Finalists Selected in St. Johns River Photo Contest

PALATKA, Fla., July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Photographs reflecting the majestic beauty and character of the St. Johns River by 15 photographers have been selected as finalists in a new photo contest to promote the beautiful scenes along the St. Johns River.  The pictures will be featured in a 15-month 2011 calendar which will be available in September.  Now, Georgia-Pacific and the St. Johns River Alliance are asking the public to help select the grand prize winner.

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All proceeds from sales of the calendar will benefit the St. Johns River Alliance whose mission is to preserve, protect, promote, restore and celebrate the St. Johns River as an American Heritage River.   For more information on Georgia-Pacific and the St. Johns River Photo contest, follow us on Twitter.  

"These photographs clearly show the passion Floridians have for the St. Johns River," said Mark Middlebrook, executive director of the St. Johns River Alliance. "One of our many missions – from river restoration to education – is to raise the profile of the river throughout the state. And these photographs do that."

The image receiving the most votes will become the calendar’s cover photograph and the winning photographer will enjoy a 4-day, 3-night excursion to Walt Disney World in Orlando.  Visit www.cleanerstjohns.com to view the images and vote for your favorite.  Individuals may vote once each day from today through Aug. 2.

The contest was open to both amateur and professional photographers and photographs must have been taken within the last three years.  Finalists include:

• Mirko Bonet, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Terry Criss, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Becky Eastham, Crescent City, Fla.
• Buddy Gailey, Nashville, Tenn.
• Barbara Gentry, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Kim Hathy, E. Palatka, Fla.
• Victor Jackson, St. Augustine, Fla.
• Sharon Preston,  Satsuma, Fla.
• Keith Smith, Kissimmee, Fla.
• Michael Swain, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Jim Thies, Orange Park, Fla.
• Craig Weeks, Fleming Island, Fla.
• Patty Weeks, St. Augustine, Fla.
• Jan Williams, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Walter Zamorano, Middleburg, Fla.

A blue-ribbon panel selected the photographs from nearly 300 images of the St. Johns submitted during the month-long contest sponsored by Georgia-Pacific. Contest judges included Mark Middlebrook, executive director, St. Johns River Alliance; Monique Borboen, northeast Florida director, Florida Audubon Society; Will Dickey, nature photographer, Florida Times-Union; Patrick Leonard, staff photographer, Palatka Daily News; Clay Henderson, executive board member, St. Johns River Alliance; Gary Frost, vice president – Georgia-Pacific, Palatka operations; and Jim Robinson, corporate photographer, Georgia-Pacific.

The Alliance is a not-for-profit organization formed in 2003 as a direct result of the St. Johns River being designated as one of 14 American Heritage Rivers.

Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose and related chemicals. The company employs more than 40,000 people at approximately 300 locations in North America, South America and Europe. Georgia-Pacific creates long-term value by using resources efficiently to provide innovative products and solutions that meet the needs of customers and society, while operating in a manner that is environmentally and socially responsible and economically sound. The familiar consumer tissue brands of Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, enMotion®, Sparkle®, Mardi Gras® and Vanity Fair®.  Dixie Consumer Products LLC, a Georgia-Pacific company, manufactures the Dixie® brand of tabletop products.  Georgia-Pacific has long been among the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers, with brands such as Plytanium® plywood, DryPly® water repellent plywood, Ply-Bead® panels and Wood I Beam™ joists offered by Georgia-Pacific Wood Products LLC and DensArmor Plus® interior panels, DensGlass® Sheathing and ToughRock® drywall offered by Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC.  For more information, visit www.gp.com

SOURCE Georgia-Pacific LLC