At its annual meeting on Oct. 22, the Granby Land Trust bestowed its highest honor—the Mary Edwards Friend of the Land Trust Award—on Charlie and Joan Katan of West Granby.
Charlie, a geologist by training and a naturalist by inclination, was a founder of the GLT. He volunteered for years, providing wise counsel to the board; leading many woodland hikes and other educational activities; and acting as an effective spokesman for the land trust. Joan gave horseback riding lessons and, by example, she showed hundreds of students the pleasures of being outside. For their years of dedication, their stewardship of the natural world and the example they were to others, the GLT is proud to award Charlie and Joan Katan the 2017 Mary Edwards Friend of the Land Trust Award.
While Charlie couldn’t attend the ceremony, Joan was there to accept the honor from board member Put Brown.
Joan quipped that while she couldn’t possibly fill Charlie’s shoes, she was, in fact, wearing his socks. She then spoke of the link between Granby’s beautiful places and its people and the close relationship she and Charlie had with the land; and she said she trusted that the GLT would continue its work to protect Granby’s natural beauty.
While Charlie couldn’t attend the ceremony, Joan was there to accept the honor from board member Put Brown.
Joan quipped that while she couldn’t possibly fill Charlie’s shoes, she was, in fact, wearing his socks. She then spoke of the link between Granby’s beautiful places and its people and the close relationship she and Charlie had with the land; and she said she trusted that the GLT would continue its work to protect Granby’s natural beauty.
