By: Ryan Duey
Photo Courtesy of Dickinson County Conservation District
The Dickinson County Conservation District will host its 81st Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on Thursday, February 12th, at Sterl Hall in Abilene. The evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a complimentary catered meal by Lucinda’s Catering, with homemade pie by Amanda’s Bakery and Bistro, and Johnson Farms Market for dessert.
Conservation District Manager Cindy Montgomery said it’s a great opportunity to showcase the work the district put in throughout the year.
“We look forward every year to presenting the results of the work that we do all year.”
“We work really hard to get resources out to our landowners so that they can continue to put conservation efforts into place.”
“Last year, we were able to reach the 90-90 Club for the conservation efforts that we put out, which means over 90% of our cost share funds got spent, and we were able to give over $104,000 directly to the landowners.”
Each year, they present two awards to local producers, the Grassland Award and the Bankers Award for Conservation.
“We give out two different categories of awards.”
“We have the Banker’s Conservation Award, which recognizes the landowner and their dedication to preserving their land through best management practices that combat erosion, maintain soil health, and protect our water supply.”
“We also give out the Grassland Award, which honors a landowner’s commitment to establishing, maintaining, and managing grasslands for the benefit of soil, water, and grassland resource conservation.”
Montgomery said area students will also be involved this year with the poster, limerick, and essay competitions. This year’s theme is “Soil, Where it all Begins.” Hundreds of school-age children from across Dickinson County participate each year. Contestants are judged by Conservation staff and local FFA members, with winners being announced during the meeting.
The Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner is free and open to the public. Reservations are encouraged by February 6th. Contact Montgomery at the Conservation District Office to RSVP.
