2017 Rye Sustainability Leadership Award winners Christine Siller and Taro Ietaka
We have TWO winners for the first Rye Sustainability Leadership Award: Taro Ietaka and Christine Siller of Rye Nature Center. The awards were presented to Taro and Christine at the May 3rd 2017 Rye City Council Meeting by Rye City Council members Julie Killian and Danielle Tagger-Epstein.
RSC Chair Sara Goddard made the announcement of this year's award, the text of which is reproduced below.
Announcement of 2017 Rye Sustainability Leadership Award
It gives me great pleasure to announce the winners of the first Rye Sustainability Leadership Award.
This award honors individuals, organizations or members of the business community that have made significant environmental achievements and demonstrated excellence in leadership for the health of our community and planet.
Most importantly, the winners reflect the spirit of the Rye Sustainability Committee, which embodies collaboration, hard work, and a deep love of our beautiful community.
There are two winners this year: Christine Siller and Taro Ietaka.
Taro and Christine at City Council
From the moment our committee was formed, Christine, as Rye Nature Center’s Executive Director, has been a staunch and loyal supporter of all Rye Sustainability programs, from the reusable bag initiative to partnering with us on the Rye Healthy Yard Program. Christine has willingly opened Rye Nature Center's doors for our many workshops and events and underwrote the production costs of our healthy yard signs. She has provided guidance and advice over the years and advocated for us at public hearings. She was even a judge for our sign design contest and spent several hours pouring over hundreds of submissions. For all these reasons, we’re honored to present her with this year’s Rye Sustainability Leadership Award.
Rye Nature Center Director of Conservation & Land Stewardship, Taro Ietaka is RSC’s soil, composting, lawn, and gardening expert. Whether it’s speaking at numerous healthy yard coffees, helping lead our composting workshop, talking dirt to a packed audience for the What’s Under Your Soil event, Taro approaches his many commitments with a positive, cheerful enthusiasm and he seems to have limitless amounts of energy. And despite his packed and busy schedule, he always has time to listen patiently to us gardening neophytes and provide a word or two of help. It is such a pleasure to present him with this award.
Congratulations to Taro and Christine for their much deserved awards!
You can read more about the award and all nominees here.