The awards, which were presented to the winners at the May 2007 Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Global Warming Retreat in Park City, Utah, recognize individuals who have made remarkable contributions to conservation through creativity, coalition building, creative thinking, outreach, and perseverance. Awardees are nominated by their peers in the field – both Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Chapter and state board members and Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ staff.
Diana King is recognized with the 2007 Callison Award for her dedicated service and major contributions to the goals of Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ through her sound leadership of the Waimea Valley Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Center. The site of 150 acres of botanical collections, significant historical/cultural sites, rare and endangered native plants and animals, the Center serves 500 visitors a day. Diana's unflagging dedication to staff, visitors and the local community as well as her unparalleled skill in coalition building and strategic negotiation have been key to the success of the Center.
Helen Engle's fifty plus years of environmental activism are an inspiration. She has been the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ matriarch of Washington state, working with Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ staff and volunteers from throughout the region. Her contributions range from her role as founding president of the Tahoma Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Society, to editor of The Towhee newsletter for ten years, to positions as a member of both the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Washington board of stewards and the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ board of directors. Helen's willingness and style of bringing people together and building common consensus have brought about change that no one would have thought possible. In addition, Helen has served on the boards of numerous local, state and regional non-profit and governmental organizations, and has won many awards for her contributions.
As one of the most dedicated and hardest working volunteers in Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ, Margery Nicolson's contributions to Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ range far and wide. Margery is a current member of the board for Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Alaska and Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ California, as well as the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ. Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ's Rowe Sanctuary is perhaps her greatest love. For several weeks each year, she moves to Kearney to help lead field trips and other programs during the Sandhill Crane migration. There, as lead donor for the Ian Nicolson Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Center and a key volunteer leader, Margery inspires one of the largest and most dedicated team of volunteers in Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ.
"This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rachel Carson, and it is a fitting tribute that Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ is recognizing three very special women as recipients of its highest award for Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ volunteers and professionals," said John Flicker, president of the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ. "Diana, Helen and Margery's deep commitment to the goals of Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ and the cause of conservation are reasons for celebration and I am thrilled to be able to recognize their immense contributions."
The Charles H. Callison award is named after a former executive vice president at Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ. The award was established in 1994 by the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ to give special recognition to an individual or group in recognition of creativity, cooperation, persuasion, patience and perseverance in promoting the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ mission at the local, state, or federal level. Each award winner is presented with a certificate as well as a framed photograph donated by Bill Stripling of Vicksburg, Mississippi, whose photos were featured in the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ magazine feature on the Mississippi River.
For more information about the Callison Award and its recipients, please contact Lynn ltennefoss@audubon.org or 800-542-2748. For more information about the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ, please visit .