Laurie Lasseter of Woodridge earned an honorable mention in the Forest Preserve District of Will County's June "Preserve the Moment" photo contest for her shot of a squirrel at McKinley Woods in Channahon.
Lasseter was one of three honorable-mention recipients announced alongside the month's top winner, Sally Knudsen of Channahon, who captured a prothonotary warbler mid-flight at the same preserve. The results were reported by Shaw Local journalist Kevin Newberry on Saturday, July 26.
The other June honorable mentions went to Tim Germeraad of Tinley Park for a toad at Sugar Creek Preserve in Joliet and Chad Morsch of Romeoville for a blue dasher dragonfly at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.
Contest still open through December
The "Preserve the Moment" contest returned in 2026 for the first time since 2022. It opened Sunday, February 1, and accepts submissions through Wednesday, December 31. Entry is free.
Monthly winners receive a $75 MasterCard gift card and advance to the final round in January 2027, when all 11 monthly finalists will compete in a public vote on the Forest Preserve District's Facebook page. Overall prizes are $500 for first place, $250 for second, and $150 for third. Three additional $75 gift cards will go to randomly selected participants who haven't already won.
The Nature Foundation of Will County sponsors the contest.
How to enter
Amateur photographers 18 and older can submit up to five photos per month. Images must be taken at a Will County forest preserve or district trail during the contest period. No AI-generated or AI-enhanced photos are allowed.
Judges evaluate entries on focus, lighting, composition, creativity, storytelling, and overall impact, with special attention to native species. Winning photos may appear on the Forest Preserve's website, social media, or in the 2027 calendar.
Full rules and the submission form are at reconnectwithnature.org.
Upcoming community dates
- Through Wednesday, December 31 — "Preserve the Moment" photo contest submissions open at reconnectwithnature.org
- January 2027 — Public voting on the Forest Preserve District of Will County's Facebook page to determine overall winners
