News from IOS Award recipients

A flabbergasted Bob McCartney with his Special Service Award - Photo: Dede Biles

A recipient of an IOS Special Service Award has been in the news. Bob McCartney received the award at IOS Conference at The Morton Arboretum, and he was, as he says, “flabbergasted” (those of us who were there will remember what an accurate description that is). The Aiken Standard of Aiken, SC has published an article reporting the event and highlighting Bob’s work and generosity in creating an exemplary city-wide arboretum in the town. You can read the article here. It is gratifying to see IOS Awards making a difference and being noted in the community.

Another recipient of an IOS Special Service Award was Dirk Benoit, who was not able to attend the Conference. Christof van Hulle received it in his name and read out a message that Dirk had sent him. Back in Belgium, Christof put on his 8^th International Oak Society Conference T-Shirt and asked Dirk and his wife over to receive the award. 

Christof van Hulle, wearing the 8th IOS Conference T-shirt, presents Dirk Benoit with his Special Service Award.

The ceremony was duly photographed (see below) and for his pains Christof received from Dirk a grafted Quercus alba ‘Pathfinder’ seedling for his garden. Not a bad deal. (Guy Sternberg told the story of this tree at the Conference in his presentation “Pathfinder: The Last Prairie Sentinel Oak,” you can read it in the Proceedings to be published in next issue of International Oaks. And Dirk's gift was particularly apt, as the awards were made from wood rescued by Guy from the Pathfinder Oak, after it fell in April 2008.)  

Other award recipients at the Gala Banquet included:

Special Service Award: Allen Coombes - Antoine Kremer - Marcie Mayer

Lifetime Service Award: Michel Duhart - Francisco Garin - Diana Gardener