CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Noted outdoors writer and TV host Wade Bourne received the 2016 George Mabry Award during the Ovation Awards Ceremony on March 6 at the Customs Museum and Cultural Center. The awards are presented each year by the Acuff Circle of Excellence, a patron society of the AustinPeay State University Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts.

Chosen by the Acuff Circle board, The George Mabry Award recognizes a living Tennessean who has made a significant impact on arts and culture in Montgomery County through philanthropy, leadership or direct involvement, or a Tennessee individual who has advanced arts and culture through innovative work in creating or supporting the arts in Montgomery County.

Bourne, a Clarksville resident, hosts the Outdoor Channel’s “Ducks Unlimited TV” program, and he is editor-at-large for Ducks Unlimited magazine. He also hosts the national radio show “Wired 2 Hunt” recorded right here in Clarksville. The show is aired locally on Beaver 100.3 and on ESPN Clarksville (100.7 FM and 540 AM) every weekday at around 5:50 a.m. and again at 5:50 p.m.

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He is the author of the books “Ducks Unlimited Guide to Decoys and Proven Methods for Using Them” and “Ducks Unlimited Guides to Hunting Dabblers.”

Several other individuals took home Ovation Awards during the ceremony. Receiving the Individual Artist award was Debbie Wilson, director for the Northeast High School choirs for the past 23 years. Her choirs have performed at hundreds of events supporting many community organizations. She also served as music director/arranger for the Hiroshima’s Boys Choir tour in Middle Tennessee, in conjunction with Vanderbilt’s Symposium 2000; and she is music festival co-director for a Gulf Shores, Alabama, performance showcase.

Her score for a musical melodrama has been published, she’s worked for Holland America Cruise Line as music director and pianist, and she has performed invenues from New York City to Philadelphia to South Florida.

The Individual Business Award was given to Richview Family Dentistry. Dr. Bill Wall, a Clarksville native, opened his dental practice in 1984. In the last 31 years, he has built not only a large practice, but an equally large and impressive art collection, displayed at his office. The collection includespieces by renowned regional and local artists.

He and his wife, Anne, have collected, and continue to collect, the work from various events through the years, including the Custom House Museum’s annual Flying High and the Roxy Theatre’s annual dinner and art fundraiser gala. They also are supporters of the Downtown Artists Co-op.

The Madison Street Music and Arts Academy received the Community Award. When Madison Street United Methodist Church members were challenged to “live a better story,” Academy founder Jared Wilson was inspired to create a place where quality music instruction would be available to students of all ages regardless of their socio-economic status.

Wilson reached out to fellow musicians, instructors and congregation members who together raised money, put together a schedule and then promoted the Academy in the community. In just four years, the academy has gone from serving 50 students to more than 200, many of whom receive lessons at a reduced rate of just 50 cents a lesson. Instruments and learning materials are loaned to students at no additional expense.

Winners in the Young Artist categories, all high school seniors, were Jacob Capps, Montgomery Central High School, Visual Arts; Jonathan Weidner, Rossview, Theatre; Brandon Crite, West Creek, Instrumental Music; and Mercedes Johnson, Northeast, Vocal Performance.