2024 Golden Gala Awards Ceremony for Lake and River Stewardship

2024 Golden Gala Awards Ceremony for Wisconsin Lake Stewardship and Volunteer Stream Monitoring celebrated several deserving candidates this year. Enjoy this recording of (most of) the ceremony (we missed recording the beginning).

Lake Monitoring Milestones
The Wisconsin Citizen Lake Monitoring Network will congratulate several long-term lake monitoring volunteers.
30 YEARS
Pat McKearn & Richard Smith
Two Island Lake, Chippewa County
Tom Schuler
Thunder Lake, Marinette County
35 YEARS
Marj Mehring
Squash Lake, Oneida County
John Sipos
Golden Lake, Waukesha County

2023 Wisconsin Volunteer Stream Monitoring Awards
Since 2002, the Division of Extension at UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recognize a small selection of individuals and organizations every year for their efforts leading to increased participation in stream monitoring, collecting stream data, and sharing their knowledge and data.
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER
Karen Doyle
Waukesha County
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER GROUP
Rush River Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Team
(Carl and Cindy Nelson)
Pierce County
OUTSTANDING COORDINATORS
Bob Jozwowski
Central Wisconsin Trout Unlimited
Jessica Orlofske
University of Wisconsin-Parkside

2024 Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Awards
The prestigious Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Awards celebrate the extraordinary volunteer and professional efforts made to protect and improve lakes in Wisconsin. These Lake Stewardship Awards represent our best collective effort to honor and celebrate all the incredible work that goes into ensuring the future of our state’s legacy of lakes.
People are nominated for Lake Stewardship Awards by their peers - what a meaningful way to say, “Thank you!” to the people in your community who work so hard to care for our lakes. Winners of these awards join a select group of individuals and organizations whose unmatched dedication, vision, and commitment ensure that Wisconsin’s legacy of lakes will be safe and secure for generations to come.
EXCELLENCE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Tracy Arnold
Portage County Land & Water
EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Jeff Meessmann
Last Wilderness Alliance
EXCELLENCE IN BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS
Kerry Romsa and
Pelican Lake Association
Oneida County
PROGRAMMATIC EXCELLENCE IN LAKE HEALTH
Big Doctor Lake Association
Burnett County

2023 EXCELLENCE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Michelle Nault
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Know someone deserving of a Lake Stewardship or Volunteer Stream Monitoring award? Nominate them to be included in the running for next year! Nomination forms can be found on the Wisconsin Water Week website at https://wisconsinwaterweek.org/home/l...