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Bird Feeding Station at Savannah NWR Visitor Center

With the help of a local Boy Scout Troop and Friends group members a new bird-feeding station has been built at the Visitor Center.  The finishing touches will be completed tomorrow, but already the site has been discovered by hundreds of our feathered friends (HINT:  how about one of you birders out there compile a list of the birds that are visiting so we can give visitors an idea of what they might see?).

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Mark your calendars:

          The Third Annual General Membership Meeting for the Friends group is coming up!  Your Board of Directors is debating two dates.  One is Friday, March 25th in the evening, the other is a daytime meeting the next day, Saturday the 26th.  Our first two meetings have been in the evening, but we are considering expanding the format to include a plenary session to discuss what our members want the Friends to do in the coming few years and to include an outdoor activity in which members could participate.

          What do you think?  Let me know if you would prefer a Friday night (say 7-9 PM) or a Saturday (say 9AM-2PM ) with an optional activity.  Just e-mail me at webmaster@coastalrefuges.org with your preference

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A view of the first General membership Meeting , March 2009
 

      There are many ways to get involved with the Friends.  You can staff the information desk at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center.  You can work in The Gator Hole, our nature and book store.  You can also volunteer for clean-up and improvement projects on many of the refuges.  You can help develop and participate in environmental education and invasive species projects.

      One important way that you can help build and grow the Friends is to assume a leadership role on a committee or on the Board of Directors.  At the General membership meeting in March we will need to fill two vacant Board seats.  You don't need to run a cash register, drive a tractor or clean out a wood duck house to be able to contribute.  If you are interested in running for a Board of Directors seat, just let me know  (webmaster@coastalrefuges.org).  No experience is necessary, just the desire to see your Friends group grow and prosper.

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Thanks to renewing members!
 

          We have received membership renewals for Dr Robert and Erica Rollings and their son, Jackson Rollings; Mark Yeager and Janet Ritter; Peter Range; Charles and Melinda Powell; Doug Herrick and Louise Roberts; Bob Blair; Chuck and Elizabeth Prine; Sandra Beasley;  Twila Gray; Mike and Wendy Cotterill; Cindy Oprita; Joe and Cathy Ginett;  Richard Matheny; Michael Boggs; and Shaw Davis 
 

And a special Friends group thanks to...

• Sandy and Charlie Haines who renewed again at the Sponsor Level.

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How about you?
 

        Friends Group memberships are based on calendar years, so now is the time to renew your membership for 2011.  If you are up for renewal, you should have received an e-mail or US mail reminder.  You can renew on the website using PayPal, or send us a check at the address below (that saves us the PayPal surcharge).
 

Not a member?  Choose your membership level and from the list below and send in your check.  Membership dues are tax deductible.
 

Giving a gift membership is also a great gift idea.
 

Individual             $15 per year. 

Family                  $25 per year

Supporter Level   $100-249 (with one year family membership for each $100)

Sponsor Level      $ 250-$499 ( with one year Family membership for each $100)  
 

Patron Level        $ 500-$999 (includes Life membership)

Benefactor Level $1000 or more (includes Life membership)

Download our membership application HERE. 
 

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RV campers at Harris Neck NWR

Chuck & Kay Homme of Fairbanks, AK are now camping at Harris Neck NWR.  They have been coming south to volunteer with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for the past nine years and have volunteered on seven refuges. Chuck is an avid hunter & fisherman while Kay likes to feed/watch birds, take pictures, cook and walk. They both enjoy national wildlife refuges and find it a great way to give back just a little for all the fun they have on them. Also, they see it as a great way to see the United States plus make great friends along the way.
 

Both of them were born, worked and raised their five children in Minnesota.  After they retired, they volunteered for AK State Parks in Fairbanks, AK and fell in love with the area. They built a cabin outside of Fairbanks, worked on the North Slope in a remote camp where they had some great (& not so great) experiences. They choose to leave when the frosty mornings start and the sandhill cranes have flown south for the winter.  This is their fourth time at Harris Neck NWR and it is their favorite refuge to volunteer.

David & Janet Free have been traveling and volunteering fulltime (from Alaska to Florida) since they retired in 2002.  Most of their volunteering has been with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  Being a part of the RV team at Harris Neck NWR has been a major highlight of those ninr years.  The friendliness and comraderie of the staff and fellow volunteers has been very special.  Even though not full-fledged birders, the Free's really like to watch birds and wildlife and are learning to identify many of them.  

            They both enjoy exploring and learning about the history and culture of the area.  David enjoys working in maintenance, especially with the heavy equipment.  Janet also enjoys the visitor center, and doing some outside work as well as getting to know new people. 

            Next time you get to the Neck, stop by, say "Hi", and thank the Free's and the Homme's for their service.
 

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Harbor Deepening:

          The comment period for the recently-released Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Savannah harbor deepening has ended.  Comments can be viewed HERE.         
 

          The Friends group Board of Directors submitted a brief comment to the Corps of Engineers which can be viewed HERE.  This project promises to have a major negative environmental impact on our region and on the Savannah NWR in particular, but is not a done deal.  There have been a number of negative reactions coming in.  Keep up with the action at our resource page on the Friends Group website.  Click HERE to check it out.      

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 Ever wonder what other Friends groups around our region are doing?  The Regional office publishes a quarterly newsletter called "Focus on Friends" highlighting activities that the service and volunteers are involved in.  Take a few minutes to check it out HERE.

If you want to recive the newsletter as it comes out via e-mail, just let me know.