WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface
waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in
south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee,
Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River
watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring,
and citizen activities.
Rindy and Jo moved quite a few kayak raffle tickets,
and one small boy insisted on getting one while Heather and I were packing up at the end of the day.
That’s only $10 for one or $50 for six tickets.
It’s a slightly used Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak,
which lists new for $1,399.
The drawing is December 15, so get your tickets now. Continue reading →
It was busy and fun, one of the few festivals that did not cancel after
Hurricane Helene: the Brooks County Skillet Festival in Quitman, Georgia,
on Okapilco Creek, which runs into the Withlacoochee River.
Back again after several years, Rachel Grubb came from Lake City, Florida, with her song,
Cruising Down the Suwannee,
and won not only
Best Americana Indie-Folk Song,
but also
First Prize,
in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
She got plaques for both, and a $300 check for First Prize.
David Rodock, from Adel, Georgia, played his song, “Monlight Echoes,” and won Best Pop Country Folk Song, and Best Song from Inside the Suwannee River Basin, in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
He got awards for both plaques, and a $100 check for Inside.
Sweet William Ennis, from Palatka, Florida,
played his song “Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues)”
and won
Best Blues Song and
Best Song from Outside the Suwannee River Basin,
in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
He got awards for both plaques,
and a $100 check for Outside.
“Sweet William” Ennis is a singer/songwriter who has
lived in Palatka, Florida, for over three decades. His personally
original songs written over the span of fifty years cover multi
genres and subjects including the environment, love & war, with
a heavy dose of Blues. 2019 quarter finalist in the Memphis
International Blues Challenge, 2021 Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting
Contest First Prize winner and 2018 Santa Fe River Song Contest 3rd
place winner, Sweet William is very active in the Florida music
community and recognized for organizing volunteer music events
supporting soup kitchens, assisted living facilities and worthy fund
raisers.
Robert Thatcher, from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, and Tom Brown, from Dalton, Georgia, accompanied by Bob’s wife,
played their song “Roll On, Echo River”
and won
Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song
in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
Bill Berry, from Valdosta, Georgia, accompanied by Luke Smith,
played his song “The River”
and won Best Americana Song in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
Bill Berry wrote about himself,
“I’m 67, a native of Valdosta, a solo singer/ songwriter, and
play guitar. I’ve been playing and writing for about 45 years.”
Hahira, Georgia, September 9, 2024— the First Prize winner in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest is from Lake City, Florida, with Best from Inside the Suwannee River Basin from Adel, Georgia, and Best from Outside the Suwannee River Basin from Palatka, Florida.
Everyone listened to the two main speakers, the talks about WWALS,
and the headliner at the
WWALS River Revue.
More about all that later.
Then the three judges listened to the
five finalists
of the Seventh Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest,
and picked these winners.
The Winners, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07
Center top: Rachel Grubb of Lake City, Florida, won
Best Americana Indie-Folk Song for “Cruising Down the Suwannee”
and First Prize, with $300.
Top left:
Sweet William Ennis from Palatka, Florida, won Best Blues Song for “Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues),” and Best Song from Outside the Suwannee River Basin, with $50.
Top right:
David Rodock from Adel, Georgia, won
Best Pop Country Folk Song for “Moonlight Echoes,” and Best Song from Inside the Suwannee River Basin, with $50.
Bottom left:
Robert Thatcher from Signal Mountain, Tennessee and Tom Brown from Dalton, Georgia, won
Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song for “Roll On, Echo River.”
Bottom right:
Bill Berry from Valdosta, Georgia, won
Best Americana Song for “The River.”
![[Day of Giving 2024: Banks Lake, Alapaha River Rise, Juneteenth, Festivals, Chainsaw Cleanups, Sewage, Water Quality, Okefenokee Swamp]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-21--day-of-giving/fbmany.jpg)
![[Alapaha Station Celebration, Alapaha, GA 2024-11-09 Thanks, Rindy, Jo, Heather, and Gretchen]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-09--alapaha-station-celebration-pictures/many.jpg)
![[WWALS Booth at Brooks County Skillet Festival 2024-10-19 Praying Mantis. Stop the Mine (Okefenokee).]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-10-19--brooks-county-skillet-festival-pictures/many.jpg)
![[Rachel Grubb, Lake City, FL, 2024-09-07, Best Americana Indie-Folk Song, First Prize: Cruising Down the Suwannee, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--grubb-first-prize/fbmany.jpg)
![[David Rodock, Adel, GA, Best Pop Country Folk Song 2024-09-07, Best Song from Inside the Basin, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--rodock-pop-inside/fbmany.jpg)
![[Sweet William Ennis, Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues), Best Blues Song and from Outside, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--ennis-blues-outside/fbmany.jpg)
![[Robert Thatcher & Tom Brown, Roll On, Echo River, Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--robert-thatcher-tom-brown-roll-on-echo-river-best-bluegrass/fbmany.jpg)
![[Bill Berry, The River, Best Americana Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--bill-berry-the-river-best-americana-song/fbmany.jpg)
![[Buy-now sale, Silent Auction, WWALS River Revue, Remaining items]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-10--silent-auction-sale/fbmany.jpg)
![[The Winners, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--winners-suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/fbmany.jpg)