Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, America’s Environmental Flagship organization, will honor Dr. Stuart Findlay, Manna Jo Greene, and Xiell Owens at its annual Spirit of the Hudson Gala on April 7 at the Garrison, in Garrison, NY. The Gala will celebrate 55 years of inspiring lifelong stewards of the Hudson River and its tributaries and will raise critical funds for the continuation of Clearwater’s unique education and advocacy programs.
Clearwater is pleased to honor Dr. Stuart Findlay, of the Cary Institute, with the Spirit of the Hudson Award. Findlay is being honored for his over 30 year commitment to the recovery of the Hudson through research on sensitive wetlands, shoreline restoration, and environmental monitoring, as well as his work with the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Clearwater will also bestow the Lifetime Contribution to Clearwater Award on retired Clearwater Environmental Action Director, Manna Jo Greene. Greene drove Clearwater’s engagement in environmental issues for over 20 years, including the campaign to close the Indian Point nuclear power plant and advocacy work around the remediation of the Hudson River from General Electric’s PCB contamination.
Xiell Owens will be honored with the first ever Next Generation Environmental Leader Award. This new award celebrates the efforts of a young person or group of youth (under age 30) who are actively working to protect or steward the ecological world. Owens, an Albany high school student, has demonstrated his commitment to environmental sustainability through his work at the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center, an urban ecological literacy and just sustainabilities advocacy non-profit organization based in the South End of Albany.
This year’s gala will feature both a live and silent auction, and live music by the Judith Tulloch Band. Members of the public are welcome to attend and/or participate in the silent auction online. More information about this year’s event can be found at clearwater.org/gala.
For full honoree bios and photos click here.
