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Clyde Marsteller, a long-time VMN volunteer in the Historic Rivers and Peninsula Chapters, writes about his naturalist activities on a blog, found at https://clydeccedm.wordpress.com.  The blog includes current reflections on nature observations and volunteer activities, anecdotes of influential outdoor experiences he had in childhood and throughout his life, and nature poetry.  One of Clyde’s major contributions as a VMN volunteer was his “Zoo in My Shopping Bags” program, in which he used live animals to help youth and adults connect to nature.  With help from others in his chapters, the program reached more than 13,000 people!

Many of our other VMN volunteers likely have nature-based blogs, too.  Share them with us, and we will compile a list.

Below, we have listed the volunteers who have achieved these milestones between January and July 2017 (based on reports received by our chapters as of July 31.)  Some of these volunteers have demonstrated long-term dedication through many years with the program.  Others have joined the program more recently, but they have done extraordinary levels of service in a short time frame.  We are honored to have all of them sharing their time and talents as Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers, and we are pleased to recognize their efforts in this newsletter and with special milestone pins.

• Arlington Regional Chapter (applications due August 15), https://armn.org/apply/
• Banshee Reeks (accepting applications now, class starts in September), http://www.vmnbansheereeks.org/join/
• Central Piedmont Chapter (accepting applications now),  http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/centralpiedmont.html
• Central Rappahannock (accepting applications now, class starts August 7), http://masternaturalistcrc.blogspot.com
• Eastern Shore Chapter (applications due August 21), contact chapter representatives at mimistitt@gmail.com and barboh5@gmail.com
• Fairfax Chapter (applications due August 15),  www.vmnfairfax.org
• High Knob Chapter (now accepting applications), Contact the Chapter President at va.mn.gilliam@gmail.com and the Chapter Advisor at pmeeks@vt.edu.
• Historic Rivers Chapter (applications due August 15),  http://www.historicrivers.org
• Northern Neck Chapter (applications were due July 15 but they may still have openings), http://www.northernneckmasternaturalists.org/2017_Training_Class.html
• Southwestern Piedmont Chapter (accepting applications now, class starts August 15),  http://www.vmnh.net/virginia-master-naturalist-program

​You can read about last year’s winners and nominees here!
 
Volunteer of the Year
This award is intended to recognize a volunteer who has made outstanding contributions to natural resource education, citizen science, and/or stewardship.  There is no minimum requirement for amount of hours or length of service for a volunteer to receive this award.
In your nominations, please include the following:

• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of nominator
• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominee
• Description of why the nominee should receive the award, limited to 400 words.  You may choose to include a description of the individual’s service, specific examples of positive impacts made, aspects that make the individual stand out from other volunteers, and quotes from other volunteers or local partners.
• You may include examples from the individual’s entire length of service, but please place your primary focus on the last 1-2 years.

 
Project of the Year
Subcategories: Education/Outreach, Citizen Science, Stewardship, Administrative
This award is intended to recognize a chapter or individual volunteer’s project that has made significant and noteworthy positive impacts for natural resource education, citizen science, and/or stewardship within the last 1-2 years.  Nominated projects should be projects created and led by a VMN volunteer or chapter, but they may be in partnership with other entities.  We will give awards in each of four subcategories:

• Education/Outreach – Volunteer service in which VMN volunteers educate the public, such as interpretive programs at parks
• Citizen Science – Service projects involving data collection, monitoring, biological inventories, etc.
• Stewardship – Service projects to improve habitat or improve the ability of the public to access natural resources through trails, etc.
• Administrative – Projects to improve the functioning of a VMN chapter, such as re-vamping of the basic training course, mentorship programs, efforts to streamline chapter processes, etc.

 
In your nominations, please include the following:

• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation for the primary VMN volunteer contact for the project
• The primary award subcategory for which you are nominating the project: Education/Outreach, Citizen Science, Stewardship, or Administrative.  The project may include aspects of multiple subcategories and you may describe these aspects in your nomination statement, but you should indicate the primary subcategory under which you want to nominate the project.
• Description of why the project should receive the award, limited to 400 words.  Please include a description of the project goals, activities completed, and impacts and outcomes for natural resources in your community and/or for your chapter.  Include the roles and contributions of VMN volunteers to the project.  Identify any significant partners for the project. 

 
Chapter Advisor of the Year
This award is intended to recognize a chapter advisor who has made significant and noteworthy contributions to a VMN chapter within the last 1-2 years. 
In your nominations, please include the following:

• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the chapter advisor
• Description of why the chapter advisor should receive the award, limited to 400 words.  Please include specific examples of how the chapter advisor has helped the chapter run effectively, make positive impacts in the community, or otherwise achieve its goals.

​Please help us recognize the outstanding people and work of your chapters!