PORT TOWNSEND — Three residents and the Jefferson Land Trust have received unusual awards in “realms of ecology and peace.”
The realms range from a stand of trees at Port Townsend’s entrance saved from the chain saw to a uranium “study team” keeping its eye on the Navy’s Indian Island ammunition depot.
The All My Relations president and founder, who goes only by the name Raven, describes his group as an eco-peace performing arts organization based in Port Townsend.
It is sponsored by contributions, donations, and memberships from about 60 members of the community, Raven said.
The group established the Kindred Souls Award in 1999, the same year it was founded.
“The idea is to give public acknowledgment and recognition for the good deeds and good work on behalf of the environment,” said Raven.
“The more people receive this appreciation, the more other people will be encouraged to do the same.”
The award recipients
The organization presented its Kindred Souls Award to Mark Dembro, a representative of Jefferson Land Trust, which recently successfully lobbied for preservation of a stand of trees along state Highway 20 near the entrance to Port Townsend.
Additionally, All My Relations recognized a Port Townsend lawyer and broker John A. Wood with a Kindred Souls Award for his role in securing protection status for Tamanowas Rock.
The rock in Chimacum is a sacred Native American site and ecological zone, activists believe.
The group also commended a Port Townsend couple, Doug and Nancy Milholland.
The Milhollands were awarded “Kindred Souls” for their efforts that in 2003 led to formation of the Port Townsend Uranium Study Team.
Since then, public education forums have been conducted about the dangers of depleted uranium, which the Milhollands and others say are handled at Naval Magazine Indian Island.