Wildlands Staffer Finalist for LL Bean Outdoor Hero Award

If you received the latest LL Bean catalog and opened up to the first page, you might have been surprised to see someone who looked vaguely familiar. And, a mention of our area, to boot.

That’s because director of special projects Tom Gettings is one of 10 finalists for the 2011 LL Bean Outdoor Hero Award.

Gettings, who has been with the Wildlands Conservancy for more than 25 years was nominated for the award by his colleagues about two months ago, according to Elizabeth McKinney, Wildlands director of development.

“Everyone thought he was the best fit,” McKinney says. According to the LL Bean Web site, the award recognizes those who "conserve, educate and honor the outdoors."

Though the Wildlands Conservancy has an Emmaus mailing address, it's located in Lower Macungie Township.

Among Gettings many contributions in the field of conservation include the creation of the Wildlands Conservancy’s Bike & Boat program, a combination bicycling and canoeing trip that introduces participants to the Lehigh River’s historical, cultural and environmental significance to the Lehigh Valley.

The program, which was launched in 1999, has exposed more than 30,000 middle-school children to the Lehigh River and the Lehigh River Canal towpath.

After the Wildlands Conservancy received word from LL Bean that Gettings had been selected as a finalist in the competition, LL Bean sent someone to the Lehigh Valley to interview Gettings for a written story and a video about Gettings and his accomplishments, McKinney says.

Gettings' story and video can been found on the LL Bean Web site and visitors to the site can also cast their vote for Gettings as the 2011 Outdoor Hero online. Voting began on July 1 and will continue to the end of the month. The winner will be notified about a week later, according to McKinney.