The Lawrence and Eula Hagie heritage Award
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The 2012 Hagie Heritage Award winners, Bob and Mary Lou Gunderson, recieving the award from INHF President Mark C. Ackelson. |
The Hagie Heritage Award was established in 1989 (and the first award was given that year) by Jan Shindel of De Witt, Iowa, and Ila Jeanne Logan of Moville, Iowa, in honor of their parents, Lawrence and Eula Hagie.
It goes to an Iowan who demonstrates extraordinary personal service and commitment to improving the quality of Iowa's natural environment and who encourages others to do the same. Most past awards have gone to volunteers. Conservation professionals are elligible to receive the award, but the judges' focus will be on activities that go above- and-beyond normal job duties.
When the award was established, Hagie family members Shindel and Logan wrote, "The award is to recognize Iowans who devote outstanding personal service to Iowa’s natural heritage and who encourage others to do the same." Jan, Ila Jeanne, and their children were united in their desire to honor their parents and grandparents in a significant way, and agreed that environmental problems are the issue of the century.
Says Shindel, "We wanted to recognize those people who are not seeking recognition, but are simply ‘going the extra mile’ because they are committed to conservation and improving the lives of others through improving and protecting the environment. Our lives have been improved by the preservation of land in the family, originating generations even before my mother’s parents... We want to pass that on."
Says Logan, "Our parents really passed on their appreciation of the outdoors. As kids, we spent a lot of time outdoors with our family. Dad was a school superintendent, and a biologist by interest; Mom was an educator. Tying all this together with a conservation award in their honor seemed to make sense."
