Earlier this month on May 10th, the Webster Groves Nature Study Society (a.k.a., “WGNSS”) held its annual Spring Banquet at the Palm House in Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, Missouri—-the first Spring Banquet since 2019 (the last three years having been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). It was a lovely event in a beautiful venue with fantastic food, and I think all in attendance were happy to resume this annual society tradition. Part of this tradition includes announcing the year’s recipient of the WGNSS Lifetime Achievement Award—given to individuals that have made significant and sustained contributions to the Society. With three “lost” years to make up for, the WGNSS Board selected three individuals as recipients for those years. The 2020 recipient was the night’s featured keynote speaker and Past-President, George Yatskievych, formerly Curator of Botany at the Missouri Botanical Garden and now at the University of Texas in Austin. The 2021 recipient was my longtime friend and collecting partner, Richard Thoma, also Past-President, former leader of the Entomology Natural History Group, and current Society Historian. The 2022 recipient was, well… me! It was a complete surprise (at least until Rich began his introduction and it became clear who he was talking about), so I gave only a few short remarks in appreciation of the award. I am deeply grateful to the Society for the honor, and I can only thank their membership and the deep natural history talent that so many of them possess for helping me become the naturalist that I am.

©️ Ted C. MacRae 2023