Awards

HMBC makes two awards annually: The Sam Madison Award and the DEC Campership Award.

The 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





DEC Campership Award

The Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club has regularly sponsored one or two local campers (age 12-14) to attend one of DEC's environmental education camp sessions.
Candidates should be sincerely interested in an outdoor learning experience, including environmental conservation and be willing to participate in strenuous activities such as backpacking and canoeing.

If interested, please send a note to the Club's president with "DEC Campership Award" in the subject line.