Green Bellevue hosted their annual Environment Champion Awards Luncheon Saturday afternoon in the pavilion at Washington Park immediately after the opening day of the Bellevue Farmer’s Market. This luncheon gives the Green Bellevue Committee the opportunity to present awards and recognize their sponsors, board members and committee members for all the work they have done over the past year.
Bellevue City Councilman Don Preister and Green Bellevue President Ruth Richter handed out the following awards and recognitions after a picnic style lunch: (Not all listed award winners were in attendance)
- Justin Rush – Solutions Plastics, Board Member – Works for Firstar Fiber in their Solution Plastic efforts with turning orange bag contents into plastic lumber. Justin also serves on the Green Bellevue Board of Directors
- Milkweed Matters – Non- Profit Organization – Recognized for their mission of working to increase the breeding and feeding habitat of pollinators, like monarch butterflies, in roadsides across the country.
- Pollinator Alliance of the Heartland – Working to restore native habitat and pollinator diversity through community outreach and education of best practices. They will be hosting a Milkweed and Cookies event on September13th.
- Mayor Rusty Hike – City of Bellevue- Since becoming Mayor in 2019 he has issued 7 proclamations, supported new bike trails, the Bee City USA designation, Bellevue Bicycle Club, the bike rental station near Culvers, the Bellevue Farmers Market and helped plant trees on Arbor Day
- Brent Crampton – Hillside Solutions – Instrumental with bringing composting into the lunchrooms of Bellevue East and Bellevue West High Schools. Hillside offers the Compost Club membership where Bellevue residents and businesses can collect and drop off composting at 3 locations in Bellevue.
- Douglas Pillen – GB Photography - Recognized for his outstanding photographs and promotion of all Green Bellevue events over the years
- Taylana Tolbert – Bellevue East High School – Taylana volunteered at the Farmer’s Market every week of the season to educate residents about plants
- Omaha South Students - Abel Cano Alvarado, Julian Cano Alvarado, Edelyn M. Jimenez-Sanchez, Angel M. Perez Lopez, Evelyn D. Velazquez-Becerra, Ana M. Campos Gomez, Elliot R. Peterson, Adam J. Campagna – Members of the Omaha South Science Green Club along with faculty sponsor Scott Bartlett were recognized for their mailbox gardens efforts along with their overall enthusiasm and contributions at Earth Day
- Jody Rowan – Recognized for her efforts as the sponsor for Sustain Bellevue West, lunchroom composting and promotion of native planting
- Bridget Navratil – OPPD and Green Bellevue Board Member – Serves as a Sustainability Program Manager for OPPD and the Board Secretary for Green Bellevue
- Mike Beccard – City of Bellevue _ Recognized for his work on caring for the grounds at City of Bellevue facilities with stewardship care of plants. Consults with the Tree Board and Green Bellevue to do pollinator friendly planting and care
- Ricky and Makayla Smith – Recognized for their participation in several gardening efforts throughout the community
- Isabelle Jascot & Lisa Connell =- Bellevue East Green Initiative – Volunteers for the Bellevue East Green Initiative program and co-presenters for the 2025 Earth Day and Arbor Day proclamation readings.
The City of Bellevue would like to join our friends at Green Bellevue and thank all of these individuals and organizations for their sustainability efforts throughout our community.