Here are the 2015 Pelican Award winners:
Sponsor Spotlight
Lifetime Achievement Award: Patti Fowler of Beaufort, chief of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational Water Quality Section, for her lifelong devotion and dedication to keeping coastal waters safe and clean.
Northeast Coast
Dewey Hemilright of Wanchese, a spokesman for the commercial fishing industry, for outstanding contributions to education and outreach programs.
Don Twyne of Manteo, captain of the N.C. Marine Patrol’s District 1, which patrols sounds and rivers from Ocracoke to the Virginia line, for his leadership and dedication since 2013 involving the federation’s derelict crab pot cleanup project.
Sara Mirabilio of Manteo, a fisheries specialist with N.C. Sea Grant, for her leadership with federation initiatives. During the past two years, she has assisted the federation in successfully coordinating its regional crab pot cleanup effort, oyster workshops and summits.
Sponsor Spotlight
John Thomas of Grandy, for his many years of volunteer contributions to the federation, including repairing doors at Manteo office, bagging oyster shells and leading kayak trips.
Central Coast
Paul Donnelly of Swansboro, superintendent of Hammocks Beach State Park, who has helped the federation in its mission of coastal restoration and education for more than 10 years. He has approved a number of partnership projects at Jones Island, which is part of the park, in addition to working alongside federation staff, filling oyster shell bags, loading them onto boats and putting them in the water to build oyster shell bag sills. He has planted thousands of marsh grass plugs to restore eroding shorelines and has transported hundreds of volunteers and school children by boat to remote locations for the federation’s environmental education programs.
JoAnne Powell of Gloucester for her volunteer contributions to the federation’s education program. She’s a member of the federation’s Central Region Advisory Committee, an environmental educator aboard the federation’s birding cruises each spring and fall and an environmental education volunteer.
Ronald Sutherland and Fred Cubbage, for outstanding grassroots leadership of the campaign to save the Hofmann Forest.
Southeast Coast
Rick Shiver of Wilmington for contributing expert research and strategic guidance in the Stop Titan Cement campaign.
Rep. Rick Catlin, R-New Hanover, of Wilmington, for his leadership as an advocate for the coast. As a professional geo-hydrologist, Catlin has provided guidance and expertise related to water resources in the southeast region, specifically focused on the protection of critical groundwater and water-use issues.
Ralph and Tanner Konrady of Konrady and Son Construction LLC of Wrightsville Beach for the company’s efforts and partnership in the relocation and renovation of the Fred and Alice Stanback Coastal Education Center in Wrightsville Beach.
Brunswick County Habitat for Humanity of Southport for its partnership with the federation to implement low-impact development practices on Habitat homes.
Jim and Bonnie Swartzenberg of Jacksonville for their commitment to protecting and restoring coastal water quality and oyster habitats.
