The Story Behind Our 2025 Sustainability Leadership Awards

Last night at our Mission: Possible Gala, we had the honor of presenting the 2025 Sustainability Leadership Awards to three outstanding community members whose efforts are shaping a more sustainable Stillwater. Each award was a handcrafted work of art—beautifully designed to embody the creativity, renewal, and purpose at the heart of our mission.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Justin Depew of Justin Depew Designs for designing and crafting this year’s beautiful awards. The wood used for the awards has a history of its own—it was repurposed from a 60-year-old fir stud removed from Justin’s 1965 home during a renovation project. Rather than discard the old material, Justin gave it new life, transforming it into something that represents sustainability and craftsmanship in perfect harmony.

The colorful night sky paintings adorning the award were painted by Kelsey Depew, who designed the artwork to reflect this year’s Mission: Possible theme—northern lights seen from a boreal forest. The vivid imagery of silhouetted pine trees beneath dancing lights captures the wonder of our natural world and the spirit of connection that sustainability inspires.

Together, Justin and Kelsey’s collaboration beautifully embodies what our gala is all about—creativity, purpose, and a shared vision for a more sustainable future.

Each year, Justin also makes a special award for Kelsey—partly as a spare in case something goes wrong, but mostly just for fun. It’s a small tradition that adds a personal touch and a bit of lightheartedness to the meaningful work they create together.