GENTRY — Flint Creek Power Plant was honored with a Golden Paddle Award at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership’s annual stakeholders meeting Nov. 10 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

More than 100 people were in attendance at the event where the IRWP gave out Golden Paddle Awards, announced several grants, elected new board members and hosted a tour of the West Side Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sam’s Club in Fayetteville.

The 2009 Golden Paddle Awards honored those leaders in watershed stewardship and natural resource conservation in the Illinois River Watershed. Six awards are given annually to individuals or entities that exemplify good stewardship in the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the watershed.

Honored this year in the following categories were:

• Agriculture — Gene Pharr, Washington County Farm Bureau;

• Business — Flint Creek Power Plant in Gentry for its Eagle Watch Nature Trail;

• Conservation — Ozark Ecological Restorations, Siloam Springs, Joe Woolbright;

• Construction — W. Orlo Stitt and Stitt Energy Systems, Inc., Rogers;

• Government — City of Fayetteville, Mayor Lioneld Jordan, West Side Treatment Plant and Woolsey Wet Prairie; and

• Technical/Research — Susan Bolyard, U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologist.

The Walton Family Foundation awarded the IRWP a 2009-2011 matching grant for $300,000. The Arkansas Forestry Commission awarded the organization a $15,000 grant for the Urban Forestry Project and Walmart Information Systems Division awarded a grant for $10,000 for rain garden projects.

New board members were also elected at the meeting. Elected include Steve Randall, vice chair, Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission; Marilyn Edwards, Washington County judge; Sam Goade, Springdale Public Works director; and Scott Carney, Flint Creek Power Plant environmental officer.

New officers of the IRWP Board are: President, Mike Faupel, University of Arkansas Applied Sustainability Center; Vice president, Evan Teague, environmental specialist, Arkansas Farm Bureau; Treasurer, Larry Adair, Arvest Bank president, Stillwell, retired; and Secretary, Jennifer Michaels, Lake Fayetteville Watershed Partnership.

The Illinois River Watershed Partnership is a membership-based organization working to protect and restore the Illinois River and its tributaries. The organization is working together to improve water quality and to educate and encourage others to enjoy and positively affect the Illinois River Watershed.

More information on IRWP is available at www. IRWP .org.

News, Pages 10 on 11/25/2009