John Burke - 2013
John Burke brought the outdoors to life for readers of the Savannah Morning News for more than five decades. As the first and only Outdoor Editor for the newspaper, he expanded Sports media in Savannah to provide a voice for hunters, fishers, boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts. John Burke educated and entertained through sharing stories and outdoor experiences in a column that became a reliable and invaluable community resource. His innovative approach to community journalism led the Georgia Sportsmen Federation to name him the Outdoor Writer of the Year, and his comprehensive knowledge of the land and water in south Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry enabled him to produce the first fishing charts for Georgia and South Carolina. John Burke recognized the importance of blending important information such tide charts and new laws with the stories that are the backbone of Savannah’s fishing, hunting and boating community. His sharp perspective and dependable consistency over the years made John Burke an irreplaceable informational fixture, and his work had a profound and lasting impact on the way Savannah sees the outdoors.