Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy’s Party for the Park to Honor President Jimmy Carter with Hightower Award

ROSWELL, GA (February 12, 2025) – The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC) will honor the late President Jimmy Carter with the Hightower Award at its annual Party for the Park fundraiser on March 25, 2025. This signature event, supporting the preservation and enjoyment of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), will be held for the first time at Ivy Hall in Roswell Mill, overlooking Vickery Creek, a treasured part of the national park system that Carter himself helped establish.


A lifelong advocate for environmental conservation, President Carter signed the legislation creating Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area as a unit of the National Park Service on August 15, 1978. His enduring commitment to public lands and environmental stewardship has left a profound impact on Georgia and beyond. The Hightower Award, named in honor of longtime CRNRA Park Ranger Jerry Hightower, recognizes those whose efforts and dedication have had a lasting and positive impact on the CRNRA and its community.

"President Jimmy Carter’s vision and leadership were instrumental in the creation of CRNRA," said CNPC Board President Peter Coffman. "His dedication to conservation and public lands has left an incredible legacy, not just for our park here in Georgia, but across the country. It is a great honor to recognize him with the Hightower Award and to celebrate the impact he has had on preserving the places we cherish.”

As CNPC’s largest annual fundraiser, Party for the Park is a celebration of the community’s commitment to preserving and enhancing CRNRA. Guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, a silent auction, and a program featuring special guest speakers, all in support of ensuring a sustainable future for the park. Proceeds from the event will directly fund trail rehabilitation, habitat restoration, and community engagement initiatives that enhance visitor experiences.

"Party for the Park is a celebration of our community’s commitment to preserving and enhancing Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area," said CNPC Executive Director Brittany Jones. "This park is a place of adventure, reflection, and connection, and we all have a role in keeping it thriving. The funds we raise go right back into the trails we hike, the waterways we paddle, and the habitats that make this place so special."

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at chattahoocheeparks.org/CNPC2025.

ABOUT CHATTAHOOCHEE NATIONAL PARK CONSERVANCY

Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official friends group and primary philanthropic partner for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), a unit of the National Park System. Its mission is to enhance CRNRA by building community, enriching lives, and catalyzing support to ensure a sustainable national park for future generations. Through conservation initiatives, trail restoration, volunteer programs, and community engagement, CNPC works to preserve and improve this treasured greenspace. Learn more at chattahoocheeparks.org.



ABOUT CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

Designated as a unit of the National Park System in 1978, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves and protects the natural and cultural resources of the 48-mile Chattahoochee River corridor from Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek. The park annually welcomes over 3,000,000 visitors.


Support Your Local National Park

If you enjoy CRNRA, consider supporting the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC). Your donation helps maintain and improve our beautiful trails and river, ensuring they remain a top destination and escape for metro Atlanta. Every contribution makes a difference in preserving this natural treasure for future generations.

Support CRNRA

Related Posts

Dog-Friendly Hikes in Atlanta: Explore the Chattahoochee With Your Four-Legged Adventure Buddy

August 24, 2026
If your dog thinks a walk around the neighborhood is fine, but a hike is the event of the day, Atlanta has plenty of places to go exploring together. And one of the best is right in our backyard: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA)! Stretching 48 miles along the Chattahoochee River through metro Atlanta, CRNRA is a national park made up of 15 separate park units and more than 7,000 acres of land and river corridor. Across those units, visitors can explore over 66 miles of hiking trails , from easy riverside walks to steeper, more rugged routes. In other words: there is a lot of Chattahoochee to sniff! Yes, Your Dog Can Hike at CRNRA Dogs are welcome on CRNRA's trails, making the park a favorite destination for Atlanta's canine adventurers. There is one very important rule, though: dogs must remain on a leash no longer than six feet at all times. Owners are also responsible for cleaning up after their pets and properly disposing of waste. These rules aren't just about being a good trail neighbor. CRNRA welcomes more than 3 million visitors each year, and the park is home to wildlife, sensitive habitats, and a river that supplies much of metro Atlanta's drinking water. Keeping dogs leashed helps protect pets, people, wildlife, and the park itself. And yes, we know: carrying a bag of dog poop around for the rest of your hike isn't exactly the highlight of anyone's day... But leaving a bag beside the trail or river is even worse! CNPC has partnered with the National Park Service to install dog waste stations at major trailheads, making it easier to bag it and bin it.

Celebrating National Park Week in Your Local National Park

August 12, 2026
Ever driven a winding, elk-lined road in Great Smoky Mountains, stopped to take in the scenery in Grand Teton, paddled in the Everglades, watched Ole Faithful erupt in Yellowstone, or even hiked in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA)? If so, then you've enjoyed a national park! Every year since 1991, people across the country celebrate the over 430 parks protected by the National Park Service during National Park Week, hosted August 22-30th, 2026. From iconic landscapes like Yosemite to neighborhood escapes in CRNRA, it’s a time to recognize how parks connect, inspire, and restore communities across America, now and for future generations. It’s also a reminder that places like CRNRA rely on community support. With nearly 3 million visits each year, CRNRA is consistently ranked among the top 30 most visited national parks. As a well-loved park, it faces ongoing challenges including limited federal funding, staffing, and maintenance needs. Without the support of a national park's community, projects often go without sufficient funding to help them thrive. That's where organizations like Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy come in! Many national parks across the country have a "friends group," or a philanthropic partner, to raise awareness, rally support, and fill in the gaps in funding, volunteerism, education, wildlife habitat restoration, and more. As CRNRA's official friends group and nonprofit partner, we at CNPC work alongside the National Park Service to help fill critical gaps through community support, volunteer engagement, and projects that enhance the park experience.

Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy Launches Campaign to Preserve Historic Sope Creek Paper Mill Ruins

July 24, 2026
Conservancy will begin first phase of multi-year restoration project at one of metro Atlanta's most beloved historic landmarks