The president's perspective - spring 2011

Ann MacKenzie, OFNC president

Celebrating who we are

One of the delightful traditions in the OFNC is the Soiree; the annual wine and cheese evening every April. It is a time for club members to come together in a social setting and celebrate who we are and what we value.

Regular Soiree attendees have their own favourite aspects of the evenings. Many look forward to the photo contest. Others anticipate the displays of the Macoun young people. For some it is the chance to mingle with a glass of wine. But for all, a major part of the evening is the awards.

You have seen the request for nominations for awards every January in T&L. Take a close look at what each award is designed to recognize. Collectively they reflect what we, as a group, consider important and worth acknowledging. It is a bit like the pointed finger where one finger points forward but four fingers are facing back. The awards we choose to give, and the reasons for giving them, probably say more about us, as a collective society, than about the recipients.

While some awards are limited to club members, many are not. This reflects the far-reaching perspective of the OFNC. We see ourselves as fostering natural history in many ways, far beyond the scope of our local club. The CFN also demonstrates this broad perspective in its choice of articles and authors.

Our most prestigious award is bestowing an Honourary Membership. A limit of 25 Honourary Members at any time ensures they are not given lightly. Becoming an honourary member requires an extensive contribution over many years to natural history or the successful operation of the Club. The OFNC has been around for a long time and likes to recognize those who also take a long term perspective. Those who are a 'Johnny-come-lately' are not in the running.

What else do the awards tell us about ourselves? We appreciate people who work hard to keep the Club operating. All those elves behind the scenes. Things don't happen on their own - it takes a driver and others looking after details.

We also recognize the two key aspects of natural history - research and education. Together they have more value than independently.

Our wonderful website has a description of all the awards - just click on Awards in the top blue box. To see who has received an award click on "And the winners are...". This will be updated soon to include the recent recipients. I am sure you know or have heard of many of them, particularly the ones in the last few years. Personally I find it a humbling experience.