LITTLE ROCK — Pinnacle Mountain State Park was the site for a graduation ceremony of the Central Arkansas Master Naturalists group on May 17. CAMN members brought a variety of foods for the sandwich, summer-salad potluck held in conjunction with the graduation of 28 Naturalists in Training.
Graduates included Dick and Lori Babeau, Jim Baggenstoss, Diane Brownlee, Jim DeVries, Carolyn and Alan Eastham, Carletta Edmondson, Cecil Garner, Kristen and Lew Huddle, Jeff and Sherry Lee, Monica Mabry, Margaret Malek, Amanda McKay, Barbara and Phil Nierstheimer, Dave Oulette, Linda Parsons, Linda Pizer, Tina Pryor, Grace Ellen Rice, Deb Sanderson, Patrick Solomon, Andrea Victor and, from the class of 2011, Sharon Otwell and Mary Smith.
Eighteen people received their first-year certification pins, while four took home second-year pins, and six received third-year pins.
Receiving fourth-year certification pins were Katherine Becker, Martha Bowden, Jay Justice, Art Lovett and Darcia Routh. Dave Danner and Bruce Walls, who also marked their fourth-year certification,were unable to attend.
Fifth-year pins went to Phoebe Haddad, Ann Owen and Bill Toland, while Don Higgins and Bert Turner were unable to attend. Fifth-year certifiers also received a letter of recognition from Gov. Mike Beebe.
In attendance were Tom Neale and Vera Bowie, who have six years of being certified.
Next to be recognized were nine members with more than 100 volunteer hours in the year. Five CAMN participants logged more than 250 hours and less than 500, while Bill Toland and Bert Turner each topped the 500-hour mark.
A selection committee composed of previous winners of the Naturalist of t he Ye ar award chos e Darcia Routh to be this year’srecipient based on the work she has done as vice president of curriculum.
For more information, visit home.arkansasmaster naturalists.org.
River Valley Ozark, Pages 62 on 05/31/2012