2023 Annual Meeting

2/12/2023

It is Almost Time -- Saturday, February 25.

As has been our tradition, Friends Annual Meeting will be on the last Saturday in February at Refuge headquarters. It is located off State Road 347 between Chiefland and Cedar Key. The official address is at 16450 NW 31 Pl, Chiefland, FL 32626.

Friends members do not pay a fee to attend the event, including the program, lunch, and afternoon nature walks. The fee for those who are not Friends members is $20 per person.

Pre-program activities will start at 9:30. They include:

Signing-in
Renewing your membership if you wish to do it that day rather than online
Chatting with other members
Shopping for Friends merchandise. There will be discounts on some merchandise at the event. Cash purchases are appreciated. They allow Friends to avoid the fees for processing credit card purchases.

It appears that the weather will be ideal for Friends,
and for no-see-ums!
Consider wearing long sleeves and long pants.
See you on Saturday at the Refuge.

New This Year

So much is happening with Friends and the Refuges that tables will be set up where members and visitors can talk to board members and other volunteers, discuss ideas for ways in which they'd like to participate, and learn more about:

Junior Ranger program
Welcome Desks to meet, greet, and inform more visitors face-to-face
Vista Project. We will have one copy of the full, 430-page Assessment Report that resulted from Friends first Vista grant available at the table.
The afternoon guided nature walk options to Vista or River Trail
What is happening and envisioned on the Refuges

The tables will close during the program and reopen after the Featured Presentation.

Picture three men chatting before Annual Meeting

Picture of folk signing in before Annual Meeting

Program activities will start at 10:15. They include:

Welcome by President Debbie Meeks
Refuge update by Refuge Manager Andrew Gude
Friends update by President-elect Dr. Ginessa Mahar
Election of the 2023 Board and Officers
Featured presentation by Dr. Ken Sulak, Finding Florida - Crossing the Lower Suwannee River in the 1800s: Early Ferries, Bridges, and Trestles.

Picture of Andrew Gude presenting the Refuge update at Annual Meeting

Picture of Debbie Meeks and Peg Hall preparing for presentations at Annual Meeting

After the Featured Presentation, while lunch is being set up and served, the information and discussion tables will be open again.

Lunch will be about noon. Ken McCain will cater.

Afternoon Exploration Options

Walk to Vista. See the property with its Suwannee River view and the
Cook's House. Tour the Main House's interior. Board members will act as docents.
For those who prefer a nature walk, John Thalacker will lead a guided stroll on the River Trail.

Picture of tables of Friends members having lunch

Picture of two Friends members on a nature walk at Annual Meeting

8 Comments

Gloria

1/17/2023 09:07:27 am

How much is lunch on Saturday?

Peg

1/17/2023 01:38:04 pm

Hi Gloria. Members do not pay a fee to attend the Annual Meeting, including the program, lunch, and afternoon nature walks.

For those who are not Friends members, the fee is $20 per person. Thanks for the question. We will add the information to the post.

Captain Tony Johns link

1/20/2023 11:36:44 am

Do we need to register if we plan to attend the meeting?
Thanks,
Captain Tony

1/20/2023 12:23:50 pm

No. We do not have registration. When folks arrive, they check in at the desk in the log cabin. If they are members, we record their presence. If their membership is about to come due for the next year, often folks renew at the Annual Meeting, instead of waiting for the emailed renewal reminder. If they are not members, they join or pay the $20/person fee for the event. Hope to see you there.

bruce morgan

1/21/2023 01:01:11 pm

9:30am is much too early to start a meeting when many people live far from the refuge! How about 2pm instead?

1/21/2023 05:16:34 pm

Thanks for the suggestion. This year’s schedule is set. We will think about it for next year, but since it is about a five-hour long event, a morning start seems best. We do have other events, such as Winter Solstice with later start times. Hope you can make one of those.

Bob Britton

1/26/2023 05:19:24 pm

Peg, i had a problem renewing my membership and also to include Deb McKinney as well, thanks please advise. Bob B.

1/27/2023 03:07:09 pm

I heard that you talked with Friends President Debbie Meeks and worked it out. I am glad because I was not confident that I would know how to troubleshoot the problem. See you at Annual Meeting.