Dear Friends of Birdsong,

Thirty years, over 190 bird species observed, 565 acres of land conserved and cared for, 63,360 feet of nature trails, over 100,000 visitors and one 1964 John Deere tractor to keep it all going. Sometimes numbers can be useful in getting our bearings and measuring the world, but they never quite tell the full story.

In 1986, Birdsong Nature Center started out in the kitchen of Betty and Ed Komarek’s home, our executive director Kathleen Brady and the original Board working with the Komareks in laying the foundation for Birdsong’s mission. Their vision was one of conserving the Birdsong property, giving the public a space to appreciate the natural beauty of the Red Hills, and providing hands-on educational experiences in natural history, land management, and ecology.

Over the last three decades, Birdsong has more than fulfilled this mission. While we have lost Ed and Betty, under Kathleen and the Board’s continued leadership, Birdsong has not only conserved the land, but improved it through the control of invasive species and the restoration of native plant populations – most recently restoring long-leaf pines and native grasses in a portion of old Bahia-grass pasture. Birdsong has kept the gates and trails open, allowing the public a chance to immerse themselves in the natural world – to wonder at the faithful return of the purple martins in the spring, the profusion of butterflies in the fall, and the subtler patterns of nature in between. It has allowed friends and families to bond over a shared appreciation of life in its myriad forms – the flora and fauna that may remain largely in the background of our work-a-day lives, but which provide such enrichment when we take the time to observe. It has provided thousands of hours of guided nature walks, star-gazings, and ecology workshops for all ages.

Throughout its thirty-year history, Birdsong has relied on support from its members and the general public. Its annual budget comes from membership dues, program fees, grants, and from the generous donations of its Friends like you, and in order to continue its mission, your sustained support is vital. We simply could not continue without annual donations from our Friends. The Annual Campaign is the lynchpin of our fundraising efforts, and this year our goal is to raise $60,000. As I said, numbers rarely tell the full story, and while this figure doesn’t begin to capture the whole value of Birdsong, it is the one to reckon this year’s campaign on, and one that is necessary to ensure that Birdsong’s story continues for another year.

This year’s Annual Campaign is a first and crucial step in our Next Thirty Years Initiative, seeking to put Birdsong on a sustainable financial path and preserve this local and regional treasure for another generation. With your support, we look to continue and expand on the work of the past thirty years, restoring more of the native plant communities, placing the entire property in a perpetual conservation easement, and developing more educational programs, including training for teachers on the importance of natural history and ecology in the curriculum and methods for engaging children with the world around them.

We are deeply appreciative of your past support, and we respectfully ask if you would consider doubling it this year in recognition of this milestone and as part of the effort to secure the Next Thirty Years for Birdsong. Reaching our fundraising goal is vitally important to Birdsong’s financial stability, and your generous support is paramount in making this goal a reality. Thanks to many generous donors we are well on our way, but we need your help in reaching our $60,000 goal. Donations can be made via our Web-site or by mailing your gift to Birdsong using the address shown at the top-right of this page. Birdsong is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, so your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Your contribution will go directly to Birdsong’s operations – to caring for the land, keeping the Bird Window open and the trails mowed, and continuing our educational programs.

Sincerely and with my warmest thanks,

Joe Peresich
President, Board of Directors

P.S. Birdsong is a 501(c)3 corporation, so your gift is entirely tax-deductible. Please check with your bank or credit card company for a monthly deduction program, which can make a monthly gift automatic. Your business may have a matching gift program that can enable you to increase the value of your contribution.

Every gift matters; every gift is a vote of support. We deeply appreciate your participation.

If you would like to make a donation to Birdsong, please see our Donations page for information.