BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20240310T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20241103T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20250309T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20251102T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20260308T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20261101T070000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Denver BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20240310T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20241103T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20250309T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20251102T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20260308T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20261101T080000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Anchorage BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0900 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:AKDT DTSTART:20240310T110000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0900 TZNAME:AKST DTSTART:20241103T100000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0900 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:AKDT DTSTART:20250309T110000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0900 TZNAME:AKST DTSTART:20251102T100000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0900 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:AKDT DTSTART:20260308T110000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0900 TZNAME:AKST DTSTART:20261101T100000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20260219T132226Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T132226Z UID:10000051-1771948800-1771952400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Friends SHARE Zoom call DESCRIPTION:It’s time to SHARE! This month our opening topic will focus on gift and donor management systems used by Friends’ groups around the country. We will also have open discussion rooms for small groups on topics of your choosing. \nThere will be time at the end of the call to reconvene and field any hot topics or urgent issues you may have. If you have a critical issue for the call\, that you’d like to discuss with other Friends\, or you’re looking for expertise on a specific subject\, please let us know when you register and we’ll do our best to be prepared and find help! \nThe Zoom call is only for a member of a Friends group or their staff. Feel free to share this invite with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful the call will not be recorded\, and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines.  \nDate: Tuesday\, February 24\, 2026 \nTime: 4:00 PM ET\, 3:00 PM CT\, 2:00 PM MT\, 1:00 PM PT \n  \nYou need to register for this SHARE session. To register send an email to coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by February 23rd with Friends SHARE in the subject line and the name of your Friends group in the body of the email. \nWe are looking forward to getting together. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-zoom-call/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-12-105341-e1771507449604.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260220 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260221 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20260113T133941Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T141439Z UID:10000048-1771545600-1771631999@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:USFWS Accepting Application for Friends Academy DESCRIPTION:FWS is now accepting applications for Friends Academy. The academy will take place at National Conservation Training Center from July 20- 24\, 2026. Applications are due February 20\, and applicants will be notified by March 20 of their status. Lodging and meals will be provided and participants will be reimbursed for their travel expenses (so all expenses are covered).\n\nApplicants can self nominate or be nominated by an FWS staff person or another Friends group member. Regardless of how the applicant is nominated\,the  FWS partner must provide their input on the application. The type of nomination (self vs. someone else nominating the applicant) does not affect the review process.\n\nAttached is the application but it can also be found on FWS’ website. Note this form was updated 1.30.26 to make it easier to fill.\nhttps://www.fws.gov/media/friends-academy-application\n\nIt  is also accessible from the landing page of the SharePoint site for FWS folks-\nhttps://doimspp.sharepoint.com/sites/fws-FF09R00000/SitePages/Friends-Landing.aspx\n\n\nIf there are any questions please contact Linda Schnee. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/usfws-accepting-application-for-friends-academy/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/usfws-friends-refuge-headwaters-upper-miss-nfwr-winona-districtjpg-scaled-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260218T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260218T150000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20260203T181928Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260203T181928Z UID:10000050-1771423200-1771426800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Marine National Monuments & Their Role in the National Wildlife Refuge System DESCRIPTION:Take a break from winter’s cold; come explore the warm\, colorful and vast Marine National Monuments of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Susan White will lead this webinar; guiding us through the Pacific Marine National Monuments and explaining how they are managed as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. \n😎 Put on your sunglasses\, forget about the snow and ice\, and learn about these special watery places. 🌊 \nPresenters\n \n\nSusan White retired from the USFWS after 28 years and has spent about 36 years in conservation overall. Her career took her from Florida’s Keys to J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge\, and to Hawai’i\, with stops in Washington\, DC\, and Detroit River International Refuge. Susan retired as Deputy Area Supervisor of the vast Pacific Islands refuges and Marine National Monuments.\nBarry Christensen retired from USFWS in 2011 after a 31-year career managing national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts throughout the U.S.\, including a 3.5-year term as Refuge Manager of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.\n\nSign Up!\n  \n  URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/marine-national-monuments-their-role-in-the-national-wildlife-refuge-system/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-131410.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20260116T141848Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T142249Z UID:10000049-1769529600-1769533200@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Friends Get Together 1.27.26 DESCRIPTION:The first Friends SHARE call of 2026 is on January 27th at 4:00pm ET! SHARE calls aim to connect Friends groups and foster relationships within the broader Friends community. Our goal is to get to know and learn from each other through sharing stories\, information\, resources\, expertise and by asking questions. \nPlease join us on January 27th at 4:00 pm ET for the next SHARE call. Our call will include an opportunity to talk more about the Director Order 230 and the call with Joshua Coursey\, Senior Advisor to the Director of the USFWS\, on Thursday\, January 15th. Hopefully\, you were able to attend the Zoom call but if not\, you are still invited to attend the SHARE call and learn about what was presented. A recording of the call will be posted on the CORFA website when it is available. \nFor the SHARE call\, we plan to spend about 20 minutes discussing the Zoom call and its implications. Following that conversation\, we will break into small groups and have open discussion for another 20 minutes\, with each small group discussing the topics of interest to their participants. If you have a burning issue you’d like to discuss\, please let us know at the beginning of the call and we can set up a small group just for that topic. \nThe whole call should not last more than one hour. We will leave time at the end for announcements or other news. \nPlease RSVP by January 25th RSVP to coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com with Friends SHARE in the subject line. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends group and we will send you a Zoom link to the call. \nThe SHARE calls are only for members of Friends groups or staff of Friends groups. Feel free to share this invitation with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful\, the call will not be recorded and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nWe look forward to seeing you on January 27th at 4:00 pm ET. \nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team \nMike Baldwin\, Ceal Craig\, Cheryl Hart\, Joan Patterson\, Polly Sheppard\, Willem Stoeller\, Joan Van Gorp\, Kathy Woodward\, Tom Worthington\, Maria Montag\, Janelle Wicks \nP.S. We thank the National Wildlife Refuge Association for providing Zoom for the call. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-get-togther-1-27-26/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Primary-Logo.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T160000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20260108T235238Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260110T125431Z UID:10000047-1768489200-1768492800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY: Director's Order:  Review of the National Wildlife Refuge System DESCRIPTION:Joshua W.D. Coursey joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service following 13 years as Founder and President/CEO of the Muley Fanatic Foundation (MFF)\, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of mule deer and their habitat. Under his leadership\, MFF evolved from a grassroots initiative into a nationally recognized conservation force\, with active chapters in seven states\, members in all 50 states\, and more than 700 Life Members.\n\n\nCoursey’s leadership earned him a respected voice in broader wildlife and hunting policy efforts. He co-chaired the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease Working Group in 2020\, has served on the Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition since 2017\, and was a member of Governor Gordon’s Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce.\n\nJoshua is a native of Wyoming\, and serves as Senior Advisor to FWS Director Brian Nesvik.  He was recently tasked by Director Nesvik to lead a comprehensive review of the National Wildlife Refuge System\, its organization\, its workforce\, facilities and management structure.\n\nAs part of this review\, he is seeking feedback and ideas from State Agencies and Partner organizations\, including Refuge Friends Groups.   This Webinar is an opportunity for the Refuge Friends Community to learn about this review and to understand how best to provide him with meaningful feedback.\n\n\nSign Up! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/directors-order-review-of-the-national-wildlife-refuge-system/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-29-111250.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251218T070000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251218T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20251207T043256Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251207T044559Z UID:10000046-1766041200-1766088000@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:State of the System Report: Gratitude\, Grit & the Road Ahead DESCRIPTION:As we approach the longest night of the year\, we pause to reflect—with gratitude for the wild places that ground us and resolve to protect them through whatever comes next. \nJoin Desirée Sorenson-Groves\, President & CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association\, for a timely briefing on the state of the National Wildlife Refuge System. With the fallout from the recent government shutdown still unfolding—and the threat of another on the horizon—America’s wildlife refuges are facing some of their toughest challenges yet. \nFrom deepening staff shortages to chronic underfunding and shifting policy winds\, the path forward is not without obstacles. But in these darker times\, new light begins to shine: innovative partnerships\, community-led conservation\, and a growing movement of people ready to defend our nation’s wild heritage. This webinar offers a chance to take stock\, find hope\, and recommit to protecting the lands and wildlife that sustain us all. \nPresenter \n\nDesirée Sorenson-Groves came back to the Refuge Association in October 2024 as the President and CEO. Her career has been focused on protecting and enhancing the National Wildlife Refuge System\, first as a grassroots organizer for the National Audubon Society\, then as the Vice President of Government Affairs for the Refuge Association. After 14 years at NWRA\, Sorenson-Groves became the Director of the Arctic Refuge Defense Campaign where she managed an Indigenous-led\, multi-pronged effort to stop any development in the Arctic Refuge. She comes back to NWRA after leading Defenders of Wildlife’s public and private lands programs as their Vice President of Land & Habitat Conservation. She has a B.A. in Geography from George Washington University and resides in Fort Valley\, VA with her husband and two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.\n\nSign Up! \n  URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/state-of-the-system-report-gratitude-grit-the-road-ahead/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-06-234513.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251217T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251217T150000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20251203T162531Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251203T165328Z UID:10000045-1765980000-1765983600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Let's Celebrate! DESCRIPTION:NWRA has declared December 17\, 2025\, Refuge Staff Appreciation Day. In recognition of this day\, let’s celebrate the National Wildlife Refuge and Hatcheries systems\, their dedicated staff and loyal Friends groups with Jim Kurth\, Retired Deputy Director of the USFWS as he reminds us all why we do what we do. \nJim will reminisce a little about his time with the Service and why we can be so proud of the work we help to support.  Then\, he has agreed to field your questions about the Service. If you have a question for Jim\, please send it to coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com  There should also be time for “live” questions during the webinar. \nJim Kurth began his career as a biological technician with the U.S Forest Service on the Wayne National Forest in Ohio. He transferred to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service in 1979 as assistant refuge manager at Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. He served as an assistant refuge manager at Loxahatchee NWR in Florida\, Bogue Chitto NWR in Louisiana\, and Seney NWR in Michigan. He then served as refuge manager of the seven refuges in Rhode Island and Connecticut. After a tour in the Alaska Regional Office in Anchorage\, he served as the manager of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from 1994 to 1999. \nJim then moved to the Washington Office and served as Deputy Chief (1999-2011) and Chief (2011-2015) of the National Wildlife Refuge System\, then Deputy Director of the Service from 2015 until his retirement in June 2019. \nSign Up! \n  URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/lets-celebrate/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-03-112006.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251215 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251216 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20251120T070036Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251120T080041Z UID:10000042-1765756800-1765843199@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:USFWS Partnership Mentoring Program DESCRIPTION:Deadline for Accepting Applications Extended Until 12/15/25\nFriends 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 December 15\, 2025. \nWhat 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. \nOnce 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. \nAt 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. \nSound 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! \nShould you want to find out more about the benefits of this program check out the 2023 recording about the USFWS Mentoring Program. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/usfws-partnership-mentoring-program/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pexels-photo-357159.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251119T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251119T151500 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250729T133228Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251114T112803Z UID:10000034-1763560800-1763565300@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Leading with Purpose – Building Stronger\, More Connected Wildlife Friends Groups DESCRIPTION:This three-part webinar series is designed to equip leaders and members of Wildlife Friends Groups with the insight and tools to strengthen their communities\, deepen collaboration\, and lead with clarity in complex times. Together\, we’ll explore how to create cultures of belonging without weaponizing identity\, ensuring that all feel seen and valued without reinforcing division. We’ll examine strategies for navigating change with integrity\, so your group can remain mission-focused while adapting to evolving challenges. Finally\, we’ll dive into the principles of transformational leadership\, helping you inspire action\, cultivate trust\, and guide your group toward lasting impact. This series offers practical frameworks\, space for reflection\, and a chance to align around shared values while honoring difference. \nJoin Zoom Meeting \nhttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/84310909165?pwd=tTeEFiL92WRPxgIrENS6DIed1H4zWZ.1\nMeeting ID: 843 1090 9165\nPasscode: 647750 Join instructions\nhttps://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/84310909165/invitations?signature=w4WBMtkScuebAx4n7djpjm9CAlZbSxdJi6G3xWRujWQ URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/leading-with-purpose-building-stronger-more-connected-wildlife-friends-groups-3/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-25-131240.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251106T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251106T203000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20251013T154111Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251013T154111Z UID:10000044-1762457400-1762461000@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:A History of the American Conservation Movement and the Refuge System DESCRIPTION:Join Alex Harper for a captivating journey through the history of conservation in the United States—from the 1800s to today. This presentation traces the key moments that shaped the formation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System\, culminating in the establishment of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. \nAttendees will gain a deeper understanding of how conservation policies evolved\, how decisions are made to preserve the ecological integrity of refuges\, and why these places matter now more than ever. \nWe all love Bosque del Apache\, but it can sometimes be difficult to know how to make a difference. Through a mix of historical context and stunning wildlife photography taken at the refuge by Alex throughout the years\, this talk will connect past and present conservation efforts. \nAlex will also discuss the risks posed by potential rollbacks of environmental protections—including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act—and what such changes could mean for the refuge’s future. \nThe presentation will conclude with Friends Board President Jonathan Manley highlighting what’s happening on the ground at Bosque del Apache and how Friends is continuing to protect the refuge’s diverse flora and fauna. \nQuarterly OASIS Zoom calls are now open to the public\, so please invite your friends and family to come learn about our beautiful refuge and theOASIS\, a sustaining community of hope! This is the perfect time to join as a monthly donor by giving a monthly gift in any amount that feels right for you – you’re in control of when to start\, stop and make changes to your level of monthly giving! \nRegister Now URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/a-history-of-the-american-conservation-movement-and-the-refuge-system/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-13-114007.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251104T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251105T180000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20251001T161440Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251101T014912Z UID:10000041-1762264800-1762365600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:The 2025 Virtual Friends Conference DESCRIPTION:Level up your skills and network with refuge and hatchery Friends from across the country. \nFriends Groups fortify our National Wildlife Refuge and Hatchery Systems. Together\, we amplify impact\, generate support\, and build stronger and healthier communities. This two-day virtual conference is designed for Friends leaders\, board members\, staff\, and volunteers who want to build capacity\, share best practices\, and connect with peers from across the country. \nLearn more here. \nTuesday\, November 4Wednesday\, November 5Time Track 1 Track 2 2:00 pmOpening Session \n\n \n Joan Patterson \n \n \n Director at Large\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates \n \n \n \n\n \n Mark Musaus \n \n \n Vice President\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates \n \n \n 2:10 pmKickoff Keynote \n\n \n Desirée Sorenson-Groves \n \n \n President & CEO\, National Wildlife Refuge Association \n \n \n 2:30 pmSessions 1\, 2\, 3 & 4 Overview \n\n \n Joan Patterson \n \n \n Director at Large\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates \n \n \n 2:45 pmSession 1: Fundraising\, Membership and Donor Engagement \n\n \n Janelle Wicks \n \n \n Executive Director\, Friends of Malheur NWR \n \n \n \n\n \n Mary Beth Volmer \n \n \n President\, Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands \n \n \n \n\n \n Thomas Daubert \n \n \n Executive Director\, Friends of Kauai National Wildlife Refuge Complex \n \n \n Session 2: Nature Stores \n\n \n Tom Worthington \n \n \n Director at Large\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates \n \n \n \n\n \n Jill Bachman \n \n \n Nature Store\, Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge \n \n \n \n\n \n Carolyn Ferrell \n \n \n Executive Director\, Booth Society\, Inc. \n \n \n \n\n \n Melissa Worthington \n \n \n Volunteer Manager\, Minnesota Valley Refuge Friends \n \n \n 4:00 pmSession 3: Community Involvement \n\n \n Angie Horn \n \n \n Urban Wildlife Program Director\, National Wildlife Refuge Association \n \n \n \n\n \n Ken Kupchak \n \n \n President\, Friends of Oahu NWRs & CORFA Board \n \n \n \n\n \n Suzanne Trapp \n \n \n Community Outreach Manager at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge - Retired \n \n \n Session 4: Volunteers: The Critical Role of both Friends Volunteers and FWS Volunteers \n\n \n Sue Hix \n \n \n Board Member\, Friends of Sherburne NWR \n \n \n \n\n \n Robin Will \n \n \n Board member\, Friends of St. Marks NWR \n \n \n 5:10 pmBreakout Rooms and Free Discussion5:55 pmClose Out: Recap of Day 1 \n\n \n Ken Kupchak \n \n \n President\, Friends of Oahu NWRs & CORFA Board \n \n \n Time Track 1 Track 2 2:00 pmWelcome and Orientation to Day 2 \n\n \n Janelle Wicks \n \n \n Executive Director\, Friends of Malheur NWR \n \n \n \n\n \n Tom Worthington \n \n \n Director at Large\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates \n \n \n 2:10 pmSpark Talk \n\n \n Wendi Weber \n \n \n Regional Director of the Northeast Region - Retired \n \n \n 2:30 pmSessions 5\,6\,7 & 8 Overview \n\n \n Janelle Wicks \n \n \n Executive Director\, Friends of Malheur NWR \n \n \n 2:45 pmSessions 5\, 6\, and 7 \n\n \n Cathy Allen \n \n \n Nonprofit Governance Consultant\, Board Doctor \n \n \n \n\n \n Carol Mertesdorf \n \n \n President\, Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge \n \n \n \n\n \n Janelle Wicks \n \n \n Executive Director\, Friends of Malheur NWR \n \n \n \n\n \n Willem Stoeller \n \n \n Director at Large\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates \n \n \n \n\n \n Samantha Zeiner \n \n \n Director of Operations\, Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge \n \n \n \n\n \n Richard Dolesh \n \n \n Board Member\, Friends of Patuxent \n \n \n \n\n \n Greg Knadle \n \n \n former VP of Government Affairs NFWF \n \n \n 4:00 pmSession 8: Current Issues and Topics affecting Refuges and Hatcheries \n\n \n Tony Wasley \n \n \n President of WMI \n \n \n \n\n \n Scott Kahan \n \n \n Retired as Regional Chief in the Northeast Region \n \n \n \n\n \n Paul Johansen \n \n \n Chief of the Wildlife Resources\, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources \n \n \n \n\n \n Dale Hall \n \n \n Former DEO of Ducks Unlimited\, Inc. \n \n \n 5:15 pmKeynote Address \n\n \n Desirée Sorenson-Groves \n \n \n President & CEO\, National Wildlife Refuge Association \n \n \n 5:45 pmClose Out: Recap of Day 2 \n\n \n Cheryl Hart \n \n \n President\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates \n \n \n \n  \nUse the box below to purchase your tickets. After your purchase\, you will receive more information about how to join the event. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/the-2025-virtual-friends-conference/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/birders-scaled-1.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com LOCATION:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87273129766 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251029T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251029T151500 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250729T133206Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T120121Z UID:10000033-1761746400-1761750900@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Leading with Purpose – Building Stronger\, More Connected Wildlife Friends Groups DESCRIPTION:This three-part webinar series is designed to equip leaders and members of Wildlife Friends Groups with the insight and tools to strengthen their communities\, deepen collaboration\, and lead with clarity in complex times. Together\, we’ll explore how to create cultures of belonging without weaponizing identity\, ensuring that all feel seen and valued without reinforcing division. We’ll examine strategies for navigating change with integrity\, so your group can remain mission-focused while adapting to evolving challenges. Finally\, we’ll dive into the principles of transformational leadership\, helping you inspire action\, cultivate trust\, and guide your group toward lasting impact. This series offers practical frameworks\, space for reflection\, and a chance to align around shared values while honoring difference. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/leading-with-purpose-building-stronger-more-connected-wildlife-friends-groups-2/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-25-131240.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T151500 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250729T133126Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T120317Z UID:10000030-1758722400-1758726900@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Leading with Purpose – Building Stronger\, More Connected Wildlife Friends Groups DESCRIPTION:This three-part webinar series is designed to equip leaders and members of Wildlife Friends Groups with the insight and tools to strengthen their communities\, deepen collaboration\, and lead with clarity in complex times. Together\, we’ll explore how to create cultures of belonging without weaponizing identity\, ensuring that all feel seen and valued without reinforcing division. We’ll examine strategies for navigating change with integrity\, so your group can remain mission-focused while adapting to evolving challenges. Finally\, we’ll dive into the principles of transformational leadership\, helping you inspire action\, cultivate trust\, and guide your group toward lasting impact. This series offers practical frameworks\, space for reflection\, and a chance to align around shared values while honoring difference. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/leading-with-purpose-building-stronger-more-connected-wildlife-friends-groups/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-25-131240.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250923T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250923T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250912T145713Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T145819Z UID:10000040-1758643200-1758646800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Friends SHARE Book Recommendations & More DESCRIPTION:CORFA started a list of both fiction and non-fiction books that include our National Wildlife Refuges\, or other public lands\, in their plots and narratives. \nDo you have a favorite that is not on the list? \nWe’d love for you to share titles and we’re also looking for folks to do a short 3-minute book review at our next meet-up on any of the books in the attached list or on your favorite book that we’ve missed. \nFollowing our book discussions\, we’ll have time for a quick roundtable of any other. announcements or questions. \nThe Zoom SHARE calls are only for a member of a Friends group or their staff. Feel free to share this invite with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful the call will not be recorded\, and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nDate: Tuesday\, September 23\, 2025 \nTime: 4:00 PM ET\, 3:00 PM CT\, 2:00 PM MT\, 1:00 PM PT \nRSVP: To coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by September 19th with Friends SHARE in the subject line. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends group. \nWe are looking forward to getting together. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-book-recommendations-more/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-12-105341-e1771507449604.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T150000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250902T165132Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T145909Z UID:10000036-1758117600-1758121200@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Laws that Make the Refuge System Unique DESCRIPTION:Save the Date\nTopic: The Laws that Make the Refuge System Unique – Understanding the legal foundations of the National Wildlife Refuge System and what makes these lands different from National Parks and National Forests. \nSpeaker: Robert Fischman:\nRobert Fischman is professor of law at the Indiana University School of Law. His book on the management of the National Wildlife Refuge System is the standard reference in its field. He writes about public land management\, endangered species recovery\, federalism\, adaptive conservation\, climate change and environmental analysis. \nSign Up! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/laws-that-make-the-refuge-system-unique/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/unnamed1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250827T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250827T131500 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250729T132146Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T174446Z UID:10000029-1756296000-1756300500@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Common Ground and Connection - Webinar Series DESCRIPTION:Join us for an engaging and practical webinar designed to help find common ground and foster alignment rooted in shared values presented by Ryan Virden. In a time of increasing polarization and burnout\, this session offers tools and strategies to move beyond surface-level agreement and into deeper connection—strengthening relationships\, cultivating trust\, and building the foundation for more effective\, values-aligned collaboration. Whether you’re navigating internal tensions\, seeking to unite around a common purpose\, or just looking to deepen connections this session will offer clarity\, encouragement\, and actionable insight. \nHere is advance notice of a 3-part series of webinars that Ryan Virden will be presenting separate from CORFA and Refuge Association’s normal webinar series. These webinars\, focused on “Leading with Purpose – Building Stronger\, More Connected Wildlife Friends Groups”\, will be free and open to any who want to participate. More information coming soon. \nPresenter \n\nRyan Virden is an accomplished educator\, author\, and cultural advocate based in Minneapolis. With a keen focus on nurturing inclusive environments\, Ryan collaborates with individuals and organizations to cultivate mindsets and skills for effectively building relationships and communities across diverse contexts. Ryan’s extensive experience includes working with organizations nationwide\, guiding them towards establishing restorative cultures within their environments. Notably\, he held the role of Restorative Justice Coordinator for Minneapolis Public Schools and currently serves as a professor in the peace and justice department at St. Thomas University.\n\nSign Up! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/common-ground-and-connection-webinar-series/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-25-131240.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250826T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250826T173000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250807T164037Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250820T153024Z UID:10000035-1756224000-1756229400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Friends SHARE session on August 26th is postponed! DESCRIPTION:Postponed until September\nCORFA Friends SHARE Summer Book Recommendations \nWe’ve started a list of both fiction and non-fiction books that our National Wildlife Refuges\, or other public lands\, in their plots and narratives. Do you have a favorite that is not on the list? \nWe’d love for you to share titles and we’re also looking for folks to do a short 3-minute book review at our next meet-up on any of the books in this list or on your favorite book that we’ve missed. Up to the challenge? Let’s know if there is a book you want to review by returning this form by August 21st. Come prepared and join us August 26th at 4:00 pm ET! \nFollowing our book discussions\, we’ll have time for a quick roundtable of any other  announcements or questions. \nThe Zoom SHARE calls are only for a member of a Friends group or their staff. Feel free to share this invite with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful the call will not be recorded\, and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nRSVP: To coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by August 24th with Friends SHARE in the subject line. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends group. We are looking forward to getting together. \nRegards\,\nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team\nMike Baldwin\, Ceal Craig\, Cheryl Hart\, Joan Patterson\, Polly Sheppard\, Willem Stoeller\, Joan Van Gorp\, Kathy Woodward\, Tom Worthington\, Maria Montag \nP.S. We thank the National Wildlife Refuge Association for providing Zoom for the call. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-session-on-august-26th-is-all-about-books/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-04-145701.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250813T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250813T183000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250707T140021Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250707T140021Z UID:10000026-1755106200-1755109800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Fast\, Flamboyant & Feisty - Hummingbird Basics with Sandra Noll DESCRIPTION:This delightful program\, presented by hummingbird expert Sandra Noll\, brings you into the secret world of these unique\, tiny birds whose high-speed lives are largely invisible to us. Details of hummingbird biology and behavior are revealed through slow-motion video and beautiful photographs. The human-hummingbird connection is also explored\, along with tips on attracting these tiny gems. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/fast-flamboyant-feisty-hummingbird-basics-with-sandra-noll/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-07-095818.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250728T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250728T150000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250719T152744Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250719T152958Z UID:10000027-1753711200-1753714800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Of Dollars & Cents: A Beginner's Guide For Friends Board Members To Reading Financial Reports DESCRIPTION:As board members\, you play a vital role in upholding the organization’s mission and ensuring responsible management of its financial and other essential resources. \nIn this presentation\, you’ll learn how to read and interpret the core financial reports that guide effective nonprofit oversight: \n\nBalance Sheet: Shows the organization’s financial position at a specific point in time\nProfit and Loss Statement: (also called the Statement of Activities) – Details income and expenses over a period\nGrantor/Donor Statement: Tracks restricted funds and how they are being used\nBudget vs. Actual Report: Compares planned income and spending with actual results to monitor progress and adjust as needed\n\nUnderstanding financial reports will give you the tools to assess the financial health of your organization\, make informed\, strategic decisions and keep donors\, funders\, and other stakeholders well-informed. These tools will enable you to fulfill your fiduciary responsibility and support the organization’s long-term sustainability. \nPresenters \n\nJon d’Alessio\, Treasurer of the CORFA Board as well as Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR and Friends of Midway Atoll NWR. Other nonprofit experience includes serving as CEO of the Fred Finch Youth Center.\nWillem Stoeller\, a CORFA Board Member and Past Treasurer and Vice President of Friends of Tualatin River NWRC. He also serves as Treasurer for the Friends of Champoeg State Park in Oregon.\n\nSign Up! \n  \n  URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/of-dollars-cents-a-beginners-guide-for-friends-board-members-to-reading-financial-reports/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-19-112407.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T173000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250719T204953Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250719T204953Z UID:10000028-1752940800-1752946200@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:SHARE zoom call on July 22nd DESCRIPTION:CORFA is hosting the next Friends SHARE zoom call on July 22nd at 4:00 pm EST. This month we are focusing on our wonderful volunteers! We will be sharing ideas and programs that different Friends groups use to recognize and honor their Friends volunteers. \nWe’d love to have you come prepared to share what you are doing\, have done\, or plan to do. What works? What lessons have you learned? What changes have you made? Given the current situation are your Friends volunteers stepping up to do more? How can we thank them for their time\, talent and treasure and let them know we value them? \nWe have three people willing to start the ball rolling by telling their stories: \n\nSamantha Zeiner\, Director of Operations\, Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge\nMaria Montag\, Board President\, Friends of California Condors Wild and Free\nRepresentative TBD\, Friends of Ding Darling\n\nFollowing these presentations and Q&A time\, we’ll have time for a quick rountable for any other announcements or questions. \nPlease join us on July 22nd at 4:00 pm EST and an RSVP to coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by July 19th would be appreciated! Registration is required in advance to receive the zoom link \nOur August SHARE Call will be on August 26th at 4:00 pm EST and we will be having a fun book discussion focused on books that take place on a refuge\, involve the refuge system or FWS characters. They can be fiction or non-fiction. \nThe Zoom call is only for a member of a Friends group or their staff. Feel free to share this invite with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful the call will not be recorded\, and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nHeads Up for August! \nKinda like 4th grade…we hope you will come prepared with a 3–5-minute book report on book you’ve read and share with us the title and author of course plus a summary and what you liked about the book. \nWe’re attaching the list of suggestions we have so far but please let us know if you have more and we’ll be glad to add them. \nWe are looking forward to getting together. \nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team \nMike Baldwin\, Ceal Craig\, Cheryl Hart\, Joan Patterson\, Polly Sheppard\, Willem Stoeller\, Joan Van Gorp\, Kathy Woodward\, Tom Worthington\, Maria Montag URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/share-zoom-call-on-july-22nd/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Primary-Logo.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250615T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250615T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250530T172619Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250603T184828Z UID:10000023-1750006800-1750006800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Deadline for Written Testimony to the Senate DESCRIPTION:The Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior\, Environment\, and Related Agencies is accepting written testimony on the Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations. For instructions on how to submit your testimony go to https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/owt_guidelines_interior_fy_26.pdf \nDeadline for submitting testimony is close of business Sunday\, June 15\, 2025.  \nExample: Testimony by Bill Durkin\, Friends of Rachel Carson NWR\, Maine.  URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/deadline-for-written-testimony-to-the-senate/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Capitol-scaled.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T233000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T233000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250603T184758Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250603T184758Z UID:10000024-1749771000-1749771000@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Take Action DESCRIPTION:The National Wildlife Refuge System is at a breaking point but the President’s FY2026 budget proposes funding the Refuge System at just $412 million—a 22% cut from current funding. The last time the Refuge System’s budget was this small was 2007.  To put it in perspective\, the FY2010 number adjusted for inflation would be over $730 million today. \nWe need Congress to act—and we need you with us.\nWe’re calling on the Senate to provide $731 million in FY2026 to restore the Refuge System’s budget to 2010 levels\, adjusted for inflation. Without this investment\, more staff will be lost\, invasive species will spread unchecked\, and critical programs for wildlife and communities will disappear. \n95 Friends groups signed the House version of this letter in April.\nPlease note: This Senate letter is a repurposed version of the House letter so if you already signed onto that House letter\, your organization will automatically be included in this Senate letter (so you do not need to sign on again). Please check the list of signers at the end of the letter to confirm your group is listed. (It’s okay to sign again if you’re not sure—we’ll avoid duplicates on our end.) \nSign on by Thursday\, June 12 at 11:59 PM ET.\nDownload the Senate Letter with Signers>>\nSign-On Here by June 12th at 11:59 PM ET \nLet’s show the Senate that Refuge Friends from across the country are united—and will not stand by as our refuges are pushed past the breaking point. \nThank you for all you do for national wildlife refuges\, \nDesirée Sorenson-Groves\nPresident & CEO\nNational Wildlife Refuge Association URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/take-action/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/services-commendations-greetings-andy-feliciotti-unsplash.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T140000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250528T202545Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250528T202721Z UID:10000022-1749733200-1749736800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:State of the System Report: Staffing Crisis\, Conservation Priorities & the Road Ahead DESCRIPTION:Baseball\, apple pie\, and public lands—there’s nothing more American. As summer begins and gets into full swing\, join us for a webinar exploring the urgent threats facing one of our nation’s greatest legacies: the National Wildlife Refuge System. \nDesirée Sorenson-Groves\, President & CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association\, will deliver a timely update from Washington\, D.C.\, highlighting the consequences of widespread staffing losses\, chronic underfunding\, and policy shifts impacting refuges across the country. \nDespite the challenges\, there’s hope. Desirée will spotlight the inspiring conservation work happening on the ground\, innovative partnerships taking shape\, and the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s commitment to deepening public engagement and advocacy. This is your chance to better understand what’s at stake—and how we can all stand up for the places and wildlife that define the American landscape. \nPresenter\nDesirée Sorenson-Groves re-joined the Refuge Association in October 2024 as the President and CEO. Her career has been focused on protecting and enhancing the National Wildlife Refuge System\, first as a grassroots organizer for the National Audubon Society\, then as the Vice President of Government Affairs for the Refuge Association. After 14 years at NWRA\, Sorenson-Groves became the Director of the Arctic Refuge Defense Campaign where she managed an Indigenous-led\, multi-pronged effort to stop any development in the Arctic Refuge. She comes back to NWRA after leading Defenders of Wildlife’s public and private lands programs as their Vice President of Land & Habitat Conservation. She has a B.A. in Geography from George Washington University and resides in Fort Valley\, VA with her husband and two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. \nSign Up at https://act.refugeassociation.org/a/webinar-sos-june-2025-gs URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/state-of-the-system-report-staffing-crisis-conservation-priorities-the-road-ahead/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-28-162357.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250521T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250521T150000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250508T131023Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T131023Z UID:10000019-1747836000-1747839600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Increasing Awareness & Support Of The Refuge System: Update On FWS's Branding Work DESCRIPTION:During this webinar Kristen Gilbert from the Refuge System’s Division of Visitor Services and Communications will give an update on the FWS’s partnership called America’s Wildlife Refuges and the the on-going branding work to increase awareness and private support for the National Wildlife Refuge System. \nPresenter \n\nKristen Gilbert\, works in Division of Visitor Services and Communications for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Her career interests are improving the public’s user experience with America’s fish\, wildlife\, and habitats a.k.a. the National Wildlife Refuge System.  During her over two decade visitor services career that spans Utah\, Colorado\, Wyoming\, Alaska and headquarters\, she has managed visitors centers\, volunteers and collaborated with Friends groups in addition to bring innovative thinking and processes to the National Wildlife Refuge System as a whole.\n\nSign Up Now! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/increasing-awareness-support-of-the-refuge-system-update-on-fwss-branding-work/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-08-082848.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250520T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250520T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250513T190712Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250513T190712Z UID:10000021-1747756800-1747760400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Friends SHARE session: a time to connect and collaborate DESCRIPTION:CORFA is hosting the next Friends SHARE zoom call and this month we’ll be focusing on the advocacy efforts being made by Friends’ groups around the nation.  We’ll have a panel of Friends who have approached advocacy in different ways. \nPlease join us on May 20th at 4:00 pm EST. Please RSVP by May 15th and we will send you a zoom link for the call. Registration is required in advance to receive the zoom link. \nOur first 60-minute discussion will be a panel discussion with the following presenters: \n\nPhil Dodderidge\, Florida Key Wildlife Society: an overview of the FKWS video testimonial project\n\nAnn Bell\, Friends of Midway Atoll NWR: using social media and consensus building strategies. \n\nLisa Mayo\, Friends of Blackwater NWR: using their website to tell the refuge story and current threats to the refuge system.\n\nFollowing these presentations and Q&A time\, we’ll have brief updates of the regional advocacy conversations by representatives of regions 1 & 7\, Region 3\, Region 4\, Region 5 and Region 8. Following very brief presentations\, we’ll have the opportunity to talk about additional strategies and concerns. \nIn the time remaining\, we will have our usual Open Discussion time. If you have a burning question for the call\, that you’d like to discuss with other Friends\, or you’re looking for expertise on a specific subject\, please let us know and we’ll do our best to be prepared and find help! The sooner you can let us know\, the better. \nThe Zoom call is only for a member of a Friends group or their staff. Feel free to share this invite with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful the call will not be recorded\, and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nRSVP: To coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by May 15th with Friends SHARE in the subject line. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends group. \nWe are looking forward to getting together. \nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team \nMike Baldwin\, Ceal Craig\, Cheryl Hart\, Sarah Meyer\, Joan Patterson\, Polly Sheppard\, Willem Stoeller\, Joan Van Gorp\, Kathy Woodward\, Tom Worthington\, Maria Montag \nP.S. We thank the National Wildlife Refuge Association for providing Zoom for the call. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-session-a-time-to-connect-and-collaborate/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/17-oct-24.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250513T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250513T190000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250512T114703Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250512T114703Z UID:10000020-1747159200-1747162800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:A Year Behind the Scenes at Bosque del Apache DESCRIPTION:A Year Behind the Scenes at Bosque del Apache\, with Claire Revekant\, Refuge Senior Biologist\nBosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is a beautiful and fragile wetland in the New Mexico high desert and a rare section of the Rio Grande that requires intense management to mimic historical behaviors after man altered the river. Join us as Claire Revekant\, Senior Wildlife Biologist\, gives us a peek at some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into maintaining this heavily managed refuge year-round and why it is so important. \nQuarterly OASIS Zoom calls are now open to the public\, so please invite your friends and family to come learn about our beautiful refuge and the OASIS\, a sustaining community of hope! This is the perfect time to join as a monthly donor by giving a monthly gift in any amount that feels right for you – you’re in control of when to start\, stop and make changes to your level of monthly giving! \nRegister Now URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/a-year-behind-the-scenes-at-bosque-del-apache-2/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-12-074553.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250430T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250430T140000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250419T134557Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250419T134557Z UID:10000018-1746018000-1746021600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Making Your Voice Heard: How to Write an Impactful Letter to the Editor or Op-Ed DESCRIPTION:The opinion section of your local newspaper is one of the most influential spaces in your community. In these precarious times for refuges and conservation\, if you have considered writing a letter to the editor\, an op-ed or maybe even a blog post but didn’t know where to begin\, this webinar will give you a start. \nPresenters \n\nMatthew Emmer\, President\, Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges. Board Member\, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates.\nBill O’Brian writer-editor with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/National Wildlife Refuge System from 2010 to 2023. Before that: journalist for three decades\, including 23 years at the Washington Post\, where for a time he edited letters to the editor and local op-eds.\n\nSign Up! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/making-your-voice-heard-how-to-write-an-impactful-letter-to-the-editor-or-op-ed/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-19-093938.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T150000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250402T142430Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250402T142520Z UID:10000015-1744812000-1744815600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:2025 Chat with the Chief: Refuge System Funding\, Workforce\, Budget\, & Priorities DESCRIPTION:SAVE the DATE for a ZOOM CALL\nRegistration will be open soon. \nJoin Cynthia Martinez\, Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System\, for an update on: \n\n\n\nFunding and workforce changes\nFY 2025 budget and priorities\nHow Friends can help tell the National Wildlife Refuge System story\n\n\n\nCynthia Martinez\, Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System. A fifth-generation New Mexican\, Cynthia Martinez is the first woman and Hispanic to lead the Refuge System. She began her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1993 and became Chief of the Refuge System in 2015. She came to Refuge System headquarters in September 2010 as chief of the Division of Visitor Services and Communications\, where she led the process for developing the Refuge System’s 2011 Conserving the Future vision conference and subsequent documents – the renewed vision for growth and management of the Refuge System. Martinez was deputy chief of the Refuge System from 2012 to 2015. Before coming to Refuge System headquarters\, Martinez was the manager at Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Las Vegas\, Nevada. She has a bachelor of science degree in general biology from New Mexico State University and a master of science degree in fisheries and wildlife science from University of Arizona. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/2025-chat-with-the-chief-refuge-system-funding-workforce-budget-priorities/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-02-101731.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Anchorage:20250415T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Anchorage:20250415T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250413T091151Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250413T091151Z UID:10000017-1744736400-1744736400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Place-Creation: An Invitation to Imagine the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge DESCRIPTION:Presented by Tyra Olstad\, 2024 Voices of the Wilderness Artist in Residence on the Arctic Refuge \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe “Voices of the Wilderness” program connects artists of all different media and styles to federally managed Wilderness areas with the hope that the artists give voice to what might otherwise seem like remote\, unknowable places. In return for the trip of a lifetime embedded with refuge field crews\, artists provide to the refuge a work of art based on the residency. You will experience Tyra’s art at this presentation.  With her spoken word and visual images\, Tyra Olstad will invite you to envision the Arctic Refuge\, to actively immerse yourself in the landscape\, and to imagine the Arctic from different  perspectives and at different scales. (Think like a tussock!)  It’s intended for audiences who know little about the Arctic\, much less the Refuge\, to experienced Arctic travelers who will be encouraged to consider the place with fresh eyes. An Arctic Refuge staffer described her presentation as “goose-bumpy good.” Come let her take you to the Arctic. \nLearn more about the artist and her work HERE. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/place-creation-an-invitation-to-imagine-the-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge/ CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-13-050808.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T031234 CREATED:20250312T110805Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250402T141403Z UID:10000007-1744732800-1744736400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Connect and Collaborate: Friends SHARE Zoom Invite! DESCRIPTION:CORFA is hosting the next Friends SHARE zoom call and it’s right around the corner! Please join us on April 15th at 4:00 pm Eastern. Please RSVP by April 11th and we will send you a zoom link for the call. Registration is required in advance to receive the Zoom link. \nThe Zoom call is only for a member of a Friends group or their staff. Feel free to share this invite with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful the call will not be recorded\, and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nDate: Tuesday\, April 15\, 2025 \nTime: 4:00 PM ET\, 3:00 PM CT\, 2:00 PM MT\, 1:00 PM PT \nRSVP: To coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by March 22nd with Friends SHARE in the subject line. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends group. \nWe are looking forward to getting together. \nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team \nMike Baldwin\, Ceal Craig\, Cheryl Hart\, Sarah Meyer\, Joan Patterson\, Polly Sheppard\, Willem Stoeller\, Joan Van Gorp\, Kathy Woodward\, Tom Worthington \nP.S. We thank the National Wildlife Refuge Association for providing Zoom for the call. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/save-the-date-january-2025-friends-share/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/17-oct-24.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR