HNC Volunteers of the Year 2009: Shirley Klement and Louise Unitt

Volunteer of the Year 2009

Shirley Klement

By Elaine Serena

It is my privilege to present my great friend Shirley
Klement as the HNC “Senior” Volunteer of the
year. Shirley has been a member of HNC for at least
40 years and has been a very active volunteer for the club for all that time. She is still a regular hike leader, being a very knowledgeable botanist and birder and local historian.

You can find her selling T-shirts at our meetings, or cheerily greeting friends and new members, or helping at the membership or refreshments table.

Long before I met her (about 10 years ago), she had been secretary of the club and also membership director. Other
years she helped type up the Wood Duck, 6 copies at a time, and print it on the old Gestetner machine. She has
also been Social Director, doing refreshments for meetings and other events and has been part of many a club mailing
committee.

She is still a very active member of the sanctuary committee, often hosting the meetings at her home. She helps at
almost ALL the sanctuary work days and Land’s Inlet projects. Shirley attends most HNC functions, summer hikes,
and participates in the various bird counts and butterfly count each year. Shirley is always enthusiastic about each new club venture, pitching in to help any way she can, but is unassuming about her accomplishments and skills. Most recently she was a key volunteer in our planning and set-up for the 90th anniversary party at Liuna Station in October.

She is a very special member of HNC and an outstanding volunteer!

Junior Volunteer of the Year 2009

Louise Unitt

By Gord McNulty

It was a pleasure to present the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club Junior Volunteer of the Year Award to Louise
Unitt at the December meeting. Louise, a dedicated member of the HNC for a decade, devotes much of
her time to providing exceptional reports in The Wood Duck on the speaker’s presentations at each monthly club meeting. Her concern about the environment, enthusiasm for nature, and support for the HNC and
its programs are obvious in her lively writing.

The Wood Duck is a publication of which we can all be proud and much of its success is a result of the effort
that people like Louise put in. To her credit, she has provided reports since 2002, demonstrating considerable commitment. In some organizations, the often-onerous challenge of writing monthly reports is shared by several writers, but in the HNC Louise fulfills this important role on her own.

Louise has a proven record of meeting deadlines, which can be difficult at times for anyone, and goes out of her
way to ensure that her reports are her first priority in club activities.

Whatever the complexity of the topic, Louise invariably provides a comprehensive, high-calibre summary. Her engaging reports are much appreciated by everyone, especially those who are unable to attend a meeting.

In addition to covering the meetings, Louise has cheerfully volunteered to support other club activities. Examples include the social table, selling shirts, and mailing bees. Louise often works behind the scenes in her quiet and unassuming way. She continues to make a tireless contribution to the HNC and is more than deserving of this award.

Congratulations, Louise!