Named in memory of Olof Stevenson, who served as the caretaker on the Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve for more than 50 years when it was privately owned, the new Olof Stevenson Award celebrates exemplary stewardship work by a member(s) of the Granby Land Trust. The inaugural Olof Stevenson Award was presented by GLT Vice President Dave Emery to Olof’s daughter, Karen Saunders, and her husband, Bob, at the Annual Meeting. Pictured with them is Rick Orluk (l.). Karen and Bob now serve as property stewards for the GLT’S Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve, and as such they walk, monitor and care for the property on an almost daily basis. Photo by Don Shaw.
The GLT presented the Ann Pelka Unsung Hero Award to GLT member Don Shaw. This award recognizes an individual who has worked tirelessly and behind the scenes on behalf of the Land Trust. In this case, the recipient has worked tirelessly behind the lens of his camera, capturing the beauty of the GLT’s properties, and helping tell the story of the land. The GLT is grateful to Ann Pelka for her generous, selfless and benevolent act on behalf of the Land Trust (she gave 150 acres to the Land Trust in 2017), and the organization is likewise grateful to Don Shaw for his generosity and selflessness. Don Shaw in center, GLT President Rick Orluk on left and longtime GLT board member Put Brown on right. Photo by Shirley MurthaGranby Land Trust President Rick Orluk welcomed more than 70 GLT members to the Granby Land Trust Annual Meeting on the newly opened Katan-Ensor Preserve in West Granby on Oct 16. Submitted photoOrluk recognized GLT board member Eric Lukingbeal (r.) and his wife, Sally King, for their generous donation of 11.5 acres of wildlife habitat and agricultural land to the Granby Land Trust. Eric and Sally purchased the land located off Day Street—to be known as The Brockett Preserve—for the express purpose of ensuring its permanent preservation; and the GLT has signed a five-year lease with the House of Hayes to return its open fields to working farmland, using sound farming practices. Photo by Don ShawGLT Annual Meeting Guest Speaker Mark Williams, author of Tempest in a Small Town, the Myth and Reality of Country Life: Granby, CT, 1660-1940, shared stories with the Land Trust membership about the Messenger Family, who settled on Popatunuck Mountain in 1750 and carved out a living on this remote and rugged land for more than 150 years. Messenger Homestead foundations are located on the GLT’s Old Messenger Road Preserves and now can be accessed via the GLT’s new trail through the Richard P. Garmany Preserve. Submitted photoTrish Percival, pictured here with GLT Board Member Put Brown, works with the Land Trust on a broad range of projects, including marketing and communications, membership (where the Land Trust has seen tremendous growth over the last several years), accreditation renewal and other special projects. Percival was honored at the GLT Annual Meeting for her years of dedicated and thoughtful service to the Land Trust and the Granby community. Submitted photoSteve Perry (on right), who manages the organization’s GIS mapping projects, builds the GLT’s trail head kiosks, serves as a property steward, and provides general property management services, received special recognition for his hard work and dedication to the Granby Land Trust at the GLT’s Annual Meeting. Submitted photo
