This year, the John Van Swearingen Cave Stewardship Award Committee had an easy task. Though we had several outstanding nominations of very deserving candidates, our choice was immediately unanimous. Once again, we looked to a Florida caver as our role model for cave stewardship. Despite his untimely death, Bruce Brewer had already been nominated the previous year and his nomination remained active. His long-term commitment to Glory Hole remains an example for us all.

Bruce Brewer’s stewardship activities included cave preservation projects promoting restoration, maintenance and caver education. Glory Hole is considered by many cavers to be one of the most beautiful formation caves in the United States. It is located in southwest Georgia on the Pelham Escarpment in Grady County. Arista Gainous and her niece, Lester lee Collins, jointly own Glory Hole. Arista Gainous is the cave caretaker and lives on the property.

Bruce’s motto was "Every trip into Glory is a clean-up trip!" For the past decade, Bruce had been organizing Glory Hole clean-up trips that focus on minimizing formation damage and restoring the white crystals to their original pristine condition. For example, during February, March and July of 2002 Bruce led members of the Dogwood City Grotto of Atlanta on trips to remove graffiti from the formations. Over sixty hours of labor were applied to scrubbing calcite with toothbrushes and spray bottles. Often, Brewer personally paid for the supplies and tools. In addition, Bruce spent tedious amounts of time piecing together and gluing back in place formerly shattered stalactites and stalagmites, thus renewing the aesthetic beauty of the location. In such an active crystal formation cave, it is hoped that the decorations will re-calcify and growth will resume.

Bruce Brewer had increased caver and public awareness of Glory's preservation by providing historical, geological and environmental information to newspaper and television programming such as the "Georgia Outdoors," a public television show that aired in March of 2002.

Like J.V. Swearingen, Bruce Brewer was an avid cave photographer. His photographs and articles have appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper and the NSS Photo Salon. The 2003 Members Manual has Bruce’s photo on the cover.

Bruce Brewer was the best deserving candidate for the 2003 J.V. Swearingen Award because he exemplified the stewardship qualities of selfless dedication and commitment to Glory Hole’s preservation through positive landowner relations, cave maintenance and restoration, combined with his continued efforts for caver education through various forms of media.

Besides, Glory Hole, for the past three years, Brewer was part of the Tongass Cave Project that focused on the discovery and mapping of caves in the Alaskan wilderness. A 2002 expedition story with photos will be featured in an upcoming edition of Sierra Magazine.

Bruce Brewer’s commitment to cave conservation is superceded only by his dedication to Glory's landowner, Arista Gainous. Mrs.Gainous, age 84, is fondly known by cavers as "Granny Gainous." Brewer has had a long-standing friendship with Mrs. Gainous' and sometimes, assists with household projects. Lately Granny was in the hospital due to suffering a fractured hip and Bruce made several trips to visit during her stay.

The caving community lost a valuable member when Bruce died. His memory is an example to us all.

Jim Wilbanks, Chairman
Joe Douglas
Roger Haley