Wellesley Island, NY (August 12, 2010) – Save The River today will honor two volunteers with the Volunteer of the Year Award at the organization’s annual volunteer picnic. The award is given to volunteers who have consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty in their volunteer efforts and whose volunteer assistance has moved Save The River’s efforts to protect the St. Lawrence River forward in a significant way. The picnic and award presentation will be held from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority’s ‘Rift Camp’ on Wellesley Island.

Last year, Save The River’s nearly 300 volunteers provided more than 3,200 hours of service – the equivalent of nearly 400 eight-hour days – in support of Save The River’s advocacy, education and research programs. Volunteers assist with a variety of projects, from monitoring River health to stuffing envelopes and providing expertise on River policy issues.

“The time and expertise, often combined with hands-on labor, that volunteers provide is critical to the strength of Save The River’s efforts to protect the St. Lawrence River. Volunteers magnify the capacity of our small staff and our River protection programs,” stated Save The River’s Executive Director Jennifer Caddick. “We are thrilled to recognize this year’s recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Awards for their dedication and commitment to Save The River. We are a stronger organization thanks to their efforts.”

Jim McGarry, Oak Point and Ithaca, NY – Although a relatively new volunteer, Jim jumped in with both feet two years ago and has become a leader in the Common Tern restoration program. The program is a partnership working to restore the population and habitat of Common Terns, a threatened bird species once abundant on the River. After reading everything the Cornell Ornithology lab had on Common Terns, Jim got to work developing innovative methods to reduce predation while increasing the amount of suitable habitat for the birds. In addition to braving fierce adult Common Terns while monitoring nests and counting eggs and chicks on a weekly basis, Jim has also been key in efforts to band additional birds and develop better reporting methods for volunteer monitors. Jim’s efforts have directly led to an increase in breeding success at two historic nesting sites, providing a significant boost to the Common Tern population on the River.

Jay Nash, Clayton and Ludlow, VT – Seven years ago, long-time supporter Jay Nash approached Save The River with an idea – bring the best independent singer-songwriters to Clayton for a night of music to benefit Save The River. Today, the event, Rock for the River, has grown into Save The River’s largest annual fundraiser. Over the past seven years, the event has raised more than $40,000 for Save The River’s programs. Additionally, much of Jay’s music has been influenced by the River and it seems that he’s always sporting a Save The River tee at shows around the U.S. and Europe, which has been so important in spreading the word throughout the U.S. and Europe about the importance of protecting the St. Lawrence River.

For more information on Save The River’s volunteer programs, visit www.savetheriver.org and click on ‘Get Involved’.

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For more information, contact:

Jennifer Caddick, Save The River Executive Director

E-mail: jennifer@savetheriver.org / Phone: (315) 686-2010 / Cell: (315) 767-2802