This annual membership gathering brings together old and new friends of the land conservancy movement for an afternoon of good food, entertainment and fellowship. On a more serious note, it’s also a time to learn about the year’s accomplishments, hear what other like minded organizations are doing (there were sixteen different exhibitors this year), and strategize for the future.

The auction, with both “silent” and live bidding, was bigger and even better this year, thanks to Susan Moore– offering a variety of opportunities to savor the bounty of our region (18 in all) and benefit first hand from the conservation values NNLC espouses. For some, the choice would be a sumptuous meal of roasted oysters for twenty of their closest friends. For others, a guided nature tour along a stretch of the Rappahannock where eagles today are a common sight. Besides being fun, the auction also garnered an impressive amount of money for the NNLC -- over $10,000 at last count.

All this would not have been possible without a veritable army of volunteers – who worked behind the scenes on all manner of tasks in the weeks and months before the event, donated auction items, came early to set up, and stayed late to clean up. From the size of the crowd a full hour ahead of starting time, you would have thought the party was already in full swing – a brief shower sending folks scurrying to mop up the puddles and put things back in order. Dry towels became a much sought after item – if only briefly.