It’s difficult to believe that 2014 is about to come to a close. As we look back on all this year had to offer, we are deeply grateful for the people we have been privileged to meet, the connections we have made, the partnerships we have developed, and the experiences that we have been fortunate to have.
As we count the gratitudes of the past year, the list would not be complete without including the people who make Ogallala Commons possible. We are grateful for our board members, staff contractors, intern and apprentice supervisors, and our community partners. We are also thankful for (and excited about) our community interns and apprentices.
As we look back on this year, we wanted to share some of our most popular blog posts from 2014. We hope you enjoy viewing them again as much as we did.
#5: Networking: Our Hidden Treasure
A guest blog by OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld, Networking… shares about the importance of making connections that can lead to opportunities later in life. This is one of the deeper values of our community intern and apprentice program: the opportunity for each of our participants to network and build connection that will have lifelong possibilities.
#4: What is the Ogallala Aquifer?
In this blog post, we explored more about our namesake, the Ogallala Aquifer. If you have not yet had the chance to read this blog, it is a great resource to learn more about what the Aquifer is and why it’s important to the High Plains Region.
#3: An Aspiring, Inspiring Entrepreneur: Logan Hinders
Logan Hinders was the winner of an OC Regional Youth Entrepreneur Fair in Canyon, TX in November of 2013. In this post, we shared a little about Logan’s background, his business idea, and his future goals as an entrepreneur.
#2: Walking the Ogallala Commons Road
This is another guest post by OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld, sharing about his experience with OC. In it, he shares a little about how his own life and experiences led to him becoming the director of Ogallala Commons, as well as how OC has helped him to more fully become himself.
#1: Visionaries of Conservation: Hugh Bennett
Much of the High Plains region might not exist the way it does today if it were not for Hugh Bennett. During the Dust Bowl, Bennett was instrumental in teaching the homesteaders of the Plains (and the nation at large) of the importance of proper land management and conservation. He also helped to reseed much of the Plains area with a unique mix of grasses that were most likely to withstand the arid climate of the region.
Thank you for choosing to follow along with us for the past year. We look forward to all that 2015 has to offer, and we want to wish you and yours a very Happy New Year.
