Bill Houston named Volunteer of the Year by Michigan Nature Ass’n

Bill Houston of Atlanta was presented with the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Michigan Nature Association on Oct. 27 in East Lansing.
“I was surprised, humbled, and honored,” Houston said.
Houston retired from the Van Buren Public Schools in 2005 after 39 years of service. He taught math and biology for 18 years and was a building administrator for 21 years.
After retiring, he moved to Atlanta, where he had been visiting sine 1970 to enjoy the hiking, camping, and fishing. He has two children and two grandchildren and is a thyroid cancer survivor since 2008.
And, he is very active as a volunteer. He volunteers as the manager for the Michigan Karst Conservancy’s Thunder Bay Karst Preserve, which includes a property co-owned with MNA called the Mystery Valley Karst Preserve and Nature Sanctuary. As manager, Houston organizes and leads a volunteer workday at Mystery Valley each month from spring to fall to maintain the sanctuary’s trail system, remove invasive plants, and address other needs that arise on the property.
He regularly promotes the sanctuary in the local community and has coordinated guides tours for several groups in recent years, including the Michigan Earth Science Teachers Association, Thunder Bay Audubon Society, and the Association of Lifelong Learners at Alpena Community College.
The MNA said, “We are thankful for Bill’s exceptional commitment. His service has been a tremendous asset to both organizations.”
Houston also was named Senior of the Month in February 2016 by the Montmorency County Commission on Aging, where he previously served as chairman.