Green Heron Gala - Tualatin Riverkeepers

Tualatin Riverkeepers' 17th Annual
Green Heron Gala
Awards Dinner & Auction
April 18, 2015
Tualatin Country Club
Tualatin, Oregon
5:30pm
Silent Auction
7pm
Dinner is Served
8pm
Awards Ceremony
8:15
Live Auction
8:30
Special Appeal
Dear Riverkeepers and Friends,
Welcome to the 17th Annual Green Heron Gala, our biggest
celebration of the year where we take time to appreciate all
that makes Tualatin Riverkeepers (TRK) so special. I’m
honored you are here tonight to celebrate the many
accomplishments of the 2015 Green Heron Award Winners,
Carla Staedter and Rob Baur.
You probably noticed we have two special people to
recognize this year. Carla is the Green Heron Award winner
for her current contributions that are molding TRK’s future
and Rob is just our second Lifetime Achievement Award
winner, honored for all he has done to put us in such a
successful position over the decades.
Seeing as our award winners represent multiple decades of
environmental heroes, there is perhaps no better theme for
this year’s night than Environmental Education. TRK’s
education work is a powerful link between the older and
younger generations, and we hope our field trips or summer
camps will inspire the next generation of Carlas and Robs.
We also hope that they will inspire you to give generously
tonight and support our efforts to connect with our youngest
Riverkeepers.
Thank you for helping us accomplish our mission.
Sincerely,
Mike Skuja
Executive Director
2015 Green Heron Award Winner
Carla Staedter
As City of Tigard’s
Environmental Coordinator,
Carla Staedter works countless
hours mediating conflicts over
wetlands. She has played an
integral role in crafting ideas for
restoration work at both
Dirksen and at our Cook Park
60- acre restoration site. Her
forward thinking planning is making way for an intact native
riverside forest right next to our Cook Park Boat Rentals.
Carla is a scientist full of enthusiasm for engaging the
community and has been helpful as we grow not only our
restoration program, but our environmental education
program as well. She helps our staff with summer camp
outdoor activities, and works to create of a great atmosphere
for our education work at Dirksen Nature Park.
Carla contributed to our successful trail implementation and
invasive species removal events with Intel. Working with
TRK on letters of recommendation for our grants, she is
always available to craft forward looking ideas for our
watershed. She works long hours and is always there for us,
event on weekends. We also draw on her for her extensive
knowledge of our watershed’s native plants and wildlife.
Carla is a true fan of our local beaver population, and spends
tireless hours mediating conflict with the community over
beaver habitat vs people habitat. Her enthusiasm for all living
things is an inspiration to both staff and the community.
Lifetime Achievement
Green Heron Award Winner Rob Baur
Early in Rob Baur’s career as a
scientist, he developed a personal
interest in the Tualatin River and
sought to learn all he could. He
took a hands on approach and has
paddled, hiked, and waded the
length of the river. His desire to
protect this jewel of a river lead to
Rob eventually becoming one of
TRK’s co-founders.
Wanting to share what he learned, he developed guided river
tours which he continues to lead as a TRK volunteer.
Additional public awareness efforts made by Rob were to
compile maps and historic documents, and developed an epic
slide show – documenting every nook and cranny of the river.
Rob succeeded in securing one of TRK’s very first grants
which was to design and install river mile signs so that
paddlers could figure out where they were on the river –
given its meandering nature, this was very helpful and
inspired folks to start thinking of the river as a recreational
amenity. To get folks out on the river, Rob gathered
discounted canoes to form the nucleus of our fleet.
Rob has been a Renaissance man when it comes to the
Tualatin River using his technical knowledge, mechanical
know-how, sense of adventure and fun to plant the seeds and
cultivate a dynamic Tualatin Riverkeepers and a healthier
watershed that are models for the world. And…he also picked
the green heron for TRK’s logo!
Master of Ceremonies
Jeff Douglas
We are pleased to
welcome back Jeff
Douglas as this
evenings Master of
Ceremonies. After
recently retiring from a
successful and
distinguished career in
broadcasting, Jeff has
dedicated himself to a
new effort – leadership
of Tualatin Riverkeepers as a Board of Directors member.
While you may recognize Jeff Douglas as the past host of
OPB’s Oregon Art Beat, you may not know that he also created
the show. Working in broadcasting for most of his life, Jeff
worked as a news producer at KGW-TV and produced many
OPB shows including Oregon Field Guide. He also was a
founder of KINK radio.
Jeff lives near Fanno Creek in Tigard and has been involved
with the restoration of a wetland near his home. He is also an
avid canoeist, paddling everything from Tualatin flat-water
to Class III whitewater. He has taught canoeing and taken
several long trips, some nearly 500 miles.
A few years ago, Jeff led the development of a partnership
between OPB, the Oregon Invasive Species Council, Nature
Conservancy, and SOLV to launch a campaign about invasive
species. The project won the DuPont-Columbia award, the
highest award in television journalism.
Thank you for donating your time and experience tonight, Jeff.
Golden Ticket Raffle
Pick ANY Live Auction item!
Purchase a Golden Ticket for $50. Only 100 tickets will be
sold, giving you a 1-in-100 chance of being the lucky winner.
There’s no need for cash as it is applied to your bid number.
Review tonight’s Live Auction selections and decide which
one you would most like to win – no matter the value. On
your Golden Ticket, write your name and select the one Live
Auction item of your choice.
Which will it be?
TWO ALASKA AIRLINE TICKETS
WINE & TAPAS PARTY FOR EIGHT
LONG BEACH HOUSE FOR A WEEK
Remember, 100% of your donation goes straight to Tualatin
Riverkeepers, helping to protect and restore the Tualatin
River and its watershed.
The winning Golden Ticket will be drawn at the start of the
Live Auction. The lucky winner will immediately receive the
Live Auction item they selected. That item will then be
removed from the Auction.
Chances are limited to only 100 tickets!
Head-or-Tails
We’re excited to add this fun game to the line-up tonight.
Here’s how it works:
The game costs $25 per person to play.
Our auctioneer, Chris Sheik, will ask any player that wants to
play to raise their bidder number and they will be recorded.
During the game, the auctioneer will flip a coin.
Each player must choose either heads or tails.
Choose heads by putting your hands on your head or choose
tails by placing your hands on your tail end.
If you are incorrect you must sit down.
Continue playing until you guess incorrectly or until you are
the winner.
Here’s the best part:
The lucky winner gets to use 50% of the total money
collected during the game to spend for bidding on any of
the items in tonight’s Live Auction!
Dessert Dash!
The Table with the highest total bid goes first! Before dinner,
look over all the desserts and pick your favorite. When you
sit down to dinner, talk with your tablemates about which
desserts you'd like to win for the table.
Pass the bid sheet around your table and let each guest place
a bid for dessert (using your bid numbers). The table with
the highest total bid goes first! Tables will be ranked
according to the total dollar amount that their table bids.
Select a runner to “Dash” for your dessert.
Before the Live Auction, bid sheets will be collected by a
runner and tallied, and the tables will be ranked from highest
to lowest bid totals.
After the Special Appeal,
the Dessert Dash will
commence! When your
table number is called,
your Dasher should be
ready to DASH to the
table to pick up your
dessert—he or she will
be closely followed by
the next highest
number, so your Dasher
needs to move fast.
The more your table bids, the more choices you have for
your favorite dessert!
Raffle
Win a Mercedes Benz Weekend Rental & a
Complete Car Detail
For just $10 a ticket, you can be entered into a raffle to win a
weekend rental of a Mercedes Benz, compliments of
Beaverton Mercedes.
A complete Car Detail of which ever car you leave at the
dealership for the weekend valued at $362 is also included!
This package is valued at over $500!
Take a loaner car for a weekend (maximum 500 miles within
Oregon) and explore this beautiful state. What a great way
to drive the coastline! Expires December 31, 2015.
Take a Road Trip in Style!
Live Auction Items
1 Deschutes Brewery Party
Mirror Pond and Black Butte Porter. These are Oregon's
classic ales known by all, but did you know that you can try
them and many others with some of the state's best food at
Deschutes Brewery in the Pearl?
Use this gift card to enjoy $300 worth of delicious food and
award winning beverages for a party of up to eight people.
The festivities are waiting for you.
Donor: Deschutes Brewery
2 Disneyland Tickets
It’s the Happiest Place on Earth!
Put some happiness in your life and enjoy four (4) Disneyland
Resort one (1) day park hopper tickets to Disneyland in
sunny Anaheim, California. Or, pass the happiness along and
surprise someone in your life with these four tickets.
The tickets are valid during normal operating hours and
provides admission to a magical experience at both
Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park for
one day.
Donor: Disneyland Resorts
Limitations: Expires February 25, 2017. Not valid for admission
from December 25-31 of any year.
3 Tualatin River Paddle & Dinner for Six
Enjoy a special afternoon and evening on the Tualatin River,
hosted by TRK Board President, Lynn Carver. Experience the
tranquil sights, sounds and wildlife from the water, followed
by a delicious dinner, wine and dessert at Lynn's home, right
on the river. Good food, good wine and your good company the perfect escape.
Donor: Lynn Carver
Limitations: Mutually agreeable date. Expires April 18, 2016.
4 Southwest Airlines Round-Trip Tickets
New York, Las Vegas, Key West, San Diego. Which city will
you check off your bucket list this year?
You and a companion will get to take a much deserved
vacation when you bid on these two (2) tickets good for
round trip transportation between any two cities within the
Southwest Airlines system throughout the continental
United States. Austin, Chicago, Anchorage, Boston…
Donor: Southwest Airlines
Limitations: Expires May 1, 2016.
5 Chinook Winds Vacation Package
Feeling lucky? The lucky winner of this package will be
treated to a night for two at Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Hotel in Lincoln City. The package includes a gift certificate
for two for breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Siletz Bay Buffet
and two show certificates to a performance at the Showroom
by the Sea. Get lucky and bid on this fantastic Oregon coast
resort package!
Donor: Chinook Winds Casino Resort, an Enterprise of the
Confederate Tribes of Siletz Indians.
Limitations: Expires April 3, 2016. Hotel certificate valid for
standard room, subject to availability. Siletz Bay Buffet gift
certificate has a maximum value of $44.
6 Tualatin River Waterfall Tour
Join TRK co-founding member Rob Baur on his last guided
tour of the Upper Tualatin River Watershed. Discover three
waterfalls, salmon spawning grounds and crystal-clear water!
Meet at TRK in Tualatin or Fernhill Wetlands in Forest
Grove and join us for a full-day van tour. Picnic lunch will be
provided.
The trip is limited to only 10 people. Raise your bid number
high and let us know how many spots you want on this
unique and in-demand tour!
Donor: Rob Baur
Limitations: Tour on Saturday - August 22, 2015.
Tualatin pick-up at 9am and drop-off at 5pm.
Forest Grove pick-up at 10am and drop-off at 4pm.
7 Sudanese Dinner for Six
Join TRK's Executive Director Mike Skuja and his wife
Nuthyla (who is from Sudan) for an authentic candlelight
Sudanese dinner in a private garden. Let Nuthyla take you on
a culinary journey through her native country.
Sudan is a country that is a melting pot of delicacies.
Influenced by spices from India, traders from the Middle
East, and staples of mainland Africa, the country's cuisine is
reflective of its unique history. Delve into the interesting and
little-known flavors Sudan's cuisine has to offer.
Donors: Mike & Nuthyla Skuja
Limitations: Mutually agreeable date. Expires April 18, 2016.
8 Week at the Beach
Spend seven nights at an extraordinary three bedroom beach
house in Long Beach, Washington. Beautiful views from
every room and all desirable amenities including a fully
stocked media room. There’s nothing but dunes between you
and this beautiful SW Washington beach. This is a secluded
location - perfect for a couple's get-away or a family
gathering. This gorgeous house sleeps up to 12 guests with
beds for 8 and sofa sleepers for 4.
Donors: Barbara Spreng & Lynn Carver
Limitations: Excluding dates from Memorial Day through Labor
Day and is based on availability. Expires June 1, 2016.
9 Two Alaska Airlines Tickets
What a great excuse to plan a trip. Donate to an excellent
cause while sending yourself and a loved one on a trip to
anywhere Alaska or Horizon Airlines fly, including the
beautiful islands of Hawaii and tropical Mexico!
Raise your paddle and use these two round-trip coach tickets
to explore one of hundreds of their vacation destinations. No
blackout dates!
Donor: Alaska Airlines
Limitations: Good on any Alaska or Horizon Airlines flights.
10 Special Appeal: Environmental Education
Clean Water, Dirty Kids!
TRK’s Environmental
Educational program
teaches students to think
like water, following a
water drop’s journey
throughout the landscape
and showing students
how our everyday choices
affect the quality of the
river, the vitality of the
land, and the health of the
people who live here.
We feel there is no better
way to encapsulate what
our work is about so
succinctly. Our students get wet and dig into the mud to
discover the wildlife unique to our river’s banks and
tributaries. They learn confidence outdoors, collaboration
with other young explorers, and a curiosity for what is local
to our region. Since 2005, over 7,500 children from in the
cities within our watershed have been served in TRK school
field trip programs (K-8th grade).
In 2011 Dirksen Nature Park opened, built by the City of
Tigard in collaboration with TRK. This rich land holds 42
acres of native habitat and is the perfect spot to base
exploration. Our summer camps provide in depth nature
exposure to children ages 4-13 and are tailored to specific age
groups. School fields trips give students the opportunity to
learn about our natural world while actually exploring it.
We also reach out to under-represented groups of children in
Washington County, collaborating with community
organizations that
serve culturally and
socio-economically
diverse groups to
ensure that everyone
learns why protecting
our waterways is so
extremely vital.
Our program is
continuing to expand
and grow. This year
we are on-task to
serve between 1,000
and 1,500 children on
educational activities.
We would not be able
to continue these programs without the contributions of our
members, volunteers and supporters.
Raise your paddles high tonight and give a gift to help create
a new generation of Tualatin River Watershed Stewards!
With special thanks to Jeff Douglas
for creating and producing the accompanying video.
11 Great Blue Heron Sculpture
Donated by our partners, Friends of the Tualatin River
National Wildlife Refuge, this Great Blue Heron represents
what both our organizations are trying to protect - habitat
for all creatures. Created by a Seattle artist, this metal
sculpture stands 4 feet tall and is accented with a beautiful
driftwood piece and stands on a natural stone.
This statuesque yet tranquil looking Great Blue Heron would
be a lovely addition to your garden or living area. It would
make a perfect Mother’s Day gift, too!
Donor: Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
12 Chestnut Featherweight Classic Canoe
Take home a magnificent piece of paddling history. This fully
restored classic (circa 1960) 11-foot Chestnut Featherweight
Canoe would make a stylish addition to your current fleet or
serve as an impressive first boat. Sticking to original details,
it sports an authentic hand-woven cane seat. This beautiful
solo canoe weighs about 38 pounds and can be handled by
almost anyone.
Beam - 34"
Depth - 12"
Carrying Capacity - 350 pounds
Donor: Luci Pizzuto-Phillips
13 Wine & Tapas Party for Eight
Fine Wine & Tapas Party for eight guests at K & M Wines,
Alchemy Vineyard. Their estate-grown, handcrafted wines
will be served along with an assortment of Spanish tapas
followed by a vineyard tour, plus four bottles of K & M Wine
at the party and two bottles tonight! Alchemy Vineyard is a
small vineyard located on the south side of Parrett Mountain
in the Chehalem Mountains American Viticultural Area
(AVA) with a charming tasting room tucked in a hillside
garden setting. Ken and Mauro (K & M) and their miniature
sheep will host this festive event.
Donor: Ken Morrison
Limitations: Expires May 31, 2016.
14 Weekend in Seattle
Enjoy a downtown Seattle getaway package that includes:
 One night stay with executive accommodations at the
Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle, one of the city's most
celebrated historic landmarks and a premier luxury hotel.
 A $50 gift certificate valid at any Ivar's fine dining
restaurants or Ivar's Seafood Bars.
 Four passes good for admission to all exhibitions at EMP
Museum, a leading-edge, non-profit museum, dedicated to
the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular
culture. With its roots in rock-n-roll, EMP serves as a
gateway museum, reaching multigenerational audiences
through our exhibitions and educational programs.
Donors: Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Ivar’s Restaurants, EMP
Limitations: Hotel certificate expires April 18, 2016.
15 Golfing for Four at Tualatin Country Club
Treat yourself and three friends to a round of golf plus lessons
at one of the most scenic courses in the area. In 1912, Tualatin
Country Club became the fourth golf club in the state of
Oregon and has since established a reputation as one of the
finest country clubs in Oregon. Designated as a Certified
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, this course will offer you a day
on a course you won’t soon forget.
Donor: Tualatin Country Club
Limitations: Subject to availability. Expires December 31, 2015.
16 Mother’s Day Basket
Treat your mother (or yourself!) right with this fabulous
Mother’s Day Basket. Includes $50 to dine at Pastini
Pastaria, $25 to spend at Paloma Clothing, a flower-filled
hanging basket certificate from Al’s Garden Center, a 90minute Moementum Massage, four bottles of wine with wine
accessories. Let the celebration begin!
Donors: Pastini, Paloma Clothing, Al’s Garden, Moementum
Massage, Adelsheim Vineyards, Cathy Filgas, Tarri Christopher
Limitations: Al’s expires July 1, 2015. Pastini’s expires April 18, 2016.
Green Heron Gala Committee
Ed Casuga
Rich Lorimor
Sue Manning
Bill Montgomery
Cheryl Peterson
Barbara Schaffner
Charlie Stalzer
Molly Whitney
We appreciate the long hours you and many others
contributed as you helped us prepare for this event.
Thank you for volunteering!
Auctioneer
Thank you to our auctioneer Chris Sheik for leading us
through the auctions tonight.
Contributors
Tualatin Riverkeepers expresses our sincere gratitude to the
businesses, organizations and individuals who generously
donated in-kind donations or auction items.
AAA Oregon
Ace Hardware
Adelsheim Vineyard
Aesthetic Dentistry of Lake Oswego
AG Massage
Alaska Airlines
Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe
Al's Garden Center
Amy Brodie Osborne
Annie Bloom's Books
Archery Summit
Ardiri Winery & Vineyards
Argyle Winery
Atlantis Casino Resort Spa
Audubon Society of Portland
Avi Resort & Casino
Baker and Spice
Bendistillery
Better World Club
Bill Montgomery
Brandon Heston
Bruce & April DeBolt
Cafe Allegro
Carl Hosticka
Carla Staedter
Cathy Filgas & Shoaib Tareen
Charlie Stalzer
Chez Machin
Children of the Sea Swim School
Chinook Winds
Club Sport Oregon
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Cookies by Design
Dan & Kathy Fullerton
Darcelle XV Showplace
Dave's Killer Bread
Diva Den Studio
Duck Pond Cellars
Ed & Kathy Casuga
Elk Cove Vineyards
Erath Vineyards
Family Fun Center and Bullwinkle's Restaurant
Farmington Gardens
Food Front Coop Grocery
Fox Chiropractic Clinic
Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Friends of Tryon Creek
Full Sail Brewing Co
Garden Corner
Grand Central Bakery
Hartwood Golf Course
Heartsong Yoga and Wellness Center
Higgins Restaurant and Bar
High Desert Museum
Hochstein Nursery
Jean Jenner
Jeff Douglas
Jerry's Rogue Jets
Joe Dobbes Wines
John Warzynski
K&M Winery
Karen Brandenburger
Karen Wegener
Kathryn Creswell
Kay Irwin
KEEN Inc
Krispy Kreme
La Quinta Inns & Suites, Newport
Lakewood Theatre Company
Lan Su Chinese Gardens
Landmark Ford
Lange Estates and Winery
Laserport
Linda & Dan Gipe
Lloyd Center Ice Rink
Lori Hennings
Lynn Carver
Margaret Doherty
Marine Discovery Tours
Marion Fisher
McMenamins
Mercedes-Benz of Beaverton
Mike Skuja & Nuthyla Sinada
Molly Whitney
Mo's Restaurants
Mothers Bistro
Mt. Bachelor
Neil Kelly
Norm Thompson
Oaks Park Roller Skating Rink
OmBase Yoga
OMSI
Oregon Garden
Oregon Olive Mill
Oregon State University
Oregon Zoo
Paloma Clothing
Pastini Pastaria
Pat & Pat Brothers
Pedal Bike Tours
Pendleton Round Up Association
Phillip Margolin
Pittock Mansion
Portland Baroque Orchestra
Portland Center Stage
Portland Children's Museum
Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Portland Rose Festival Association
Portland Timbers
Raccoon Lodge
Red Lion Hotel on the River
Rich Lorimor
Rick Steves' Europe
Ripley's Believe It Or Not
Rob Baur
Ronni LaCroute
SakeOne
Scholls Valley Native Nursery LLC
Seattle Mariners
BID NUMBERS ON
BACK PAGE!
36 pages?
SA on mirrored pages?
GHAW on mirrored pages?