Chapter News & Announcements

Here’s to Another Successful Bash!

Posted on Author Kathy Madison

The annual Evergreen Audubon Bash and Benefit on Friday, April 28th was a huge success – We raised well over $15,000 (after expenses) and we aren’t done yet! I’m sure we are going to set another record once the online wildlife print auction closes and folks who couldn’t join us at the event make last minute online donations. I was thrilled to see so many new folks come out to support Evergreen Audubon, our Nature Center, and educational programming. Many thanks to all the businesses and individuals who donated items for the silent auction and for the wonderful generosity of those who attended and contributed. We couldn’t have done it without you all!

old 1-story cabin with wrap-around porch and center chimney
Nature Center’s New Home (c) Carol Burdick

Early in the evening, we shared the news about the Evergreen Nature Center’s new home. We are moving into the Bancroft House on the campus of the Church of the Transfiguration. It’s just east of town on Highway 74 (across from Meadow Drive). The historical building is going to be perfect for housing the nature center and our office, plus it has plenty of storage and parking. We will also have access to Bancroft Meadows along Bear Creek for outdoor programming, access to Douglas Hall for special events, and access to the Church for our chapter meetings. We couldn’t be more pleased with the new location! We will spend most of May getting organized and plan to introduce the new nature center to the public through a series of open houses and fun programs starting in June.

A smiling man holding cups in each hand. A woman holding a cup and raising her silent auction bid. The bid sheet is on a table covered with a white table cloth.
Marcia raising Her Silent Auction Bid (c) Linda Engelhart

Getting back to the Bash recap, fun was had by all as folks vied for the winning bids on the silent auction – with Chuck Aid’s personal birding trip getting the most attention. Ron Belak, Peg Linn, Melissa, and Todd Leasia combined funds for the winning bid and will be joining Chuck for this trip! The raffle station was abuzz all evening, raising over $1,700 in ticket sales. Ann and Ed Dodson were the very lucky winners of Brad and Heather’s birding trip. A special shout-out and thank you to Brad, Heather, and Chuck for donating their time and knowledge!

A young boy drinking a Coke, a woman, two men then another woman, all standing at a stand-up cocktail table and laughing. Behind them are windows with sun streaming through and rafters hung with decorative lights.
Fun for all ages (Photo credit: Linda Engelhart)

Bash attendees were amazingly generous with their donations during the paddle-raise. Emma Vasicek, our Executive Director, asked for help funding Explore More After School Programs, School Programming Scholarships, investigation tools, a new scat exhibit, care for our ambassador animals (Jennifer the bull snake and Moco our tiger salamander), a new enclosure for Jennifer, nature center rent, and general operating funds. We fell short of our request for Jennifer’s enclosure and we would love to raise additional programming and scholarship funds. If you can donate toward these items, please consider making an online paddle-raise. Let’s see if we can raise another $5,000 to reach an even bigger record-breaking sum.

A man and a woman sitting at a table. They are filling out raffle tickets. There is a taxidermy bob cat on the talbe and you can see other tables and a screen with a slide show behind them.
Dick and Sherry filling out Raffle (c) Linda Engelhart
Three couples sitting at a table, smiling at the camera. Behind them are other people sitting at tables and a log wall.
Bash and Benefit: Tables for 8 (c) Linda Engelhart
A blonde woman smiling sitting at a table and smiling at the camera. There are other tables behind her with people at them, a line of people behind the tables, and windows in the background.
Ann is having a good time (c) Linda Engelhart

We displayed several of the online silent auction wildlife prints at the Bash along with a looping slide show of all the prints. It definitely piqued folks’ interest; I noticed several new bids on Saturday morning. There is still plenty of time to make your bids, the auction doesn’t close until noon on Friday, May 5th.

Several years ago we started the tradition of doing a “how many XYZ’s do you see in photo” guessing game. This year’s photo was of sandhill cranes. Barbara Klaus was the best guesser; she was closest to the actual count of 606. How many would you have guessed? (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

As most of you know, putting on an event like the Bash & Benefit takes a team of volunteers! Special thanks to Holly Marr for coordinating almost everything and Chris Marr for coordinating the bartender and libations, plus all of the behind-the-scene volunteers who help plan the event, solicit auction items, set up, made sure everyone felt welcomed, helped with check-out, and clean-up. You all helped make the Bash another successful Evergreen Audubon Event. Volunteers included: Chuck Aid, Dan Beary, Ron Belak, Marcia & Tracy Boyd, Carol & Chuck Burdick, Ann & Ed Dodson, Linda Engelhart, Ed Furlong, Steve Garman, Kieran Gajajiva, Stephanie Gomolka, JoAnn Hackos, Melissa Leasia, Peg Linn, Kathy Madison, Holly & Chris Marr, Maddy McFarland, Emma & Jordan Vasicek, and Lisa & David Wald.

Cheers and Thank You,
Kathy Madison
President, Evergreen Audubon