Ron McLinden from Kansas City was given the Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Award, at the annual Awards Dinner held September 8, 2001. Three other individuals and an organization also received awards. The dinner is part of the Chapter’s annual reunion and campout, this year held at Cuivre River State Park.
McLinden became active in the Sierra Club in the late 1980s. He served many years on both the Ozark Chapter and Thomas Hart Benton Group Executive Committees, first being elected in 1989. He has held a number of positions at both the chapter and group levels of the Club, however, his major contribution has been in issues involving transportation and the urban environment. These include urban sprawl, inner city revitalization, energy use, and air quality.
In 1996 McLinden was appointed to Gov. Carnahan’s Total Transportation Commission. In that position he was able to effectively articulate the environmental viewpoint on a wide range of transportation issues. He has also made many presentations to the State Legislature, the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, and other governmental bodies on transportation and related issues over the years.
He received the Sierran-of-the-Year award in 1992 and has participated actively in the business and activities of the Ozark Chapter and its groups. He has also demonstrated his commitment to environmental values in his lifestyle choices.
Other 2001 Awards
Cheryl Hammond from St. Louis was the 2001 Ozark Chapter Sierran-of-the-Year. She is serving on both the Ozark Chapter and Eastern Missouri Group Executive Committees. While she has been very active for several years on environmental issues, this year she stepped into the role of Ozark Chapter webmaster, filling a critical need for the Sierra Club. The website was revised and improved and now contains timely information on issues and activities in Missouri.
Hammond filled another void this year when she accepted the job of coordinating the Chapter’s annual reunion and campout. The September 7-9 event was testimony to her efforts as attendance was higher, the food was good and plentiful, there was a good variety of activities and a lack of planning problems. Many new friends were made and old friendships renewed at the reunion. In addition, although no official meetings were held, conservation activities occurred throughout the weekend in informal meetings and discussions, and on the outings.
Metropolis St. Louis received the Citizen Conservationist Award which is given for significant contributions to the improvement of Missouri’s environment by an individual or an organization. The St. Louis based organization works to create and promote an environment in the city of St. Louis that attracts and retains young (and other) people. They have been wonderful allies for the Sierra Club in reducing urban sprawl and the forces that encourage it, promoting inner city revitalization, making parks and neighborhoods safer and more attractive, and encouraging and inspiring people to change their attitude about St. Louis. This year they were partners in the Sierra Club’s Walk for the Environment. Organized about four years ago, Metropolis St. Louis is making a difference in the metropolitan dialogue and actions affecting the regional environment.
Christine Bertelson received the Environmental Communications Award. In 1997 she was appointed as editor of the editorial page of the St. Louis Post Dispatch and has been serving in that capacity since then. Prior to that she was a columnist, feature writer, and reporter with the Post, having joined them in 1986. She has received several awards for her writing and reporting.
The Sierra Club recognized Bertelson for the strong editorials on environmental issues that are published in the Post Dispatch on a regular basis. These are important in educating the public on these critical issues which affect their and their family’s health and quality of life. Editorials and letters-to-the-editor published in a major newspaper such as the Post play an important role in shaping the public policy debate on contemporary issues.
Ann Eggebrecht from St. Louis received the Outings Award for significant contributions to the outings programs of the Ozark Chapter and its groups. She has been serving as Outings Chair for the Eastern Missouri Group for over six years. Under her quiet but effective leadership the program runs a wide diversity of trips and provides training for outing leaders. Eggebrecht provides overall coordination of the EMG Group outings and under her leadership experienced leaders are retained, often for several decades, while new leaders are added to the program.
The Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club is indeed fortunate to have and work with people and organizations like those recognized this year as we work to explore, enjoy and protect the wild and natural places, ecosystems, and human environments of the Earth.