Jay Dement

2017 Volunteer of the Year SORO

Jay Dement was recognized by his peers in the southern region (SORO) of the A.T. in 2017 as their Volunteer of the Year. Jay has served the A.T. in a variety of ways since he became a member of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (GATC) in 2009, logging over 500 volunteer hours in 2016 alone. Among other roles, he has served as Chairman of the Information and Education Committee, District Supervisor for one of GATC’s twelve Trail districts, and Chairman of the Outreach Committee. As a Leave No Trace Master Educator and youth hike leader, Jay is introducing a new generation to the task of stewarding the Appalachian Trail.

He was also the driving force in the creation of the Trail Ambassador program in Georgia, a vital component in protecting the A.T. hiking experience. From first pitching the idea to creating a training structure and recruiting ambassadors, Jay has shepherded the program each step of the way.