We know that fundraising for unrestricted funds is always on every Friends to-do list so our October webinar will introduce you to some fundraising ideas that you may not know about. Please join us for a panel of Friends who will provide basic information on methods they have used. Then you will have a chance to tell us which of these methods/programs you would like to learn more about in future webinars. Please join us and contribute to this conversation.
Presenters:
Aimee Arent, Friends of Ottawa: Legacy Gifts
Sam Zeiner, Friends of Ridgefield: Amazon Wishlist & Community Rewards
Ken Kupchak, Friends of Hakalau Forest: Endowments
Sue Hix, Friends of Sherburne: Give To The Max
Karen Holzer, Friends of D.C. Booth: Every Door Direct Mail
Willem Stoeller, Friends of Tualatin River: Required Minimum Distributions
Friends groups along with their FWS Partners have an opportunity to apply for the FWS Friends Mentor Program. The Fall Application is now available. Applications will be accepted until October 31, 2024.
What is the Mentor Program? In many ways, it is just what you want/need it to be. Each mentoring relationship is different but, in a nutshell, Friends and their Refuge Management decide on the topics they would like to learn more about or have help with. That is part of the application. It could be training the board, planning a joint project, or, after this long Covid winter, a reboot to get your board and FWS staff excited about working together again, for example.
Once you have submitted the completed application it will be reviewed by the FWS Friends Coordinator, Linda Schnee, and the Regional Friends Coordinators. If your application is selected, you will be assigned a team of experienced and trained mentors, usually one FWS staff and one Friends Board/Staff person who will work with you on fleshing out an agenda, and then will come to your refuge to conduct a 2-day training.
At the end of that training, your group will identify a set of 3 or 4 objectives that you want to accomplish in the next year. Mentors then check in with you on a regular schedule to offer help, guidance, encouragement, and lots of cheers for the good work you are doing.
Sound like something that your group would benefit from? I’ve been on both sides of mentoring, as a Friends mentor and as a board member of a group being mentored and I can tell you from personal experience that this program provides a couple of skilled “consultants,” for a year, free-of-charge to your Friends group and your Refuge. So, what are you waiting for? Get that application going!
NWRA is thrilled to invite you to join them on September 18th, for our 2024 Wildlife Refuge Awards! This event will mark our 30th year of honoring the remarkable individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to the protection and conservation of our nation’s wildlife refuges.
NWRA is especially excited to welcome Sally Jewell, Former Secretary of the Department of the Interior, and Lynn Scarlett, Former Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary of the Department of the Interior, as their keynote speakers. They will share their valuable insights on conservation and the importance of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The evening will be hosted by our amazing Master of Ceremonies, Wayne Hubbard, award-winning host and producer. Wayne will guide us through this inspiring night as we celebrate the achievements of our 2024 awardees:
Wayne Selfridge – 2024 Refuge Volunteer of the Year
Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge – 2024 Molly Krival Award – Refuge Friends Group of the Year
Robert Luna – 2024 Refuge Employee of the Year
Okefenokee Protection Alliance – 2024 Refuge Advocate of the Year
David Lucas – 2024 Paul Kroegel Award – Refuge Manager of the Year
Please join NWRA for an evening of celebration as they honor the incredible contributions of these conservation heroes and their lasting impact on the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Our panel of accomplished Nature Store managers will cover the basics on how to start a Nature Store at your Refuge or Hatchery, provide tips on successful merchandise selection and marketing, and the basics of running an e-sales outlet.
Presenter
Ann-Marie Wildman, The “Ding” Darling Refuge Wildlife Society,
Julia Hinca, Friends of Ottawa Natioanl Wildlife Refuge,
Kathleen McKinstry Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge.
