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FIELD Notes

The Countdown to our 50th Anniversary Celebration is On!

by | Sep 1, 2017 | Events

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The weekend of September 22–23 is fast approaching! We continue to add programs to our two-day 50th anniversary bash, so be sure to check out our schedule of events and reserve your spots soon. We’re excited to spend the weekend with so many friends, celebrating 50 years of conservation and equipping citizens with the tools and skills needed to keep advocating for Wyoming’s future.

If this is your first time hearing about this event, be sure to check out this recent story on Wyoming Public Media.

We’re thrilled to announce that following a day of great workshops on Saturday, and ahead of the evening’s keynote address by former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, we’ll host an awards ceremony, where we’ll recognize three citizens whose commitment to Wyoming’s wild places and outdoor heritage is unparalleled.

Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia founder and environmental maverick, will receive the Tom Bell Legacy Award for his tenacious lifelong commitment to conservation. His support of groups such as Citizens for the Wyoming Range and his staunch advocacy for public lands and the environment have made a lasting difference for the people and wild places of Wyoming. Patagonia, Chouinard’s outdoor gear and apparel company, is among the leaders in defending public lands traditions in the West. (If you haven’t seen the company’s first-ever TV ad, we recommend checking it out.)

Brian Rutledge, vice president of Rocky Mountain Audubon, will receive the Conservation Leadership Award for his exemplary vision and collaboration in sage-grouse conservation. Brian’s passion and his thoughtful approach have been instrumental in helping to keep the Greater sage-grouse viable in Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West.

Michael Burd will receive the Civic Action Award in honor of his outstanding leadership of the citizen effort to protect the Wyoming Range, a landscape filled with wildlife and popular with hunters, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

All three award recipients will be in attendance Saturday evening, and we hope you can join us in celebrating these luminaries and honoring their legacies.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration and Citizen Advocacy Summit is a way for the Outdoor Council not only to honor our founders, dedicated members, and 50-year history, but also for the people of Wyoming to look ahead to the future.

“We’ll be thinking together about how citizens can be the most engaged, effective advocates for the outdoor places and wildlife they love,” said executive director Gary Wilmot. “I know the entire Outdoor Council staff and board is looking forward to connecting with old friends, making some new ones, and discussing what the future of conservation looks like for Wyoming.”

 

Remember, we’re kicking off the weekend with a free community concert on Friday night, headlined by Wyoming’s own Jalan Crossland. Crossland recently announced that this will be the band’s last show, so it’s a gig longtime fans will not want to miss.

Amy

Rathke

Community Engagement Director

Staff