Civic Volunteer

Joe's civic involvement and volunteerism for the state have only grown. Since 1998, Joe has been selected by Governor Don Siegelman and Alabama's Speaker of the House of Representatives, Seth Hammett to serve in an appointed, non-paid positions in service of Alabama. Joe was selected by the Governor as a member of the Governor's Commission on Environmental Initiatives where he has served two years as a valuable member of a panel tackling Alabama's environmental problems. Speaker Seth Hammett tapped Joe to be a member of the Alabama's Scrap Tire Study Commission (he co-chaired), which after two years of work and study presented a report and legislation to solve Alabama's growing scrap tire problem. Joe also was a founding board member of the Land Trust of East Alabama, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving critical lands and threatened property in Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell and Tallapoosa Counties. This new organization has already raised over $55,000 and is one of only three active land trusts in Alabama. Joe Turnham was honored in year 2000 by the Alabama Chapter of the Sierra Club for outstanding service as a political activist for his advocacy for clean air, land and water for our communities and families. Recently, Joe has been an active member of the Board of Directors for the 4-H Foundation of Alabama. This organization, overseen by the Cooperative Extension System, operates a retreat center for youth and adults as well as leadership, agriculture, environmental stewardship and character programs throughout Alabama's school systems.