March 2010
Patrick Painting

Red-tail News 

Red-tail Conservancy 
preserves, protects, and restores 
   natural areas and farm land 
in east central Indiana 
while increasing awareness 
of our natural heritage.
 

RTC Partners With MOM

   The second part of Red-tail Conservancy's mission expresses our intention to "increase awareness of our natural heritage".
We have held numerous events and programs over the years to share our knowledge and love of nature with school groups as well as adults.  This picture was taken at a session we held last year at the Red-tail Nature Preserve  for the Environmental Science class of Cowan High School.
Students at RTNP  This summer Red-tail Conservancy will undertake our  most extensive nature education program to-date when we partner with Motivate our Minds  to provide opportunities for "city kids" to enjoy  and learn about nature. 

     Motivate Our Minds is a program aimed at helping "under-served" students from Delaware County by providing enrichment, tutoring, and a positive learning atmosphere for the children it serves. 
      The program will focus on the four "W's" of nature: Wildflowers, Woods, Water, and Wetlands and  will include fourteen presentations.  The Water sessions will include in-house slide shows by RTC board member and Director Emeritus of the Muncie Bureau of Water Quality, John Craddock.  The remaining sessions will take place on local natural areas owned or protected by Red-tail Conservancy.
      We are most grateful to MOM's Executive Director, Monique Armstrong and Education Director, Gerald Hazlet.  Their enthusiastic approach to scheduling and planning have made this program possible.  Credit also goes to Red-tail's Volunteer Coordinator, Mary Beth Lambert, for her participation in sorting out the logistics as well as leading  sessions on Wetlands.
In This Issue
RTC Partners With MOMs
RTC Welcomes Volunteer Coordinator
FLIGHT....for the land!
Red-tail Birdathon
      RTC         
BOARD MEMBERS
President
Sheryl Myers
Vice-President
Sharon Stoops
Recorder
Pamela Varick
Treasurer
Michael Galliher

Members
Carla Caudill-Waechter
John Craddock
Jud Fisher
Jack Henricks
Jeffrey Hyman
Kyle Johnson
Ray Montagno
Rich Nicholson
Dennis Nixon
J Ryan Rutter
Warren VanderHill

Executive Director
Barry Banks

765-288-2587
redtail2@att.net
www.fortheland.org
     Red-tail has a new Volunteer Coordinator!

Students at S-CNPHI! I would like to introduce myself. I am Mary Beth Lambert, the new Volunteer Coordinator for  Red-tail Conservancy.  I know, I know...probably not the person you want to necessarily hear from, but I am hoping to spread the love of nature around! 

With a 300+  membership,  I am sure we can find something for everyone to do, and for no one person to be doing everything!  So I am sounding the call to arms for the 2010 season....if you are interested in any way to help with upcoming events or stewardship duties please send me an email and let me know how you would like to help!  I promise not to bother you too much!  Even when I see you out and about in town...as long as you have signed up for at least one activity!

For those of you who feel you cannot come out and help due to scheduling issues or physical limitations, I have a very special opportunity for you!  Volunteers are a must for an organization such as Red-tail.  We need to support them, so I need a few good people for the Volunteer Support System!  If you can bake, make coffee, fill water jugs or pick up bagels, you are just what I am looking for as a member of the team!  We can be sure that our volunteers have the fuel and energy to keep up the great work that helps keep Red-tail Conservancy moving forward. 

Upcoming Events where you can help out!

April 24th Ecoblitz at John M Craddock Wetland Nature Preserve.

Number of volunteers is limitless. This is an all day event of species identification within the boundaries of the Nature Preserve. You may volunteer for any length of time throughout the day, also we will need a few good people for prep and night counts!

May 1st Red-tail Conservancy Annual Bird-a-thon!

Once again we are asking you to spend a potion of this day out "doing a little birding".  What a great way to help raise money for Red-tail!!!   All you have to do is put together a team (you could be on a team by yourself but it would be more fun with others!), ask people to sponsor you for a small sum of money per each species you identify, and then off you go to spend some time outdoors! This takes a little bit of planning in order to get sponsorships,  but if you organize you team next week that allows for 6 weeks of fundraising!  Please let me know if you are putting together a team and the names of each member.  Don't forget, if you cannot get out and about much, you can always count what you see in your yard or neighborhood!

May 2nd Yuhas Woods Wildflower Celebration;  2pm to 6 pm  

As always we will be looking for those of you who can help out with leading groups on tours and helping with greeting and such. Barry will be contacting a few people for these duties. If you would like to help out in other ways we will need some prep work on the trail, a little clean up etc.

You can reach me at mblambert64@gmail.com or 765-760-1779

FLIGHT....for the land!
      Helen and Al 

In February's edition of "Red-tail News" we announced Dr. Helen Steussy and her daughter, Al's epic bicycle journey across America in support of Red-tail Conservancy and land conservation throughout the land.  You'll recall that Helen and Al will be biking 3,630 miles from Oregon to New Hampshire in an effort to raise money and awareness of land conservation across our country. It will take them 50 days and many thousands of feet of elevation to traverse the Cascades, the Rockies, the Black Hills and the Appalachians in their journey from Pacific to Atlantic.

Now our fund-raising campaign is in full swing.  We have received a matching pledge of $1,000.00 that will double all donations received on behalf of "FLIGHT...for the land" in the month of March!
 
Donating could not be easier...just click on this link:
                              http://fortheland.org/donations/index.php

Or mail your check with "FLIGHT" on the memo line to:
                              RTC
                              PO Box 8
                              Muncie IN 47308-0008
     

Your donations must be received by March 31 to take advantage of this matching pledge.  We have a total of $275.00 to date, so please help us take advantage of this generous pledge by donating today!  


      You can follow the progress of  their journey from Astoria, Oregon (June 20) to Portsmouth, New Hampshire (August 9) by:


                                            or
Red-tail Birdathon--Saturday, May 1
Students at RTNP
    Just a reminder to start planning for the ninth annual Red-tail Birdathon.  Contact your teammates, set the date on your calendar, and start rounding up those pledges. 
    We have an exciting new schedule this year.  The award ceremony for Most Species Identified and Most Money Raised will be held the next day, 5pm, at our Spring Wildflower Celebration at Yuhas Woods!  To qualify for the awards, you must have your pledges before May 1st and be present the next day at Yuhas Woods.  
    We'll have  fabulous prizes, fabulous woodland wildflowers,  fabulous(?) food, and fabulous people with which to enjoy the weekend.  Count on this being a Red-tail Birdathon to remember.