SYRACUSE — Five people were honored with awards by the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, which included the Tear Drop Award (for retiring board members), the prestigious Cattail Award and the rare Exceptional Service Award.
The awards were presented Saturday during WACF’s annual Lake Celebration.
Bob Fanning was recipient of the Tom Yoder Exceptional Service Award, which has not been presented since its inauguration in 2020 when it was presented to Yoder. Fanning also received the Tear Drop Award along with Shannon Silcox, both retiring from the WACF Board of Directors.
Mark and Lisa Maggart, along with Deb Patterson, were presented the 2024 WACF Cattail Award for their efforts in volunteering and/or support of WACF.
Terry Clapacs, board chairman, presented each of the awards.
Regarding the Exceptional Service Award, Clapacs referred to it as the “Mount Rushmore of WACF,” with Yoder being the founding father and George Washington of the award. Fanning, Clapacs stated, takes the place of Thomas Jefferson. The plaque will hang in the Ruddell Pavilion on WACF’s Levinson-LaBrosse Educational property on Ind. 13.

    Heather Harwood stands between a Norway Spruce and a marker erected by the WACF board in honor of her husband Hamilton. The tree and sign are located on the Between-The-Lakes Property off Pickwick Road. Photo by Deb Patterson, InkFreeNews
  

The award notes Fanning joined the board in 1997, serving until 2001. It was during that time he was chairman from 1999-2000. He continued as a board member from 2004-2013 and 2015-2024. He was chairman of the land management committee from 2004-2014 and 2020-2024 and chairman of the seawall committee from 2000-2013.
“Bob was successful in obtaining a DNR Lake and River Enhancement grant for 1,700 linear feet of glacial stone seawall along the north shore of Wawasee to improve fish and wildlife habitat and absorb wave action. He led the board through many years of important land stewardship projects and land transactions, most recently including the Wetland Reserve Easement, restoration at Between-the-Lakes and the Quinn Log Cabin, and the WACF Hinrichs Waterfront Park,” read Clapacs from the plaque.
“Bob and Tom Yoder together made a lasting major impact on the health of our watershed and WAC, as well as a brighter future with their work in land acquisition and land management. Bob’s consistent wisdom and historical knowledge of Lake Wawasee and the Wawasee watershed, along with his passion for living on the lake earned him the Exceptional Service Award.”
Clapacs concluded by saying, “We will miss you. We’re sure you’re going to stay involved one way or another.”
The Cattail Award is presented each year to an individual or individuals to recognize those who make a special effort to be part of the WAC family.
The Maggarts “have not only given us Emily, (who is the WACF development director), but have given us their time and their efforts,” stated Clapacs.
Clapacs introduced Patterson as being “a star reporter, a good friend of WACF and has been with us for a long, long time. She covers our events and we can’t thank you for the way that you portray our organization to the public. You are a rare bread in that you are an accurate journalist.”
Ron Baumgartner, publisher of The Papers Inc., added to Clapacs’ comments by stating Patterson had started at The Papers with Fairfield High School bringing in the the school newspaper, in which she was editor, to be printed.
“Once she graduated started with the company full time as a reporter, eventually five years ago with our loss of Jeri Seely who was with us all her adult life, Deb took her place and has really elevated us through our various publications, we’re very appreciative of that. She told me a day or so ago … she started covering this organization in 2000, that’s 24 years ago, and she’s paid a lot of attention, she pulls the agenda for the summer … and she makes sure this organization is well covered and she virtually does it herself unless she runs into a conflict then she sees one of our other reports are here. I’m very proud of her. This is a well-deserved award.”
The third award presented that morning is now called the Tear Drop Award, recognizing retiring board members. Silcox and Fanning are the two leaving the board this year.

    Recipients of the 2024 WACF Cattail Award for outstanding environmental service are (L to R) Lisa and Tom Maggart and Deb Patterson. Photo by Emily Maggart
  

Silcox was chair of the WACF marketing committee. She has over 25 years of experience in the marketing and communications field, from advertising agency to a principal catalyst marketing design for nearly a dedicated marketing director at Goshen Health. She and Jim, who helps with the canoe trips Friday morning, have owned a cottage on Syracuse Lake since 1994. “Shannon did a wonderful job as our marketing chair. The logo you see, is her creation. It is a special honor to give you our Tear Drop Award.”
Similar information contained in the Exceptional Service Award was read about Fanning.
Clapacs announced that Chris Roberts would be returning to the board, as marketing chairman. He has been involved in radio journalism for a long time, including WOWO, before purchasing several radio stations in VanWert, Ohio.
Additionally, it was noted, a Norway spruce tree and plaque had been added to the property in memory of Hamilton Harwood, husband of executive director Heather Harwood. Bill McCully, board member, stated the tree was an opportunity to “remember him. A happy warrior, a supporter of this organization in so many ways … a great guy, it was wonderful for us to be able to memorialize his impact on our organization by dedicating that tree.”