**ARCHIVED POST **
Members may vote for one of three nominees this year for the Benny J. Simpson Fellows Award.
Nominees are Janice Blackerby, Joan Mukherjee and Sue Wiseman. Information about them is shown below, including biographical information submitted with their nomination form.
The Benny J. Simpson Fellows Award was established in 1993 to recognize service and work by a Society member for the enrichment of the Society at the state, regional or chapter level. Recipients are chosen by fellow members. Read more about the award and see a list of all previous recipients.
Cast your ballot online here.
Janice Blackerby – Amarillo Chapter
“Janice Blackerby has been a member since 1998. Janice has been a life-long advocate for native plants and has been instrumental in keeping the Amarillo Chapter alive and well. Because she values the work of this organization and respects native plants, she has served as president, vice-president, and secretary numerous times despite health issues in her family, even when it was not truly convenient to her personally. At one time it seemed our chapter would no longer be viable, but her encouragement and leadership has led to a growing and active chapter. Even when not serving as an officer, she always actively supports projects, events and meetings with her willing participation and encouraging attitude, including participation in field trips, the chapter’s annual native plant sale, and native plant demonstration gardens. She continues to be a source of local and regional native plant information, which she joyfully shares. From early planning, through seemingly mundane practicalities such as volunteering refreshments, she keeps her commitments and helps create an active, welcoming organization. Without her work at key times, this chapter might have lapsed. We owe her a debt of gratitude!” Nominated by Pam Allison, Joseph Cepeda, Judith Jones, and Beverly Gattis. Photo by Vince Blackerby.
Joan Mukherjee – Highland Lakes Chapter
“Joan Mukherjee is the embodiment of what every member should aspire to become. She became a member of the Society in 2000. From that beginning, she has been a driving force in the Highland Lakes Chapter, including serving as chapter president from 2003 to 2005. Joan took leadership in a time when our chapter was at its lowest point and in danger of disbanding. With the resources and guidance she put in place, we have tripled our membership in the years following and have become a vital and energetic society of dedicated, informed members. In 2006, Joan donated a conservation easement over her 107 acre ranch, specifying that the purpose of the easement was to ensure that the property will be retained forever, predominantly in its natural and scenic condition; to protect water quantity and quality; native plants, animals, or plant communities on the property. Joan maintains a native plant nursery of plants she gathers and propagates from her ranch, and she has photographed, categorized & catalogued all the varieties of plants on her property. Native gardens across Burnet, Lampasas, Blanco, Llano, Williamson and Travis counties have benefited from her widely distributed and generously donated time and native plants. All who encounter Joan are enriched by the experience. The funds of Highland Lakes Chapter are generated in a large part by her donations of native plants to our spring and fall plant sales. Joan works tirelessly educating young and old with programs and leading nature walks through Balcones Canyonlands, Upper Highland Lakes Nature Center, Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery, and Inks Lake State Park. She opens her ranch at every opportunity to educate and to illustrate the beauty of Texas wildscapes. It would be hard to find a week that went by during any year that Joan did not enlighten or inspire groups of people to a higher understanding of our native ecosystems. Joan is also a highly respected ambassador, coordinating with other chapters on our behalf.” Nominated by Sammye Childers and Fred Zagst. Photo by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers.
Sue Wiseman – Williamson County Chapter
“Sue Wiseman has been a member since 1997. Sue has been a long time leader for the Society at both the state and local chapter level. She has served has state president and performed notable service to the entire organization in resolving past accounting issues related to missing funds and tax issues. She has been a long time member of the Williamson County Chapter, having served as its president. Most recently she has served as a liaison with the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department and spearheaded efforts with Williamson County Commissioners leading to signage for native plant walks in county parks and making seasonal inventories of all natives found in new county park lands, prior to any development. Sue has spearheaded many local plant surveys including 2 years at the Gault Site, 2 years at Berry Springs Park and Preserve, and 2 years at River Ranch. In concert with that effort, she has promoted a series of taxonomy classes taught by Flo Oxley. In recent years, this has been done cooperatively with the Austin Chapter to maximize Flo’s impact. Sue was a primary driver in organizing the Bastrop area focused Healing Hands for Healing Lands project in 2011. She has arranged chapter programs, volunteered with the chapter plant sale, and is a speaker on invasive plants and suitable native plant alternatives.” Nominated by Kathy Henderson, Robert Kamper, Stephen Brueggerhoff and Dennis and Marilyn Perz. Photo by Kathy Galloway.
**ARCHIVED POST**
**ARCHIVED POST LINKS & PICTURES MAY NOT WORK**
**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: lonnie
