The Great Swamp Watershed Association held its Annual Meeting and Dinner on November 3rd at the Westin Hotel in Morristown with over 250 people in attendance. Highlights of the evening included GSWA's first-ever Silent Auction, the presentation of the 5th annual Marcellus Hartley Dodge Memorial Award, and an inspiring keynote address given by Pete Dunne, Director of New Jersey Audubon's Cape May Bird Observatory.

Prior to the meeting and dinner, guests competed with each other in the Silent Auction for items such as a round of golf at Muirfield, Scotland, a week at an island cottage in Maine, the mysterious Great Swamp emerald ring, numerous gift certificates to area restaurants, and many other exciting items. More important, the Auction raised over $10,000 for GSWA's programs and projects!

During the dinner program, GSWA presented the 5th annual Marcellus Hartley Dodge Memorial Award to Rich and Pat Kane. The Hartley Dodge Award is given to a person or persons whose contributions toward the preservation and protection of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, its watershed, and the watershed's natural, historic, and public resources, have been extraordinary. The Kanes have dedicated their professional (and a good portion of their personal) lives to protecting the GSNWR and other important wildlife habitats throughout the state through their work at the New Jersey Audubon Society. Rich has served as the Director of the Sherman-Hoffman Sanctuaries since 1973, and Pat began putting her education skills to use for the Society a few years later. GSWA was thrilled to recognize the Kane's hard work and dedication throughout the years with the Hartley Dodge Memorial Award.