Tony Karniss, a lifetime Lewis County man, was recognized for his volunteer work for Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Onalaska Fire Hall on May 2.
“Currently, Tony is president of the Lewis County BCHW,” wrote Carolyn Stella, of Chehalis. “Leading Lewis County’s 165-member organization, he is known for his collaborative work with other outdoor recreation organizations in this county and the Pacific Northwest to clear and maintain trails, such as Packwood Lake for Memorial Day weekend, horse camps and the Keenes and Cody area trails as soon as the snow level rises.”
Back Country Horsemen of Washington is a nonprofit dedicated to keeping trails open for all users, educating horse users in leave-no-trace practices, and providing volunteer service to resource agencies.
He was awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by BCHW President Dana Chamber.
Below is the message she read while making the presentation to Karniss:
“The recipient of this Lifetime Achievement Award joined BCHW in 2006 and is a member of the Lewis County Chapter, where he has held positions of leadership up to chapter president. He is also a past BCHW Lopper and President’s Diamond Award recipient. This person has spent a lifetime working in the wilderness as a professional logger, timberman and trail maintenance volunteer. During his 18 years of volunteering for BCHW, he has logged more than 7,500 hours of volunteer time. He works closely with federal and state land managers as well as groups such as PNTA, WTA and numerous other user groups. As BCHW’s lead instructor, coordinator and manager, he has personally coordinated, conducted and certified more than 2,000 students in BCHW’s benchmark program. He is the driving force behind the BCHW/USFS Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Certification Program. He continues to encourage volunteerism at all levels and embodies safety first, which has led to an outstanding safety record. For this volunteer, the mission statement rings loud and clear. Whenever we get to work alongside this person, we all know it’s all about the trail. His gentle soul, kind heart, warm personality and willingness to get involved are the model for us all.”
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