2003 MMS Award Winners

Winners of the 2003 MMS Awards were announced at the February 8th MMS Annual Banquet.

The Golden Chanterelle Award

The Golden Chanterelle Award is given to a member who made a significant contribution to the MMS during the year. Nominations for this award are made from the floor and voted on by the membership at one of the club’s fall meetings.

This year’s winner was Dr. Rolf Engel. Rolf this past year created a DVD program that combined some of his many fine mushroom photographs with classical music resulting in a wonderful viewing experience.

Past President Bob Fulgency presents the 2003 Golden Chanterelle Award presented to Dr. Rolf Engel for his delightful presentations of mushrooms from the wild.

The President’s Award

The President of the MMS determines the winner of the President’s Award. The award recognizes the member whose efforts directly enhance the continued success of the club. It is not a popularity award and is frequently given to a member whose work on behalf of the club is often times not readily apparent to the general membership. The amount of time devoted to the day to day activities of the club is considerable and what appears as a smooth and seamless operation does not occur by happenstance, but is instead the result of a good deal of hard work behind the scenes by a very small number of members.

This year I have selected three members whose work has greatly benefited the club. The winners are Janette Almli, Steve Netzman and Tom Volk.

Janette served the club as Recording Secretary for three years and has been an important officer and members of the MMS Board.

Past President Bob Fulgency presents the President’s Award to Janet Almli for years of dedicated service as recording secretary and board member.

Steve Netzman became Editor of the Toadstool Review in March of 2003 and has done an exemplary job in that role. Last spring during one of our Monday evening meetings Steve complained that the newsletter was arriving late; in response I challenged him to become the newsletter editor if he wished to improve the situation and that is how Steve came to be the new editor. I relate this remarkable tale to encourage you too to follow Steve’s example and volunteer your services to work in any area of the club’s activities that you believe can be improved upon.

Past President Bob Fulgency presents the President’s Award to Steve Netzman for stepping up to produce of MMS’ newsletter.

Tom Volk (see Edoror’s note below) is a long time member of our club who over the years has been of great assistance to the MMS. Tom has given many outstanding presentations to the club and frequently attends our forays, especially when we visit Southeastern Minnesota in May to search for Morels. Tom served with distinction as the Chief Mycologist when the MMS hosted the 2001 NAMA Foray at St. John’s University in Collegeville. Last September, Tom invited our club and the Wisconsin Mycological Society to visit the old growth Chestnut forest near La Crosse, Wisconsin for a joint foray. A good sized contingent from our club attended and very much enjoyed the foray and Tom’s detailed description of how the forest came to be and the type of mushrooms found therein. Tom is one of this country’s foremost mycologist and we are indeed extremely fortunate to have him as both a member and a Scientific Advisor.

I congratulate all our award winners and look forward to their continued participation in the club’s many projects and activities for many years to come.

Bob Fulgency
Past President
robjoful@aol.com

Editor’s Notes: We regret not having a picture of Tom Volk receiving his award, since he was not able to attend the banquet. We trust, however, that Tom has already received his award by now and was pleased with having been selected.