Volunteer Hall of Fame

Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Jim Sprague

Hall of Excellence Award

  • John P. Bay (1995)

  • Roy P. Fairfield (1995)

  • Robert R. Paton (1996)

  • Grandma Gatewood (1997)

  • Bill Miller (1997)

  • Bob Merkle (1998)

Special Thanks

  • Franchot and Henrietta Ballinger

The Emma "Grandma" Gatewood Award for Distinguished Service

  • Chuck and Beth Hewett (2019)

  • Scott and Mary Anne Kamph (2021)

  • Rory Robinson (2021)

  • Byron Guy (2023)

The Bill Miller Award for Meritorious Service

*The Bill Miller Award was for Meritorious Service through 1988, and it became the Bill Miller Award for Conservation in 1990

  • Grandma Gatewood (1972)

  • William Batchelor (1973)

  • Bob Paton (1979)

  • John Bay (1980)

  • Ralph Regula (1984)

  • Roy Fairfield (1987)

  • Dorothy Merkle (1988)

The Bob Paton Award for Meritorious Service

*Through 1988, the award for Meritorious Service was the Bill Miller Award. In 1990, the award for Meritorious Service became the Bob Paton Award

  • Bob Paton (1990)

  • Ed DeLaet (1991)

  • Emily Gregor (1992)

  • Pat & Warren Ellis (1993)

  • Jack Watkins (1994)

  • Bob Merkle (1995)

  • Lary and Sophia Morton

  • Jim Runk

  • Paul Daniel

  • Mike Paekeosnis

  • Mary Hamilton

  • Steve Miller

  • Bob Merkle

  • Jim Sprague

  • Herb Hulls

  • Susie Hulls

  • Jim Gilkey (2019)

  • Mary Hayes (2020)

  • Jeff Yoest (2022)

  • Connie and Robert Pond (2023)

  • Pat Hayes (2023)

Super Star Award

*An Award for 15 years or more of sustained/exceptional leadership. Combined with the Star Award and renamed to the Trail Blazer Award in 2019

  • Jim Robey (1993)

  • O.P. & Midge Murphy (1994)

  • Cleveland MetroParks (1998)

  • Bill Shultz

  • Les Weidenhammer

  • Joe Kruger

  • Greg Wisneiwski

  • Mary Hayes

  • Lisa Daiber

  • Bob Merkle

  • Pattie Cook

  • Gary Williams

  • Adrian Vanko

  • Mel Beers

  • Russ Johnson

  • Byron and Sandy Henry

  • Andy Niekamp

  • Darlene Karoly

  • Bruce Purdy ‘Poppie’

  • Garry Dill

  • Byron Guy

  • Jamie Guy

  • Claudia Bashaw

  • Jeff Yoest

  • Jay Holwick

  • Richard Lutz

  • Steve Yantz

  • Randall Roberts

  • Beverly Starcher

  • Earl Garn

  • Mary Ann and Scott Kamph

  • Chuck and Beth Hewitt

  • Jim ‘Sunny’ Sunyak

  • John Nemcik

Star Award

*An award for leadership. Combined with the Super Star Award and renamed to the Trail Blazer Award in 2019

  • T. Adrian Vanko (1991)

  • Paul Daniel (1992)

  • O.P. Murphy (1992)

  • Connie Pond (1992)

  • Jerry Starcher (1992)

  • Emily Gregor (1993)

  • Howard Hintz (1993)

  • Midge Murphy (1993)

  • Bob Pond (1993)

  • Virginia Scott (1993)

  • Rebecca Burger (1994)

  • Flora Burkholder (1994)

  • Ralph Evans (1994)

  • Jim Sprague (1994)

  • Harry Cameron (1995)

  • Judy Clinebell (1995)

  • Tomi Lou Spyker (1995)

  • Dorothy Anson (1996)

  • Jim Sprague (1997)

  • John Waltz (1997)

  • Devon and Henry Atkinson

  • Connie and Mike Snyder

  • Chris McIntyre

  • Bev Starcher

  • Dick Tresenrider

  • Debbie Zampini

  • Patti Cook

  • Melissa Shaw

  • Barry Unger

  • Linda Paul

  • Mary Ann Kamph

  • Angie Shelton

  • Jan Geho

  • Tim Murphy

Buckeye Trail Blazer Award for Leadership by Example

  • Pat Hayes (2019)

  • Dane Miles (2019)

  • Jo Rawley (2019)

  • Andy Hagat (2019)

  • Russ Flesher (2020)

  • Bill Jindra (2020)

  • Dale Sroka (2020)

  • Brandon Bates (2021)

  • David Harris (2022)

  • Valerie Gardner (2023)

Buckeye Trail Rising Star Award

  • Marisa Pahoulis (2019)

Friends of the BTA Plaque

  • Ben Thompson, Ben’s Happy Trails Campground

Land Owner’s Award

  • Martin McAllister, ODNR Davis Memorial

  • Dina Gamble, Old District 5

  • Phil Stanley, Burr Oak State Park

  • Dorothy Williams

  • Carl Boesel

  • George Elliot

  • Dr. Terry and Mary Harvey

The Bill Miller Award for Conservation

*The Bill Miller Award was for Meritorious Service through 1988, and it became the Bill Miller Award for Conservation in 1990

  • Marvin Olinsky (1990)

  • Jim Sprague (1991)

  • Ralph Ramey (1993)

  • American Electric Power (1994)

  • Herb Hulls

  • Friends of Monday Creek

  • Andy Hite

  • Rich Pfeiffer

  • Dr. Carl and Gail Boesel

  • Roger Pawsaw

  • Nature Conservancy of Ohio, The Edge of Appalachia

  • Cheryl Kreindler (2019)

  • Brian Blair, Forest Conservancy Ltd (2020)

  • Ann Furste (2022)

The James Sprague Buckeye Trail Adopter and Builder Award

  • Debbie Zampini

  • Susan Stover (2019)

  • Preston Bartlett (2021)

  • Andy Hagat (2021)

  • Dale Wical (2022)

  • John Nemcik (2022)

  • Lori Luken (2022)

  • Mark Anstaett (2022)

  • Terry Blackstone (2023)

  • Ann Furste (2023)

Partnership Awards

*Divided into The Merrill Gilfillan Award for Visionary Agency Partners, The Buckeye Trail Business Partnership Award, and The Buckeye Trail Partnership Award in 2019

  • Tim Brown and Timco Inc

  • Hawk Pizza and Drive Thru

  • Gerken Paving

  • Baughman Tile Co

  • AEP

  • ODNR Forestry

  • ODNR Parks

The Merrill Gilfillan Award for Visionary Agency Partners

  • Tom Arbour, ODNR (2019)

  • Cleveland Metroparks (2020)

  • The Wayne National Forest, Marietta Unit (2021)

  • VK Maintenance, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (2022)

  • Mary Mertz, ODNR (2022)

  • Dawn McCarthy (2023)

  • Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (2023)

The Buckeye Trail Business Partnership Award

  • Vince Rucci, Vertical Runner (2019)

  • The Backpackers Shop (2020)

  • Deersville General Stone (2021)

  • The Cleveland Outpost (2021)

  • The Schlegel Family, Great Miami Outfitters (2021)

  • Darlene Witter-Krieger, Wakeman Elevator (2022)

  • REI Cleveland (2022)

  • Athletic Brewing Co (2022)

  • HiHo Brewing Co (2022)

The Buckeye Trail Partnership Award

  • Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council (2021)

  • Firelands Rails to Trails Inc (2022)

Ralph Regula Award for Leadership

  • Senator Sean O’Brien (2019)

  • Senator Steve Wilson (2019)

  • Representative Catherine D. Ingram (2021)

  • Mayor Bev Trovato (2023)

Certificate of Appreciation

  • Robin McArdle (2020)

  • Everett Brandt (2021)

  • William ‘Bill’ Hines (2022)

  • Raman Ras (2022)

  • Geoffrey Ostrander (2023)

  • Joel Yott (2023)

The Dr. Roy Fairfield President's Award

  • Emily Gregor (1990)

  • O.P. Murphy (1991)

  • Pat & Warren Ellis (1992)

  • Paul Daniel (1993)

  • Mary Hamilton (1994)

  • Herb & Susie Hulls (1995)

  • Ed Hilbert (1996)

  • Danan Zintek (1997)

  • Jim Runk

  • Bob Pond

  • Rick Adamson

  • Darlene Karoly

  • Russ Johnson

  • John Heater

  • Judy Clinebell

  • Lisa Daber

  • Jack Watkins

  • Kathy Hamilton

  • Pat Hayes

  • Connie Pond

  • Randall Roberts (2018)

  • Bandon Bates (2019)

  • Jim ‘Sunny’ Sunyak (2020)

  • Valerie Gardner (2021)

  • Brian Batchelder (2022)

  • Kim Love-Ottobre (2023)

Buckeye Trail Association Trustee Emeritus

  • Grandma Gatewood (1969)

  • Bob Paton (1972)

  • Tony Fiscarello (1988)

  • Tom King (1989)

  • Ed Hilbert (1992)

  • Connie Pond

  • Liz McQuaid

  • Herb Hulls

  • Pat Hayes (2019)

  • Linda Paul (2023)

NCTA Honor Award

  • Mary Hamilton (2009)

  • Kathy Hamilton (2011)

  • Jim ‘Sunny’ Sunyak (2018)

  • Marion Shoffner (2019)

  • Tom Rohr (2020)

  • Kim Love-Ottobre (2021)

  • Ann Furste (2022)

  • David Thorndike (2023)

  • Tim Murphy (2023)

  • Russ Flesher (2023)

  • Diane Wright (2023)

  • John Davidson (2023)

  • Nikki Gerber (2023)

  • Jamie Guy (2023)

  • Dan Campbell (2023)

  • Joel Timmons (2023)