2026 Spirit of the Community Award Winner: Lee Penland

May 6th, 2026 in Pick Ellijay Events
Gilmer Tourism Awards 2026, Spirit of the Community Winner - Lee Penland

On May 5th, Tourism & Hospitality professionals from across Gilmer County came together for the second-annual Trailblazers Summit, hosted by Pick Ellijay. We celebrate the people, businesses, and stories that make Gilmer County such a memorable destination. Tourism is built through experiences — but those experiences are created by people. Outstanding members of the community were recognized for their dedication and contributions to tourism in Gilmer County with the Gilmer Tourism Awards.

The Spirit of the Community Award recognizes a business, organization, or individual in Gilmer County’s tourism and hospitality industry who has demonstrated a long-term, consistent commitment to serving the community while maintaining excellence in their field. It honors service over time. Commitment over seasons. And the kind of legacy that becomes part of a community’s identity. This year’s Spirit of the Community recipient represents a kind of commitment that cannot be built quickly.

It is built over decades.
Through long days.
Through changing seasons.
Through family tradition, hard work, and a deep love for place.

He was born and raised in Gilmer County and has spent his life contributing to the agricultural traditions that are so closely tied to our identity as a destination. It is our honor to announce Lee Penland, Penland Orchards & Farm Market, as this year’s recipient of the Spirit of the Community Award!

For more than 45 years, Lee has been a farmer, business owner, mentor, and steady presence in the community. His nomination describes him as someone with exceptional work ethic, perseverance, and commitment — someone who has supported the local economy, strengthened local agriculture, and helped sustain traditions that matter deeply to this county. Lee has also served through the Farm Bureau Board of Directors, where his leadership has helped bring farmers and community members together to talk through challenges, share resources, and find solutions that benefit the broader community.

His story is also a family story. For the past 33 years, many of us have known him as a familiar and welcoming presence. Today, he continues a fifth-generation tradition of serving this community through local agriculture. The Spirit of the Community Award honors longevity, consistency, service, and impact. Lee Penland embodies all of those qualities.

Congratulations to Lee Penland, recipient of the 2026 Spirit of the Community Award!

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