Two Ponds Preservation FoundationP.O. Box 740748Arvada, Colorado 80006-0748

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Refuge:Visit Us Soon!

http://twoponds.fws.govPhone (303) 289-0867

Foundation:Keep In Touch!

https://twoponds.orgPhone (720) 306-1992

Refuge Hours:West side: Open year round, dawn to duskEast side: May – Sept. Tue – F: 8am-4pm;

Sat. 8am-7pm; Sun.-Mon. CLOSED

Newsletter of the Two Ponds Preservation Foundation November 2015

A Letter from the PresidentGreetings Neighbors and Members,

Spring has arrived again at the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge – and a busy season it has been. We celebrated a rain-delayed annual Refuge Appreciation Day. The participating students cleared out trash and dead branches in preparation of springtime visitations. Teams also reseeded and improved several sections of heavily trafficked trails. In addition, a city of Arvada Media Services team recorded the event for future airing on Arvada KATV 8.

The Two Ponds Preservation Foundation is again a primary sponsor for the annual Colorado Junior Duck Stamp awards ceremony at the Arvada Center for Performing Arts. The ceremony recognizes young artists from around the state for their amazing depiction of native waterfowl in their natural habitat, with the national winner receiving the honor of a U.S Postal Service stamp depicting their artwork.

National Trails Day will be celebrated at the Refuge again this year on Saturday, June 3rd. Be sure to come out with your family and friends to enjoy the natural splendor the Refuge offers. Our Refuge Manager, Seth Beres, has featured these activities in greater detail below.

The Capital Campaign to fund the construction of the SchoolHouse at Two Ponds is the primary focus of our Foundation’s Board of Directors. The Arvada Young Professionals Group has provided much appreciated time and resources in many key aspects of this campaign. It is our goal to complete the environmental education center, creating a year-around facility to enhance a legacy of learning for generations to come.

Our Campaign has several components focused on raising capital:

• Donations from local corporations and business owners who share a common belief in the importance of educating future generations on the crucial role of preserving our natural habitat.

• The use of social media to communicate the Schoolhouse message to members our community with the goal of literally earning their buy-in.

• Corporate and governmental grants supporting capital initiatives such the construction of the SchoolHouse.

• Direct community outreach and presentations to schools, civic organizations, service clubs and business associations.

• The Colorado Gives initiative, sponsored by the Community First

Foundation. This fund raising organization provides year around opportunity for contributions to worthy non-profit organizations. You can learn more about donating through Colorado Gives on the last page of our newsletter.

Lastly, but not least, we are very honored to be named beneficiaries of the Arvada Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Raffle for a Better Arvada. The raffle is an annual fundraising event providing the selected Arvada-based non-profit organization with an opportunity to raise funds for capital construction within the city of Arvada. We are both humbled and thrilled with the prospects of what this raffle can do to further construction of the Schoolhouse at Two Ponds. The raffle kicks off at the annual Sand in the City event on June 23rd. We hope to see you all there as you pick up your tickets!

Daryl Christensen PresidentTwo Ponds Preservation Foundation303.640.6247

Follow us on our new and improved social media sites:

Website - www.fws.gov/refuge/Two_Ponds/

www.facebook.com/

TwoPondsNWR

www.flickr.com/photos/

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TWO PONDS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION

DIRECTORSDaryl L. Christensen

President

303-318-8960

Jon Drogheo

303-808-8240

Rich Feely

303-421-5101

Kevan Fish

303-550-4365

Michell Francis

Secretary

720-256-2203

Jeremy Gregory

Treasurer

303-914-4054

Roger Johnson

303-421-6715

Nicki Thompson

303-456-2133

REFUGE CONTACTS

Seth Beres

Refuge Manager

303-289-0867

NEWSLETTER EDITORS

Seth Beres

Daryl L. Christensen

Kevan Fish

Michelle Francis

TWO PONDS TUESDAY(volunteer day at the Refuge)

Every Second Tuesday of Every Month at 8:00 a.m.

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Shannon McWilliams

303-431-7485

Time and again, people are encouraged to give back to their community’s natural resources and reduce their footprint on the planet. Urban wildlife refuges like Two Ponds serve as an oasis for native wildlife and migrating birds throughout the year. So get outside and come help us improve the Refuge for animals and people alike. Tools and materials are provided - and reservations are not required.

Two Pond Tuesdays 2nd Tuesday of each month, 8:00 - Noon

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I WOULD LOVE TO JOIN THE TWO PONDS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION!The Foundation is a totally volunteer organization and 100 percent of your donation is used for the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge.The Foundation receives and administers gifts for environmental education, preservation of wetlands and the develop- ment of the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge.Please make checks payable to Two Ponds Preservation Foundation. Your gift is tax deductible.

Name: ____________________________________________________________________Address: __________________________________________________________________City: ______________________________ State: _______________Zip: ______________Email: ____________________________________ Phone: ________________________

$10 Turtle $25 Beaver $50 Red Fox

$100 Black-Crowned Night Heron – engraved brick $500 Swainson’s Hawk – engraved flagstone slab $1,000 Golden Eagle – engraved park bench

Mail your tax deductible contribution to:Two Ponds Preservation Foundation, P.O. Box 740748, Arvada, CO 80006-0748

Or contribute online through https://goo.gl/qpvw33

Mother EarthBy Seth Beres

For nearly 50 years, Earth Day has been observed around the globe as a day to raise environmental awareness and involve citizens and communities in creating a cleaner, healthier world. While climate change is perhaps the greatest ecological challenge of our time, Earth Day reminds us that we all can take steps to help protect the environment, which touches the human spirit, contributes to human health and well-being and promotes a healthy economy. In addition, Earth Day helps to develop crucial support for some of the most powerful and effective environmental legislation in the United States and abroad. Unprecedented environmental legislation, such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act were influenced by Earth Day.On April 25th, Two Ponds NWR celebrated Earth Day along with more than 50 volunteers! The weather was perfect, nature was honored, and the Refuge was greatly improved. Projects included trash and litter pickup, tree pruning and dead limb removal, trail maintenance, weeding & gardening, milkweed planting, infrastructure repair and native grass seed planting. Thanks to all for getting outside, supporting your local wildlife Refuge and making the event so special!

SAVE THE DATE!At this FREE family-friendly

event, we will again sponsor a scavenger hunt with prizes. Bring your family to enjoy a 5k walk with Arvada councilmember Mark McGoff at 8:45am, self-guided nature walks, live animal and environmental exhibits, fun kid’s activities, and free refreshments.

The Art of ConservationBy Seth Beres

In 2017, almost 700 students participated in the Colorado Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program. Marina Boiko, a 17-year-old student from Boulder, took top honors once again by winning the “Best of Show” in Colorado at the Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Marina’s artwork was selected from hundreds of amazing entries from across the state. Her acrylic paint rendition of Wood Ducks, entitled “The Golden Hour,” represented Colorado at the National Competition in Washington, D.C. in April.

For those still not familiar with this wonderful contest - the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is an environmental educational contest designed for all public, private and home schooled students in grades K-12 to learn more about waterfowl and habitat conservation through science and art. Incorporating scientific and wildlife management principles into visual arts curriculum helps create an active awareness of the critical need to protect, preserve and enhance our wetland habitat for waterfowl, migratory songbirds and the hundreds of other plants and animals that depend on wetlands for their survival. In addition, every entry translates into increased funding for wetlands and waterfowl conservation the following year.

An Award Ceremony was held for all winners, including their teachers and families, at the Arvada Center for the Performing Arts in May. Clint Riley, Assistant Regional Director of Migratory Birds gave the keynote speech, as hundreds attended this special event to celebrate art and conservation together!

Special thanks to Two Ponds Preservation Foundation, Meiningers, Friends of The Front Range, Founders and Friends of Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, Redistribution Center, and U.S. Allegiance Inc., for their support and sponsorship. Without them this program would not be what it is today for Colorado.

Once again, the success of this year’s outstanding program demonstrates how many people of all ages and throughout Colorado care about conservation, and actively work to apply that awareness. For those teachers, parents, and students interested in participating in next year’s program, it is never too early to begin. Students and teachers can obtain entry forms and learn more about this fun and educational program by visiting https://www.fws.gov/birds/education/junior-duck-stamp-conservation-program.php or by calling Colorado Junior Duck State Coordinator Seth Beres at # (303)289-0867 or Seth_Beres@fws.gov for details.

We would love to have more kids participate next year. So take wing – and spread the word!

Connecting Kids With NatureBy Seth Beres

Each year, thousands of young urban conservationists connect with nature through experiential learning activities at Two Ponds NWR. The Migration Obstacle Course activity utilizes hoops, ropes, hides and skulls to simulate power lines, storms and predators in order to help teach kids the many challenges birds face during migration. Students and teachers have consistently praised this program for effectively engaging participants, while imparting them with genuine empathy and appreciation for wildlife and their

diminishing habitat, which is so essential for survival. This environmental education program continues to reach dozens of public and private schools throughout the Metro Denver area to universal acclaim.

TWO PONDS

PRESERVATION

FOUNDATION

DIRECTORS

Daryl L. ChristansenPresident

Rich Feely

Kevan Fish

Michelle FrancisSecretary

Jeremy Gregory

Roger Johnson

Shannon McWilliams

Vanessa Kendrick

James Johnson

Heath Rost Kathleen HOxworth

Ryan Herlehey

REFUGE CONTACTS

Seth Beres

NEWSLETTER EDITORS

Seth BeresDaryl L. ChristensenKevan FishMichelle Francis