Donate & Make a Difference
Thank you for considering a donation to the Friends of Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges. Friends greatly appreciates donations from current members and from other nature enthusiasts. Your gift will help Friends build awareness of, and community support for
the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys refuges.
Consider making a donation to our General Fund (form below). These funds will be used as the need arises. And we have a Wish List for specific items we have identified.
the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys refuges.
Consider making a donation to our General Fund (form below). These funds will be used as the need arises. And we have a Wish List for specific items we have identified.
Wish List
As a non-profit, Friends runs on the power of our members' commitment to the Refuges, on their annual and life membership dues, and on donations from both members and the community at large.
Wish-fulfillment partners are greatly appreciated!
Wish-fulfillment partners are greatly appreciated!
What is at the top of the Wish List now?
General Fund - gifts of $1,000, $500, and $250
Friends' general fund could use an End-of-Year boost. Renewals from annual members from been strong and are crucial to funding programs. But with the hurricanes and no fall festivals, sales of Friends' merchandise and other revenues have fallen. Especially if you are a life member and have not already contributed to a program this year, please consider making a gift to the General Fund.
Friends' general fund could use an End-of-Year boost. Renewals from annual members from been strong and are crucial to funding programs. But with the hurricanes and no fall festivals, sales of Friends' merchandise and other revenues have fallen. Especially if you are a life member and have not already contributed to a program this year, please consider making a gift to the General Fund.
Vista Camp
Interpretive Signs - $15,000
Friends efforts to support the restoration of Vista continue to grow, even though the resources, volunteer manpower and financial, are straining our very limited budget. We just can't stop ourselves though - Vista is too special. A Vista webpage is now posted on the Friends website and as you will see, the work done is considerable but so much more is needed.
While the Refuge is applying for multi-million dollar grants to restore the buildings and trails on the Vista property, Friends is proposing to create a pathway to the river with interpretative signs that tell the incredibly important Vista story. Once open, Vista will provide access to the Suwannee River from the Refuge, crucially replacing the now-destroyed River Trail.
This is a big ask, but our hope is to build the Vista Camp fund so we can start the production of the signs.
Interpretive Signs - $15,000
Friends efforts to support the restoration of Vista continue to grow, even though the resources, volunteer manpower and financial, are straining our very limited budget. We just can't stop ourselves though - Vista is too special. A Vista webpage is now posted on the Friends website and as you will see, the work done is considerable but so much more is needed.
While the Refuge is applying for multi-million dollar grants to restore the buildings and trails on the Vista property, Friends is proposing to create a pathway to the river with interpretative signs that tell the incredibly important Vista story. Once open, Vista will provide access to the Suwannee River from the Refuge, crucially replacing the now-destroyed River Trail.
This is a big ask, but our hope is to build the Vista Camp fund so we can start the production of the signs.
Swallow-tailed Kite
A New Tracker - $3,000
In order to understand their nesting and migration patterns and needs, our Friends organization has supported the tracking of swallow-tailed kites that nest on on the Lower Suwannee Refuge by researchers at the Avian Research and Conservation Institute of Gainesville. The trackers last about three years. Our first tracker no longer works and the second is in its third year. Our wish is to support the tracking of a another kite. The data from these studies inform management decisions by Refuge staff to assure adequate and appropriate habitat for the birds while they nest and while they feed in preparation for their annual migration to Brazil.
A New Tracker - $3,000
In order to understand their nesting and migration patterns and needs, our Friends organization has supported the tracking of swallow-tailed kites that nest on on the Lower Suwannee Refuge by researchers at the Avian Research and Conservation Institute of Gainesville. The trackers last about three years. Our first tracker no longer works and the second is in its third year. Our wish is to support the tracking of a another kite. The data from these studies inform management decisions by Refuge staff to assure adequate and appropriate habitat for the birds while they nest and while they feed in preparation for their annual migration to Brazil.
Junior Rangers
Binoculars - $1000
Loaner binoculars will help us show kids how to spot butterflies and birds. They will also demonstrate one of the tools used in Refuge field work. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Binoculars - $1000
Loaner binoculars will help us show kids how to spot butterflies and birds. They will also demonstrate one of the tools used in Refuge field work. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Educational Tools: Replica Skulls of Wildlife Found on the Refuges
Pelican - $185
Alligator Snapping Turtle - $200
Snapping Turtle - $55
Spoonbill - $120
Free-tailed Bat - $45
These skulls from Skulls Unlimited also will be part of the Friends Refuge Rover
outreach trailer, available to the public for handling and examining.
Pelican - $185
Alligator Snapping Turtle - $200
Snapping Turtle - $55
Spoonbill - $120
Free-tailed Bat - $45
These skulls from Skulls Unlimited also will be part of the Friends Refuge Rover
outreach trailer, available to the public for handling and examining.
Senior Rangers - Refuge Explorers
Field Worksheets - $4,000
Friends has a new program, modeled on the Junior Ranger program, but meant for all of us who are a bit older than Junior Rangers. It will include a presentation about the Refuges and field guide/worksheets to be used by individuals or groups to explore the Refuge. Our wish is for support for the design and printing of the worksheets. Volunteers are producing the content.
Field Worksheets - $4,000
Friends has a new program, modeled on the Junior Ranger program, but meant for all of us who are a bit older than Junior Rangers. It will include a presentation about the Refuges and field guide/worksheets to be used by individuals or groups to explore the Refuge. Our wish is for support for the design and printing of the worksheets. Volunteers are producing the content.
Wishes Do Come True
All these wishes have come true:
- A new laptop computer, made possible by gifts from John and Donna Thalacker and Jay and Donna Bushnell.
- The Refuge found a way to provide the final funding needed for Friends' long-desired mobile community outreach center and Junior Ranger workbooks.
- Volunteers came forward for a hot, sweaty work day at the Cook's House to keep Friends from needing to hire a cleaning crew to prepare for the next phase of architecture work.
- Joyce and Ed DeHaan, bought Friends' former Chrome laptop that wasn't quite up to our current needs.
- Roger McDaniel and his son Robert found a way Friends could receive a year of our Adobe Design software that we need for producing brochures and interpretive panels.
- John Douglass fulfilled the wish for funding for Junior Ranger badges and in April for the funding needed to reorder the workbooks when the kids' interest far outran our expectations.
- Bob and Barbara Hudson fulfilled the wish for the funds needed to assure Friends could meet the required matching gift for the grant from the Florida Department of Historical Resources to start work on the Cook's House at Vista.
Mail Option
Mail your check to: Friends of Refuges PO Box 532 Cedar Key, FL 32625 |
OUR REGISTRATION NUMBER WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS CH52376. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. |
