SUWA’s 30th anniversary “Redrock & Pearls” gala on Saturday night was an evening we’ll long remember.  Roughly 400 attendees packed the Canyon Atrium of the Natural History Museum of Utah, which was enchantingly lit to simulate the colors and textures of a starlit night in Utah’s canyon country.  Members, activists, supporters, staff, and board (both current and former) talked, laughed, reminisced, and celebrated 30 successful years of protecting Utah’s magnificent redrock wilderness.  For those of us who have been around a long time, it was wonderful and inspiring to see activists who have been with us for two or three decades standing side-by-side with so many new folks who have recently and enthusiastically joined the redrock cause.

We were also very pleased to honor three enormously important voices in the Utah wilderness movement: Brant Calkin (former SUWA executive director and visionary), Terry Tempest Williams (author, naturalist, and wilderness activist), and Peter Metcalf (Black Diamond CEO and outspoken champion of wild places).  Without such courageous individuals, SUWA would not be where we are today.  Nor would we have reached this remarkable milestone if it weren’t for all of our fantastic members and activists who stand up for the cause again and again, writing letters to elected officials, showing up at rallies, speaking out at hearings, sending in their annual donations, and so much more.  From the bottom of our hearts, we thank each and every one of you!

Special thanks to the Dough Wintch Band and our event sponsors: Black Diamond, Salt Lake Printing & Mailing, Squatters/Wasatch Beers, Treasure Mountain Inn, and Hansjoerg Wyss.   We’d also like to thank Culinary Crafts, Ed Pratt Sound, Alliant Event Services and Larry Holder for helping make the evening such a wonderful success.