Day After Prairie Appreciation Day Reflections

Day After Prairie Appreciation Day Reflections, Post by Dennis Plank, Photo by Margaret Allen

Day After Prairie Appreciation Day Reflections

Starting in 2005 through last year one of my most pleasant tasks associated with organizing Prairie Appreciation Day and being “Official Cat Herder” has been to send a message of thanks to all the volunteers who made the day possible. One person can no more put PAD together than one person can build a 747. It takes an incredible amount of volunteer effort leading up to the event and even for a few days thereafter in addition to all the people (around 100 each year) who help out on the day of the event. So it has felt very strange this year not to be the person doing the organizing and then agreeing with the rest of the board of Friends of Puget Prairies that we had to cancel the event and finding myself with little to do besides write blog posts and help get others to do so; a very minor amount of work in comparison to years past. So today, driving home from running errands on a what has been a 16 hour day in years past, I got to thinking about all those volunteers over the years, some of whom have gone way beyond the call of duty.

Cliff Snyder, who always loves a good story, used totell people the mounds were made by prehistoric Blue Gophers.  I jokingly suggested we make him dress up like one for PAD.  Marion Jarisch tooke me seriously and made him the suit and he wore it every PAD for years.  Photo by Margaret Allen

Cliff Snyder, who always loves a good story, used to tell people the mounds were made by prehistoric Blue Gophers. I jokingly suggested we make him dress up like one for PAD. Marion Jarisch took me seriously and made him the suit and he wore it every PAD for years. Photo by Margaret Allen

So I assembled a list of all the volunteers I could find. Unfortunately, I only had spreadsheets going back to 2008 and the old email lists didn’t give names, so there are a number of people missing. Also our partner organizations often brought people who were not on our lists or I recruited people at the last minute like last year when I shanghaied a regular volunteer who normally doesn’t do PAD except for cleanup to relieve the person at the turnoff to Glacial Heritage.

Aaron Slattery, Adam Erickson, Adam Martin, Adam Sant, Adrian Wolf, Aimee Richardson, Aleta Poste, Alex Bell, Alexandra Lincoln, Amber Carver, Amber Hailey, An Le, Andrea Martin, Andrew Deffobis, Andrew Wilkens, Andy Dechaine, Andy Jacobson, Andy Morgan, Angela Winter, Angeline Blattenbauer, Angie Cahill, Anita Goodrich, Ann Busche, Ann Frosch, Anna Baker, Anna Thurston, Anne Schuster, Arthur Limbird, Ashley Smithers, Audrey Lamb, Barbara French, Barry Bidwell, Becca Pilcher, Becca Reilly, Becky Beswick, Ben Waldron, Beth Juvik, Bethany Hoskins, Bev Heebner, Beverly Bensching, Bill Brookreson, Bill Funk, Bill Grantham, Bill Krause, Bill Kronland, Birdie Davenport, Blake Bird, Bob Branberg, Bob Wadsworth, Bonnie Blessing, Brad Gill, Brandon Drucker, Brandon Hendricks, Breanna Trygg, Brenda Tincher, Brian Santos, Brian Spang, Briana Abrahms, Bridgette Mesa, Brittany Gallagher, Brittany Oxford, Bruce Livingston, Byrna Klavano, Candise Sorensen, Cara Applestein, Carl Elliott, CARLO ABBRUZZESE, Carola Tejeda, Carolyn Burtner, Carri Marschner, Casey Dennehy, Catherine Langefeld, Cathy Baker, Cathy Cook, Charlene Rubenstein, Charles Pratt, Charlie Heebner, Charlie SittingBull, Charmaine Monk, Cherry Pedrick, Cheryl Fimbel, Chin Li, Chris Madsen, Christina Chaput, Christine Henderson, Chuck Court, Chuck Groth, Cindy Levy, Cindy Marschner, Cindy Wolbert, Clem Starck, Cliff Snyder, Colleen O’Shea, Corky Remboski, Cyndy Dillon, Cynthia Lee, Dan Grosboll, Dan Montague, Dan Kim, Daphne Niemann, Darlene Bidwell, Darlene Krause, Darold Rhodes, Dave Clouse, Dave Hayes, Dave Schuett-Hames, Dave Wilderman, David Hepp, David Wesolowski, David Z.–Ashley’s spouse, Davin McKinley, Deanna Lynch, Debbie Naslund, Dennus Aubrey, Deston Denniston, Diane Gallegos, Dominique Shorter, Don Butler, Don Guyot, Doreen Packel, Dorothy Crowder, Doug Harshfield, Doug Rodgers, Doug Whitlock, Drew Schneidler, Dylan Jones, Eli Evans, Elisabeth Peelor, Elise Krohn, Elizabeth Rodrick, Elspeth Hilton

Kim, Emily Phillips, Emily Teachout, Eric Delvin, Erica Baker, Erica Guttman, Erin Acker, Erin Caldwell, Erin Kiley, Erin Leslie P’s daughter’s friend, Etsuko Reistroffer, Eva Donjacour, Faye Peebles, Fern Schultz, Fern’s daughter, Frederica Bowcutt, Gabrielle Spickard, Gail Trotter, Gene Orth, Glen Buschmann, Grace Diehl, Greg Dunbar, Greg Eide, Greg Falxa, Greg Voelker, Guy Maguire, Hank Stein, Hannah Anderson, Hannah Armstrong, Heather Ostle, Heidi Jump, Heron Brae, Howard Selmer, Ina Schmidt, inkynote, Inti, Irene Matsuoka, Iris Banks, Ivy Clark, Jackson Axley, Jacob Powell, Jacqueline Earnest, Jam, Jameson Honeycutt, Jamie Hanson, Jan Strong, Janet Asbjornsen, Janet Partlow, Jason Holmes, Jason Keyes, Jawad Frangieh, Jean Pope, Jeanie Jonason, Jeff Compton, Jelli, Jennifer Fields, Jennifer Fortin, Jenny Fausey, Jeremiah Anspach, Jessa Patton, Jessica Crosby, Jessika Blackport, Jim & Libby Nieland, Jim Lynch, Jim Michaels, Jim Pedrick, Jim Racle, Jim Reistroffer, Joan Villa, Joanne Polayes, Joanne Stellini, Joe Arnet, Joe Bettis, John Crawford, John Richardson, John Skidmore, Jon Bakker, Jordan Stark, Jordin Jacobs, Josephine Coury, Josh Cook, Joshua Gomez, Joshua Stephani, Joshua Trotter, Joslyn Trivett, Joyce Caudell, Judith Mason, Judith Upton, Judy Hickman, Judy Lantor, Judy Russell, Julianna Hoza, Julie Edwards, Justin Averre, Justin Hellier, Justin Yim, Kameron Lantor, Kanaiya Mungra, Karen Guyot, Karen Wells, Karen Knutsen, Karen Laing, Kate Benkert, Katherine Jesser, Katherine Sather, Kathryn Hill, Kathy Duden-Daviess, Kathy Jacobson, Kathy Package, Kathy Whitlock, Katie Sandbom, Kay, Kaye Lakey, Keith Arnold, Keith Martin, Kelli Bush, Kelly McAllister, Kelsi Potterf, Kerry Hibdon, Kevin Hansen, Kim Flotlin, Kim Mai Pham, Kristin McDermott, Kyle Pinjuv, Kylea Johnson, Lacey Wright, Lalita Calabria, Laney Widener, Larry Kent, Laura Brusson, Laura Henke, Laurel Carver, Lauren Miheli, Lauren Poulos, Lawrence Jacobson, Leighton Olive, Leslie Propp, Leslie Romer, Liam Horner, Lila Muller, Lily Hynson, Lily Winter, Linda Andrews, Linda Fretts, Linda Saunders, Linda Shue, Linda Storm, Linda Wolfe, Lindsy Wright, Linnea Leslie’s daughter, Lisa Hintz, Lisa Turner, Lisa Younger, Liza Norment, Logan Flitton, Loni Ronnebaum, Lori Salzer, Lorna, Luke, Lydia Treischel, Lynn De Danaan, Lynne Skidmore, Madalyn Thorpe, Margaret Allen, Margaret Rader, Marianna Bissonnette, Marie Spealman, Marilee Massari, Marilyn Pratt, Marilyn Ridings, Marion Jarisch, Marisa Whisman, Mark Muller, Mark Upton, Mark Roth, Marnia Lassen, Martha Jensen, Mary JoRice, Mary Mahaffy, Mary McCallum, Mary Sue Gee, Mary Sue Martens, MaryAnn Spahr, Mason Mckinley, Matt Trokan, Matthew West, Maura, Maya Buhler, Mel Walters, Melissa, Melissa Brunt, Melissa Crowe, Meredith Rafferty, Merran Owen, Michael Stacey, Michaella Long, Michele Boderck, Michelle Blanchard, MichelleTirhi, Mike Jarisch, Mike Miller, Milton Swecker, Miriam Villacian, Mo Puffer, Molly Steele, Naomi Korchonnoff, Nardine Sandberg, Natalie Footen, Nathan Johnson, Nick Miller, Noah Realm, Noel Ferguson, Noreen Roster, Pam Goodman, Pam Remboski, Pat McLachlan, Pat Montague, Patrick Dunn, Patrick Murtagh, Paul Allen, Paul Griffith, Peder Englestad, Peggy Butler, Penny Kelley, Pete Holm, Peter Dunwiddie, Peter Gallant, Phil Hall, Rachel Blomker, Rachel Brooks, Rachel Elam, Rachel Nehemiah, Rachel Sawyer, Regina, Rena Johnson, Renee Mitchell, Rick Mortensen, Rob Schanz, Roberta Davenport, Rod Gilbert, Roger Cummings, Rose Edwards, Rusty Burlew, Sabra Noyes, Sadie Gilliom, Saff Killingsworth, Sally Alhadeff, Sam Hain, Sammie Riedman, Samuel Payne, Sanders Freed, Sandra Butterfield, Sandra Romero, Sarah Bruemmer, Sarah Gabel, Sarah Hamman, Sarah Krock, Sarah Moorehead, Sarah Wooten, Sarelle Caicedo,Sasha Porter, Scott Meyer, Sean Winter, Shauna Alexander, Shawn DeCew, Shelley Spalding, Shirley Kook, Sierra Smith, Sierra Swan Alexander, Spencer Alexander, Stacy Klein, Stephanie Holz, Stephanie Schreiner, Stephen Bao, Steve Daviess, Steve Rutkowski, Stuart Olshevski, Sue Cook, Sue Danver, Sue Oliver, Sue Selmer, Susan Harshfield, Susie Saalwaechter, Suzanne Hostetter, Tanja Scott, Taylor Goforth, Taylor Pittman, Ted Thomas, Tel Vaughn, Terry Liberty, thesaucyspoon11, Tim Leque, Tim Romanski, Todd Lasko, Todd Stamm, Todd Zuchowski, Tosh Hickman, Tracy Eales, Val Knox, Van Perdue, Vicky Gorny, Vince Harke, William Eifler, Yianna Bekris, Zac Scott, Zach Fleig

Many of the nearly 450 people on this list participated every one of those 15 years and many of them put in countless hours of preparation, and this year they all had a chance to relax and hopefully get out a day or two to actually enjoy the prairie. I know I have, including getting out to enjoy a prairie sunrise this morning.

So even though we didn’t have an event this year, my thanks go out to all those people and to everyone else that has helped make our prairies better be it no more than controlling Scotch Broom on your own property.

Thank You,

Dennis Plank

Comments

  1. Dennis! I was just piling through where my silly moniker shows up on the interwebs, and I must say this is perhaps the most delightful of the new places I’ve seen it. It is always a pleasure to have the time to share with the good folk at CNLM and the south Puget prairie restoration and preservation community. Thank YOU for your years of dedication and commitment. We (Veterans Ecological Trades Collective) has a little patch, maybe 60ac, of prairie we are restoring now …just begining light release of oak by thinning fir, and mowing grasses to encourage Forbes at this point. Looking for gophers- and native seed and transplants! I hope someday you will be able to visit. Much gratitude, Deston