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!
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