Club Meeting - Election of Directors and an Informative Presentation About The Galápagos Islands.  

January is an important month for SANP. As part of our Club meeting, it is our annual meeting where we will elect three Board members to serve a three-year term.  Jack Benhayon, Yvonne, Dalschen, and Clay Thurston are finishing their time as Directors on the SANP Board. The nominating committee has recommended Kelli Thompson, Theresa Williams, and Steve Zigler to replace them on the Board. As SANP members, you will have a chance to elect them to serve on the SANP Board.

In addition to the election of the Board, President Jerry Whaley may present awards to those who have assisted him during the past year. 

The speaker for the January Club Meeting is SANP member Kris Light.  Kris is a former and now renewed member of SANP. She has taught science outreach education through ORNL and the American Museum of Science and Energy for 36 years. In 2003, she took up digital photography and began a website: EastTennesseeWildflowers.com.

The website has given her opportunities to have her photographs published in several wildflower field guides from different states, a German holistic medicine book, and even a Hawaiian language elementary education book. She loves taking pictures of snowflakes when we have a rare snowfall in our area.

Kris and her husband, Kenny, love to travel. They have been to 30 states, the Virgin Islands, Canada, Germany, Norway, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Australia. One trip Kenny did not join her on was the adventure to the Galápagos Islands in July 2022. She joined a group of friends led by SANP members Mike and Linda Naney. The trip began in Ecuador. Then, they flew to the islands to spend 7 days on a catamaran.

The Galápagos Islands have a fascinating history, including pirates, Charles Darwin, and other explorers. The isolation of the islands has allowed the indigenous animals and plants to evolve into different species on each island. The geologists and photographers on the trip were in awe of the shield volcanoes, the different colored sand on each island, and the amazing patterns of the Pahoehoe lava flows. The government, rules, and regulations of the Galápagos Islands will be discussed.

The bird lovers enjoyed seeing flamingoes, herons, various sea birds, and of course, the famous Blue-footed Booby! No trip to the Galápagos Islands would be complete without seeing the land and marine iguanas, the colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs, and the huge Galápagos tortoises. Every day, the passengers had the opportunity to snorkel, giving them the opportunity to swim with curious sea lions, sea turtles, Galápagos penguins, sharks, and beautiful tropical fish.

After a brief meeting and the election of the Board of Directors, Kris will share her “once in a lifetime” trip with you. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the Galápagos Islands. 

See you at our Club Meeting