The Huntingburg Event Center was full on Tuesday evening as the Dubois County Soil and Water Conservation District held its annual meeting and awards banquet. After the welcome and introduction by SWCD Chair Brenda Sermershiem and a catered meal by Arnie Welp, formerly of Arnie’s Tavern in St. Anthony, the meeting got underway.
A presentation by the Guest Speak Group the Talon Trust was given featuring three live raptors in attendance. The Talon Trust, Inc. is a group whose HQ is in Evansville and they serve southwestern Indiana in the conservation of native raptors through rescue and rehabilitation. The group is a 501c3 non-profit that, since 2014, has rescued 698 birds. For more information, you can visit their website at talontrust.org or their Facebook page.
The awards banquet was held next:
- Ken McWilliams Memorial Award for Soil Judging Excellence: Winner- Jasper High School FFA
- River Friendly Farmer Award: Winner- Jeff Stenftenagel
- OFS Brands Forest Stewardship Award: Winner- Frank and Bill Otte (Accepted by Doug Brown)
- Friend of Conservation Award: Winner- Sr. Jean Marie Ballard
- Otto J Bauer Memorial Outstanding Conservation Farmer of the Year: Winner- Andy Helming (Accepted by Jack Welp)
The election of the Supervisors of the SWCD to three-year terms was held next with Mark Welp and Pat Eckerle accepting the roles.
The annual meeting ended with Aubree Pond, SWCD Executive Director, giving a list of accomplishments over the past calendar year which included the announcement of LETS DIG an acronym for the new project entitled: Local Education and Testing of Soils in Dubois County to Improve Gardens. LETS DIG is a local working group dedicated to promoting soil health and best management practices to Dubois County growers and small farms through education and technical assistance. It is comprised of local partner organizations and individuals who are passionate about soil health.
To view more pictures please see our post on our 18 WJTS Facebook page.
