Sally Beaton
Nominating Agency: Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority

Born in Richmond, Ontario in 1921, Sally Beaton was already something of a pioneer in the area of municipal politics! In 1972, she was the first woman to be elected to the Goulbourn Township Council, where she served for seven years. In 1981 she ran and was elected Reeve of Lanark Township, and remained for 13 years. During her time in municipal politics, she became involved in the conservation community. Her pioneering spirit and outstanding contributions have left a rich and lasting legacy.

Sally joined the board of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority in 1972, becoming actively involved on the executive committee in 1975, and in 1981 she became the first female Chair of Mississippi Valley Conservation. In twenty five years of service with MVC, Sally was an integral part of several committees, and provincially she was the first female chair of the Eastern Region Chapter of the Association of Conservation Authorities (now Conservation Ontario).

Some of her more notable accomplishments and initiatives include:

• Spearheading the creation of various publications for the MVC, to promote its programs and to inform the public about water conservation issues and projects, using displays, slide shows and literature to foster community awareness.
• Playing an active role in the acquisition and preservation of the Purdon Conservation Area, and lobbying for the installation of a specially designed boardwalk, completed in 1986, which allows visitors to enjoy the beauty of the colonies of Showy Lady's Slipper Orchids.
• Redesigning conservation education programs to focus on water management and conservation themes-programs to teach students about conservation activities to promote awareness and appreciation. In twenty five years some 48,000 children have benefited from the programs offered by the MVC at the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area.

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