Environmental Awards Dinner Chance to Honor Local Groups

Just a 20-minute drive from Petaluma, the 36th Annual Environmental Awards Event comes to the Sebastopol Vets Auditorium this Saturday, March 3, 6-9 pm.

The Sonoma County Conservation Council and Sierra Club Sonoma County host the event each year.  It's the annual fundraiser and countywide community gathering to support our natural resources and environment and those working for our environment.  Proceeds from the event help fund the Environmental Center in Santa Rosa, an office, meeting and event space for multiple conservation organizations.

Member organizations of the Sonoma County Conservation Council include Community Alliance of Family Farmers (CAFF), Community Network, Conservation Corps North Bay, Forestville Citizens for Sensible Growth, Garbage Reincarnation Inc., Greenbelt Alliance Sonoma-Marin, LITE Initiatives, Madrone Audubon Society, Paula Lane Action Network, Trout Unlimited Redwood Empire Chapter, Russian Riverkeeper, Russian River Watershed Protection Committee, Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Sonoma, Sonoma County Conservation Action, Sonoma Co. Transportation & Land Use Coalition, and Sonoma Land Trust.

This year's event features a delish and nutritious vegetarian dinner prepared and served by A la Heart Catering. From 5:30 'til about 6:45 p.m., guests can socialize, visit the silent auction, and visit and obtain info from tables of many environmental organizations.  

This year's program is a special one. The featured speaker is Dr. Paloma Pavel of the Earth House Center in Oakland, author of Breakthrough Communities. Pavel will share experiences and visions for Building Healthy, Just & Sustainable Communities in the Face of Climate Change.  The evening's Emcee will be a dynamic woman respected throughout Sonoma County, Leticia Romero, Vice President of the North Bay Organizing Project and Community Organizer for the Committee on Immigrant Rights in Sonoma County.

Always a highlight of the event, annual Environmental Awards will be presented to the 2012 Environmentalist of the Year, Outstanding Educational Project or Program, and the Ernestine Smith Lifetime Achievement award.

A few tickets are still available. Reservations are advised. Please call 707-544-4582.  Some tickets will be available at the door. It's a low key, healthy, quietly organized event that's usually a lot of fun and inspiring.  And for a great cause - to help fund the Environmental Center of Sonoma County and honor those tirelessly working to educate about and protect our Sonoma County incredible resources and our environment.