President's Perch

by Cheryl Hart, President

I never cease to be impressed at the great work that has been done by our Service Staff, our Friends volunteers, and partners in spite of the pandemic and having the refuge almost entirely closed to volunteer work for almost 2 ½ years.

Yesterday, I had an amazing experience. Along with Bonnie Anderson, Executive Director of Friends, and FWS staff we accompanied US Representative Suzanne Bonamici and two of her Beaverton based aides on a visit to the refuge. Not only did the rain hold off for our walk but it just happened that this was one of the days when students from Greenway Elementary, the school with which Friends and refuge staff have been engaging over the past year, were at the refuge on a field trip. These are the only field trips that have been hosted on the refuge since it was closed by Covid in 2020. It was the first field trip the students had been able to take in that same length of time. And it just happened to coincide with Representative Bonamici’s visit. We couldn’t have planned it any better!

Representative Bonamici recognized all of the work that had been done on the new trail and she made note of how much FWS needs an increase in the federal budget, and we stopped several times to talk to the students. These kids know so much about climate change and endangered species. Trust me. Our future is in great hands!

Having talked about how important our work with the refuge is, I’d like to ask all of you for your help with that work. We are in desperate need for volunteers to help at Nature’s Overlook, our store in the Visitor Center, especially on weekends. Training is provided and it is a wonderful opportunity to engage with visitors and get them excited about the refuge. Volunteers are asked to commit to a couple of 4-hour shifts per month and all proceeds stay right here to support projects and programs at our refuge. If you can help, please contact Friends or Refuge staff.

We are also still seeking someone with financial background to serve as Treasurer of Friends. If you know anyone who might be willing to join our board in this capacity, please contact Friends.

My final request is that you consider making a donation to the Friends to help us continue the work that is so important to all of us. Please go to our website and click on the “donate” button.

Thank you for your interest in the Friends and for your support.

I’ll see you at the refuge!

-Cheryl Hart

Focus of Friends

by Bonnie Anderson, Executive Director

One faces many challenges in life, and recently I was faced with a doozy. On Monday, June 6th we welcomed Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and her local staff Epsen Swanson and Shirley Araiza Santaella to the Refuge. The challenge was - In less than an hour, convey all of the amazing things there are to say about our Refuge Complex and the Friends. Impossible!

As fate would have it, the 4th & 5th graders from Greenway were on a fieldtrip at TRNWR. They spent the morning planting natives in the wetlands. The Congresswoman was able to see first hand the connection the Friends and the Refuge have with the community. The Friends identified a fieldtrip as a way to wrap up the pilot year of the TREE program and secured funding to bring every student from Greenway on a fieldtrip to the Refuge over a three day period. 

The Congresswoman was also interested in the restoration work that was just completed on Chicken Creek. It was a wonderful opportunity to speak about the collaborative efforts made by the Friends with so many partners to accomplish this project. 

It's always a busy time on the Refuge for the Friends! 

Hope to see you out on the trails 

-Bonnie Anderson