NABC staff welcome Nadine and JudyTonight was the official welcome potluck for Director of Operations Judy Thon and newly arrived Executive Director Nadine Long. Both have loved bears since childhood. Both have been Lily Fans almost from the beginning.
Lynn poses with Nadine as Donna Rogers talks to Nadine's husband Russ LongJudy moved into the study area in spring 2010 and met Lily and Hope. She began volunteering at the Bear Center in spring 2011. She was quiet about her 35 years of work as a U. S. Postal Service administrator. She wanted to work hard, have fun, and fit in. People noticed her work ethic and dedication. She became the “go to” person to get things done. Judy has tremendous energy, great skills as an administrator, and loves working with people. We are unbelievably lucky to have her.
Nadine Long, Lynn Rogers, and Judy ThonNadine was living Tahoe when Lynn gave a talk there in 2003. However, she missed the talk because she was getting married! She had already found the NABC website at bear.org and had begun sending in questions in her attempt to learn as much as she could about her bear neighbors. She discovered the Lily Den Cam the second day it was up in January 2010 and has been a dedicated follower ever since. In August of that year, she joined forces with Linda Gibson and they became a volunteer team working from California where Linda lived and Oregon where Nadine lived with her husband Russ.
Nadine and Judy pose with their cakesOver the next two years, we couldn’t help notice that Nadine was a behind-the-scenes team builder whose mind never quits working. Like Judy, she gives credit to the people who do the work and doesn’t take credit for herself. She is an artist with a varied background. She has helped start several businesses. We are unbelievably lucky to have her.
Neither Judy nor Nadine is here for the money. Both are here because of their well-demonstrated passion for our mission.
Lily Fans in general have done so much, and today we are thanking these two for years of volunteer work and making huge changes in their lives to give of their talents full time right here. We all look forward to making our educational mission all it can be.
Thank you Judy and Nadine and all Lily Fans for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All pictures were taken today unless otherwise noted.