March 23, 2019
St. George Island–Our Annual Meeting and Dinner at the St. George Island firehouse, featuring Dr. Felicia Coleman as the guest speaker, quickly become standing room only as members joined the Board of Directors for the yearly event which included fabulous bluegrass music by The Flathead Strings Band. In fact, the Low-County Boil dinner, prepared by Loco Catering sold out weeks earlier. Nearly 100 people were in attendance for the dinner. 
Thank you Dinner Sponsors: Mary Balthrop, Craig Diamond & Enid Ehrbar, Mark & Heather Friedman, Kim & Pierson Hill, Charley Kienzle, Clay, Clint and Lacey Robinson, Rick Watson and Rick Zelznak.
We were fielding phone calls for tickets right up till the morning of the event. Turning nobody away, we encouraged everyone to join us for the meeting and happy hour. Fortunately, we were then able to accommodate all for dinner.
The perimeter of the room was lined with silent auction items. A big thank you C.J. Weinman and the dynamic Fundraising-Special Events Committee and all those that donated fun, unique items. Also thank you to the Board who set up and hosted the event.
Chad Taylor of Marianna, Florida was recognized for his many years of stewardship in the Apalachicola River basin, including as a long time board member of Apalachicola Riverkeeper.
Dr. Coleman provided an overview of the ecologic significance of the Apalachicola River and Bay. She discussed the “green river plume” that supports numerous fish species the Gulf. Healthy, rich nutrients are carried by the Apalachicola River into the Gulf of Mexico and flow hundreds of miles south along the West Florida Shelf. This plume of essential nutrition crosses important fish spawning and nursery habitat.
Related, the value of the West Florida fishery (commercial and recreational) is $8.31 billion with 80,000 jobs related. (NOAA, 2014)
The Board of Directors held their meeting just before the dinner kicked off. Members elected the 2019-2020. Board members include:
Katie McCormick, President
Kim Sash Hill, Vice President
Rebecca Jetton, Secretary
Mark Friedman, Treasurer
Guy Anglin
Mary Balthrop
Craig Diamond
Yvonnne Gsteiger
Charley Kienzle
Hank Kozlowsky
John Robert Middlemas
Barbara Powell
Clay Robinson
C.J. Weinman