Refuge Week Activities Planned

This year, your Friends group has joined with the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex to celebrate Refuge Week by inviting the founder of the refuge system and our 26th President, Teddy Roosevelt (in the person of Joe Wiegand) to join us.  Joe performs around the country (including at The White House) and will share with us his insights into the heart and mind of one of our most colorful presidents. 

 Come join your friends and neighbors to help us celebrate! 
          

Joe Wiegand as Teddy Rooseveldt.

 Date: Friday, October 7th, 2011
Time: 7-9 PM

LOCATION: Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn, Hilton Head Island

Joe Wiegand will perform one of his TR presentations for Friends members only.  You may join or renew your membership at the door.  Admission is free to Friends members (one ticket for an Individual member, two tickets for a family Membership) but due to limited seating, reservations are required.  To reserve your spot e-mail webmaster@coastalrefuges.org.
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Date:  Saturday, October 8th, 2011
Time:  9 AM - 4:30 PM
Location: Savannah NWR Visitor Center  

A full day of activities is planned for kids and adults alike, including three presentations by TR.  Check out what's on tap

 HERE.  No reservations are required and all events are free.
-------------------------------------------------------------------Sunday, October 9th, 2011
Time: 1 PM - 4 PM
Location: The Georgia Queen Riverboat, River Street, Savannah, GA 
More:  We have teamed with Savannah Riverboat Cruises to offer a special treat - a three-hour cruise up the Savannah River into the Savannah NWR with performances by TR and presentations by F&WS staff.  The cruise is open to the public, but we have secured tickets which will be distributed to Friends group members on a first-come, first-served basis.  Individual members may request one free ticket, Family members may request two tickets.  Additional tickets are available for $15 each (to a maximum of 4 tickets per membership).  On-board kids activities are planned.
     These are cruise only tickets and do not include the buffet lunch (which you may purchase separately).  Once these tickets are gone, you may purchase tickets from the Savannah Riverboat Cruises website at their regular price.  Call 843-784-2468 for details and to make your reservations, or click HERE.  Don't delay, these tickets will go quickly!!

Youth Hunter Awareness Day

One of the wildlife-dependent activities that the US Fish and Wildlife Service promotes is managed hunting on selected refuges.  The Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex is sponsoring a Youth Hunting Awareness Day at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center on Saturday, September 24, 2011.  This is a free event for the whole family!

Click HERE to see the announcement.

Refuge System Under Attack!
 

CNN has discovered the Refuge System and Friends thanks to the Friends of Great Swamp NWR in New Jersey!

CNN has created a video addressing the impacts of budget cuts on the Refuge System and what Friends are doing to raise revenue.

With serious federal budget cuts for our refuges on the horizon, the need to recruit and train additional volunteers is more pressing than ever! Volunteers and Refuge Friends do approximately 20% of all work on national wildlife refuges - the equivalent of 648 full time employees and worth more than $28 million!

Refuge Friends Groups around the country are using their own resources to maintain our National Wildlife Refuge System. Watch this video where Evan Hirsche, NWRA President, talks about the importance of supporting our refuges and the NWRA Refuge Friends Program. To view the video, click HERE. 

Leadership Change for US F&WS

Update from the National Wildlife Refuge Association

NWRA reports that Dan Ashe has been confirmed as the new Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. Senate confirmed Ashe on June 30, 2011, several months after being nominated to the position by President Obama in early December 2010. His nomination was held up by a few individual Senators seeking to secure guarantees by the Department of Interior over many non-FWS related issues.

NWRA also congratulates Gregory Siekaniec for his appointment as Deputy Director for Policy of the FWS. A career FWS employee for more than two decades, Siekaniec has served as the Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System since 2009. Most recently, he oversaw the Conserving the Future process to create a reinvigorated vision to guide the Refuge System to meet the challenges of the next decade. The new vision was ratified in July, and reflects more than 10,000 comments submitted from refuge supporters across America. "We're confident that Greg is exceptionally qualified to provide strategic program direction to the Fish and Wildlife Service in these challenging economic times," said NWRA President Evan Hirsche.

Save Big at "The Gator Hole"

During Refuge Week activities at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center, save 20% on all merchandise at "The Gator Hole".  Check out our shirts, hats, books, jewelry, and educational toys and stock up for the holidays!