Fifty or so hardy people, unfazed by a downpour, attended the Williamstown Rural Lands Annual Meeting for Members held on May 21 at Sheep Hill. We gathered under a big tent to catch up on the state of our organization, celebrate recent accomplishments, and share a vision for the immediate future. WRL President Greg Islan chaired the meeting, assuring us that “the organization is in great shape.”
The membership voted in a slate of six new Directors, recruited by our Nominations Committee. The group includes a farmer, a writer, a glaciologist, a scholar, a teacher, and an attorney. These new directors complement thirteen current and recurrent board members.
Afterwards, we repaired to the Rosenburg Room to mingle and chat over hors d’oeuvres provided by members of our Board of Directors in keeping with a Rural Lands tradition.
Our long-serving counsel, Stephen Pagnotta, was honored with the annual Lewis Conservation Legacy Award for his steady guidance since 1993, particularly on land acquisition. Stephen oversaw Rural Lands’ protection of over one thousand acres. He was quick to acknowledge the help of others who have been supportive of Rural Land since its inception in 1986.
We were pleased to have a special guest among the members: Nan Jenks-Jay, one of Rural Lands’ founding members and the organization’s first executive director, was honored by Tom Jorling, a long-serving member of our board.