Since the last newsletter, your Friends group has received membership renewals from: Debbie Orlamanski, Dr. Bill and Carol Megathlin, Doug Herrick, Amy Ochoa, Richard Fanning, Clem Dietze, and Katy Monnier.

---------------------------------

Our special thanks to Dennis and Francine Baer who renewed at the Patron Level (assisted by a matching grant from a previous employer) and attained Life Membership and Eugene Kefrl who renewed at the Supporter level.

--------------------------------------

New Friends Group members: Jimmy and Sandy Wood, Wallace Moye, Carolyn Zimmerman, Dan and Ruth Vogt, Cara O'Rourke, Doug and Eileen Berchem, Mary Sweeny-Reeves, and Joan Patterson.

Special thanks to Howard Purvis who achieved Life Membership by joining at the Patron Level.

Welcome to the Friends!

How about you?

It's never too late! If your membership has lapsed you can update or upgrade it on our website, by mail, or in person at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center. Memberships are now based on the date your payment is received rather than on the calendar year. So today is a good time to renew!

Not sure if you are current? E-mail webmaster@coastal refuges.org and you'll receive the info, or go to the website and click on "Forgot Password" and enter the email address you used when you joined. If the site doesn't find you, you are not current.

Not a member yet? Choose your membership level from the list below and send in your check or join on the website. Membership dues and donations 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 donated)

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

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

Benefactor Level $1000 or more (includes Life Membership)

Download our membership application HERE.

More Thanks in Order

The Information Desk and The Gator Hole at Savannah NWR would not function without the dedicated volunteers who answer questions, hand out maps, and ring up sales. So far in 2012 we have raised more $23,000 in sales and donations at The Gator Hole. Thanks to everyone who gives of their time to make it happen!

************************

Focus on Friends

Around our region...

The Southeast Regional Office of the US F&WS puts out a quarterly bulletin called "Focus on Friends" that details activities of other Friends groups around the southeast. Click HERE to see the latest and access the archive of previous issues.

Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges Board of Directors and Officers:
--------------------------------

Rick Shields, President

Allyn Schneider, Vice-President
Dot Bambach, Secretary
Tim Kilty, Treasurer
Dave Chafin
John "Crawfish" Crawford
Linda Etchells
Sharon Lindsay

Friends Group Board of Directors
Your Board of Directors meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center. As always, all members are invited to attend, take part in discussions, and share your ideas with the Board. Our next meeting is on Thursday, October 25, 2012.

Calling all volunteers!

The success of Friends Group activities depends on you! If you would like to help out at the Savannah NWR visitor center, or assist with other projects, please sign up at webmaster@coastalrefuges.org

Friends:

Fall is in the air, and that means it is time for National Wildlife Refuge Week. Wassaw Island NWR is our featured refuge this year and we are assisting the FWS in celebrating with a boat ride to the refuge and a full day of activities on the island. Tickets for the boat ride had all been spoken for, but because of some cancellations , a few seats are now available. If you want to join the festivities, call Amy at 843-784-2468 Ext 111 to check on availability. Riverboat tickets are also available. See the article below for details about this and other refuge week activities. Please take lots of pictures and send some in for the next newsletter!
*****
Speaking of photos. the Friends group is also announcing our first Refuge Photo Contest. Many of you enhance your outdoor activities by taking pictures of the natural beauty that surrounds us. See how you can share your favorite images and maybe win a prize by entering. See the article below for details.
*****
Thanks so much to all of you who responded to our appeal for volunteers to staff the Visitor center at Savannah NWR. There are still a few empty slots , but the schedule looks much healthier now.
*****
We are still looking for stories about what you are doing on our refuges. if you are involved in Friends group or volunteer activities, please send in brief reports of your activities (with photos if possible) for posting on our web site or in this newsletter. Sharing these stories helps to spread our message of preserving wildlife and wildlife habitats, and show how rewarding being a volunteer can be.
*****
Also, be sure to check out our website for access to more resources and to review our list of upcoming events.
*****
"Work to make a living...Volunteer to make a difference!"

****************************************************

Refuge Week 2012 Activities

National Wildlife Refuge Week is almost here! There are a number of events scheduled that highlight the importance and beauty of the refuge system.

*****

Once again this year in support of National Wildlife Refuge Week, the Swampgirls Paddle Club will lead two kayak tours of the Savannah River and donate the proceeds to the Friends group. Both tours will be led by Friends group Board of Directors member Linda Etchells and friends. Contact Linda at swampchicks@aol.com for details.

*****

Our friends at Water-Dog Outfitters are sponsoring special activities on Pinckney Island NWR to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week.

Hayrides, kayak tours, bike trips and hikes that put the beauty of the refuge on display are scheduled throughout the week. The trips are all guided by an interpretive naturalist.

Water-Dog owners David and Lisa Fleming have sponsored these activities during Refuge Week for years, and always contribute a portion of their proceeds to FWS and the Friends group.

Read the Water-Dog flyer, or check out their web site.

*****

On Saturday the 13th we will leave by boat from Delegal Creek Marina at The Landings (map) at 8:30 AM and plan to return by 4:00 PM. Activities on Wassaw will include beach ecology hikes, bird banding demonstrations, bird observation hikes, a photography workshop, and a special presentation by our favorite ex-president, Teddy Roosevelt (as portrayed by Joe Wiegand, back by popular demand).

2012 refuge week flyer

There is no charge for any of the activities, but reservations are required since seating on the boats is limited. Guests must be at least 8 years old to sail with us. For more info or to reserve your seats, call Amy at 843-784-2468 Ext 111.

Saturday's activities are presented in partnership with the University of Georgia's Marine Extension Service. Many thanks to Friends group Directors Crawfish Crawford and Bob Williams for helping to make this day happen.

FWS staff have put in many hours on preparing for this event, some of them will be sleeping out on the island the night before to complete the preparations. Please be sure to thank them for all their hard work.

*****

On Sunday the 14th, we will gather on River Street in downtown Savannah at 12:30 PM for a three-hour narrated tour of the Savannah River and the Savannah NWR aboard the Georgia Queen Riverboat. Refuge staff and "TR" will provide the commentary as we sail through a seldom-visited portion of the refuge. This cruise was a big hit last year, so if you missed it then, don't make the same mistake again! "TR", the "father" of the National Wildlife Refuge System, is a tremendously entertaining and informative presence on the cruise.

A buffet lunch may be purchased with your ticket . Drinks and snacks are also on sale aboard, or you may "brown-bag" it. Tickets are available by phone at 912-232-6404 or online at Savannah Riverboat Cruises. Tickets for adults are $22.95 ($42.99 with lunch), and $14.30 for kids 3-12 ($24.20 with lunch).

There are a limited number of complimentary tickets available to Friends members (they do not include the lunch). If you are a Friend, call Amy at 843-784-2468 Ext 111 about ticket availability before buying a ticket from Savannah Riverboat.

Here is Amy's Info Sheet about the tickets.

A shout-out to FWS staff Monica Harris, Amy Ochoa, and Christine Fox for their work in putting this all together, and to Savannah Riverboat Cruises for their willingness to cruise with us again.

*****

Friends Group Strategic Planning Retreat

Your Board of Directors and other interested Friends members had a stimulating and productive Strategic Planning Retreat on September 14th and 15th. We decided on eight main areas of focus and developed goals for each of the next five years in each area.

Joan Patterson, our facilitator, summarized the work of the group and presented a draft to the BOD. At our last meeting we elected to focus initially on four of the areas and assigned Board members and others to each of the four areas (Governance and Capacity Building, Financial, Stewardship, and Communications). If you are interested in participating in this very important on-going process, please contact us.

Friends Group Photo Contest

Calling all photographers!!

The Friends group is sponsoring a photography contest for photos taken on one of our refuges in three categories and in two age group. We are currently accepting entries that meet our contest criteria. Winning entries in addition to cash prizes and gift certificates, will be displayed at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center.

photo contest flyer

See our contest flyer and Contest Rules for the details.

Gopher Tortoise Conservation Plan

(adapted from an article by Stacy Shelton)

gopher tortoise

An ambitious, range-wide conservation plan developed by Georgia, Florida and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is aimed at keeping gopher tortoises off the federal endangered species list. The Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the gopher tortoise, the only tortoise native to the Southeast, should be protected under the Endangered Species Act in the eastern part of the species' range.

To Read more click HERE.

Blackbeard Island NWR Adventure

(Thanks to Tracy Toogood for article and photos)

Many of us know little about the refuges in the southern end of the complex (Harris Neck, Blackbeard, and Wolf Island NWR's). Friends group member and FWS volunteer Tracy Toogood had the good fortune to explore Blackbeard Island and sent in this story and and photos. If you have a story or images you'd like to share, please send them to webmaster@coastalrefuges.org.

*****

"An extraordinary opportunity became reality for a group of ten nature enthusiasts who traveled to Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, May 12, 2012. The trip began shortly after 9am as the group met at the Barbour River boat ramp just east of Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge. A few of us (me included) met at the incorrect boat ramp (yes, there are two). Our boat captain, Field Biologist Chris Depkin, made a quick drive-by to inform us of our error and show us where we were supposed to be. Life-vests donned we made good time cutting across Sapelo Sound and up the (un-named?) creek to the Refuge Headquarters/Dock. The list of birds included herein is provided courtesy of Sandy Beasley, Vic Carpenter and Maureen Leong-Kee."

For Tracy's full report and photos click HERE.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, send your comments, articles, photos, or ideas for articles to: webmaster@coastalrefuges.org.

Sincerely,

Rick Shields
President
Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges, Inc.