Celebration 2023 – Thank you!

On May 25, the JCWC Annual Celebration was held in Kaul Auditorium at Reed College for the first time since 2019. More than 100 people gathered for social hour, dinner, silent auction, Year-In-Review slideshow, and to honor Riffle Award winners. Thank you to everyone who attended, our business sponsor, and our Riffle Award winners!

The audience watches the Riffle Award ceremony

Our Riffle Award winners for 2023 are:

Ernie Francisco Award for Individual Volunteerism: Gail Chastain

Community Partner Award: Conservation InSight (accepted by Executive Director Tom Virzi)

Public Agency Partner: City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services (accepted by Kathy Dang, Marie Walkiewicz, Svetlana Hedin)

Above: Riffle Award winners, from left to right: Gail Chastain, Tom Virzi, Kathy Dang, Marie Walkiewicz, Svetlana Hedin

We also gave a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award to Walt Mintkeski, the Council Co-founder, current Advisory Board Chair, former Board member, who has worked tirelessly to restore Johnson Creek since the 1980s. Thank you, Walt!

Above: Walt Mintkeski (l) accepts a Lifetime Achievement award from JCWC Volunteer Program Manager, Monica Hescheles.

We would not be able to hold this event without the generous support of our business sponsors and a matching fund donation from Dick & Sue Schubert. Thank you! Below is a list of business sponsors:

L to R: Tim Crawley (JCWC Board Past Chair), Andrew CrazyLife, Johnny Leuthold, Minoosh Koyaanisqatsi, Yashica Palshikar, Arlene Palshikar (Johnson Creek Corridor Committee member in the early 1990s)
Steve Kerff (l) and Grace Peterman (r), both with Confluence Americorps
L to R: Lisa Batey (Mayor of Milwaukie), Lisa Gunion-Rinker (Milwaukie Parks Foundation), Damon Schrosk (JCWC Board Member), Andrea Schrosk (Treecology), Lisa Huntington & Kaitlin Lovell (Portland BES)
Matt Koozer, Biohabitats (l) and John Dvorsky, Waterways (r)
L to R: Susan Hawes (Portland Parks), Chenoa Philbaum (Portland BES), Teresa Huntsinger (OTAK), Lisa Huntington (Portland BES)
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Join us for our Annual Celebration - TUESDAY, May 21, 2024. 5:00-8:00pm!
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