BHAS Annual Picnic

By Kathleen Snyder

It was a warm afternoon in a beautiful northwest location.  It was also the first time in 2 ½ years that our Black Hills Audubon membership has been able to gather and socialize in person.  It was lovely!  About 40 of us met at the Rose Garden Picnic Shelter in Squaxin (Priest Point) Park in Olympia in the late afternoon.  First a small group went out to look for birds in the park.  The time of day and the time of year made birds scarce but the trees provided a welcome, cool retreat.

Then the larger group started arriving and enjoyed a beverage and conversation with friends old and new.  During our meal, we had a short presentation that featured award presentations to outstanding volunteers as well as a free giveaway of toilet paper made from bamboo.  The idea was to encourage folks to consider buying bamboo toilet paper to reduce the amount of logging taking place in the boreal forests of Canada that go to making paper toilet paper. 

As for our amazing volunteers, Elizabeth Rodrick was recognized for her many years of Board service including the last four years as Vice-President (which, in the absence of a President, put her in charge of the chapter). Anne Van Sweringen received the 2022 Jack Davis Conservationist of the Year Award for her years of involvement both in the BHAS Conservation Committee as well as other local and state environmental organizations.  Deb Nickerson was recognized as the 2020 BHAS Volunteer of the Year, an honor that we could not recognize in 2020 due to the COVID-19 cancellation of our annual dinner.  The 2022 Volunteer of the Year, Sue Danver, was unable to attend the picnic this year due to health concerns so we hope to recognize her next year either at a resumed Annual Dinner or the outdoor Annual Picnic.

The picnic ended on a fun note – Bird Bingo!  There were prizes and laughs and a good feeling that we had enjoyed a wonderful event with our “tribe” and with the hope that we could do it again soon.