CELEBRATE SOIL AND WATER
            As a Stephenson County resident and/or landowner, A place is there for you at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District at noon Monday, February 2, 2004. The meeting is being held at the Four Seasons White Oak Room, Freeport. Dinner begins at 12:00 noon. Business, awards, and program will follow.
            Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District is one of 98 Districts in Illinois governed by an act of the Legislature passed in 1937 known as the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act. The Act outlines the purpose of Districts and prescribes how they will be governed.       The District Act declares that all owners and occupiers of land in a County are members of that Soil and Water Conservation District and that means you!
            Why should you come? You’ll get to share in the celebration of conservation achievements. You will get acquainted with the staff and Board that work for you. You will be a part of the strong grassroots support that keeps the District growing in service. You will honor producers and landowners who are dedicated to protecting our soil and water.
            What business will be done? Approval of minutes, a financial report, and election of two of the five Board members. Nominations may be made from the floor with consent of the nominees.
            Who gets awards? Students, farmers, and partners in conservation chosen by the Board for their efforts in conservation education and/or in applying conservation practices. Among those given awards will be winners of the Vo-Ag Conservation Planning Contest and Student Poster Contest, and a distinguished Conservation Farm Family.
            What is the program? Sindy Main will be the featured speaker. Sindy was part of an international team of distinguished scientist, teachers, and explorers from the United States, Russia, Austria, and New Zealand that recently returned from a six-week expedition to Antarctica where they studied the icy ecosystems of the Untersee Oasis, including perennially ice-covered Lake Unterseehas. Sindy has taught for over 25 years in Dakota, Lena, and Freeport public school systems. She was selected to participate in an educator in space program sponsored by NASA and Honeywell in 2004. Sindy hopes to use her experience on the ice to plan a project base activity to share with students in the Stephenson County and surrounding areas.
            Why a dinner? It’s traditional to share food at a celebration. The tickets cost $12.00 and reservations are required for the dinner. The tickets will cover the cost of the event so that no dollars committed to the conservation work of SWCD will be used for the meeting. Contact the Stephenson SWCD office at (815) 235-2161 ext. 3 for more information or for reservations and tickets. See you there.

Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water
Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer, 01/08/09 (for publication on 1/17/09 in the Journal-Standard, Freeport, Illinois). Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org