The City of Winder received two awards at the Public Relations Society of America Georgia Phoenix Awards, an annual program recognizing the strongest communications and public relations work across the state.

Winder earned the following honors:

• Phoenix Award for Creative Tactics — Potholes of Winder awareness project
• Award of Excellence for Best Use of Social Media (Organic/Earned) — Potholes of Winder awareness project

The Phoenix Awards highlight creative approaches, measurable results, and communications strategies that deliver value to organizations and the communities they serve. This year’s winners included work from statewide agencies, national firms, and major brands such as Weber Shandwick, Mars/M&M’s, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Winder’s recognition reflects the city’s continued efforts to communicate in ways that are accessible, transparent, and rooted in community engagement. The Potholes of Winder campaign used humor and clear messaging to spur public participation, generate conversation, and highlight ongoing infrastructure work in a way that resonated with residents.

The City of Winder’s Communications Department is composed of Sara Freeland, communications director, and Jacob Lincoln, media production specialist. The team leads the development of these initiatives and supports citywide efforts to inform and engage the public. The awards were presented in Atlanta in November. The awards were presented to City Council at the Dec. 11 meeting.

Additional National Recognition

Earlier this year, the City of Winder received three national Savvy Awards from the City-County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA). The Savvy Awards honor outstanding local government communications projects from across the country.

Winder’s work was recognized in the following categories:

• Gold – Best Use of Humor: Potholes of Winder
• Bronze – One-Time Event: Stronger Together: A City’s Response to Tragedy
• Bronze – Best Social Media Campaign: We Are Winder video series

These national awards further demonstrate the city’s commitment to meaningful, resident-focused communications and its ability to compete at a high level within the government communications profession.