Trail has won more than 30 conservation awards. During the past 18 months, Mark Trail has featured NOAA programs or interests in 11 Sunday editions with at least two more due this spring. Elrod's Mark Trail is now the official "spokesman" for NOAA Weather Radio.

Kathryn Williams, president of the board of directors for the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, which is a non-profit organization sponsored by NOAA's Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and the City of Tybee Island. Williams has directed the programs and operations of the center for the past five years. She has volunteered all her efforts leading to the development of the Tybee Island Marine Science Foundation, which supports year-round marine science classes for area schools, a summer Sea Camp, and a very successful guest lecture series.