We believe it’s important to gather together and show our gratitude to the members of our community who quietly help us accomplish our mission. It’s satisfying for us, and for our volunteers. Which is why we recently hosted our annual celebratory luncheon to recognize the Rosalie Lavinthal Volunteer of the Year.
This year’s honoree, Christie Whitehouse, is a former teacher who started out as a donor to The Land Conservancy in 1997, supporting the scholarship fund and then proceeding to sit on the scholarship committee, which oversees the application process and chooses two environmental students each year to receive awards. After a few years of participating in Land Conservancy activities, Christie expressed an interest in becoming more involved, and since 2008 she has devoted an impressive amount of time to helping out with everything from events like the golf outing, mailings, and organizational projects—even gardening at our headquarters. Her cheerful demeanor and willingness to help out with any task—no matter how small—make her an ideal choice for 2019’s Rosalie Lavinthal Volunteer of the Year.
The award is named for Rosalie Lavinthal, who served as The Land Conservancy’s Development Director for five years. She was universally admired by her co-workers, members of the Board, and many collaborators. After Rosalie passed away tragically and unexpectedly in 2012, The Land Conservancy began presenting an award annually to honor an outstanding volunteer and/or company whose land conservation work best exemplifies Rosalie’s giving, community-minded spirit.
At the luncheon in a sunny meeting room over gourmet sandwiches, a smiling Whitehouse posed with various staff members for photos while holding our token of appreciation—a photo of Bear Pond in Jefferson, one of her favorite spots and the site of a recent Land Conservancy hike.
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