Meadows Valley School Receives F&G Award

Meadows Valley School in New Meadows has been given the Idaho Fish and Game Outstanding Volunteer Service Award for 2009. On November 24, 2009, Fish and Game Regional Supervisor Scott Reinecker and volunteer coordinators Mary Dudley and Michael Young presented the award to Meadows Valley School teachers Loretta McConnor and Dan Richards. The two teachers, together with their students and members of the school's Green Earth Club were recognized for their work restoring native riparian habitats along the Little Salmon River and its tributaries. McConnor and Richards have organized, supervised and worked with Meadows Valley School students planting native trees and shrubs each spring and fall for more than 13 years, playing an important role in Fish and Game's ongoing riparian habitat restoration project along the Little Salmon River, Round Valley Creek and Fourmile Creek. "This group of volunteers has consistently demonstrated exemplary work planting thousands of one- and two-gallon containerized trees and shrubs over the years and constructing willow weavings during the last two years," Fish and Game volunteer Coordinator Mary Dudley said. "Pouring rain, freezing temperatures and snow have yet to dampen the enthusiasm and good work of Ms. McConnor and Mr. Richards and the students from Meadows Valley School. We are very grateful for their continued help with this project."