Volunteer Awards 2005

	Raptor Education Foundation's 18th Annual Awards Banquet recognizes some of the very best Docents in the world. They are selected with a variety of different backgrounds. From engineers, doctors, housewives, students, and lucky retirees, REF's Docents contribute thousands of hours every year to support the Foundation's mission of environmental education. A pot luck meal held at the elegant Malo Mansion, where volunteers, husbands, and wives get together to celebrate another very successful year in the Foundation's first quarter of a century history.
	From left to right, Jennifer McAllister, this year's Volunteer of the Year winner, Pat Langley who has won the same honor previously. Pat is sitting with his lovely wife, Gaylene.
	Ms. Ann Troth enjoys some postprandial libations before the awards segment of the evening gets under way. Mr. Bernie Gardetto can be seen in the back.
	Anne Price, Curator of Raptors, begins the business side of the evening as she reports on the past year's accomplishments.
	Alison Kondler, front right, one of REF's brand new Docents listens intently as she enjoys her first banquet with her husband Matthias on the left.
	From a queue of 12, this year's graduating class of REF Docents ended up with just two. Two of the best. Most applicants were eliminated during the interview process. Congratulations to Nancy McGill (L) and Alison Kondler, they have already achieved a great deal.
	Doctors Matt Demey, left, and Jeff Mullen from REF's veterinary support team at the Seven Hills Veterinary Hospital in Aurora display another acknowledgement of the excellent support they provide REF staff and birds every year.
	Receiving REF's Certificates of Volunteer Service for 2005 (starting in the back) Pat Langley, Cathleen Collins (red sweater), Deb Jenkins, Shelley Doris, and Dawn Ondler at the right bottom.
	REF's Excellence In Volunteer Service winners for 2005 were Margaret Catale (left) and Jen Allen.
	2005's Silver Talons Award winners are Jennifer McAllister, Lorraine Monoson (the shy one) and Kevin Corwin. Silver Talons awards single out specific areas in which the docent has contributed significant hours or in some other substantial manner towards supporting REF's mission.
	Lorraine Monoson and her daughter, Alexys, have set some record to beat. Commuting from Colorado Springs to be part of our Docent program shows a level of dedication that includes putting over 8,000 miles on the odometer of their vehicle. But, since they also have our Colorado Respects Wildlife license plates on their SUV, they are performing one great publicity campaign for REF as well. Thanks to both ladies for their service and congratulations on winning Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards in 2005. What a team!
	For the first time, REF officials established a new award category recognizing the contributions provided by spouses of REF Docents. The first winners of the Patient Spouse Award were (from left to right) Brian McAllister, Connie Corwin, and Paul Smith. Toni took the place of her husband Paul, who actually won the award, but had to attend family matters at home. Ms. Corwin suggested another name for the award before it was even announced: Tortured Spouse Award- REF Directors will take that name under advisement.
	Bernie Gardetto was 2005's only Golden Jesses award winner. Bernie received his Golden Jesses because of an exemplary effort and dozens of hours auditing REF's License plate program records in our law suit against the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles. Bernie worked with a team of two other retired auditors to verify data as part of the settlement negotiations. The law suit that lasted 5 years and finally settled as the Colorado Court of Appeals, in a unanimous decision, ruled that the State DMV had breached REF's contract, and inflicted damages on the Foundation's operations. For more on this case, just click...
	Anne Price, REF's Curator of Raptors, prepares her show on our Alaskan journey in August and September. The comprehensive computer generated slide show gave everyone a thorough look at our Alaskan adventure including many behind-the-scenes glimpses that we cannot show here.
	Senior Docent, Deb Jenkins (pictured above), has been keeping REF's "unofficial history in pictures " scrapbook for many years, and all of us are always enthralled by looking at some of the pictures of birds and staff from the "olden days." Here, some of the ladies are astonished as they realize a particular individual once had dark hair, and more of it than now.
	Once again, last but not least, our Volunteer of the Year, Jennifer McAllister with her husband, Brian, whose extended contributions to REF's mission helped make our 25th anniversary year one of our very best. Thanks to all of our exceptional people who have worked together, through thick and thin, rain, shine, sleet, snow, tornadoes, West Nile assaults, and more to make it possible for our environmental literacy programs to continue setting the highest standards available. Think you might wish to join us and volunteer your passion? Just click...

REF is blessed with some of the best volunteers in its specialized field of endeavor. Not only are they dedicated to our mission, they are passionate about raptors, and have received the type of support via REF's Docent Training Program, that they will not find anywhere else. In fact, several of our docents have come from other raptor programs in the state, and have been most pleasantly surprised by the level of professionalism evidenced in everything we do. Our annual awards banquet is just one of the events that sets REF apart from other raptor groups in Colorado with a similar mission. Think you might wish to join us and volunteer your passion? Just click...

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