FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 2021

CONTACT: Elizabeth Ward, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Wisconsin, elizabeth.ward@sierraclub.org  

Sierra Club Celebrates Volunteer Leaders with 2021 Award Celebration

Annual awards celebration uplifts volunteers’ dedication and impact through Sierra Club work 

MADISON - Yesterday, the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter presented 2021 Chapter Awards to volunteers and community leaders for outstanding service and accomplishments on behalf of Wisconsin’s environment. Nine awards were presented at a virtual celebration to volunteers from new activists to lifetime achievement awards for long-standing leaders. We want to acknowledge their amazing efforts and accomplishments.  This year, award winners included issue team members and Group leaders, and the external awards were granted to Dane County Parks and the Chair of the Friends of Black River Forest.

“All of these leaders work tirelessly to make their communities cleaner, safer, and more accessible.  With these awards, we are celebrating their incredible accomplishments that has led to numerous coal retirements, protections for gray wolves, transit expansions, and more,” stated Elizabeth Ward, Chapter Director for the Sierra Club in Wisconsin.

The following awards were given:

Meghan Pierce, of Sauk City, received the New Activist Award. Since joining, Meghan has shown unwavering dedication to the Beyond Coal to Clean Energy Team. 

Madison resident Erik Pettersen received the Wildflower Award. Erik joined the Sierra Club in 2002, has served on the Four Lakes Group Executive Committee since 2013, and is currently the co-treasurer. Erik’s dedication across issues exemplifies the spirit of Sierra Club. 

Karen Samelson and David Thomas were recognized with the Wildflower Award for their work with Great Waters Group, in the Milwaukee area and involvement with the Nearby Nature program, which serves to build resilient, just, and healthy communities in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee doctor, Victoria Gillet received the Merit Award for her dedication to coal and clean energy work and Jodi Habush Sinykin received the same award for her relentless efforts to protect our Wisconsin wolves as part of the Sierra Club Wildlife Team. 

Masaru Oka, of Madison, received the LD Rockwell Award for his contributions to our state budget committee. 

Mary Faydash of Friends of the Black River Forest was recognized with the Good Citizen Award for her work to protect the rare ecosystem adjacent to Kohler Andrae State Park from a golf course proposed by Kohler Company. 

The Torchbearer Award was presented to the Dane County Parks Department for their work to build a more inclusive park system.  

The chapter’s highest award, the JJ & Pat Werner Award was presented to Melissa Warner of Racine. As the Chair of Sierra Club’s Southeast Gateway Group for six years, she helped the Group tackle a variety of conservation issues, create a vision for the environment in the region, and keep the Group strong with monthly programs, workdays, and outings. In recognition of this work, Melissa won the 2013 Invader Crusader Award, presented by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council. 

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