BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates - ECPv6.15.20//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:20230312T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20231105T060000 END:STANDARD 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:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260428T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260428T170000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20260416T140303Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260416T140303Z UID:10000061-1777392000-1777395600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Friends SHARE Call DESCRIPTION:Get ready to SHARE! The next Friends SHARE Zoom call is on Tuesday\, April 28th at 4pm Eastern and we’ll be focusing on nature stores. \nOur speakers will be: \n\nJoan Van Gorp\, long-time member\, and past president of Friends of Neal Smith NWR and active participant in CORFA programs. Joan is heading up an effort to build a “nature store resource group”– we’ll let her explain it!\nSally Dery is the Merchandising Team Leader for Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands NWRs. They have a physical store (on an island!) and an online store.\nJanelle Wicks\, ED\, or Jill Bachman\, Nature Store Manager\, representing the Friends of Malheur NWR\, will describe their physical nature store and online shop. Janelle is also on our SHARE call planning team.\nMaria Montag\, President of Friends of California Condors Wild and Free\, will share their experience\, and hardships\, of experimenting with an online store. Maria is also on our SHARE call planning team.\n\nWe will also have 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 RSVP 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. \nDate: Tuesday\, April 28\, 2026 \nTime: 4:00 PM ET\, 3:00 PM CT\, 2:00 PM MT\, 1:00 PM PT \nRSVP: To coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by April 26th with Friends SHARE in the subject line. Register in advance to receive the zoom link. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends. \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\, Janelle Wicks \nP.S. We thank the National Wildlife Refuge Association for providing Zoom for the call. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-call/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-18-150733.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260415T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260415T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20260406T191908Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260406T191908Z UID:10000056-1776261600-1776265200@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Endowment for our Refuge's Future DESCRIPTION:Join us for a quick start to thinking about an Endowment to help secure the future of your Refuge.  There are many details involved\, but on this webinar\, we’ll give you an outline of how to start\, and what challenges to expect. Such as: \n\nDeciding what the purpose of your Endowment would be. This will vary a lot from refuge to refuge but deserves a lot of thought.\nFinding a Foundation or other organization to maintain and invest your Endowment\nCreating a starting mailing list\, or group of founding donors\nForm a committee to deal exclusively with the Endowment and fundraising\nMaintaining records and documenting progress\nReaching goal and deciding on disbursements\n\nOur presenters were instrumental in starting the endowment at Hakalau Forest NWR HI in 2015. It is now just short of $3M and they plan to reach $3.5M by the end of this calendar year. \nPresenters \n\nSharon Scott\, Board member of Friends of Hakalau Forest NWR\, and Chair of the Endowment Committee.  Co-Founder of Hakalau Endowment\nMike Scott\, Former Board member of Friends of Hakalau Forest\, and co-founder of Hakalau Endowment.  Mike was also a USFWS endangered species biologist in Hawaii from 1974-84\, and conducted a 5-year survey of all native forests on the main islands of Hawaii\, which contributed to identifying Hakalau Forest as a native bird “hot spot”\, and helped get the Refuge established.\n\nSharon and Mike have been involved with Hakalau for over 40 years\, and still work toward protecting its species and habitats. \nSign Up!\nWe look forward to seeing you then\, \nNational Wildlife Refuge Association &\nCoalition of Refuge Friends & Advocates URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/endowment-for-our-refuges-future/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-06-151240.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260324T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260324T170000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20260318T190818Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T190818Z UID:10000055-1774368000-1774371600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Friends SHARE Zoom Call DESCRIPTION:Get ready to SHARE! CORFA is hosting the next Friends SHARE zoom call and this month we’ll be focusing on the America 250/Freedom 250 initiatives planned for this year\, the difference between the two\, what the Department of Interior is doing and finding out what different Friends Groups are doing or planning to do. \nWe will also have open discussion rooms for small groups on topics of your choosing. \nPlease join us on Tuesday\, March 24th at 4:00 pm ET. Please RSVP by March 22nd and we will send you a zoom link for the call. Registration in advance to receive the zoom link. \nWe will also have 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 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. \nDate: Tuesday\, March 24\, 2026 \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\, 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-share-zoom-call-2/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-18-150733.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20260304T144551Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T121241Z UID:10000053-1773842400-1773846000@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Dark Skies and Wildlife DESCRIPTION:🌝 Just in time for International Dark Sky Week (April 13–20\, 2026)\, join us for a conversation about how nighttime light affects wildlife\, habitat\, and human health. 🌌 \nWhether urban\, rural\, or somewhere in between\, every national wildlife refuge has a nighttime light footprint. Bill Kowalik\, PhD\, Board Chair of DarkSky Oregon\, will share what light pollution means for wildlife and people\, plus practical steps we can take on refuges and in our communities to reduce our light footprint. \nJanelle Wicks\, Executive Director of Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge\, will highlight their annual Malheur After Dark event and share ideas for celebrating the night sky as a natural resource at your refuge. \nO’Brien Prize spotlight: During the webinar\, we will highlight Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge’s Malheur After Dark event\, a project supported in part by the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s 2024 O’Brien Prize for Refuge Friends. We will also share a brief update on the O’Brien Prize and ways Friends groups can start thinking about project ideas for this year’s opportunity\, request for proposals releasing soon! \nPresenters\nBill Kowalik\, PhD is the Board Chair and a founding board member of DarkSky Oregon. He has three degrees in the earth sciences and decades of experience in remote sensing and technology development. \nJanelle Wicks is the Executive Director of Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and helps lead community-based programs like Malheur After Dark that connect people to refuges through the night sky \nSign Up! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/dark-skies-and-wildlife-2/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/PAHR_NightSky_2022-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T170000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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;TZID=America/New_York:20260218T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260218T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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:20260511T195613 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:20260511T195613 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:20251217T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251217T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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;TZID=America/New_York:20251104T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251105T180000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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. \nTime 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 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:20250923T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250923T170000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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:20260511T195613 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/New_York:20250826T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250826T173000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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/New_York:20250728T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250728T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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:20260511T195613 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:20250521T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250521T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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:20250430T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250430T140000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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:20260511T195613 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/New_York:20250415T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T170000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 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 BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250312T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250312T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20250305T170932Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250305T185129Z UID:10000012-1741788000-1741791600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Rising to the Challenge: Introducing CORFA's New Tool to Help Friends Lead DESCRIPTION:The National Wildlife Refuge System needs us now more than ever. CORFA believes that a strong Refuge System starts with strong Friends. Join us for a webinar introducing a new tool created to streamline collaboration\, connections\, and resource sharing in the Friends community. \nFor years\, Friends Groups have played an indispensable role in filling the gap between what refuges and hatcheries need\, and what they receive from the federal government. Whether through fundraising\, volunteering\, or event planning\, Friends have become a vital conduit connecting refuges and hatcheries with their local communities. Yet the gap between what these lands need and what they receive is widening\, and the need for and pressure on Friends has never been higher. Friends Groups are uniquely positioned to rise to the challenge – and CORFA has been hard at work to build a new tool that provides a platform for Friends around the country to organize and ensure refuges and hatcheries thrive. \nIn this session\, we’ll explore how the platform can benefit your group\, improve collaboration among Friends around the country\, and empower your efforts to support your local refuges and hatcheries. Whether you’re looking to increase volunteer participation\, simplify event planning\, or connect with other groups\, this tool is designed with your needs in mind. \nSign Up!\nPresenter \n\nDustin Braden is a board member of the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates and a nonprofit consultant specializing in technology\, data visualization\, grant writing\, and web development. He also serves as an instructor of Environment and Sustainability at Ohio Wesleyan University. With an M.S. in Geography and Spatial Sciences from the University of Delaware\, Dustin brings a diverse background in science and technology\, communication\, and conservation. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/rising-to-the-challenge-introducing-corfas-new-tool-to-help-friends-lead/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-05-114813.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250108T133000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250108T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20250106T132855Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T132855Z UID:10000005-1736343000-1736348400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Developing Relationships & Connecting Refuges & Friends with Native Nations DESCRIPTION:Friends organizations and refuges are eager to build meaningful relationships with local Native Nations and other Indigenous groups. This webinar will offer practical guidance\, including key do’s and don’ts\, for fostering these connections. Our four panelists will share their experiences and insights on building relationships and creating connections between Refuges\, Friends organizations\, and Native Nations. Please join us and contribute to this conversation. \nPresenters \n\nAlan Kelley\, Board member of the Friends of Loess Bluffs NWR. Deputy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer\, Iowa Tribe of KS & NE\n Amy Lankford-Coffman National Tribal Co-Stewardship Coordinator\, National Wildlife Refuge System Headquarters U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service \n Annie Sorrell\, Park Ranger\, Visitor Services\, National Elk Refuge National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service \n Taylor Lipscomb\, PhD National Hatchery Operations Coordinator National Tribal Co-Stewardship Liaison\, Headquarters FAC US Fish and Wildlife Service\n\nCo-Facilitators  \n\nNatalie Gardetto\, Connected Communities Coordinator\, National Wildlife Refuge System Midwest Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n Willem Stoeller\, Member of CORFA and the Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge\n\nSign Up! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/developing-relationships-connecting-refuges-friends-with-native-nations/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-06-081849.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241218T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241218T170000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20241205T134645Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241205T134645Z UID:10000004-1734530400-1734541200@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:150 Years of Conservation: Highlights From USFWS Archives & DC Booth DESCRIPTION:Join us for a fascinating journey through 150 years of fish and wildlife conservation history\, as we explore rare artifacts and archival treasures from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This special webinar features live presentations from two of USFWS’s premier historical collections: the DC Booth Historic Fish Hatchery and the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) archives. Discover the stories behind these artifacts and learn how they illustrate the evolution of conservation in America.\n\nPresenters\n\n\nMark Madison\, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Historian\n\n\nApril Gregory\, Curator\, DC Booth Historic Fish Hatchery\n\n\nSign Up! URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/150-years-of-conservation-highlights-from-usfws-archives-dc-booth/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screenshot-2024-12-05-082229.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241217T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241217T170000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20241205T131054Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241205T131837Z UID:10000003-1734451200-1734454800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:December 2024 - Friends SHARE DESCRIPTION:CORFA is hosting the next monthly Friends SHARE Zoom call on Tuesday\, December 17th at 4 PM Eastern Time. \nThis month we are focusing on Winter Events! \nJoin us for an informal discussion of fun winter refuge and hatchery activities and events. \nWhat event does your Friends Group host or participate in on your refuge or hatchery? What works\, what doesn’t? \nShare your ideas and maybe make some new plans! And we will also have our open discussion room for those who want to discuss other topics. \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\, December 17th\, 2024\nTime: 4:00 PM ET\, 3:00 PM CT\, 2:00 PM MT\, 1:00 PM PT \nRSVP: To coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by December 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. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/december-2024-friends-share/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/17-oct-24.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241119T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241119T210000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20241108T235228Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241109T171527Z UID:10000001-1732046400-1732050000@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:November 2024 Friends SHARE DESCRIPTION:Do you ever just need to talk to a Friend? Then Friends SHARE is for you. It is a Zoom call that gives you a chance to share with other Friends and get and give advice. \nCORFA is hosting the next Friends SHARE Zoom call on November 19th at 8pm eastern! This call is an opportunity to: \nGet to know other Friends.\nGet support.\nAsk questions – get answers.\nShare ideas and resources.\nProblem solve. \nDuring the Zoom call you will join small breakout rooms of your choice. Fellow Friends members will facilitate the breakout rooms. You have the option of joining a breakout room on a specific topic or joining one where participants can discuss whatever is on their mind. Breakout rooms for the November are:\nNature Stores – Holiday Sales preparations\nOpen Room Discussions \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 November 17th with Friends SHARE in the subject line. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends group and what breakout room you want to join. The breakout rooms are listed above\, you will be assigned to the room of your choice at the beginning of the Zoom call. URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/november-friends-share/ CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE 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/New_York:20241118T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241118T150000 DTSTAMP:20260511T195613 CREATED:20241110T010609Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241110T111443Z UID:10000002-1731938400-1731942000@coalitionofrefugefriends.com SUMMARY:Capitol Conversations: Updates Budget Insights for the Refuge System DESCRIPTION:Webinar: Monday\, November 18th\, 2 – 3 pm ET \nJoin us for an exclusive webinar featuring Desirée Sorenson-Groves\, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association\, as she provides an update on the latest legislative issues impacting the National Wildlife Refuge System. Desirée will cover critical topics\, including the fiscal year 2025 budget\, supplemental funding for natural disaster recovery\, and other legislative priorities that may influence the Refuge System. She will also share insights on potential changes under a new Administration and what they could mean for the future of our national wildlife refuges. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from one of the leading voices in wildlife conservation policy and learn about the latest developments affecting national wildlife refuges. \nPresenter \n\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 prong 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/capitol-conversations-updates-budget-insights-for-the-refuge-system/ CATEGORIES:Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-09-195318.png ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR