HNC Volunteers of the Year 2004: Bob Curry & Glenn Barrett

by Bill Lamond

Bob Curry (left) receiving plaque from Bill Lamond, Director

Bob Curry

Bob has been an HNC member since 1955 and he wrote his first article for the Wood Duck when he was only 14 years old. Since that time he has written dozens of articles for the Club journal detailing birding experiences, herpetofaunal excursions, book reviews, obituaries and reports from the various HNC committees he has been involved with. He is still very active in this regard and he has written several Wood Duck articles in this decade. Bob has been an active HNC board member in the past and he has his name on the "President's Paddle" as he was Club president in the early 1980's.

Bob has volunteered for many club activities: leading Wednesday Evening Walks annually for several years; leading weekend HNC hikes to various locations in the Hamilton area many, many times (I especially remember the "Dawn Chorus" hikes that Bob lead to the Beverley Swamp which entailed getting up at an incredibly early hour); Bob has participated almost every year on the Hamilton Christmas Bird Count and the Hamilton Fall Bird Count and he has also participated on the new Hamilton Butterfly and Dragonfly counts; Bob has given several presentations on bird identification to the Bird Study Group; and Bob began the Hamilton Birders computer hotline service.

There are several committees on which Bob has officially represented the HNC. These include the City of Hamilton and Port Authority Windermere Basin Committee; The Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC); the Grimsby Lakeshore Wetland discussions; The RBG Science Committee; The Steering and Biological Review Committee for Nature Counts; and the Canada Species at Risk Legislation.

Bob has also volunteered for other nature organizations including the Ontario Bird Records Committee where Bob has been a member for several years including a few years as chairman; the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch, where he has volunteered yearly as a counter and provided donations of gifts for the yearly fundraiser draw; and the Long Point Bird Observatory (now Bird Studies Canada) where Bob was on the Board of Directors in the 1980's.

Presently Bob is writing a book for the HNC entitled "The Birds of Hamilton". This book will be a master compilation of Hamilton birds and I am sure it will be a fantastic book, dwarfing any locality bird book that is currently available. Many of us look forward to this book, available, hopefully some time in the next few years. Well done Bob, Congratulations!

Brian Wylie, HNC president, presents trophy to Glenn Barrett (right)

Glenn Barrett

Glenn has been an HNC member since 1995 but in that short time he has had a great impact on the Club. He became a Life Member in 1999. Glenn was on the HNC Board of Directors for 6 years from October 1999 until October 2003 where he held 4 portfolios and he also has his name on the "President's Paddle" as he was HNC President for one year in that period.

Glenn has lead several Wednesday Night Walks and several weekend hikes over the few years that he has been a club member. He has also volunteered as a bird counter on both the Hamilton Christmas Bird Count and the Hamilton Fall Bird Count. Glenn has contributed several articles and photographs to the Wood Duck and he has been a speaker at HNC monthly meetings on two occasions, first on the Galapagos Islands and secondly on banding White Pelicans.

Glenn has been a member of several HNC committees including; the Steering Committee for The Birds of Hamilton; the chair of the 80th Anniversary Bateman Dinner Committee; the Steering Committee for the Nature in Your Neighbourhood project; the Falconwatch Steering Committee; and the 85th Anniversary Events Committee. On these committees Glenn was a very active participant and he was heavily involved with grant applications to fund several of these projects.

Glenn originated two very important HNC projects. One of these projects was the historic plaque for the HNC since erected at Princess Point. Glenn did the liaison work with the City of Hamilton and the RBG to get the City to award us the plaque, find a site for the plaque, choose the wording on the plaque and assist with the fundraising for the plaque. The other very important project that Glenn initiated was for these Volunteer of the Year Awards. While on the HNC board, Glenn was instrumental in having the beautiful large trophy made. Glenn also oversaw the manufacturing of the small (but striking) trophies that winners of the VOY are allowed to keep as mementos. These last two projects are fantastic legacy achievements for the HNC. Something we can all celebrate. Way to go Glenn!