Mamie Campbell Award

Generosity and Commitment: The Mamie Campbell Award

The Audubon Society of Portland takes special pride that it is a volunteer organization. Much of what we accomplish is through the generosity and commitment of our more than 1,000 volunteers.

Each year, during the festivities at the annual banquet, Portland Audubon commemorates its most dedicated volunteers by awarding the Mamie Campbell award for volunteer achievement.

Established in 1985, the Mamie Campbell Award is given to our most important and dedicated volunteers. Award criteria include (1) sustained and long-term commitment to PAS, (2) multifaceted volunteer service (in several different program areas), and (3) the importance of the work to PAS and/or the leadership and role model qualities of the individual.

Mamie Campbell was an important figure in Audubon’s early years.  A long-time and active volunteer herself, Mamie was instrumental in establishing the Jr. Audubon Club in Portland.  Mamie was an ardent conservationist and helped distribute environmental brochures to area schools in the 1920’s and 30’s.  She was also a tireless leader of the Lucy Club, which organized Portland Audubon Society social and special events during the early 1900’s and was named after Lucy Audubon, the wife of James Audubon.

The Mamie Campbell Award is the highest honor given to Audubon volunteers, and it recognizes the dedication and service each recipient has tirelessly given.

Audubon staff presented this prestigious award to 5 deserving volunteers in 2012.  

Harriet Anderson is one of the most interesting volunteers you’ll ever talk to at Audubon.  Having joined the Audubon Society of Portland in 1961, Harriet started really volunteering 7 years ago. She’s one of our volunteer receptionists and, in addition to her weekly shift, she regularly fills in for others.  Some days she’ll even work two shifts, spending the whole day answering Audubon’s telephones as she invites callers to visit our nature sanctuary.  Harriet always offers a cheerful welcome to visitors and loves hearing the animal stories that come in to the front desk.  She has broad natural history knowledge along with a tremendous overview of the Audubon Society of Portland’s own history.  Harriet is a regular attendee at membership and donor events and was instrumental in orchestrating a very special and standing-room-only Nature Night presentation last fall that featured her ex-husband, Jim Anderson.  Harriet eagerly volunteered to help with an important capital project.  Her generosity was crucial in immediately improving and now sustaining the organization. 

Toni Rubin knows Portland Audubon really well because she’s one of those amazing individuals who wears multiple “volunteer hats.”  Toni volunteers in the Education Department by leading sanctuary tours and serving on the Education Committee.  She’s their volunteer liaison to our community-based summer camp partner organizations—Hacienda and Bienestar.  During the months leading up to and the weekend of the Wild Arts Festival in November, you can find Toni hanging out with the Book Fair Committee.  In her spare time, she helps people who come into our Nature Store.  According to Sally Loomis, Nature Store staff, “Toni has an amazing ability to connect with people.  She is always finding some common thread between customers and herself, such as a place they’ve both lived, a job they’ve had in common, or some interest they’ve shared.  She is fearless in drawing people out and finding ways to make a customer feel welcome.”  And, finally, Toni Rubin serves as an important member of the Volunteer Council.  In this role, she helps create and sustain a dynamic volunteer program that is inclusive and enriching for all.

Ron Escano  In addition to his weekly role as Night Captain during September Swift Watch season (where he’s very easy to spot in the crowd as the guy with the “swifty deely-bobbers” on his head) Ron has been leading an average of two Audubon Outings a month to local birding hot spots since 2006.  Participants in his walks, not only benefit from being in the field with an excellent birder who wants everyone to have a good time and see the birds as well as possible, they also benefit from Ron's thorough recordkeeping of birds seen at each locale over the course of the years.  From this data, Ron prepares the group on what they can expect to see before heading out from the parking lot; and, at the end of the outing, the group can compare how their bird list differs from other seasons and years.  Participants leave with more than just a list of birds seen.  They also have an increased appreciation and understanding of the dynamics of birds in our local landscapes across the seasons. 

Dan Rohlf has contributed his time and energy to Audubon for decades.  Dan is a law professor at the Lewis and Clark Law School and founded the Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center.  He has represented Audubon on a multitude of lawsuits including Peregrine Falcon protection, Salmon protection, and litigation regarding flood plains.  Dan is a “fierce advocate” for Audubon and the environment.  He serves on both the Conservation Committee and the Board and partnered with Audubon to make last year’s Migratory Bird Conference a tremendous success.  Dan is recognized around the world as an authority on the Endangered Species Act; and, according to Bob Sallinger, our Conservation Director, “Dan is the person Meryl Redisch, our Executive Director, counts on to keep Bob in line and advise her when she’s a little skeptical about Bob’s ideas.”

In addition to Rie Luft’s nine-year commitment to Audubon as a weekly Wildlife Care Center volunteer, she always looks for ways to improve the care of the animals.  She took the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Class training several years ago and emerged with good suggestions for ways our protocols could be improved.  She doesn’t set back and wait for others to help make sure improvements happen, though.  Rie follows through.  She and her husband, Glenn, built new perches that are easy to clean and adaptable to different size animals.  Rie suggested, designed, and put together a new bulletin board for the Care Center lobby so visitors can learn more about Audubon.  Also Rie’s a great Audubon supporter having offered her home on several occasions for fundraising efforts.  According to Deb Sheaffer, Wildlife Veterinarian, “Rie pushes all of us to do the best for the animals in our care.”

John Edwards is an extremely dependable, detail-oriented volunteer who is knowledgeable about almost all the birds that come into the Wildlife Care Center, but especially about birds of prey.  John is always willing to help; and, even after his back surgery, he couldn’t stay away from the Care Center for long.  He’s great to work with and loves to teach other volunteers what he knows and what he learned when he took the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Class.  He has a lot of patience and uses his strength, thoughtfulness and enthusiasm to help wild animals back to health and often releases them back to the wild.  As an example of John’s strength and enthusiasm, he single-handedly drug the dryer out of the Wildlife Care Center when flames were shooting out of it!  John supported Audubon’s conservation agenda by going to Salem’s legislature last year.  He will be joining the Volunteer Council in July and is also an education bird handler who shares Julio the Great Horned Owl and Finnegan the Peregrine Falcon with visitors so they can learn more about them.

2010 Mamie Campbell Recipients

2011 Mamie Campbell Winners

quickly became a volunteer who braved the elements every month to help with sanctuary work parties and now mentors new volunteers at each TogetherGreen Day.  Jean’s tireless enthusiasm and can-do attitude are contagious.  As a Sanctuary Committee member, Jean provides the perspective of an active Audubon volunteer and has offered to lead our outreach for this year’s Native Plant Sale.  Proving Jean loves Audubon’s sanctuary, she shares it with school children as a Sanctuary Tour volunteer.  She impresses everyone with her knowledge of the natural history of the Pacific Northwest, and her ability to convey that knowledge to Audubon’s youngest visitors.  Jean is also a member of the Volunteer Council, helping lead our Volunteer Program to new heights.

is a Sanctuary Tour volunteer extraordinaire and consistently demonstrates her passion for sanctuary tours and children.  Pat is always positive and flexible and has become a true asset to our Education Department.  She’s been a tremendous help leading school groups to the Oregon Coast as well.  It seems Pat can lead a group of kids through the wet, rainy woods with the greatest of ease and smile the whole way through!  In addition to Sanctuary Tours, Pat does bird surveys for Conservation, is a member of our Speakers’ Bureau and Volunteer Council, and helps with numerous special events like Swift Watch and our “Night Flight” Halloween Event.

has donated over 1,000 hours since she started volunteering in 2007.  You’ll find Molly in the Nature Store every Tuesday, and the rest of the time she’s organizing the Wild Arts Festival Book Fair.  When first approached about serving on the WAF committee, Molly said, “Sure, I’ll be on the committee, but I don’t want to be that involved.”  Three years later and she’s already got a couple years as Book Fair Chairperson under her belt.  She spends countless hours lining up authors, coordinating book purchases, and organizing logistics to make the annual event a success.  Molly’s also gotten involved with Audubon’s Backyard Habitat Certification Program with a Gold Certified backyard of her own.  

was unable to join us this evening.  Katy believes in the power of marketing.  Since arriving at Audubon several years ago, Katy has challenged us to better promote our good work and has helped us take advantage of opportunities to do just that.  Katy serves on Audubon’s Board and, as the chair of the Development Committee, is leading a new visioning process.  Katy’s also very hands-on while she’s at Audubon.  She helps the Wildlife Care Center staff rehab many of the nearly 3,000 native injured animals that come in every year, and works with Julio, our Great horned owl, and Finnegan, our Peregrine falcon, in her “spare time” as one of our education bird handlers.

brings her expertise of microbiology to the Wildlife Care Center during her weekly shift.  She’s affectionately called the “Fecal Queen” because she loves finding parasites and bugs in the fecal material.  Carol has enthusiastically trained many Wildlife Care Center volunteers to run lab work and has proven herself to be a great teacher.  When asked to help on a committee, we’re pleased to say that Carol rarely says “no.”  She’s not only on the Volunteer Council, she’s also on the “Night Flight” Halloween Event committee and is helping to plan our newest volunteer event—International Vulture Appreciation Day in September.

started volunteering at Audubon with his wife, Carol, in 2007, and has already donated over 1,100 hours of service.  As one of our education bird handlers, Gary works with Hazel, our Northern spotted owl, and Jack Sparrowhawk, one of our American kestrels at both on- and off-ground events and displays.  Gary’s a skilled birder and is the “go-to-guy” during his weekly Wildlife Care Center shift to identify the “little brown bird” that just came in for care.  You’ll also find Gary at many of our special events as well, including the Wild Arts Festival, Native Plant Sale, and Swift Watch; and he’s on, not one, but TWO Birdathon teams!  In his spare time, Gary’s a glider pilot and donated a glider ride to the Wildlife Care Center auction that’s open for bids through May 6.

retired, she joined a walking group that often led her right past the Audubon Society of Portland.  Let’s just say that one day in 2007 Jackie hung a left and found herself volunteering.  Since then Jackie has become one of our favorite Nature Store volunteers always greeting visitors with a smile, helping them with merchandise and answering their questions.  Jackie also served as a member of Audubon’s Volunteer Council.  She says she’s “inspired by the passion and dedication of our volunteers” and served on the Council as yet another way to give back to the organization.  She did that in between her Wildlife Care Center shift and her education bird handling of Hazel, our Northern spotted owl, and Jack and Lillie, our two American kestrels.

has worn several hats.  He is currently serving his third term as Board secretary.  Wink has served as the primary lead for Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count by organizing the regional leaders and contributing content to our December newsletter.  For the second year in a row, Wink is the behind-the-scenes “face” of the Wild Arts Festival’s Facebook page.  With all of these contributions throughout the years, Wink still manages to lead Morning Birdsong Walks at Pittock Mansion, serves as one of the Wild Turkey Gonzo van drivers and leaders for Birdathon, and does bird surveys on Sauvie Island.