Press Room

91°µÍø Announces Winners Of Its Prestigious Callison Award

By Severance, Nancy
Published May 29, 2007
The 91°µÍø announced today that it has named the recipients for its 13th Annual Charles H. Callison Awards. The 2007 Callison Award for an 91°µÍø Professional was presented to Diana King, center director of the Waimea Valley 91°µÍø Center, and the 2007 Callison Award for an 91°µÍø Volunteer was awarded to two 91°µÍø volunteers: Helen Engle, member of the board of stewards for 91°µÍø Washington and an active leader of the Tahoma 91°µÍø Society in Tacoma, Washington, and Margery Aylwin Nicolson, board member of 91°µÍø California and 91°µÍø Alaska, and an active volunteer at 91°µÍø's Rowe Sanctuary in Kearney, Nebraska.

The awards, which were presented to the winners at the May 2007 91°µÍø Global Warming Retreat in Park City, Utah, recognize individuals who have made remarkable contributions to conservation through creativity, coalition building, creative thinking, outreach, and perseverance. Awardees are nominated by their peers in the field – both 91°µÍø Chapter and state board members and 91°µÍø staff.

Diana King is recognized with the 2007 Callison Award for her dedicated service and major contributions to the goals of 91°µÍø through her sound leadership of the Waimea Valley 91°µÍø Center. The site of 150 acres of botanical collections, significant historical/cultural sites, rare and endangered native plants and animals, the Center serves 500 visitors a day. Diana's unflagging dedication to staff, visitors and the local community as well as her unparalleled skill in coalition building and strategic negotiation have been key to the success of the Center.

Helen Engle's fifty plus years of environmental activism are an inspiration. She has been the 91°µÍø matriarch of Washington state, working with 91°µÍø staff and volunteers from throughout the region. Her contributions range from her role as founding president of the Tahoma 91°µÍø Society, to editor of The Towhee newsletter for ten years, to positions as a member of both the 91°µÍø Washington board of stewards and the 91°µÍø board of directors. Helen's willingness and style of bringing people together and building common consensus have brought about change that no one would have thought possible. In addition, Helen has served on the boards of numerous local, state and regional non-profit and governmental organizations, and has won many awards for her contributions.

As one of the most dedicated and hardest working volunteers in 91°µÍø, Margery Nicolson's contributions to 91°µÍø range far and wide. Margery is a current member of the board for 91°µÍø Alaska and 91°µÍø California, as well as the 91°µÍø. 91°µÍø's Rowe Sanctuary is perhaps her greatest love. For several weeks each year, she moves to Kearney to help lead field trips and other programs during the Sandhill Crane migration. There, as lead donor for the Ian Nicolson 91°µÍø Center and a key volunteer leader, Margery inspires one of the largest and most dedicated team of volunteers in 91°µÍø.

"This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rachel Carson, and it is a fitting tribute that 91°µÍø is recognizing three very special women as recipients of its highest award for 91°µÍø volunteers and professionals," said John Flicker, president of the 91°µÍø. "Diana, Helen and Margery's deep commitment to the goals of 91°µÍø and the cause of conservation are reasons for celebration and I am thrilled to be able to recognize their immense contributions."

The Charles H. Callison award is named after a former executive vice president at 91°µÍø. The award was established in 1994 by the 91°µÍø to give special recognition to an individual or group in recognition of creativity, cooperation, persuasion, patience and perseverance in promoting the 91°µÍø mission at the local, state, or federal level. Each award winner is presented with a certificate as well as a framed photograph donated by Bill Stripling of Vicksburg, Mississippi, whose photos were featured in the 91°µÍø magazine feature on the Mississippi River.

For more information about the Callison Award and its recipients, please contact Lynn ltennefoss@audubon.org or 800-542-2748. For more information about the 91°µÍø, please visit http://www.audubon.org/.