WASHINGTON D.C. NATIONAL SERVICE AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

Lincoln Memorial tonight...my favorite spot in Washington D.C.

Long trip into Washington!  We left the house around 4:30 a.m. this morning and didn't arrive in Washington D.C. until almost 7 p.m.   Long day but we MADE IT!

David, Junior, Joey, and mother are all here!  The award ceremony will be on Thursday.  The reception is tomorrow evening.  We will be on Capitol Hill for part of this.  I believe some of the senators and congressmen will be there.  Not sure which ones though.  Perhaps ours from Kentucky will be at one of the events.  Rick Shanklin from the Paducah, NWS Office is also here.  Should be an exciting few days. 

Jack Elrod will be honored on Wednesday Night or Thursday Afternoon.  Not sure which...have to check the schedule!  Will post some pictures when I get a chance.

The National Weather Service created the award to honor people and organizations that have saved lives or protected property by using, promoting, or enhancing NOAA Weather Radio (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).  The syndicated comic strip character, Mark Trail, has been the official spokesman for NOAA Weather Radio since 1997. Jack Elrod, the creator, writer and illustrator for Mark Trail, became involved with NOAA Weather Radio in 1995, featuring it in a Sunday comic strip which now is published in approximately 175 newspapers.

In addition to a Sunday page in which Mark Trail urged everyone to "reduce carelessness and abusive activity such as littering, vandalism and theft, and wildlife poaching." Mark Trail is now the official spokes-character for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), making him the voice of the National Weather Service and NOAA Weather Radio. Elrod has also produced a variety of materials for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help teach school children respect for the environment.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Big day in Washington :)  Tonight we have the reception.  The reception is going to be held at the Hart Senate Office Building.  I guess we will get to meet and greet :) 

VERY nice to see David again!  It has been awhile. :(  Will be happy when I can return to Canada for a month or more.  Perhaps this WINTER :)  I need my snow fix!

We are going to do some "tourist" stuff today.  Not sure where we will end up.  It is raining a bit...

Mom and me at the White House :)




Joey

Cheetah at the White House :)

 

Wednesday Evening - NIGHT AT THE HART SENATE BUILDING :)

Jack Elrod received a lot of awards tonight from the NWS, NOAA, and a number of agencies including the Commerce Department.  I was able to meet the head of NOAA and the NWS.  :)  Pretty exciting evening.

We had a wonderful evening!  The reception was about 2 1/2 hours and then we went out to eat.  I believe the restaurant was Old Ebbitt's - I hope I spelled that right.  Rick Shanklin went with us to eat.  David and Junior, Joe and Mother, and myself went as well :)  We had a great meal and a lot of fun just talking about a little bit of everything.

Great evening in Washington D.C.  :)

I took a few photos...will post more when I have time

Rick Shanklin - Paducah, National Weather Service
Beau Dodson
And the head of the National Weather Service - General D.L. Johnson USAF
 

Joey and Beau at the Senate Building - Washington D.C. Mark Trail Award



Mother and me at the reception

Junior and Beau by one of the Mark Trail Comic Strips

Jack Elrod the artist receiving one of many awards tonight

Me with Jack Elrod - Artist of the Mark Trail Comic Strip

Herb with the head of NOAA

Beau with the head of NOAA
Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., under secretary
of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.

Blurry but you can see the Capitol Building in the background :)

If I was a Senator :) this is what that would look like!!!!  :)

More photos when I have time...tomorrow is when I receive the Mark Trail Award.

CLICK HERE FOR THE AWARD PHOTOS