Show Chamber gives service award The Outstanding Public Service Award given every three months by the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce was presented to Michael L La L. LaPerry Perry Tuesday noon for the third quarter Making the presentation was Rita Kier member of the Chamber public relations committee Mr Perry who likes to be called Mike is ts director of the Utah State Stale Natural History Museum in inVernal inVernal inVernal Vernal and received the Chamber of Commerce recognition for his work at the museum particularly in getting the I Elbert Porter collection of dinosaurs as a permanent display at the museum grounds Kier Kler presented Mr Perry with a plaque and a plush dinosaur wearing a belt buckle with a dinosaur on it as token for tor the public service recognition given by the Chamber In response to the he award Mr Perry stated This is the finest tribute you could pay y me me It Perry stated that when he came to Vernal the museum was one of the finest small museums in inthe inthe inthe the USA and now with the Porter dinosaur collection it is still maintaining its reputation MR 11 has been the Administrator of the Natural History State Slate museum inVernal InVernal in inVernal Vernal since December of 1973 In this capacity he is responsible responsible responsible sible for the overall direction and development of the museum From a strong desire to see a better representation of authentic dinosaur replicas inthe inthe in inthe the Vernal area Mike brought to the attention of Chamber of Commerce officials the idea of establishing a dinosaur garden west of the museum In January of 1977 1917 members of a Chamber committee consisting of Royal Henderson G Gayle a y I e M Mcl McKeachnie c K e a c li n i e Representative Glade and Mike appeared before the State Stale Parks Board Doard to gain approval for the proposed dinosaur garden exhibit Continued on Page rage 6 h Service award N II Continued From Page 1 Having laving received the go ahead Hep Rep promoted the project and secured legislation for the of the Elbert Porter collection which arrived In Vernal September 15 Mike came to Vernal from Salt Sall Lake City where he completed completed completed com com- his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science Degrees at atthe atthe atthe the University of Utah While at atthe atthe atthe the University he was awarded a teaching fellowship He lie instructed instructed in in- several university courses dealing with biology zoology and the natural history field lie He Is presently an Outreach Faculty member of Colorado Northwestern Community College in n Rangely teaching leaching a course entitled An Introduction to Natural History Mikes Mike's major area of is the Ornithology study of birds lie He has authored and coauthored coauthored co- co coauthored authored numerous publications in this field the most prominent being the book Utah Birds which he coauthored coauthored coauthored co- co authored with Dr Wm II n. Behle in 1975 He lIe is currently working on a book to be titled Birds of the Flaming Gorge Area Mike has been v very ry active in community and professional organizations In the Vernal area he is presently serving as board member of the Flaming Gorge Natural History Association the Dinosaur Nature Association and the Dinosaur Land Travel Board He lIe is the President of the Uinta Chapter of the National Audubon Association a member of the Vernal Area Chamber of C Commerce merce and the Jaycees MIKE HAS liAS been very active in the Utah Museums Association He served as president and vice-president vice of this organization from 1974 through 1976 While in this position he was responsible for forthe forthe forthe the publication of a Directory of Utah's Museums and Galleries Mike is a member of the Church presently living in Maeser First Ward He served a mission for the Church to Uruguay South America from 1965 to 1967 Since then he has served in many capacities in his his' church He and his wife Sandy have two children Allyson 3 years and Justin 1 I 2 11 I M. M years Acceptance by government of a dissident press is a measure of the maturity of a nation It William O. O Douglas Newspapers are the third largest employer among US U.S. manufacturers behind only the automotive and steel industries Last year per persons ons were employed by all alt newspapers and were women |