At the recent Annual General Meeting, five volunteers of The Couchiching Conservancy were recognized with pins for all of the efforts over the years to protect the natural heritage of the Couchiching-Severn-Carden areas. Pictured above is volunteer Water Quality Team that were awarded their Conservancy “blue-bills”. This year alone, they have contributed over 600 hours towards the project.
The Conservancy Pins have been a long-standing tradition to recognize volunteers who have been with us for a number of years. Bob Sullivan presented the pins, along with Margaret Pomeroy on behalf of the Board of Directors and The Conservancy.
Silver Pins
Ginny Moore: Ginny has participated actively in the SARBEX Project and no matter the weather can be counted on to haul brush, heave logs and gather up potential firewood. She is known as a good companion for field lunches, usually bringing chocolate bars she’s willing to share. Ginny is a team member for invasive species control, particularly dog strangling vine on alvar habitat and has contributed valuable time and knowledge to bird counts and research on bobolinks and shrike. She has made sure that Carden Nature Festival participants are supplied with excellent breakfasts and lunches . One of her main claims to fame is that she is the founding and only member of the Uphill Natural Lawn Association.
Arni Stinnissen: Arni has been a volunteer and supporter of the Conservancy for many years. He is a superb photographer and many of his images appear on our website and in other Conservancy publications. He has generously conducted photograph workshops at the Carden Nature Festival and for the Passport to Nature as well as serving on the Carden Festival Steering Committee and now the Passport to Nature Steering Committee. In addition to these many talents, Arni has a new career as a painter- recently he and his wife Diane helped with painting the new offices at Grant’s Woods. Arni is also Vice President of the Orillia Naturalists Club.
Gold Pins
Paul Laver: Paul is another active participant in the SARBEX project with special expertise as not only a chainsaw and tractor operator but also a bonfire starter and rescuer of artistic stumps. He too, is known as a good companion for field lunches and always has chocolate to share. He has been the Property Team leader for Little Bluestem Alvar for many years and has volunteered as the pontoon boat tour leader at the Carden Nature Festival. As a partner with Wildlife Preservation Canada he provides housing in early spring and then acts as the maintenance man for Turnbull Ranch.
Platinum Pins
Jane & Gord Ball: Jane and Gord’s contributions to the Conservancy are almost too numerous to list. Both were founding members, each served a term as President and they have been active on many committees. They have participated in the Carden Challenge and Jane has been one of its leading fundraisers. They are both leading donors to the Conservancy and serve on the Past Presidents Council. Jane also acted as Volunteer Coordinator. Their enthusiastic participation in festivals, events, fundraisers and more Conservancy activities than we can count has been invaluable to the Conservancy since its inception.
Special Mention
Bruce Duncan was also recognized at the meeting for all of the work that he has put into the renovation and construction at the Grant’s Woods office. Thank you Bruce!