Wild South staff welcomed over 60 friends, long-time and new, to our Wild Winter party and open house at the Moulton office of Wild South on Friday, January 29.

In our new office, we are pleased to have wall space to exhibit art.  From the early days of the Bankhead Monitor, Charles Seifried has generously contributed his talent as a photographer to advance the mission of Wild South.  We are very fortunate that five of Charles’ spectacular images of the Bankhead National Forest and Sipsey Wilderness grace the gallery of our new office.  Two of the framed images are on loan from Charles and the other three are gifts from him.  One of the three, a photograph of Caney Creek Falls, was given to Wild South by Charles at our volunteer appreciation picnic last November.  Many thanks to Edgewood Frame Shop in Homewood for framing Charles’ photograph of Caney Creek Falls.

Barbara and Chuck Peterson with Charles Seifried's photograph of Eagle Creek Falls

Barbara and Chuck Peterson with Charles Seifried’s photograph of Eagle Creek Falls

Charles Seifried presenting photo of Caney

Charles Seifried presenting photo of Caney Creek Falls at the November 2015 volunteer appreciation picnic

Another Wild South volunteer who makes art in the name of conservation is David Young.  David has donated three of his photographs taken in the Bankhead National Forest and Sipsey Wilderness, two of which are framed and hang in our gallery.  David’s images capture the astounding beauty of the public lands we work to conserve and we are grateful that these works of art have a permanent home with Wild South.

Turkeyfoot Falls by David Young

Turkeyfoot Falls, Sipsey Wilderness, by David Young

Water by David Young

Water in White Oak Branch, Sipsey Wilderness, by David Young

Food at the party was donated by Roasted 42, a neighbor business right here on the courthouse square in Moulton, and Mellow Mushroom in Decatur, thanks to MM manager and Wild South volunteer Jamie Garrett.  Delicious desserts were by Fire Creek Grill dba Desserts by Lady, a caterer also on the square in Moulton.

Whooping crane beer was donated by Old Black Bear Brewery in Madison.  Organic wines were from JohnnyGreenSeeds Wines, Inc..

Mellow Mushroom logo

 

jgsWines stacked logo

The morning after the party, a group of 23 volunteers and Wild South staff members gathered for a work day in the Sipsey Wilderness.  We organized into three groups – two for pulling privet on each side of Thompson Creek, and one team of crosscutters to clear out obstructions caused by the Christmas Day flood on the Borden Creek Trail.

The best part of our Wild Winter Weekend was all our friends who came to our party and the volunteer work day in Sipsey Wilderness.  THANK YOU for making our weekend fun, productive and wildly successful.

Enjoy our slideshow below and check out the news coverage of the weekend, including a story and slideshow on AL.com and this story from the Times Daily.

Meghan Muse, Janice Barrett, Pat Byington, Anna Borden