Manomet honored Nan Harris at its annual Summerfest event on July 11, as she stepped down from the Board of Trustees.
Board of Trustees Chair Dean Steeger thanked Harris for her two decades of service. She was declared a Trustee Emeritus.
Harris first served on the Board of Councilors and then as a member of the Board Trustees. She created a program to help fund the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), was instrumental in securing support for the Shorebird Recovery Project, and served as co-chair of the Manomet Associates Group.
“Nan always gave tirelessly to Manomet. She was the perfect board member,” Steeger said. “But more than that, she’s the model of a person society needs in order to prepare for the future. She understands how important it is for humans to figure out how to live sustainably on a finite planet, and that it will take a diversity of voices to find lasting solutions.”
Over 150 Councilors, Trustees, and staff members attended Summerfest at the organization headquarters overlooking Cape Cod Bay.
“Summerfest gives our Councilors and Trustees a chance to meet face to face with our scientists,” said Executive Assistant and Manager of Grant Services Martha Sheldon. “It lets them have conversations about the work that is being done in the field.”
The night’s keynote speaker was Phillip Hoose, author of “MoonBird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95.” The book follows the migration of the legendary Rufa Red Knot known as ‘B95’ and addresses the conservation challenges that the species faces.
Hoose discussed the details of his new book, chronicled his personal experiences with the Red Knot, and thanked Manomet scientists for their work in conserving the populations of Red Knots and other vulnerable shorebird species.
“The book traces the path of the Rufa Red Knot. They fly from the bottom of the world to the top, making the conservation of the species an international effort,” Hoose said. “Manomet is at the pinnacle of this kind of work.”
One of the night’s highlights was Hoose’s performance of the “Delaware Bay Blues,” a tune that he wrote about the woes of the Red Knot. Hoose sang and played the guitar and was accompanied by his wife Sandi Ste. George on the mandolin.
– Haley Jordan