LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Land Trust’s annual dinner on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Boatique Winery brought together friends and supporters to enjoy an evening of fellowship and education with the theme of “Conserving Nature Together.”

Congressman Mike Thompson presented a Congressional certificate of recognition to the organization’s Supporter of the Year, David Woodward of Lakeport.

Sharron Zoller, past state president of California Women for Agriculture and member of the Lake County Chapter of CWA, delivered an educational talk on agriculture and its importance to maintaining open space and preventing urban sprawl, noting the “Shared Values of California’s Agriculture and Land Conservation.”

President of the Land Trust, Val Nixon, updated the audience of over 160 supporters on the latest LCLT news, including the approval of several grants and an important donation from The AES Corp.

LCLT vice president Merry Jo Velasquez discussed a recent creek restoration grant awarded to the Land Trust that will help restore an important hitch migration area of Manning Creek near Lakeport.

Nixon introduced the AES Clean Energy representative, Michael Huhyn, who had traveled from Colorado to attend the dinner. AES recently donated $20,000 to the LCLT to complete the painting of water tanks on Rabbit Hill in Middletown and to upgrade the Rodman Nature Center near Upper Lake.

The appetizers and buffer dinner featuring local products was prepared by Rosey Cooks Catering; Paul Kemp arranged the sound system for the event. The silent auction brought some enthusiastic bidders with Boatique Winery wines enjoyed by the crowd.

Congressman Mike Thompson, when presenting the Congressional certificate to Woodward, lauded the Land Trust for its many accomplishments, saying he was always impressed with how every time he attended a Land Trust event he heard about even more projects that were underway or completed in Lake County.

The LCLT is a charitable nonprofit organization; contributions are tax deductible.

More information may be viewed at https://www.lakecountylandtrust.org/.