This year's Carl Cole Service Award Recipient...

is Colin Hocking!
Colin Graduated from the Master Naturalist program in the fall of 2019 and once we were able to have gatherings again after the restrictions of Covid, he was invited onto the Board as a Member at Large. Due to changing roles on the Board, he was volunteered by then President Dave Eslinger, to be Vice President!

Colin admittedly had some sleepless nights contemplating what this new position would entail as it came with the role of Communications Chair, too, but after a little research he saw that there was need to redesign the website using a totally new platform and re-initiating sending of a newsletter.

After 3 months of design and training other board members on utilizing the integrated features of the website, it was ready to launch and the website went 'live' on June 1st, 2022.

Since then Colin has been an active Vice President and Communications Chair writing the quarterly newsletter and keeping up with the website administration, but he also became an Alligator Ambassador and Eagle Ambassador, along with volunteering to co-lead bird photography walks with Kristina Wheeler for CCPRC, and teaching photography classes for the Statewide MN program, which many of you have attended. Due to his frequent posts on his Facebook page, he was also asked to take his Alligator Ambassador role on the road, presenting to a local HOA on alligator safety to their residents; worked at putting on programs at the Sewee Visitor Center, and helped move forward the installation of Wood Duck nesting boxes at Caw Caw Interpretive Center.

Last year alone Colin logged 112 hours volunteering for CCPRC, not to mention the hours spent on these other projects, and to fulfill his VP role.

Thank you, Colin, for your service!