What a wild and wonderful evening the wingding was this year! The Sierra Sweethearts serenaded volunteers, community partners, staff, friends and family while we enjoyed dinner from La Vecchia, Craig Demetras, and Chuy’s followed by desserts from Laughing Planet and Homage. Cheers to them and also to Craft Reno for providing beer!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Wingding Special Awardees just one more time. These amazing people are making a big difference in the world and we are honored to celebrate them any chance we get! Fawn Douglas was honored for her work protecting public lands across Nevada, particularly the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. She travelled to Reno this summer to share her work in our Wild Artivist gallery and gave a talk about using art for a cause. The employees of the Patagonia Service Center helped us on many volunteer trips in Northern Nevada this year, contributing to a RECORD BREAKING number of noxious weeds removed through our weed warrior program. We are happy to report that Mt Rose Wilderness was liberated from over 40,000 noxious musk thistle invaders in 2019! In Southern Nevada, Zappos for Good served as a truly outstanding corporate partner helping us with the Wild and Scenic Film Festival. We were delighted that Zapponian John Sorenson was able to join us at the celebration to receive their award. It is always a treat to spend time and share a smile with such a warmhearted individual.
Erin Rajala, of the US Forest Service, was named our Agency Partner of the Year for 2019. Erin manages over 3 million acres of public lands, including Wilderness (some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in our state!). The ever intrepid and always kind Jeff Lock, was celebrated as our volunteer of the year. Jeff has put in so many hours and passionately shares his love of public lands every chance he gets. We are so grateful for the support, dedication, and love of wild these individuals have given to us.
Thank you all, from our volunteers who give their sweat and time, to our generous donors, and to the folks who call their representatives on behalf of their public lands, each and every member of Friends of Nevada Wilderness contributes in their own way to the protection of the wild places that make our state so special. We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for an amazing year.
Click here for a full gallery of Wingding photos.
