Sam Madison Award

Nominations for the Sam Madison Award. The Club welcomes nominations for the Sam Madison Award from any Club Member. The purpose of the award is described below. There are no detailed criteria, and there is no formal application format. Any HMBC member may simply send a narrative nomination for any student, teacher, organization, or program that meets the purpose of the Sam Madison award and merits the Club's support. Submit your nomination to the Club's President with the subject line "Sam Madison Award"

Donations to the Sam Madison Award Fund. To make a donation to continue this award, please send a check payable to "Hudson-Mohawk Bird club" to the treasurer.

Sam Madison. HMBC established the Sam Madison Award to honor the man who led and advised the Club through much of its history. He served as President, was Nominating Committee chair for as long as anyone can remember, and led field trips to a variety of places. Sam's Delmarva Peninsula trip was legendary. With a military-like time schedule it was the "Bataan March" of the bird club. Perhaps Sam's signal accomplishment was his role in acquiring our Reist Sanctuary in 1970. We all have our favorite Sam Story. They all remember an inveterate birder, a caring and sharing friend, and a gentleman in the truest sense.

The purpose of the Sam Madison Award. The Sam Madison Award was established to encourage and enhance the education of students and teachers about birds, bird habitats, and bird conservation. This is a monetary award that will promote understanding and appreciation of birds and their biology, ecology, and conservation.

The award may be given to a student, a teacher, youth leader, or to an organization. The award might be given to provide:

  • scholarships for youth conservation camps or teacher ecology workshops
  • funding and/or materials for classrooms in schools that promote education about birds
  • funding and/or materials for scout camp programs related to birds
  • specific bird-related books/publications for children's libraries
  • funds for pilot-projects at children's museums or nature centers that are bird-related

The award is given at the Club's Annual Meeting in April.

Recipients of the Sam Madison Award
2002 Five Rivers Environmental
Education Center 		Long-term bird education efforts.
2003 Deb Smith Development of a bird backyard at school and birding lessons for Junior High School students.
2004 Will Aubrey Long-time efforts taking students in the field to study birds as an introduction to nature.
2005 George Steele Development of a bird program with inner city schools in Albany and Schenectady.
2006 Wood Road Nature Trails. Bird related projects.
2007 Robert Whiteman Development of a bird watching window and program at the Westmere Elementary School.
2009 Hope Batcheller NYSOA Young Birders
2010 Laurel Tormey Cole Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center
2012 Erin Kinal Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center
2013 Laurie LaFond Friends of the Washington County Grasslands Important Bird Area