October 25th’s PRN Annual Dinner was a resounding success! Over 335 people attended the event at the iHotel and Conference Center in Champaign to celebrate our award winners, to hear from an outspoken keynote speaker on the dangers of industrial agriculture, and to enjoy the friendship and camaraderie that makes our annual dinner the environmental event of the year in Illinois. The final tally won’t be compiled for a week or two, but your outpouring of support in donations was incredible. Thank you for giving!
River Steward of the Year
This year’s River Steward Award goes to Fred Newport. A tireless volunteer with the Homer Lake Forest Preserve and Kaufman Lake in Champaign, Newport embodies the spirit of river stewardship, having kayaked and volunteered at Homer Lake over 120 days last year. He also began a lake steward program with the Champaign County Forest Preserve District. In the words of the district, “Few volunteers have done more than Fred Newport to protect the water resources of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District and Champaign Park District.” PRN Attorney and Policy Specialist Kim Knowles presented Newport with this year’s well deserved award. Congratulations, Fred!
Volunteers of the Year Award
This year’s Volunteer of the Year Award went to Grace and Randy Madding, two people who have done much to protect biodiversity and pollinators and in helping PRN expand our pollinator program. PRN Habitat and Agriculture Programs Specialist Kim Erndt-Pitcher presented the award.
Outstanding Public Servant Award
This year’s Outstanding Public Servant Award goes to a trio of legislators who helped pass the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act which became law in July. Before the bill reached the governor’s desk, it faced many hurdles.
State Senator Scott Bennett led the charge, negotiated the bill, and ran it through the Senate on Clean Energy Lobby Day. State Representative Carol Ammons took the bill through the House in little more than three weeks’ time. And State Representative Mike Marron immediately signed on as chief cosponsor in the House adding bi-partisan support to the bill. We thank Senator Bennett, Representative Ammons, and Representative Marron for their work in passing this important legislation.
“We would not be here today without the incredible leadership from Senator Bennett, Representative Ammons, Representative Marron, and the heroic efforts from community groups across the state,” PRN Water Resources Engineer Andrew Rehn said. “We are now taking the first steps in cleaning up the toxic coal ash stored in unlined pits across Illinois.”
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Jonathan Lundgren was this year’s keynote speaker and had tough words to convey about industrial agriculture, how we farm, and how when it comes to scientists and farming, communication has been decidedly one-way (scientist to farmer). Lundgren’s listening approach came out of his experience working as a researcher for 15 years at the USDA. It wasn’t until he left the department and became a farmer in South Dakota that he “was able to walk a mile in their shoes.” He turned his attention to listening to what regenerative agriculture farmers had to say about their experiences and what worked to drive his research. His thought provoking talk will be remembered for years to come.
Thank You!
Lastly, PRN member Debbie Campbell told us why she was inspired to give to PRN, and attendees took it to heart. With the silent auction and your generous gifts, you will help us protect water, heal land, and inspire change in 2020. We are so grateful for your continued commitment in PRN and the work we do. Thank you for being a member, and thank you for giving this year!
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