SPRINGFIELD — Tommy Allen humbly contends that he didn’t do anything extraordinary. He just did what his father, George, and uncle, Albert, taught him to do as a youngster.
The Ogeechee River Soil and Water Conservation District thinks Allen’s efforts are plenty special, however. On May 24 at First Baptist Church in Statesboro, it honored him as the district’s 2017 Conservationist of the Year. The presentation of the award was made by state Rep. Jon Burns, Allen’s longtime friend.
Allen and his brother, Lamar, tend to land near Clyo that was purchased by their great-grandfather more than 100 years ago. Their father served on the Ogeechee Soil and Water Conservation District Board for more than 40 years.
“We just did what we were taught — to take care of the land, conserve it and pass it on to the next generation,” Tommy Allen said. “We were fortunate that our father instilled that in us and we still do that.”

See the June 6 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.