The Order of the Mushroom

The Order of the Mushroom

The Order of the Mushroom was established at the beginning of 2014, as a way to thank those club volunteers that have gone above and beyond all normal expectations. Once a year, it is presented to a volunteer who is dedicated to molding, contributing to, and developing our club in a most positive way.

2023 - Gene Turner

Gene Turner has only been a member for a couple of years but has jumped right in as an active participant with a lot to offer for the benefit of the club membership.  While always demurring having extensive mushroom knowledge, that is more than made up for with enthusiasm and a willingness to share time, energy, organizational skills, welcoming spirit, and knowledge of the common edibles.  Gene has made critical contributions to the club from the start.  Welcoming new members, sharing photos for social media, bringing specimens to meetings, sharing identification skills for the common edible mushrooms, and most importantly, leading multiple forays and even recruiting new foray leaders.



2022 - Rose Tursi

An author, illustrator, artist, and visual arts expert she uses her talents to promote our club in many ways.  She has written articles about SSMC, served as vice president, maintained our social media accounts and led many a foray that appeal to folks of all ages and skill levels. She was instrumental in proposing and creating our first ever Spring Mushroom Festival in 2022 which was wildly successful. Over 500 people enjoyed cooking demonstrations, mushroom ID exhibits, lectures and shopping with vendors.  Oh, did I mention that she takes her artistic wares on the road and travels to other states? These travels have allowed her to join other mushroom clubs and attend forays all over the map.  And when she became the Visual Arts Committee Chair of NAMA in 2019, she expanded the art options for more creative expression on a national level.

2021 - Trisha Swanson

TBD

2020 - Rachel Friedman

With Covid-19 the club was faced with unprecedented challenges.  Other clubs across the country just sat, while we seemed to have flourished.  Rachel embraced ZOOM, learned it, held board meetings, and club meetings with enormous success.  She sought presentations all would enjoy, kept us connected with a wonderful newsletter, and helped get our membership out into the woods for ID clinics and forays.

2019 - Regina Johnson

Regina managed the membership as our club continued to grow and pulled us out of the woods at the Wynochee Foray when others could not step in and help.

2018 - Corinne Srsen

As President, Corinne led us with new and fresh ideas. Corinne promoted the North American Mycoflora Project to the membership, and we are now very active in registered projects and the documentation of scientifically important finds.

2017 - Bobbi Jernigan

Bobbi kept the coffee hot, set up and cleaned up our refreshments. She, with the help of others, kept us fed.

2016 - Jennifer Foster

As Sargent of Arms, Jennifer greeted everyone at the meetings and kept track of attendance.  You could always rely on Jennifer to be at the door.

2015 - Steve Bichler

As webmaster, Steve revamped the website, sent notices and the newsletter.

2014 - Chris Herrera

After joining the club as VP in 2013, Chris started the Mushroom of the Month presentations.  After being elected to President at the end of 2013, Chris founded the President's Award and The Order of the Mushroom, successfully proposing Melodie Gates as the Order's original recipient.  In 2014 Chris also increased the club's participation in NAMA, by getting members involved with the 2014 NAMA Foray, for which he scouted foray locations, and then led forays, for PSMS.  In addition to monthly club presentations, Chris also did multiple presentations for the Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival and the Lake Quinault Mushroom Festival.  In 2015 Chris volunteered for the US Forest Service's Girdwood Fungus Fair, in Girdwood, Alaska.  He drove up there with Melodie and extended the range of the SSMC to Alaska! 

2014 Marie Lynn

As VP, Marie worked hard to create a Foray book and helped our club have informative forays.

2013 - Melodie Gates

Melodie has been a member of the mushroom club since 1996 when she took over the job of Treasurer. More than anything she helps to get members out into the woods. She has led forays for a number of years.