Mississippi Earthtones Festival Hosts Announce Recipients of Confluence Conservation Leadership Awards
Lauren Pattan, Craig Heaton, and Robyn Stranquist will be recognized at the Mississippi Earthtones Festival for years of environmental leadership across the Alton region.
ALTON - At the 20th annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival on Saturday, September 19th, the Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, Alton Main Street, and the Jacoby Arts Center will award three local activists with the 2026 Confluence Conservation Leadership Award. The festival organizers have recognized community members who have made significant contributions to environmental conservation in the Riverbend region since 2007. This year’s Confluence Conservation Leadership awardees include: Lauren Pattan, Craig Heaton, and Robyn Stranquist.
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“All three award recipients have made significant contributions to sustainable and regenerative agriculture, healthy rivers and wetlands, and environmental justice and conservation in the Riverbend and are unsung heroes in our region,” said Christine Favilla, Coordinator of the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois. “Join us at 3:30 PM on September 29th at the Mississippi Earthtones Festival’s main stage as we celebrate and honor three remarkable leaders. These dedicated individuals tirelessly advocate for environmental stewardship, educate communities, and inspire action. Their work includes supporting local environmental organizations, introducing nature to diverse communities, engaging youth in healthy eating and environmental awareness, and safeguarding both environmental and community health.”
Lauren Pattan is the Co-Founder and Operating Partner of The Old Bakery Beer Company, a certified organic craft brewery and family-friendly restaurant in downtown Alton, Illinois. Her experience in food service began at several family-owned restaurants while growing up in Alton. Lauren received her master’s degree in Environmental Management from Webster University in 2014 while serving as the Tasting Room Operations and Sustainability Manager at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company in St. Louis before returning home to open OBB in 2015.
Since returning to Alton, Lauren has served on the boards of several local organizations, including the Audubon Center at Riverlands, Grassroots Grocery, Alton Main Street, and the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau.
OBB is committed to environmental stewardship through its many sustainability practices such as recycling, composting, responsible sourcing, and supporting local producers, and continues to seek ways to reduce its impact. The brewery partners with several local environmental organizations to support fundraising and collaborate on events. OBB adopted the Riverbend Earth Day Festival in 2019 following several years of rainouts and has been proud to host it every year since to help facilitate environmental education and appreciation in our region.
Craig Heaton grew up in the Collinsville, Caseyville, IL area. He joined the Army and served 3 years active duty honorably discharged as a Sergeant E-5. He and his wife, Katie, raised four daughters and enjoy their six grandchildren. Craig retired from Johnson Controls in 2021 as a Service Manager where he maintained building automation systems in commercial buildings to reduce energy consumption and the carbon footprint.
Craig has been a board member for the Mississippi River Water Trail for over 10 years. He is a member of the American Canoe Association (ACA) and an ACA Level 2 certified Kayak Instructor. He facilitates education and event management with the goal of getting more paddlers safely out on the Mississippi River. Craig initiated community events including the annual Drost Park Kayaking Event in Maryville, IL which celebrated its 14th year and he is the Race Director for the annual Mississippi River Firecracker Race from Grafton to Alton, IL celebrating 11 years. He supports other paddling groups in the area including the St. Louis Canoe & Kayak Club, the Missouri Whitewater Association, and Team River Runner.
He has been a member of the Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club for 18 years where he serves as the Outings Chair. He is Wildness First Aid certified. He advocates and leads outings out in nature including hiking, biking, paddling, and oversees the annual summer picnic.
Since moving to Elsah, IL Craig and his wife are River Angels opening up their home and providing support to paddlers doing the 2,300-mile Source to Sea journey on the Mississippi River.
Robyn Stranquist is a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener whose work centers on sharing the knowledge, skills, and joy of gardening with her community. She serves as the Master Gardener in residence at the Milton Schoolhouse Community Garden, where she provides hands-on instruction in seed starting, soil enrichment, pest management, and vegetable gardening. Through the garden, she also encourages the sharing of seeds, plants, produce, and practical knowledge, helping make gardening more accessible and meaningful to people of all experience levels.
Robyn is especially passionate about introducing children to gardening and the connections between growing food, caring for the land, and building community. She volunteers with the Alton YWCA, where she teaches an elementary-age gardening club through the summer camp program, giving children opportunities to plant, grow, harvest, and learn through hands-on experiences. Her actions reflect her belief that gardening is not simply about growing food, but about cultivating confidence, stewardship, generosity, and a lasting connection to the community.
An advocate for sustainable and locally grown food, Robyn was a founding member of LaVista Community Supported Agriculture in Godfrey, Illinois, and served on the Board of Directors of EarthDance, an organic farm school in Ferguson, Missouri. She has also served on the boards of the Alton Area Landmarks Association and the Ferguson Historical Society. At home in Alton, Robyn has created a pollinator-focused landscape in which approximately 85% of her yard is in bloom, reflecting her commitment to creating beautiful, productive, and ecologically minded spaces that inspire others to grow and share.
The Mississippi Earthtones Festival organizers encourage the public to celebrate these amazing local residents and incredible stewards of this Earth at 3:30pm at the Main Stage on Saturday, September 19, 2026 when they will receive their awards on the Amphitheater Stage. The Festival is free and runs from 12pm-10pm.
About Sierra Club Illinois
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information about Sierra Club’s work in Illinois, visit www.sierraclub.org/illinois.
About Alton Main Street
Alton Main Street is a community based, not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to securing the economic vitality and aesthetic quality of the historic downtown district. Since 1994, Alton Main Street has led volunteer efforts to transform Alton’s Downtown district into a thriving commercial and residential center through education, historic preservation, and coordination of social, economic, and beautification activities. To learn more, visit www.DowntownAlton.com.
About Jacoby Arts Center
The mission of Jacoby Arts Center is to nurture and promote the practice and appreciation of the arts through education, exhibits, cultural programs, and community outreach initiatives. For details on upcoming classes, events and programming, please visit www.JacobyArtsCenter.org.
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