SACRAMENTO – The Sierra Fund’s annual holiday reception, held at the Cal/EPA Building Lobby in Sacramento on December 1, 2009 was a great success and underscored the important work of TSF and our partners this year. Thank you to reception sponsors Patty and John Brissenden, California Trout, and Jerry and Barbara Meral; as well as everyone who attended for making this such a special event.
In honor of their hard work to reform suction dredge mining regulations, TSF Board member Alison Harvey presented “Champion of the Sierra” pine tree awards to Senator Patricia Wiggins (accepted by staff person Theresa Schilling), Senator Lois Wolk, and Assemblymember Jared Huffman. Both Senator Wolk and Assemblymember Huffman spoke about the importance of reforming suction dredge mining in order to protect California’s rivers and wildlife, and joined in celebrating the broad coalition of organizations that were crucial to the success of this effort.
Special recognition and pine cone awards were also given to Jeff Shellito; Diane Colborn (not present) of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee; Debbie Davis of the Environmental Justice Water Coalition; Craig Tucker of the Karuk Tribe; Theresa Schilling, staff person for Senator Wiggins; Lynne Saxton of Environmental Law Foundation; and Steve Evans of Friends of the River.
The Sierra Fund was also proud to welcome our newest Board member, former Assemblymember John Laird.
