Silver Tea honors those who preserve Nevada history

Four groups were honored for their contributions to the state's historic preservation efforts at the Fourth Annual Silver Tea, held Sunday at the Fourth Ward School in Virginia City. Those honored were:

The Junior League of Las Vegas

Honored for the restoration of the Morelli House. The house dates to 1959 and is a classic example of architecture from a period when Las Vegas was emerging as an international destination. The Junior League has been restoring the house for several years.

Ron Reno and the town of Silver City

Honored for the dedicated retrieval of thousands of artifacts associated with the remains of the historic, town school house. After the school house burned in 2004, Reno directed dozens of local volunteers as they meticulously gathered artifacts from the debris, recording and analyzing the archaeological site. Information gathered is playing an important role in the rebuilding of the school house.

Alanah Woody and the Nevada Rock Art Foundation

Honored for extensive work documenting and protecting Nevada's rock art. Woody, the Foundation executive director, has organized a state-of-the-art organization that records and provides some protection for the thousands of rock art sites throughout the state. Many of these sites are thousands of years old, and they have been subject to vandalism and theft. Thanks to Woody and the Nevada Rock Art Foundation, much of this remarkable heritage is being preserved.

Bill Watson and Foundation 36

Honored for support of historic preservation projects throughout the state. Watson formed Foundation 36, a non-profit organization, in 2006 to assist with historic preservation projects throughout the state. It recently awarded grant awards for several projects. This includes a sizable donation to the Thunderbird Lodge at Lake Tahoe.