Everyone had fun at our 52nd Annual Meeting!
John Muir said it best:
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”
Aspetuck Land Trust Board of directors taking pictures before the meeting. From left: Don Hyman, Nancy Moon, Chris Kerin, Maria Dempsey, Celia Campbell-Mohn, Jacquie Littlejohn, Ross Ogden, David Brant (Executive Director), Bill Kupinse, Heather Williams, Alan Goldbecker, Joe Schnierlein, Jeff Galdenzi, Bill Kraekel, Aili diBonaventura, Ken Bernhard.
There was a silent auction with paintings donated by a local artist, Gail Bell, who has been painting Aspetuck Land Trust open spaces in Fairfield. Thank you, Gail!
Owen Harlacker (age 14, Fairfield Warde), Jackson Hemphill (age 17, Fairfield Ludlowe), Jory Teltser (age 17, Staples HS, Westport), all vital members of Aspetuck Land Trust's Land Management Committee.
Aspetuck Land Trust member David Storrs with board member Nancy Moon.
Mary Hogue with Joy Shaw, founder of the Mill River Wetland Committee and popular River Lab program which teaches children in Fairfield Public Schools about the importance of watersheds. Thank you, Joy!
David Brant, Aspetuck Land Trust Executive Director; Tony Hwang, State Senator; Nancy Moon, Board of Directors; Don Hyman, Aspetuck Land Trust Board President.
Aspetuck Land Trust President, Don Hyman kicking off the evening.
Gifts were presented to retiring board members. In this case, rock bookends from our Poindexter Preserve in Easton were given to long-serving Finance VP, Alan Goldbecker.
Retiring Finance VP, Alan Goldbecker giving the financial report.
Land Management VP, Celia Campbell-Mohn giving the land management report. Celia is retiring and a trail will be named in her honor at the Leonard Schine Preserve in Westport, home of the Natural Playground, where she established a Family Trail.
Nominating Chair, Aili DiBonaventura presenting the Class of 2022 for a vote by the members.
Board member, Bill Kraekel leads a discussion about our vision for a 17,000 Green Corridor that will span Easton, Weston, Westport and Fairfield.
Executive Director, David Brant showing the Green Corridor on the map.
Volunteer, Van Dusenbury being recognized for his service to the land trust as the leader of our 70+ Trail Stewards.
Volunteer, Eva Grundy being recognized for her volunteer efforts on the land management committee.
Aspetuck Land Trust Executive Director David Brant, with long-serving retiring board member Raphael and his wife Roberta Hodgson, and Don Hyman, Board President.
Alicia Mozian, Conservation Director-Town of Westport, and Heather Williams, Aspetuck Land Trust Board of Director.
Member, Alan Feldman with Lou Bacchiochi.
It would not have been a party without beer from Aspetuck Brew Lab, pizza from Skinny Pines Wood Fired Catering of Easton, and it would not have been a party without lemonade from Newman's Own.
We viewed our new video "Aspetuck Land Trust - Get Outside" made by the 2018 Staples High School Interns.
At the end of the night we gave out native pollinator plants from Native Nursery in Fairfield to demonstrate that everyone can make a difference by doing something as simple as planting native plants.
Thank you to our members for making a difference!
It was a beautiful evening for our annual meeting!!