Friends Finances for 2011 Fiscal Year Oct. 2010 - Sept. 2011

The Friends support the Refuge in various ways; our ongoing annual commitments include co-sponsoring Everglades Day, contributing to the Exhibit Maintenance Fund, and spreading the word about the Refuge through our website, e-mail newsletter, Gator Tales newsletter and calendar.

Special projects for this past year include the purchase of a video camera for recording Refuge staff lectures and volunteer nature walks, and the installation of DSL and a local phone line for our resident volunteers and temporary science staff. Resident volunteers provide many hours of their time working on the Refuge in exchange for trailer hookup, but have heretofore had to drive miles off-site to check their e-mail or connect to the Internet. Resident staff members now have the ability to e-mail other staff members after hours and have access to a landline telephone for emergency contact purposes. Recruiting resident volunteers and temporary staff is a bit easier now, too, that we can tout this bit of 21st century modernity!

We are currently raising funds to install new signs on the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk in the coming months and we are partnering with Loxahatchee Canoeing to build a chickee hut and canoe storage structure at the Headquarters boat ramp.

The Friends are all volunteers; we have no paid employees. All of our income comes from store profits, donations and Friends like you. Please consider a gift to the Friends today!Make a Contribution