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Accokeek Foundation Former Board Member Byron Williams Nominated as WETA Hometown Hero

Contact: Laura Ford,
Director of Development and Communications
Phone: 301.283.2113 ext. 24


Byron Williams weaving a basket during monthly weaving classes at Accokeek.

On January 17, 2006, at the invitation of WETA, Accokeek Foundation President Wilton Corkern nominated Byron Williams as a WETA "Hometown Hero." Byron has lived in Accokeek, MD, in the southwestern corner of Prince George's County for more than 25 years. During that time Byron contributed to the greater Washington region's environmental quality and to awareness on importance of protecting natural environment. Many of those contributions have been as a volunteer with the Accokeek Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization devoted to practicing and teaching about history and historic preservation, environmental conservation, and sustainable agriculture.

During two six-year terms on the Foundation's Board of Trustees (one in the 1980s and another in the 1990s), Byron served as chair of the Community Relations Committee, the Facilities Committee, and the Nominating Committee. Wilton praised his work on the board and in the community saying, "Byron positively influenced the Accokeek Foundation and numerous citizens both locally and throughout the metropolitan area?he is a really good guy, well liked and respected by all who know him." Byron's contributions are varied and significant:

  • He organized the Annual Presidents' Day Shoreline Walk on the Potomac in 1994 and since.
  • He was one of the original organizers of the Annual Potomac River Cleanup in 1988 and has been a promoter and participant ever since.
  • He served as President of the Greater Accokeek Civic Association in the 1990s and dealt with issues of development, growth, and community.
  • He served on the original volunteer committee that successfully nominated the Potomac as an American Heritage River.
  • Through the Cleanup and the annual Shoreline Walks, he has brought numerous individuals into direct contact with the River and taught about its natural history and the importance of keeping it clean.
  • He has inspired local citizens to become more involved in the Accokeek Foundation's environmental and sustainable agriculture work, and has contributed countless hours to the effort.

Byron is retired from the Federal Government, having worked for the Peace Corps and the Federal Emergency Management Administration. He is a noted artist, whose hand-made baskets from local materials adorn homes throughout the metropolitan area. He has exhibited his work at numerous juried craft shows throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including the annual Mount Vernon colonial craft show. He is also an accomplished historical reenactor.

The Accokeek Foundation is pleased to have the opportunity to nominate its own "Hometown Hero" for recognition. "WETA's Hometown Heroes" is an Emmy Award-winning multimedia project that heralds individuals who improve their communities and is designed to encourage others to volunteer service.