Our growing Chapter was successful in gathering a healthy cross section of our membership on Saturday, January 26 for socializing, eating, meeting, voting, learning, and more. Many thanks to the Blue Ridge Community College for providing perfect, spacious and well-equipped meeting rooms for us on their campus in Weyers Cave. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the Program/Hosting Committee headed by Chip Brown who had everything running smoothly.

Our Chapter President Chris Bowlen led things off with a business meeting during which we heard about some of our past year’s accomplishments and some new chapter efforts. Most of the 2018 board members filled us in on all their various duties and any requests they have of the membership. Chris facilitated the voting in of two new board members and the re-election of two others. Mary Gatling-Finks, Cohort V, will replace Chip as Vice President and Programs/Hosting Committee Chair, and Elizabeth Pass, Cohort VI, is replacing Adrie Voors as Newsletter and Website Committee Chair. Carl Droms will start another two-year term as Treasurer, and Brian Lux has agreed to a one-year continuation of his role as Basic Training Committee Chair. A big thank you to this hard working Board of Directors and those willing to step into vacancies as they arise!

After a hearty and delicious potluck meal, HMN Kate Guenther treated us to a program on how we can support injured and orphaned wildlife in the care of wildlife rehabilitators. She has spent several years developing the content of her website Wildfoods4Wildlife.com which launched in 2017. More about this, including photos, HERE.

Several smaller meetings broke out from there to take advantage of this large membership gathering!

Carl Droms documented some of the day’s activities with photos below (and the one at top).

– Adrie Voors, Cohort II

Click on any photo below to find a larger version, see captions, and start a slide show view. 

Chris leads a business meeting with a backdrop of images of Chapter activities in 2018.

Chip at the book sale table.

Potluck spread!

Elaine, Phil and Cheryl checking out a display promoting our adopted Birding & Wildlife Trail sites.

Ann at he book sale table.

Andrea, at right, filled multiple roles including book shop-keeper!

Chris with an attentive audience.

Reusables ready for lunch duty as we hear from our board members.

The Birding & Wildlife Trail project members convened for project updates from Sandy and Cheryl.

Cheryl and Sandy at the B&WT project display.

Chris about all the good things we’re up to.

Elaine wins a prize for getting a great score on Kate’s wild plants quiz.

Margaret tells us about all the great CE programs available to us.

Chapter Advisor Paul Bugas always has our back!

Peggy on our new Vernal Pools project in the works!