Three of Georgia’s state parks are ranked in the top ten of Coca-Cola’s Live Positively Favorite Park contest. It’s a national contest and the other seven of the top ten are scattered among states. Georgia is the only state with more than one park on the top ten.

The contest is part of Coca-Cola’s America is Your Park program, which seeks to remind us of one of our great resources as well as urge people to get active out in our parks.  America’s Favorite Park, as voted by its fans, will receive $100,000 from Coca-Cola to restore or renovate. The second favorite will win $50,000 and the third will win $25,000.

Votes are tallied by on-line votes as well as Facebook places check-ins and uploading your photos or videos to the site. This is the second year for the contest – a small Minnesota park won last year.

Here are Georgia’s three parks that are in the top ten: Amicalola Falls State Park, Little Ocmulgee State Park in McRae and Florence Marina State Park in the southwest part of the state.  None are in the top three, so in order for us to win – you’ve got to vote.

You may not be aware of it, but our state parks have been suffering budget cuts and employee layoffs due to the effects of the recession on the state’s budget. Not only could the parks use the grants, they could benefit from volunteers, and folks who spend their “staycations” at the park.

“We are so excited about this contest and what the grant money could mean to our visitors,” said Georgia State Parks Director Becky Kelley. “If everyone in Georgia took the time to vote and rallied their friends and family to do the same, we have an excellent chance of winning. The money could be used for hiking trails, fishing docks, picnic areas or any number of projects that our visitors could enjoy for years to come.”

Waterfall photo courtesy Georgia State Parks.