July/August 2007 ISBN: 1531-2283 Volume 41, No.4 NEWSLETTER OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF GREATER DENVER Challenged to Grow ASGD Receives Endowment Match from LMC Community Foundation by Donny Roush, ASGD Executive Director rom now through March 31, 2008, leverage LMC Community Foundation 50 cents for every dollar contributed to your Audubon Society of Greater has extended to us. a permanent endowment established at FDenver (ASGD) needs to grow its Since 2004, LMC Community Foun- the Foundation. The Foundation also endowment from the current $77,000 to dation has committed more than $5.8 guarantees 5 percent interest and does $200,000. not charge administrative fees dur- This challenge from the LMC ing the challenge period. Community Foundation comes ASGD’s Endowment Challenge with a huge incentive: they match Grant is contractually tied to a goal .50 for every $1 contributed to the of $200,000 in principal. Until that Audubon Society’s endowment! amount is reached, ASGD will not We hope you’ll agree that be making any withdrawals to sup- securing the long-term financial port organizational operations. Our health of your Audubon chapter is endowment will be permanently an absolute condition of meeting administered and maintained by our mission of protecting the long- LMC Community Foundation for term ecological health of the South Platte million in endowment challenge grants the sole benefit of ASGD. watershed. to strengthen the long-term financial At the risk of lapsing into an Over the next few months, as you stability of nonprofit organizations in imitation of a hawker on late-night TV, it make decisions about your charitable metropolitan Denver. During the chal- is awfully hard to imagine a better time giving, please consider the tremendous lenge period, the Foundation matches to give to ASGD than now. Our Everyday Hero Challenged to Grow+ Kevin Corwin, volunteer director of LMC Community the Colorado Bluebird Project, receives the “7 Everyday Hero” certificate from Foundation offers KMGH Channel 7. The award, a salute to Coloradans making a difference in second funds their community, was presented on May 1. Kevin was interviewed by 7 News re- match opportunity porter Mitch Jelniker, with his story run- ning June 17-24. With Kevin at the helm In conjunction with “Nonprofit for the past three years, the Colorado Preservation Endowment Challenge Bluebird Project has been reinvigorated. Grants,” LMC Community Foundation In 2003, Colorado had only 93 known also has created www.GivingFirst.org, an nest attempts by bluebirds. In 2004, that investor-centered tool designed to enrich jumped to 269; then in 2005, we had 606 donors’ knowledge of the nonprofit recorded nest attempts. Last year, an sector and to encourage charitable giving astounding 1,015 reports were made. in metropolitan Denver. At GivingFirst. Audubon Society of Greater Denver is org, there’s more information about home to the Colorado Bluebird Project. Photo by Donny Roush See GivingFirst continued on page 0 July/August 2007 Page PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE– The “U” in Audubon An article in my local newspaper quoted an environmentalist as saying, “No one can 9308 S. Wadsworth Boulevard Littleton, Colorado 80128 do everything, but everyone can do something.” While she was discussing saving 303-973-9530 • Fax 303-973-1038 the planet, those same wise words can certainly apply when discussing Audubon. www.denveraudubon.org ASGD OFFICERS & DIRECTORS We have wonderful volunteers who lead hikes, teach classes, assist in the office, and President Doris Cruze do many other things to keep things running smoothly. If you are not currently [email protected] volunteering, think about getting involved and how you can “do something.” Vol- 1st Vice President Jerry Raskin unteers are always welcome. [email protected] 2nd Vice President Ann Bonnell At our office, there are shirts, sweatshirts, books (new and used), and bluebird hous- [email protected] es for sale. At least twice a year, bird seed sales are held. Proceeds from all these sales Treasurer Carol DeStefanis help pay the rent. Outside the office, there is a large recycle bin. Members are invited [email protected] to recycle newspapers, glass, cans, cardboard and what ever else you have. No need Secretary Polly Reetz [email protected] to separate items for this single-stream recycling program. Audubon receives a small Lavonne Axford check every time the bin fills up and the company collects the recycled materials. Tom Easley [email protected] Members meetings are planned for the first Wednesday of August through Novem- Mackenzie Goldthwait ber. Look for meeting times and places elsewhere in this newsletter. You show your [email protected] support when you and your family and friends show up! Jo Evans [email protected] The most important way to show your support to Audubon is with your financial Senator Ken Gordon contributions. You may choose to give to the annual appeal, buy a brick to honor a [email protected] loved one, or even give “just because.” Your board of directors is working to maxi- Allison Hilf mize your gifts by building an endowment fund to insure operating costs will be [email protected] covered for many years to come. You can maximize your gift by asking your em- Arlene Raskin [email protected] ployer to match the funds you contribute. Many companies have a plan in place for Allen Stokes matching funds to non-profit organizations. [email protected] Kent Wiley The field trips, special events, and travel tours listed in this newsletter are fun, excit- [email protected] ing opportunities to meet other members and learn more about Audubon. Did you ever notice the “u” in the middle of Audubon? No one can do everything, but “u” ASGD STAFF Executive Director can do something. Donny Roush [email protected] Education Director Susan Smith [email protected] Office Manager Rhonda Shank Thanks To Our Volunteers! [email protected] Bookkeeper Front Range Birding Company Open House: Karen von Saltza & Mary Ellen Sargent Nancy Abramson [email protected] Adopt-A-Platte: Fran Campbell, Ellie Jones, Peter Mulholland, Joyce Quigley, Tom Reil- MISSION ly, Peggy Roberts, Betsy Weitkamp, Emilie Wiersma, Ralph Wiersma ASGD is a nonprofit group dedicated to maintaining the health of natural ecosystems Warbler Mailing: Marc Goodbody, Vi Nicholson, Lori Sharp, Barbara Shissler, Bill Turner through education, political action, scientific research and land preservation, with primary Spring Appeal Mailing: Mary Ann Brown, Willa Brunkhorst, Helen Hale, Allison Hilf, focus on birds, other wildlife and ecosystems Vi Nicholson, Krista Redlinger, Carolyn Roark, Lori Sharp of the South Platte River watershed. MEMBERSHIP Auction Event: Craig Abramson, Emily Abramson, Nancy Abramson, Barbara Brown, FRIENDS OF ASGD receive the Warbler Tom Bush, Carmine DeStefanis, Carol DeStefanis, Bill Eden, Kelly Forrester, Lynne For- and additional membership benefits. rester, Diane Hutton, Courtney James, Courtney James, Rosalie Metzger, Nancy Osborn, Members of the National Audubon Soci- ety in the Denver Metro Area receive com- Krista Redlinger, Carolyn Roark, Susan Robbins, Susie Roush, Candace Ruiz, Ruth Schoe- plimentary copies of the The Warbler. ning, Rhonda Shank, Lori Sharp, Barbara Shissler, Frank Shissler The Warbler is published bimonthly by the Audubon Society of Greater Denver (ASGD). Office Support: Courtney James, Phil Reynolds, Carolyn Roark, Grace Weber Editor C. Dale Flowers Flowers & Associates, Inc. Field Trip Leaders: Allison Hilf, Joey Kellner, Hugh & Urling Kingery, Harold & Betty [email protected] Oliver, Dave Rhoades, Bill Turner, Mary Turner, Karen von Saltza, Lynn Willcockson © 2007 July/August 2007 Page 2 2007 Environmental Stewardship Award winners Two individuals, George Larsen and Polly Reetz, were honored for their tireless commitment to conservation during the Audu- bon Society of Greater Denver’s Spring Benefit and Awards Ceremony on April 14. The Environmental Stewardship Awards are presented annually by the ASGD Board of Directors. George R. Larsen Polly Reetz As a boy growing up in Englewood, Ohio, George Larsen often Polly has been a Denver Audubon member for 30 years visited the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm. As a teenager, and volunteer leader for 25. Polly combines a creative imagi- he worked on his uncle’s farm, near Americus, Georgia. Later, he nation with a vision of what can be achieved when environ- pursued a college education in environmental management. mental, social and political groups work together for common Then, George visited conservation goals. Colorado on a spring-break One of her early suc- ski vacation in 1974, while cesses was collaborating with attending college in Ohio. conservationists, labor, and Soon, he made plans to business to pass the Alaska transfer to Colorado State Lands Act. This act, created University. He and new wife in the late 1970s, set aside na- Sheryl trekked cross-coun- tional parks, wildlife refuges, try that autumn, with all of their possessions packed in and national preserves. a 1963 Ford Van—the Con- Throughout her Audu- estoga wagon of the 70s. Ft. bon years, she has served on Collins was to be their hon- the Conservation Commit- eymoon destination. tee, chairing it for the last de- George connected cade. This committee and the again with Audubon when local Sierra Club chapter co- he attended a program at the sponsor the Colorado Legisla- Pawnee National Grasslands tive Workshop each February, in 1980, while working bringing together state legis- as environmental manager for ARCO’s Thunder Basin Coal lators, our environmental lobbyist, and participants to discuss Company in Campbell County, Wyoming. As the Environ- state environmental priorities and proposed legislation. mental Director for Lockheed Martin Space Systems-Denver She represented ASGD on the coalition that created the Operations in the 1990s, George pursued policies of pollution Sand Creek Greenway. This task force created a 13-mile wild- prevention and public engagement.