Rock River Coalition Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony

Location: Watertown Senior and Community Center, 514 S 1st St, Watertown, WI 53094

Agenda

5:30 Meet and Greet: with members, friends, board of directors and guests 

6:00 Dinner: Three great options

• Baked Chicken
• Pork Roast
• Veggie Lasagna

6:30 Annual Meeting (during dinner)

7:00 Presentation of Protector and Friend Awards

All members of the Rock River Coalition are encouraged to attend our annual meeting on Wednesday, May 21st to gather with those passionate about RRC activities and to honor our 2025 Protector and Friend Awards recipients!

We recognize our Protector awardees that have served their community to make a difference in the Rock River Basin within our environment, recreation, and local economy, as well as our Friends who have been essential to the growth and flourishing of RRC. We hope that you can join us for this celebration of these individuals and all who are involved at Rock River Coalition.

Registration is required for this event with a fee of $30 per person for dinner and can be paid online.

We ask that you register by May 19th. 

Awards

Protector, Individual:

Jeanne Scherer: As the Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist for UW-Extension and the Environmental Resources Center, Jeanne helped RRC develop its new AIS program in 2021 and has continued to train our staff and support our AIS programing. A former RRC team member, she has been a valued asset for years.

Protector, Organization

Wisconsin EcoLatinos: They are dedicated to protecting our waters while fostering an equitable and sustainable environment. By breaking down language and social barriers, they empower their community to actively participate in improving and protecting the environment. In partnership with Rock River Coalition and WAV, WI EcoLatinos help bring bilingual stream monitoring trainings to the RRB, equipping diverse communities with the knowledge and tools to safeguard local waterways.

Protector, Educator

Georgia Gomez-Ibanez, retired elementary educator, has spent decades volunteering in Cambridge in the school forest and gardens and working with students in the ecology club. She currently serves on the board of the Lake Ripley Management District where she continues to work on projects that address invasive species and maintenance activities in the Lake (Ripley) District Preserve.

Protector, Elected

Walt Christensen serves on the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors. He is the current chair of the County’s Parks Committee and serves on the Land and Water Conservation Committee. He has been a consistent and strong advocate for environmental protection and farmland preservation. Walt does this work through his own research into topics and issues as well as actively searching out the views of citizens and experts.

Protector, Volunteer

Monty Baker: Monty is a dedicated volunteer stream monitor and former board member who has been helping to train new monitors and frequently represents Rock River Coalition at events. His ongoing commitment to our waterways makes him an ideal recipient for the Protector Volunteer Award.

Protector, Friends

Addie Schussel: Addie excelled as our Stream Monitoring and AIS Coordinator by managing over 200 volunteers and launching new RRC programs. She leveraged exceptional people skills, clear communication, and strong scientific acumen to expand our network and create impactful tools like ArcGIS StoryMaps. Her knack for continually improving every program she touches makes her an outstanding recipient for this award.