The 2009 ALC Annual Meeting was held Sunday, February 8, at The Willcox. Approximately 75 members and guests gathered to hear about the latest Conservancy activities, including the
recent re-branding of the organization, strategic planning efforts, and plans for the coming year.

Our guest speaker for this year’s meeting was Mr. Charles G. Lane, from Charleston, SC. Mr. Lane served as the first Chairman of The South Carolina Conservation Bank Board and also served as Chairman of The ACE Basin Task Force from its inception in 1989 until 2004. The Task Force was established to provide land protection in the ACE Basin river corridor. This pristine area consists of approximately 350,000 acres. Since the Task Force was established, 181,000 acres of land have been protected, primarily through private stewardship. In 2008, Mr. Lane received recognition as a Hero of Conservation by Field & Stream magazine.

During his address to ALC, Mr. Lane challenged Aikenites to work to protect the local places they value, whether for hunting, fishing, equestrian activities, or dog walking. Over the last several years, more than 700,000 acres of land have been protected in South Carolina, ranking the state as fifth in the nation in terms of number of acres being preserved.

Highlighted during the meeting was the partnership between ALC and Aiken County to purchase Boyd Pond Park, the former ORA site south of Aiken. ALC and the County received a $300,000 grant from the South Carolina Conservation Bank to assist in purchase of the land. As a result of the Conservation Bank grant, ALC now owns 92 acres of the 206-acre park. The ALC property will be leased to Aiken County for perpetual care and use for passive recreation such as hiking.

For the first time, ALC held a Silent Auction during the Annual Meeting. Proceeds from this year's auction netted over $4,000 for
the Conservancy.

From left to right, Mr. Charles Lane, ALC President Paul Rideout, Assistant Aiken County Administrator Brian Sanders, and ALC Past-President Harry Shealy, sign an agreement concerning Boyd Pond Park.