Evergreen Audubon Elections
Evergreen Audubon will vote for the 2025 Board of Directors at the chapter meeting on Tuesday, December 3, at 6:30 pm at the Church of the Transfiguration. Current members are encouraged to vote in person or by proxy. Family memberships get two votes. If you can’t attend the meeting, send me an email “proxy vote” at President@EvergreenAudubon.org no later than 5:00 pm that day.
The 2025 slate is as follows:
Continuing on the board: Ann Dodson, Secretary; Chris Marr, Treasurer; and Linda Engelhart, At Large.
New to the board: Kim Hamilton.
Do you know Kim? She and her family moved to Evergreen in 2013 (her husband grew up here) and for several years Kim was a busy parent volunteer, first at the Montessori school, and then at Evergreen High School. Now retired and with an empty nest, Kim seems to show up whenever Evergreen Audubon needs help – I saw her earlier today (11/24), helping with the wreath sale. A talented artist, Kim has donated artwork to the BASH and BENEFIT and to the nature center gift shop and she is interested in getting more involved in our conservation work and helping with fundraising.
I Love Colorado Gives Day
“Colorado Gives Day is easily the best day to give.” Todd and I do most of our annual giving through the Colorado Gives website and it is a cinch. If you have already given to Evergreen Audubon this year, thank you! You are part of our success.
Your gifts allow us to keep the Evergreen Nature Center open year-round and to offer nature education and citizen science activities for our community through after-school programs, classroom visits, day camps, chapter programming and so much more. Our biggest expenses are rent, utilities, payroll, and other operating costs such as supplies and equipment – not fancy stuff but never-the-less critical to what we are all about: Fostering contagious enthusiasm for nature and the environment.
If you haven’t had a chance to contribute this year, or if you would like to make another gift, it’s easy. Anytime between now and December 10th, go to ColoradoGives.org – this is the direct link to donate to Evergreen Audubon. Then follow the easy step-by-step instructions. You can make donations to numerous organizations, pay once, and get an itemized receipt to use at tax time.
Of course, you can always give through www.EvergreenAudubon.org (click the “Donate” button), or by sending a check (PO Box 523, Evergreen, CO 80437).
Read more about the advantages of giving through Colorado Gives.
Christmas Bird Count
Did you know that Evergreen Audubon has participated in the Christmas Bird Count every year since 1968 – the year we were founded as The Evergreen Naturalists? And that the day has always ended with a Tally Rally and celebratory pot-luck chili dinner? Intrepid group that we are, we didn’t even miss the Covid 19 years like many other chapters, thanks to good planning and the miracle of Zoom.
I was fascinated to learn that the first Christmas Bird Count was held on Christmas Day, 1900. A member of the recently formed Audubon Society “proposed a new holiday tradition…a Christmas Bird Census that would count birds…rather than hunt them.” For more information about the history of the Christmas Bird Count and how the data are used, check out: History of the Christmas Bird Count – National Audubon Society.
For many of us, the Christmas Bird Count is the highlight of the Evergreen Audubon year. You’ll find more information in this newsletter, in your email inbox, and on the Evergreen Audubon website.
Annual Banquet
Another highlight of the year is the January Annual Banquet. This year the Banquet will be held a bit earlier than usual, on JANUARY 10 at HIWAN GOLF CLUB. We will celebrate “Bird of the Year,” award the hard-earned Birding Challenge caps, get updated on Evergreen Nature Center and all our other activities, recognize our many volunteers, and install the 2025 Board of Directors. More information and the RSVP/registration is on the 2025 Annual Banquet webpage. PLEASE BE SURE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT BY DECEMBER 30.
Calling all Dippers
If you have been a volunteer in the past, you may have received the coveted “Royal Order of the Dipper” award in the form of a Dipper (bird) painted on a Dipper (ladle). We hope that you are enjoying your Dipper. Perhaps it is proudly displayed in your living room or office. On the other hand, if by any chance your Dipper is in a box in your basement or garage, we would appreciate having it back so that it can be presented to other worthy volunteers. Thank you.
Magnetic Car Signs
There have been a variety of magnetic car signs used over the years – for the Christmas Bird Count and for staff or volunteers on official business. If you have one, please return it, either at a chapter meeting or to the nature center. We need to make new ones and we don’t want to make more than necessary. Thank you.