MOULTRIE — In one of his recent travels around the state, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., ran into Mike Benton, who had played on Moultrie Elks youth baseball team that Chambliss coached to a league championship in 1969.

Benton was an average ballplayer, not a starter, who never went on and played high school baseball.

But he went on to a successful career and is associated with Angel Food Ministries in Monroe, Ga.

And when he introduced Chambliss to associates, it was not as a U.S. Senator, but as his former baseball coach.

That impressed Chambliss, who during his 20 years as a youth baseball coach in Moultrie had such players as Ray Goff and Chris McCranie on his teams.

But, he told those assembled at the Georgia Recreation and Park Association’s District III banquet at Moultrie Technical College on Wednesday, “There are a lot of Ray Goffs out there. But there are lot more Mike Bentons out there.”

And Chambliss encouraged the professionals and volunteers gathered at the banquet to remember that they can have an impact on the people they coach, even if they are unaware of it at the time.

Chambliss and former Tift County Recreation director and current Higher Ground director Bobby Simpson were the speakers at the banquet, which was the 12th time the GRPA’s third district had met to honor those who work in recreation in southwest Georgia.

Lynn Bennett of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Department, who is the District Commission, presented the awards.

Three Colquitt Countians were among the 14 people honored at the banquet.

Terry Peek, who has been the director of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Department for the last two years, received the Jim Buck Goff Award.

The award recognizes professionals “who have made outstanding and lasting contributions to leisure services. The award is the highest honor bestowed on a district professional.”

The award is named for longtime Moultrie Recreation Department Jim Buck Goff.

Peek has been a part of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association for 31 years, starting as a recreation aide in 1975.

He has served as a director of three departments, including the one in Camden County and the one in Upson County, where he led the program for 17 years before coming to Moultrie in 2004.

In addition to his work as recreation director, Peek is involved in other areas of the the community and serves as a mentor.

After saying he was honored with the award, Peek said, “I accept this on behalf of my staff. A man is only as good as his staff.”

Previous winners of the Jim Buck Goff Award are Bennett in 1998, Rick Gehle in 1999 and Jim Burrows in 2001.

Lynda Moseley, who has been teaching tennis for the recreation department in Moultrie since 1957, received the Mary Roth Award, honoring excellence in programming.

“I’m the fortunate one, to have worked with these kids and have them in my life,” she said.

Moultrie’s Samuel Stewart won the Mary Roth Award in 2004.

Moultrie Observer Sports Editor Wayne Grandy received a Special Recognition Award, which honors “individuals who have made and/or continue to make positive contributions to recreation.”

The GRPA’s Third District also presented Volunteer Awards to Bill Bryant of Fitzgerald, Don Huckaby of Adel, Chris Greene of Cordele and to the Sertoma Club of Tift County.

Millie Del Torros of Columbus received the Administrative Support Award.

Meritorious Service Awards went to longtime recreation employees D.L. Lastinger, 38 years; Bill Chester, 30 years; Ken Williams, 28 years; and Joe Slade, 25 years.

Receiving the W.L. “Cut” Edwards Award honoring excellence in athletics was Carl Rose.

Among the previous winners of the award Bennett, in 1996; Eric Bozeman in 1998; Beth Redding, in 1999; and James Kling in 2003.

The D.L. Lastinger Award, honoring excellence in park maintenance, went to Keith Morris of Ben Hill County. Darin Bentz won that award in 2002.

The Agency of the Year Award was presented to the Crisp County Recreation Department.

In his remarks, Simpson reminded the recreation professionals and volunteers of the opportunities that recreation provides.

And he said recreation helps teach personal responsibility; collective responsibility; that there is a place for selfishness in a team concept; how work hard and work smart; and the value of the term “in spite of,” as in “success was achieved, in spite of the difficulties.”

“You are helping the lives of a lot of people,” Simpson told the audience. “Please continue to do that.”