In Loving Memory of Gwyn and Rowyn Balman

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Dear City Nature Challenge Participants,

The CNC community is taking a moment to extend our deepest condolences to Arizona, USA organizer Kathy Balman and her family for the loss of her teenage children Gwyn Balman and Rowyn Balman on November 7th, 2022.

We recognize the contributions of 16-year-old Gwyn Balman as a powerful advocate and leader in conservation and natural sciences. Gwyn would gather observations with her mother “from sun up to sun down” on all four days of the City Nature Challenge. Gwyn’s dedication speaks for itself. She collected the second most observations out of participants all over the world in the 2022 City Nature Challenge. Gwyn’s iNaturalist account (wolfinthefog) states that she hoped to “one day work in the conservation field.”

We recognize the contributions of 14-Year-Old Rowyn Balman as a powerful advocate for nature through his incredible local volunteer and leadership work in the field of conservation and natural sciences.

Our community has been honored with the legacy of  conservation and wonder for the natural world these two young people have built. We commit to continuing the work they have poured so much love, care, time, and talent into.

Here  is the link to the Go Fund Me effort if you have the ability to help  the family with ongoing expenses: https://gofund.me/f42c0c5c

Warmly,

Greater Phoenix City Nature Challenge Organizers