NRCM Announces Its Fifth Annual People's Choice Award Nominees
The finalists are in! Please read through this year's line-up of finalists and cast your vote starting Monday, August 16. We hope you will plan to join us at our annual meeting, followed this year by a gubernatorial debate at the University of Southern Maine's Portland campus on Thursday, October 21st. We will announce the People's Choice Award winner that evening and presenting him or her with this very special award for their extraordinary service for Maine's environment. (Please note that to vote online, you will need to register for our Action Network. If you prefer, you may call in with your vote or email it to beth@nrcm.org.) Thank you for taking the time to vote!
We are pleased to announce this year’s finalists for NRCM’s People’s Choice Award! Nominations came in from across the state for environmental stewards working on a wide range of important issues. Special thanks to all of you who sent in nominations, and congratulations to all who were nominated! Vote for your choice here. Voting is open now through Monday, September 6th.
This year’s finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
NOMINEE: Joanna Basinger, Scarborough
Joanna recently developed a serious passion for decreasing the amount of waste in Maine’s communities. She connects people, communities, and businesses with each other to share the items that are rarely used (for example, why do 40 neighbors ALL need a weedwacker)? Joanna’s initiative helps people save money, fosters neighborly ties, and encourages donating items rather than throwing them away. The idea is that the more we share, the less we need (and therefore spend) and the less waste we produce. By reducing waste, we decrease dramatically decrease our carbon emissions. It takes communities working together to get these things accomplished, not just one person with one idea. It takes all of us, and that's what Joanna has figured out how to do. She also hosts swap meets once a month that are free for the community. She does this without any expectation of anything in return. As part of her work, she has created a website offering items for recycling and ways to borrow needed items—even a way to swap skills! Her site includes a place to plan volunteers, materials lists, and more for large community projects, small projects for the elderly, and other purposes. Joanna actively solicits new ideas from her members. Her website is at www.closestcloset.com.
NOMINEE: Vera Francis, Perry
Vera is a proud Passamaquoddy woman who spearheaded and vigilantly worked in preventing a Liquefied Natural Gas company from establishing residency on the beautiful Passamaquoddy Bay at Sipayik, Maine. This gas company not only would have devastated our traditional and cultural life source, but it would have destroyed an important cultural place for our people to gather, pray, and have ceremonies. Vera included others in her work, but because of her silent, but powerful humility, she would not take as much credit as I or someone else would give her. She would say, "I didn't do it alone." True, but her leadership, persistence, and passion is why I believe she should receive this award. She truly is an inspiration in accomplishing what most thought was impossible—to defeat a powerful company such as a Liquefied Natural Gas company. Our non-profit group is called N'tutlankeyutmonen N'kihtaqmikon. In our Passamaquoddy language, it means, "We are taking care of our land."
NOMINEE: Hank Tyler, Hallowell
Residents of Hallowell, Maine, are likely greatly aware of the effort, knowledge, and dedicated work that Hank Tyler has provided the city in assuring that all trash, recyclable material, and other refuse is carefully and environmentally handled. He has been a diligent member of the city’s recycling group and his dedication has been obvious to those who only occasionally attend a scheduled meeting. At this point in time—and in his life—Hank allots many hours each day to the unusual and pace-setting task of collecting coffee grounds, food peelings, and other composting materials from the many eateries here in this Kennebec River city. Even in his retirement years, Hank is a generous man, and his list of volunteer efforts is long and robust—as the current Steward of Vaughan Woods, past chair of the Brunswick and Hallowell Conservation Commissions, and as a member of the Hallowell Recycling Committee. He is dedicated to assuring that Hallowell is following the need to ensure Maine’s environment is protected and will continue to sustain its people in the future. Hank’s work ensuring that we and our children can look forward to a healthier and environmentally safer future.
Vote for your choice for NRCM's People's Choice Award here.
*The nominations do not represent endorsement by NRCM of any particular environmental position, stategy, or viewpoint.