Wager awards to be presented June 4

Bill Dygert, George Simpson, Anita Will and Steve Wall have all been named winners of the 2013 Florence B. Wager Awards. The awards are given by the Parks Foundation of Clark County each year to recognize volunteers and professionals who do outstanding work on behalf of local parks, trails and recreation programs.

Dygert and Simpson will share the Leading Eagle Award for their leadership in creating the county’s Conservation Futures Program and acquiring 4,900 acres of greenspace and habitat. The program provided seed money that leveraged millions more in state and federal grants. They also are credited with development of local comprehensive parks and recreation plans.

“The basic framework for the park system in Vancouver and Clark County exists today largely because of their leadership over the last 30 years,” said Glenn Lamb, executive director of the Columbia Land Trust.

Will earned the V-Formation Flyer Award for her volunteerism on behalf of the Whipple Creek Restoration Project.

“No one, and I mean no one, gets to the park earlier to work or stays as late as she does,” said nominator Sandra Day.

Wall, the public works director for the city of Ridgefield, earned the Tributary Award for his work on Ridgefield’s park system. According to the Parks Foundation: “Wall’s leadership, dedication, can-do attitude, ever-present smile, patience, and professionalism were cited in the many letters of support accompanying his nomination.”

The Wager awards were named for Florence Wager, a tireless advocate for local parks and greenspaces who died in 2012. The awards will be presented at the Parks Foundation’s annual meeting, set for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 4. Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers until May 15, when the price goes up by $5. Visit parksfoundation.us to learn more and buy tickets.