2023 Earth Care Award Winners Announced

 

Two Eco-Justice Award Winners Honored

at Presbyterians for Earth Care Hybrid Conference

 

Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) recognized two well-qualified individuals for their exceptional environmental achievements at their September 2023 hybrid conference in Massanetta Springs, VA. The William Gibson Eco-Justice Award was presented to David Kimball of Billings, MT for his exceptional and far-reaching service in visioning the creation and maintenance of an extensive community garden. Sarah Shimer, a science teacher at Berwick Academy in Maine, received the Emerging Earth Care Leader Award for a young adult.

 

David Kimball, William Gibson Eco-Justice Award

At St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Billings, MT, Dave develops, encourages, and inspires garden activities that have grown and improved over the last 21 years. The garden, with over 50 families sharing plots and a half-acre mission garden, feeds community members and annually shares thousands of pounds of fresh produce with local, low-income food agencies. Dave has led church members and the community in learning about composting, eco-friendly insect control, crop rotation, non-chemical-based fertilization, and offered instruction around sustainable agriculture and the importance of pollinators. The orchard, labyrinth, greenhouse, compost system, and beehives offer more than just vegetables to the community. Dave’s initial and realized vision is community inclusion and because of his vision, organizational leadership, and cheerleading, today the Community Garden continues to follow a mission that is broadly community driven and oriented.

 

Sarah Shimer, Emerging Earth Care Leader Award

Sarah first demonstrated sustainable practices and motivated others while in high school, working at Camp Hanover summer camp in Virginia. As a Young Adult Volunteer for the PC(U.S.A.) in Boston, Sarah immersed herself for a year in food justice – the right to grow, sell, and eat healthy, locally-sourced food. In the warmer months she worked with the Hartford Street Presbyterian Church community members in their community garden. After the growing and harvesting season, she served the community at a Place to Turn food pantry in Natick, MA. Sarah is now the Sustainability Coordinator and Upper School Science Teacher at Berwick Academy in Maine. She readily demonstrates earth stewardship and sustainable practices to her students and faculty in the campus garden. Sarah demonstrates great potential as a future leader of sustainability and will motivate many more to care for God’s creation in the future.