Zell Ellerson receives his Volunteer of the Year Award from Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority Director Maggie Davidson.

MOULTRIE — Two Colquitt countians were honored for their service to the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority at the GRPA District III banquet held October 26, in Columbus.

Philip Brinson received the D.L. Lastinger Award honoring his excellence in park maintenance.

Brinson exhibits all of the qualities deserving recognition. In his role as field maintenance supervisor, Brinson works to maintain 14 baseball and softball fields and countless acres of property to ensure the highest quality fields for our community.

He has limited staff members to assist in this endeavor, but spends countless hours planning and working in order to deliver pristine fields any organization in the state would be proud of.

In addition, Brinson is an avid sports enthusiast and loves the Packers, Bulldogs and Braves. He is a radio broadcaster for the Colquitt County Packer baseball team, fills in for Packer football and umpires for USSSA and several recreation leagues with the MCCPRA.

His passion for sports is respected on and off the field in our community.

Zell Ellerson received the Volunteer of the Year award for his Feel The Beat aerobics class.

Ellerson is a Colquitt County native and single father of one. He graduated in 2009 from Colquitt County High School and joined the Army, serving eight years.

He returned home in 2017 and began working for the Albany Marine Corps Logistics Base.

Ellerson has always had a passion for health and fitness and reached out to MCCPRA in 2021 offering to teach an aerobic step class three days a week, free to the public.

This class has grown over time and over 120 community members have benefited and return each week to his class.