Lower Thames recognizes stewardship, volunteer work

Lower Thames recognizes stewardship volunteer work

The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority has awarded several individuals, organizations and businesses with awards for their volunteer work or dedication to the environment.

The acknowledgments were made during the authority’s annual general meeting, held March 2 at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph.

The Rotary Club of Chatham Sunrise received a Volunteer Hero Award for its members’ work on events like the Chatham-Kent and Lambton Children’s Water Festival and CK Paddle and Clean.

David Braukis also received a Volunteer Hero Award. He lives near the Big O Conservation Area and regularly walks the trails looking out for problems, picking up litter and offering ideas to improve the conservation area. He also regularly monitors other Lower Thames properties.

The St. Clair College border services and police foundations program received the third Volunteer Hero Award. Students from the Thames dampus have provided volunteer security services to the Chatham-Kent and Lambton Children’s Water Festival since 2007.

Chad and Kate Hoskins were named the Most Generous Landowners. They worked with the conservation authority to return 1.2 hectares (three acres) of land in the Ridgetown area to nature.

The conservation authority recognized Twin Dolphin/Strong House Canada Corp., a business out of Wallaceburg, with the Most Dedicated Organization award. They provided a large proportion of the paddles for the second-annual CK Paddle and Clean event on the Thames River, as well as the recycling bins to sort the collected waste.

The St. Clair College border services and police foundations program received the Volunteer Hero Award from the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority during the authority's annual general meeting held March 2 at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph.  Shown here are outgoing conservation authority chair Trevor Thompson, left, and Mark Benoit, chair of the School of Academic Studies for St. Clair College at the Chatham campus.  (Tom Morrison/Chatham This Week)
The St. Clair College border services and police foundations program received the Volunteer Hero Award from the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority during the authority’s annual general meeting held March 2 at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph. Shown here are outgoing conservation authority chair Trevor Thompson, left, and Mark Benoit, chair of the School of Academic Studies for St. Clair College at the Chatham campus. (Tom Morrison/Chatham This Week) jpg, CA
Kate Hoskins, left, and Chad Hoskins, right, received the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority's Most Generous Landowner award from Greg Van Every, conservation services coordinator, right, during the authority's annual general meeting March 2. (Tom Morrison/Chatham This Week)
Kate Hoskins, left, and Chad Hoskins, right, received the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority’s Most Generous Landowner award from Greg Van Every, conservation services coordinator, right, during the authority’s annual general meeting March 2. (Tom Morrison/Chatham This Week) jpg, CA
Alyssa Broeders, community conservation educator and urban stewardship technician with the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, left, presents Sally Joyce and Alex Topol from Twin Dolphin/Strong House Canada Corp.  with the Most Dedicated Organization award at the authority's annual general meeting held March 2, 2023. (Tom Morrison/Chatham This Week)
Alyssa Broeders, community conservation educator and urban stewardship technician with the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, left, presents Sally Joyce and Alex Topol from Twin Dolphin/Strong House Canada Corp. with the Most Dedicated Organization award at the authority’s annual general meeting held March 2, 2023. (Tom Morrison/Chatham This Week) jpg, CA

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