Stephanie Wagner's contributions celebrated as she retires from the Friends of Tryon Creek

FOTC Education Coordinator Linda Koser toasts to Stephanie Wagner

On a warm evening in July people gathered at Tryon Creek’s Nature Center to raise a glass to Stephanie Wagner, an extraordinary environmental educator, and applaud her 27 years of service and achievements with the Friends of Tryon Creek.

Stephanie first became a part of the Friends in 1979, teaching nature education to children. In the years that followed Stephanie served in seemingly every position within the organization from FOTC Board President to Executive Director, a role she filled for nine years. She most recently served as Education Director and was responsible for overseeing the creation and implementation of the Friends’ education programs.

The celebration for Stephanie was billed as an “intimate fundraiser” and guests were asked to make a modest contribution on a sliding scale, starting with $10. Attendance was strong, with nearly 100 people on hand to pay tribute to Stephanie. Every dollar that was raised went directly to support the Friends’ education programs for children to honor Stephanie’s passion for inspiring a love and appreciation of nature in young people.

It was wonderful to see many familiar faces, and the positive sentiment in the air was palpable. Gratitude for Stephanie’s contributions over the years was abundant, as well as a sense of awe at the realization that Stephanie’s efforts touched literally thousands of people and impacted them for the good through her role as an outdoor educator.

The evening culminated with individuals toasting to Stephanie and sharing anecdotes that demonstrated her commitment to the Friends and to education. Words like “passion”, “dedication” and “engagement” factored prominently. Friends’ Executive Director David Cohen presented Stephanie with a gift from the staff, a framed photograph of the park, and Board President Phil Hamilton announced that that the classroom will be renamed in her honor as a gift from the board.

The Friends of Tryon Creek have been fortunate to have had Stephanie’s expertise over the past 27 years. We will continue to see her around the park, as she plans to remain on the education committee and will continue to produce programs for the Friends. We wish Stephanie all the best with her future endeavors and appreciate all she has done for the organization.

(For more information on Stephanie and FOTC please visit http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/stephanie_wagner_to_retire_fro.html)