The Thirtieth Annual BHAS Dinner gala once again brought together members and friends to celebrate birds and our shared enthusiasm for them. Gathered in the attractive high-ceilinged room at the Community College, we filled the tables, crowded the sale room, and chatted in the wine and beer line. Old friends reconnected and new friends made birding dates. The sale, an innovation this year, offered many intriguing and artful items, and the tasteful—and tasty—raffle items added opportunity and suspense. The accounts of the ongoing work of our award winners—Sam Merrill as the Jack Davis Conservationist and Margaret Tudor as the Dave McNett Environmental Educator of the year—were thoughtful and inspiring. Remarks by Art Wang, our national board representative, connected our work with the wider efforts being carried on across the nation. The highlight of the evening was the invigorating talk by Dr. Julia Parrish, who entertained and informed us about the world of sea and shore birds and the programs that seek to protect them. She offered concrete opportunities for ways to get involved in citizen science projects and do our part to support birds and other wildlife we love. Throughout the evening, our president Deb Nickerson gracefully emceed the event, served up humor, affection and inspiring reflections and kept us on schedule for another very successful celebration of all things Audubon. Thanks to all who made the evening memorable and fun!
If you have an opportunity to patronize any of the following businesses, please thank them for supporting our Annual Dinner with their contributions. Some have supported our work for many years.
- Craftworks—Mike Stark
- Eastside Urban Farm and Garden Center
- Fish Brewing Company
- Go4 Gourds
- Gull Harbor Mercantile
- Hood Canal Marina/Alderbrook Resort & Spa
- Bill Justis
- Olympic Mountain Ice Cream
- South Bay Greenhouses
- Wild Birds Unlimited
- The Wine Loft
by Anne Kilgannon