Lakeshore Advance, 2013-04-24, Page 2020 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Conservation Dinner gala auction raises more than $50,000 for recreation and
education for youth, accessible trails, commemorative woods, and other projects
Community committee has
raised more than $700,000
for watershed improvements
in 24 -year history of charitable
event; Committee looks to 25th
dinner in 2014
The 24th Conservation Ginner raised more
than $50,000 on "Thursday night in net proceeds
to benefit conservation efforts such as accessible
trails, conservation areas, and parks; fish stocking
and family -friendly fishing derby for the young
and young -at -heart; commemorative woods to
remember loved ones and 11)1prov(' forest condi-
tions; anti conservation education for children
and youth.
\lure than •100 people attended the 2013 gala
(tinner and auction and patrons ('aloe from its far
away as New York to be at this event. Conserva-
tion Dinner Committee Chairman Bob Lave
thanked the donors, patrons, volunteers, and art-
ists who made the event such a success.
Blyth Festival Interim Artistic Director Peter
Smith was the event's special guest and he
recounted a compelling personal anecdote
underlining how we all need to do a better job as
caretakers of land and %Vote(•. feature artist
Madeleine Bosky, of (coderich, spoke l'lO(llll'1111V
about the conservationists who I1at(I made an
impact on her life.
The event featured delicious appetizers, tasty
meal, wine tasting, live auction, silent auction,
Super Silent auction, the announcement (1l ill(' win-
ners of eight special raffle prize packages (with it
total value of more than $13,000), 32 general rattle
prize packages, and much more. Auction items
included signed sports and arts memorabilia, travel
packages, I('wellety, visual art and more.
The charitable auction is hell( each year by a
cl)1111tlittee including volunteers from the Water-
shed community, from Exeter Lions (;Tub, and
from Ausable liavhellt Conservation Foundation.
the dinner has raised more than $700,000 over its
2'1 -year history for watershed improvement
projects (ha( can only take place through dona-
tions from the public. 'she community Conserva-
tion Dinner Committee will soon begin work
planning the 25th Conservation Dinner for April
of 2014. It is expected the 25th Conservation Din-
ner will be bigger and better than ever as the coin
n)ittee celebrates a quarter century of supporting
improvements in the community.
For more information on the Conservation
Dinner visit conservationdinner.com
"ONION R FUTURE"
ABCA
Gerry Cooke, director with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, on behalf of
Foundation Chairman Bob Radtke; special guest Peter Smith, Interim artistic director
of the Blyth Festival; Bob Laye, Chairman of the Conservation Dinner Committee;
Madeleine Roske, feature artist; and Bruce Hodge, President of the Exeter Lions Club.
Ontario Institute of Agrologists honours dedicated service
Huron County man
Tom Prout is one of
two Distingushed
Agrologists honoured
ABCA
The Ontario Institute of Agrologists
(GIA) presented Distinguished Agrolo-
gist awards to Totn Prout, a
4.14
Bayview Golf Club
2013 Men's League
has started
Every Tuesday (All Day1
New league members welcome
Starting Monday May 6th
New Ladies League
Starting at 4pm
Every Monday
Sign up and play on May 6th
Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) from the
Exeter area, and Barry Fraser, P.Ag., at
the OIA's Annual Professional Develop-
ment Conference and 54th Annual
General Meeting, held on April 6 in
Kitchener. The two men were recog-
nized for their "dedication of service to
professional practice" and their "out-
standing sense of community.'
A Professional Agrologist is a profes-
sional who works in the agri-food indus-
try and is registered in a Canadian pro-
vincial institute of agrologists. "Receiving
the Distinguished Agrologist Award is an
honour," Prout said upon receiving the
award. "It is humbling to be recognized
at this level by Iny peers."
Prout is General hlinager of Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA).
Barry Fraser, of the Chatham -Kent area,
is a former agriculture rep with Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food with
long-time extension experience. Fraser is
now a private independent consultant
(barryfraser.ca).
'Ions was nominated by fellow profes-
sional agrologist Ross Wilson, who is a
Water and Stewardship Technologist at
Ausable Bayfield Conservation. "It has
been my pleasure to nominate Tom,
who has exemplified the role of a Pro-
fessional Agrologist," Wilson said.
Igegits.
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PIAINTHM! ONION
Tom Prout accepts OIA Award
The ()IA also awarded
llonourary Professional
Agrologist titles to Joseph
Rider and Oxford riding MPP
Ernie I lardeman, In recogni-
tion of their leadership and
countless contributions to
agriculture in Ontario.
'The OIA Corporate Award
of Excellence wits presented
to the Agri -Trend Group of
Companies. Rob Salk, P.Ag.,
represented the group as he
accepted the award. Agri -
Trend's practice, that the
best team of individuals pos-
sess their Professional Agrol-
ogy certification, and their
resulting high level of trust
within the sector, are
acknowledged to be the hall-
mark of Agri -Trend practi-
tioners Canada -wide,
according to the GIA.
The OIA also presented
service pins to long -serving
members, including 50 -year
pins to Peter I !annum, P.Ag.
Sr. Dist., and Bruce lanes
PAg. Sr.
The 2013 award recipients
are recognized for their out-
standing contributions and
their duality of character
within the agri-food industry
in Ontario," 'alio OIA Presi-
dent Frank Reddlck, P.Ag.
About 9(1 members of the
Ontario Institute of Agrolo-
gists and guests attended the
recent conference that
addressed healthy food from
sustainable sources In the
conference theme, Agrology:
The Agricultural and Envi-
ronmental Profession.
Reddlck said that "the
work that certified OIA mem-
ber professionals perform
811(1 the choices we make do
influence the future of food,
farming, our natural resource
base and ultimately, our
health and well-being.'
For more information
about the Ontario Institute of
Agrologlsts, conference pho-
tos and the Award citations
please visit the OIA website
at oia.on.ca.