April's monthly FLMSP meeting opened with a positive report from Donna Leigh King, an independent Fund Development Consultant who assessed the organization's readiness to achieve fundraising success. Donna had high praise for the group, commenting that it scored higher in organizational credibility, business best practices, and financial health than many nonprofits she counsels with budgets twenty times greater than ours. She gave kudos for our active volunteer base, measurable accomplishments, and strategic plan; from the financial angle, she praised business and accounting practices that go above and beyond the standard, steady growth without operating deficits, and secure and mission-consistent sources of funding.

Aaron Rourke, Adopt-a-Trail coordinator, reported the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) has made available 150 pine seedlings to be planted near the trail; we need to choose the sites. The first berm mowing by ODNR will be around May 15, so Adopt-a-Trail crews will focus on removing downed branches along the berm before then. Aaron stressed the need for co-adopters for all sections of the trail. Recent FLMSP trail improvements include the success of honeysuckle spraying on the southern half of the trail, and clearing and planting of an intersection near Spring Valley. Read more

I don't know which of the Fosters-based Adopt-a-Trail crew these gloves belong to, but I'm pretty sure it's either Paul Morgan or Don Hahn. Both P&G retirees, these men co-adopted the two sections of trail between Grandin Road (old Peters factory) and Nesbit Park in Loveland, and they were wearing out gloves working on the trail long before that.