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HNC Volunteers of the Year 2008: Elizabeth LeWarne and Warren Beacham

Volunteer of the Year 2008

Elizabeth LeWarne (left) receiving a plaque from Jim Stollard

Elizabeth (Betty) LeWarne

By Jean Stollard & Lois Evans

This year, at our Annual General Meeting in October, the Club was pleased to present the Senior Volunteer of the Year Award to Miss Elizabeth (Betty) LeWarne.

Betty LeWarne grew up in Mount Forest, Ontario and came to Hamilton in the 1940’s where she taught art in the elementary and vocational schools of the Hamilton Board of Education. In addition to her love of botany, Betty is a skilled weaver, her work often reflecting her love of nature, and a world traveller. She joined the HNC soon after her arrival in Hamilton and over the years not only attended Club activities but volunteered in many areas, including serving on the Board as Secretary (1954-55) and as Wood Duck Editor (1955-57). Betty was also the keeper of the Club’s botanic records (1951-55); handled the arrangements for the Club’s annual bus trip to Long Point (1952-54); chaired the Club’s Educational Committee (1953-54); edited the Hamilton Area submission for a publication called “A Naturalist’s Guide to Ontario” (1959); led walks most years for spring flowers to the Westdale Ravine, Coldspring Valley and the Hendrie Valley (1953-70’s); participated in the Christmas Bird Count most years as well as being a botanic mentor at many of the Club’s spring and Thanksgiving camping weekends (1950s-70’s). In 1963, Betty was recognized for having contributed over 40 hours of work on construction of the Bruce Trail. Until her recent move to a retirement home in Dundas, Betty continued to attend many of the Club’s monthly meetings.

From 1950 through to the 1970’s, Betty had 20 articles published in the Wood Duck. Among them are titles such as: Western Wild Flowers (Nov.1950), Plant Key Hike (Sept.1951), Canoe country Notes (Nov.1952), On Looking for Ophioglossum (Oct. 1953), Botany Notes (May 1954), Good Outdoor Manners (Sept 1959) and Sicilian Summer (Apr. 1970).

Our Club is lucky to have members like Betty LeWarne, who give of their time and expertise over many years. Awarding the Senior Volunteer of the Year Award to Betty is a well deserved token of our thanks for her efforts on our Clubs behalf during her long membership.

Junior Volunteer of the Year 2008

Warren Beacham (left) receiving a plaque from Paul Attack

Warren Beacham

By Paul Attack

Warren Beacham was presented with the Junior Volunteer of the Year Award for 2008 at the AGM held October 6, 2008. Paul Attack presented the award, a VOY T-shirt and Bryan Prince Bookstore gift certificate to Warren following a summary of his many accomplishments. Alan Ernest was acknowledged for his research assistance in preparing the following remarks:

“Warren’s interest in the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club started when he was a founding member of the Dundas Chapter of the Conserver Society of Hamilton and District (1991) and served many years on the board of that organization.

He became involved with the HNC through participating in and then volunteering at the Nature Walk for the Environment in 1992 and 1993 and has been a Club member since 1994. Warren started volunteering in our nature Sanctuaries in 1995 and has attended almost every work party held since that time. He is an ideal sanctuary volunteer - dedicated to the environment and it's protection, willing to work hard in any weather conditions, and to take on leadership whenever needed. Warren has served on the Sanctuary committee for 13 years, chairing the committee from 2002 to 2007.

Warren was very involved in the work to increase the HNC's capacity as a land trust and in the development of our Head-of-the-lake Land Trust Program. During his tenure as Sanctuary Director the HNC protected our first local sanctuary, the Cartwright Nature Sanctuary. Warren also played a leading role in all of the following achievements.
We received a major capacity building grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The Club more than quadrupled the number of volunteers active in our sanctuaries. The Land's Inlet Nature project - an undertaking to restore nature in the urban core was initiated and generated a lot of excitement in that Hamilton neighbourhood. We accepted our first land donation, Thomas and Mary Young in the Beverley Swamp. Through Warren’s leadership the land trust developed a trail, bridge and boardwalks at the Cartwright Nature Sanctuary. The Nature Walk for Our Environment was reinvigorated. Warren also established Trivia Night and other fundraising events, developed new publicity materials, and established a memorial bench program for our sanctuaries.

Warren's quiet, thoughtful leadership has helped the Sanctuary Land Trust committee stay focused on key priorities and made many new volunteers feel welcome to contribute in any way they can. He leads by example - both through his tremendous commitment of time and through the choices he makes to protect our environment - including cycling to most local meetings and events.

Warren is a humble guy who is not sure he deserves this award so let’s let him know he is sooooooo wrong!