Environmentalist of the Year
Written by Mary-Britton Simmons
Jill Keeney, Eastside Audubon Environmentalist of the Year 2020(pictured left) with Eastside Audubon volunteer Mary Britton-Simmons (pictured right).
Congratulations to Jill Keeney, the Eastside Audubon Environmentalist of the Year!
For thirty years, Jill has contributed in numerous ways to the Eastside Audubon community and to the community at large. The heart and soul of the Youth Education Committee (YEC), Jill has been instrumental in growing the committee from working in one or two classrooms a year to working with an average of 1000+ children and 500+ adults each year. She oversees the outreach program which includes organizing materials and working in our booths at venues such as Molbak’s and school science fairs.
As a retired elementary teacher, Jill is adept at introducing children to the wonderful world of birds and the environment. In addition, she leads field trips for students to find and identify birds, helps with presentations, oversees the Camp Scholarship Program, chairs the YEC meetings and keeps us organized! Jill is a behind-the-scenes volunteer so you may not notice her. But there she is running the Migratory Bird Festival, organizing the Christmas Bird Count dinner and the Volunteer Dinner, working in the office, volunteering for EAS’ 40th Anniversary Celebration. Now it is her time to be in the spotlight as we thank her for all she has done for EAS, birds, and the environment.
Thank you Jill Keeney!
Cover photo credit by Werner Willemsen.