Friends Host Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Event

The Friends of Tryon Creek were honored to host our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Event in the Nature Center on February 16th, 2012. The evening kicked off with a discussion of the Friends' successes and accomplishments in 2011 with a big round of applause for our incredible volunteers whose contributions make our organization seem to be twice its actual size.

After the Annual Meeting, the Friends presented awards to individual volunteers and our community partners in recognition of their incredible support in 2011.

2011 Volunteer Awards
-Highest Volunteer Hours - Phil Hamilton
-Individual Volunteer of the Year - Bruce Rottink
-Trail Host Volunteer of the Year - Steve Trapp
-Special Events Volunteer of the Year - Laura Dobyns
-Interpretative Volunteer of the Year - Linda Folkestad
-Nature Center Host Volunteer of the Year - Kari Harrison
-Education Volunteer of the Year - Roland Begin
-Stewardship Volunteer of the Year - Carl Axelsen
-Youth Volunteer of the Year - Atticus Kleen
-Rising Star Volunteer of the Year - Jillian Jackson

2011 Partner Awards
-Trillium Coffee
-Columbia Land Trust/Audubon Society
-Lake Oswego School District
-The Gray Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation

It was a wonderful evening and a good time was truly had by all. The volunteers were very gracious and many shared inspiring stories about their connection to the park, reminding us all how very lucky we are to be a part of this place.

Phil Hamilton (left) accepts award for Highest Volunteer Hours from FOTC Executive Director David Cohen

Bruce Rottink (left) accepts award for Individual Volunteer of the Year, presented by Executive Director David Cohen

Lara Christensen and John Gray, of the Gray Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation. The Friends presented John Gray with a 2011 Partner Award.

(from left) FOTC Education Director Matthew Collins, Columbia Land Trust's Gaylen Beatty, Audubon Society's Nikkie West, Executive Director David Cohen and Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Kreisman. Gaylen and Nikkie accepted the 2011 Partner Award on behalf of the Columbia Land Trust and the Audubon Society of Portland

Friends' Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Kreisman shared the following poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"What is success?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
That is to have succeeded."

Truer words were never spoken.

The Friends invite you to join us for another fantastic year in 2012! www.tryonfriends.org

Nature Center library at Tryon Creek

Did you know that there is a small library located in the Kraft Room at Tryon Creek's Nature Center? We have approximately 1000 titles ranging from the Peterson field guide to picture books for children on hand for your perusal. They are not available for check-out but are sure to enhance your experience here at the park as they bolster your knowledge about local flora and fauna, region and park history, and more.

Our collection has recently been organized and cataloged online at LibraryThing.com. Check out our profile at www.librarything.com/profile/TryonCreek and browse the library here: www.librarything.com/catalog/TryonCreek. We hope that you will find this new resource helpful and easy to use. We are still in the early phases of shaping our library and would love any feedback regarding your experience.

The Friends are grateful to our volunteer librarian, Amber Stranstalien, for her hard work getting the library organized and accessible online.