Nearly 100 Granby Land Trust members gathered on Oct. 18 for the organization’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Community Supper, an evening of good food, friendship and reflection on the year’s accomplishments.
The annual potluck supper is one way the Granby Land Trust thanks its members for their support throughout the year. White tablecloths, beautiful floral centerpieces, warm candlelight, and a slideshow featuring images of GLT properties helped create a welcoming atmosphere.
Making the event special takes a dedicated team of volunteers who helped with everything from decorating the room to managing the kitchen and handling cleanup. The GLT thanks everyone who helped make the evening a success.
Following supper, GLT President Rick Orluk and members of the Board of Directors reported on the health of the organization and reviewed recent activities and accomplishments. The meeting also provided an opportunity to recognize several individuals whose generosity, dedication and service have made a lasting contribution to the Land Trust.
Mary Edwards Friend of the Land Trust Award
Granby Land Trust President Rick Orluk presented the organization’s highest honor, the 2026 Mary Edwards Friend of the Land Trust Award, to Leila Collin and Janet Beman in recognition of their extraordinary generosity in donating their family’s 69-acre Hungary Road property in 2024. Now known as Griffin Farm Preserve, the property features agricultural fields, diverse wildlife habitats and scenic views from Duncaster Hill. It also connects to the GLT’s Schoolhouse Road Conservation Easement.
The property had been in Collin and Beman’s family for generations. By donating it to the Land Trust, they honored their family’s legacy while ensuring that an important part of Granby’s natural and agricultural heritage will be protected for generations to come. Their generosity and vision embody the spirit of the award.
Ann Pelka Unsung Hero Award
For the past 12 years, Steve Perry has quietly served as a valued consultant to the Granby Land Trust. A GIS specialist, Perry reached out to Granby’s then-Community Development Director Fran Armentano when he first moved to town, offering to help with town mapping. Armentano suggested he contact GLT President Rick Orluk, beginning a long and rewarding relationship that benefited both the Land Trust and the Granby community.
Perry’s mapping skills proved invaluable, but his contributions extended far beyond cartography. As a property steward, he drew on his forestry background to help with tasks ranging from chainsaw work to identifying property boundaries. He was a mapmaker, a steward, a problem solver and, above all, a friend to the Land Trust. As Perry retires and prepares to return to his home state of Michigan, the GLT extends its heartfelt thanks for his many years of service. He will be greatly missed.
Olof Stevenson Award
Although Gary Adamson is a relatively new member of the Granby Land Trust’s Board of Directors, he has already made valuable contributions to the organization. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of native plants and ecology, he helps assess the conservation value of properties so the GLT can better understand and protect them.
Adamson also serves as a property steward for multiple GLT preserves, has helped lead Preserve Our Properties Days, and regularly volunteers his time on the trails, assisting with maintenance and monitoring preserve conditions. His deep connection to the land, commitment to conservation and knowledge of the natural world reflect the qualities Olof Stevenson valued and that this award was established to honor.
The evening was a reminder that protecting Granby’s treasured landscapes is a community effort, sustained by the people who care about the town and its natural heritage. The Granby Land Trust thanks everyone who supports its work and welcomes others to join the GLT community at GranbyLandTrust.org