SYNERGY AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The Citizens’ Environmental Coalition will present its Synergy Awards for Environmental Excellence on October 10. The awards are given to recognize cooperative action where the total effect is greater than what each participant would have achieved independently. The Army and Sarah Emmott Environmental Conservation award, for outstanding work in the field of conservation, will go to Mary Van Kerrebrook, a founder of the Katy Prairie Conservancy. Richard (Dick) Smith will receive the Community Activist award for his exceptional work at the grassroots level with the Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition.

Katz Coffee will receive the Corporate Awareness award. The Environmental Education award will go to the ECOS Program (Environment as a Context for Opportunities in Schools) at the Center for Educational Outreach, Baylor College of Medicine. Government awards will be presented to Steve Hupp, Harris County Pollution Control, and Woody Woodrow, Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Our founders chose Mary Ellen Whitworth of the Bayou Preservation Association to receive their award. The Presidents award will be presented to Nancy Kinder, chair of the Houston Downtown Park Conservancy and well known for her extensive fundraising in support of regional charities and community projects.

The awards ceremony will take place at a reception on Tuesday, Oct 10, at the downtown Crowne Plaza Hotel. Tickets to the event are $75 and sponsorship and table packages are available. Tickets may be obtained by calling (713) 524-4232.

Donations of unique, environmentally themed items for the silent auction will be appreciated. If you have a product, work of art, excursion, or service you would like to contribute, please contact Alesha Herrera at (713) 269-4881.