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Published Wednesday, May 27, 2009 in Local

Singleton receives tourism Golden Service Award

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

Coweta County resident Lauren Singleton has received a Golden Service Award for the way she reaches out and serves tourists.

Singleton, an East Coweta High School graduate who lives in Sharpsburg, works as an events coordinator at the Morrow Tourist Center, which is an office of the Morrow city government in Clayton County. She was one of four people to receive Clayton County tourism awards on May 12.

The awards ceremony was a part of the community celebration of National Tourism Week. "We have plenty to be grateful for here, with a strong diversity of tourism venues," said Patrick Duncan, president and CEO of the Clayton County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

He listed many of the things that bring visitors to the area -- the National Archives, State Archives, Arts Clayton, Spivey Hall, Stately Oaks Plantation, Civil War sites, The Road to Tara Museum, dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor parks and recreation.

If tourists get to Morrow, Singleton's is one of the smiling faces that greets them. Singleton has been working at the visitor center for three and a half years -- since she graduated from Clayton State University.

Her job duties include scheduling and working with various groups who use the center's building. She also takes the lead in planning two large community events in Morrow -- a patriotic celebration and a Christmas festival.

She also orders brochures from all over the state for the center. She said the event coordination initially attracted her to the job, but she enjoys helping people find out more about places to visit. She comes from a family of teachers, she noted.

With a smile, Singleton said her job is about "giving 100 percent customer service."

Singleton, LaTonya Echols and Ted Key were recipients of the awards.

Key is a volunteer docent and historian with Historical Jonesboro/Stately Oaks Plantation. Echols is a guest service agent at the Comfort Suites in Stockbridge.

A special award, the Friend of Tourism, was also given for the first time this year. Jim McSweeney, regional administrator of the National Archives, Southeast Region, was the recipient.

Duncan and Michael Twomey of the Morrow Business and Tourism Association took part in the awards presentation. "It is important to recognize those individuals who are giving our visitors a memorable experience," Duncan said.

"Each of these recipients is well-deserving of this award. These are the kind of people that visitors remember and tell their friends and family about," Duncan said.