OVDF founder John Broesamle inspires $5K Local Hero Award

John Broesamle inspires $5K Local Hero Award

By Perry Van Houten

Ojai Valley News, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 edition, page A8

The Turtle Conservancy is honoring Ojai Valley Defense Fun founder John Broesamle with an annual award for local high school students doing impactful environmental work.

The inaugural John Broesamle “Local Hero Award” will support environmental projects in the Ventura and/or Santa Clara River watersheds with an unrestricted cash prize of $5,000.

“The award is to be give annually to an applicant who embodies Broesamle’s values — conservation, community, integrity, honesty, and perseverance in creating and executing a project that addresses an environmental challenge(s) in or around their local community,” according to the Turtle Conservancy’s website. 

Applications close on Nov. 15. From the applications, up to 10 projects will be chosen for an interview with a Local Hero Award committee member.

By mid-January, five finalists will be selected  and could receive up to $1,000 in funding for their projects. All five projects will also receive a bronze plaque of a Southwestern pond turtle.

The $5,000 Local Hero prize will be announced in May during an awards gala at the El Roblar Hotem

The Local Hero award was announced Oct. 10 at The Thacher School, during the premiere of “Like A Cannon,” a short film about Broesamle’s environmental legacy.

Applicants for the awards are encouraged to watch the 10-minute documentary by Goode Filme “and demonstrate how your work puts John’s values into action in your community,”

To apply for the Local Hero Award, click here.

To view “Like A Cannon,” click here.