Volunteers, Partners Win Special Trees Forever Awards
Marion, Iowa – (June 27, 2012) Trees Forever recognized volunteers and partners with special awards at their recent annual meeting. The award winners selected are individuals and organizations who have exemplified Trees Forever’s mission “to plant and care for trees and the environment by empowering people, building community, and promoting stewardship.” A total of 18 awards were presented in eight different categories during this year’s event. The award recipients, by category, were:
President’s Award
Black Hills Energy
Steve Holland -Living Roadway Trust Fund of Iowa DOT- Ames, IA
Partner Award
Kirk Henderson and the Tallgrass Prairie Center - Cedar Falls, IA
Elizabeth Burns- USDA-APHIS - Champaign, IL
Media Award
Von Ketelsen - KWMT Radio - Fort Dodge, IA
Corridor Business Journal - Coralville, IA
Advocacy Award
State Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm - Cresco, IA
Deb Engmark – Brucemore - Cedar Rapids, IA
Leadership Award
Paul Tauke – State Forester, Iowa Department of Natural Resources – Des Moines, IA
Volunteer Award
Tom and Jane Sweeney – Hoopeston, IL
Janell Drumheller – Mason City, IA
Outstanding Project Award
Belle Plaine Partners for Beautification – Belle Plaine, IA
City of Macomb, IL and PRIME (Pride and Responsibility in My Environment)-Macomb, IL
Outstanding Youth Project Award
Independence Lions “Leo Club” – Independence, IA
Hannah and Sarah Garland – Dixon, IA
The awards were presented at a special luncheon during Trees Forever’s 2012 Annual Celebration, held on June 15 at the Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in Coralville, Iowa.
The luncheon was part of a day-long celebration that included a nature photography workshop, a panel discussion, and a tour of a nearby wetlands renovation project. Building on the environmental messages of the recently released movie, The Lorax, the theme of this year’s celebration was “Who Speaks for the Trees?” Event attendees also were able to view several displays highlighting Trees Forever’s various programs and projects, as well as displays from partnering organizations.
Alice Ewen, National Program Manager for Urban & Community Forestry with the U.S. Forest Service was the keynote speaker at the awards luncheon. Ewen was formerly the Executive Director of the Alliance for Community Trees, a national organization of which Trees Forever is a charter member.
Trees Forever is celebrating its 23rd year of tree planting and other environmental efforts. To date, through their network of tens of thousands of community volunteers, they have planted over 3 million trees in Iowa, Illinois and the Midwest. They have also developed educational materials that are distributed nationally and internationally.