Henry Warchol was recognized for his decades of service during the annual meeting of the Westfield River Watershed Association meeting on Thursday night. Warchol, on left, makes a point to Bill Rose, president, prior to the meeting.
WESTFIELD-At 90, lifelong city resident Henry Warchol knows the importance of inspiring the next generation of nature enthusiasts to get involved with the Westfield River Watershed Association.
“Water is our most important issue in the city,” said Warchol during a social prior to the start of the association’s annual meeting at the Westfield Athenaeum. “With problems in other states like California and Michigan, we have to be vigilant to prevent those same problems.”
On Thursday night in the Lang Auditorium, Bill Rose, association president, recognized and thanked Warchol for his decades of service monitoring the river during the meeting.
“For close to 60 years, Henry has been an advocate for our watershed and has always brought his concerns to board members,” said Rose. “He can be very persistent in getting his point across.”
Warchol’s involvement over the years with the association has included overseeing salmon stocking and the fish ladder. Additionally, he has been a longtime member of the Westfield Flood Control Commission.
“Mother Nature is unique and amazing,” said Warchol, noting his “love for the outdoors” has included volunteering for the Appalachian Mountain Club. “She’s given us a beautiful world and we have to find ways to attract younger people to get involved with keeping the environment clean.”
Both Rose and Warchol noted that events including the popular Fish Ladder Open House, slated June 5 at the old Southworth Paper Company site in West Springfield, are once-a-year opportunities for parents to inspire children to care about the river.
“Parents should expose their children to educational experiences like the fish ladder,” said Warchol.
As Warchol was surrounded by well-wishers celebrating his recent 90th birthday, he said he would like to retire from some of his duties but there is no one to take his place.
“I have difficulty walking sometimes but I can still be a pain in the butt when I see an issue that needs to be addressed,” said Warchol.
The Westfield River watershed spans a substantial portion of the eastern Berkshire Hills. The river flows southeast to its confluence with the Connecticut River in Agawam. In the upper reaches of the watershed, hundreds of small tributaries flow into the three main branches of the Westfield River (East, Middle, and West), which join together in Huntington to form the lower main-stem Westfield River. More than 78 miles of the three branches and their tributaries have been designated as national “Wild” and “Scenic” rivers.
In addition to annual reports by the treasurer and audit committee, as well as the election of board members and officers, the Waite Award presentation was made to Phil Sousa for his many contributions over the years to the association.
Rose also reminded members and guests about upcoming programs that are open to the public, including:
- Fish Ladder Open House, June 5, free, old Southworth Paper Company in West Springfield.
- Kayak and Canoe Cruise, June 18, 2.5-hour paddle down the Westfield River from the new green bridge in Westfield to Robinson State Park in Agawam. Fee details at westfieldriver.org.
- Fly Fishing Clinic, Sept. 17, annual event in Huntington. Visit website for more details closer to the date of the event.
- Fall Westfield River Cleanup, Sept. 24, volunteers of all ages needed to remove piles of trash.
The association meets once a month on the fourth Monday except for July in the geology room, third floor, of Wilson Hall at Westfield State University. Meetings are conducted from 7 to 8:30 p.m. A tax-exempt, nonprofit organization founded in 1953, the association is funded largely by membership dues. Membership categories range from “family,” “individuals,” and “students” to “life members” and “small business/nonprofits” and “large corporations/large nonprofits.”
Rose added that taking care of the watershed “pays us back” with clean air and water, healthy wildlife habitats, and recreational opportunities.
