Trumbull conservationists honor most valuable natural resources: people

CORTLAND, Ohio – The 56th Trumbull Soil and Water Conservation District annual awards banquet was held Nov. 3 at the Garden Brook Banquet Center.
Highest honor. Dale Parker received the Bill Penn Memorial Award, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a citizen of Trumbull County for conservation.
The award is named after Bill Penn, who was the district conservationist from 1956-1981.
Mark Zuppo Jr., who serves as the Howland Township zoning director received the Conservationist of the Year Award.
Forestry. This year marked the first year of the Outstanding Conservation Forestry Award. This new award went to Jim Doll of Doll Lumber in Southington.
“His company is a master logger member of the Northeast Ohio Loggers Chapter and produces some of the best timber harvest plans for woodland areas,” said Mike Wilson, the SWCD’s executive director/administrator.
Special efforts. The SWCD also gave awards to those who made special efforts in natural resources over the past year in the following categories: Tracie Campbell, Outstanding Conservation Educator; John Jewett of Orangeville Farms in Kinsman Township, Outstanding Conservation Farmer; and Kline’s Cove Villas in Liberty Township, Outstanding Conservation Developer.
Youth awards. The SWCD awarded certificates to the first place team from this year’s Junior Envirothon.
The Trumbull Educators Association of Christian Homeschoolers (TEACH) was this year’s junior high school winning team. The adviser is Patty McFall, with team members Vincent Barnovsky, Caleb Caple, Joshua McFall, Joshua Shaffer, and Daniel Earl.
The SWCD recognized 7-year-old Torri DePizzo of Bazetta Elementary for her statewide first place “Waterwise” poster, which will be on display at the national SWCD convention this coming February in San Francisco, Calif.
Also recognized was the Labrae High School Envirothon team, who captured second place in the Ohio Area State Envirothon competition.
The Trumbull SWCD, with the Penn Ohio Watershed, conducted a two-state junior envirothon-type competition called “Watershed Challenge” at which Laurel Junior High in Pennsylvania won first place.
Dedication. Evelyn Poff was surprised to receive the Extraordinary Service Award from the staff for her years as the district’s secretary in the 1970s.
The evening’s featured speaker was Dale Arnold from the Ohio Farm Bureau. His presentation was an engaging view of energy alternatives and energy opportunities in Ohio.
The entertainment for the evening included stick dramas from the Maranatha Church Youth Group.
They presented the national anthem, an invocation and a special Veterans Day tribute. Youth group members include; Amanda Terry, Josh Crank, Nick Gilger and Joseph Lanza.