WOLF'S CROSSROADS - Northumberland County Conservation District (NCCD) announced four awards to nature-friendly organizations and individuals during its annual awards picnic Thursday evening at the Little Shamokin Creek Watershed Association's recreation area along Houser Road.
Under the roof of a newly built hemlock pavilion measuring 30-by-60 feet and stained dark red, NCCD staff and board of directors presented the awards for excellence in conservation work in Northumberland County during the casual ceremony.
Don Cotner Sr. Memorial Scholarship
Dean James, representing Cotner Farms, presented the Don Cotner Sr. Memorial Scholarship to Elizabeth Bassett, a 2015 graduate of Danville High School. The scholarship is given to a recent high school senior who will be pursuing a degree in agriculture or an environmentally related field in the fall semester. Don Cotner Jr. sponsors the scholarship in memory of his father, who was a director for NCCD from 1960-79 and was named Pa. Conservation Farmer of the Year in 1988.
Bassett is a daughter of Duane and Christy Bassett. Bassett participated in roadside cleanups, was a farmhand and worked with the Montour County Conservation District as a co-op. Her senior year grade was 97.53, and she was involved in many after-school activities. She is planning to pursue a degree in environmental systems engineering at Penn State University.
Swank Award
The Swank Outstanding Conservation Organization Award is sponsored annually by David and Judy Swank, of Elysburg, in honor of their granddaughter, Shelby Palmer. It is presented to an outstanding conservation organization that has done exceptional conservation work in the Northumberland County. County Commissioner Rick Shoch presented the award to the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA), south of Burnside.
The AOAA has facilitated several conservation projects, including mine reclamation project at Boyer Knob, planting of American chestnut trees, cleanups and the Carbon Run initiative, a future project that is planned to treat an abandon mine discharge.
Educator of the Year
Mike Erdley, a public citizen member of the board of directors at NCCD, presented the Environmental Educator of the Year award to William Zeigler, a teacher at Oaklyn Elementary School. The award honors a teacher who demonstrates leadership in environmental education through their class work and involvement in community activities.
Zeigler has been the Outdoor Education Program coordinator at the school for more than 10 years. During this time, he has led a small group of volunteers to raise $50,000 a year to allow the program to continue. Through his conservation efforts he has formed relationships with the Union County Conservation District, game wardens, the White Deer Search and Rescue, Union County law enforcment, T&D's Cats of the World, Buffalo Valley Sportsmen's Association and the Boy Scouts of America.
Shaffer Scholarship
The Raymond D. and Mable E. Shaffer Scholarship is provided by Sandra Shaffer-Mattern, of Dornsife, to a Line Mountain High School senior who will be attending college in the fall. The scholarship was started in 1996 in memory of Raymond and Mable Shaffer, who were among the founders of the NCCD.
This year's award went to Taran Miller, of Dalmatia. He is a son of Renee Miller. His extracurricular activities include football, hunting, trapping, playing guitar, youth group and being a Awana volunteer. He has applied to Penn State-Harrisburg, Delaware Valley College and Texas A&M. His career plans include working in an agricultural management position. He had a GPA of 3.0 during his senior year.