Events & views - April 2009
In This Edition
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April 2009 Newsletter |
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Help Spread the Word
by Allan Berkowitz, Executive Director
Dear EVs, In these challenging times, I encourage you to help us reach out to the community. While the EV remains a strong organization, there is no doubt that we are enduring the effects of this economy. One strategy we are employing is to significantly increase our pursuit of new contacts. By introducing more people to our great work, we increase outreach to prospective new volunteers and prospective new donors. I invite you to help us by participating in three outreach opportunities. |
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1. Friends & Family – Recently we emailed you a letter that you can forward to your friends and family. The letter introduces the work of the EV, informs them of your great work teaching kids, and asks them to consider supporting your volunteer efforts. If you have not yet done so, please consider emailing the letter to your contacts. Click Here for another copy of the letter. 2. Got Contacts? No, not for your eyes; for people who love nature. We are looking to expand our monthly electronic newsletter distribution list. Know someone who loves nature? Have person in mind who might enjoy learning some quick nature facts? In contact with someone interested in the quality of education in local schools? Ask if you can add them to our email list (be sure to tell them they can opt-out at any time with one mouse click). 3. Tell Someone To ‘Go Take A hike’- Know someone in need of a few hours of relief from these challenging economic times? These are very difficult times for the ‘future employed’. And, the stresses of unemployment affect not only the jobseeker, but families as well. We invite the ‘future employed’ to join us on a very fun outdoor experience exploring the local natural world. Three hours won’t solve the problem; but it will provide a brief escape and soothe the soul. There is no cost for these programs. No donations will be solicited. Spread The Word: Click Here for a flyer you can forward to anyone who might be interested. Lead A Hike: We are looking for a few EVs willing to lead an occasional ‘respite hike’ and help introduce our organization to new friends.
Thanks for all you do to support The E.V. Personal regards, Allan |
EcoCenter Update
| Following biological monitoring of the Clapper Rail and finding no nesting birds by the building, we've been given the go-ahead to move forward with construction. New steel beams have been added to the foundation and the building is currently being rolled back to be placed on the foundation. The process of weatherization will start soon. Click here to see a few of the latest pictures - look for “March” in the title. |  |
Wild Crush 2009 Live Auction Items, Vintners and more
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Check out the very cool live auction items just posted on the Wild Crush webpage! You will also find the list of vintners that will pour tastings, and a description of our fantastic raffle prizes. Stay tuned for postings of the fun silent auction items as well. So many chances to win! And you don’t need to be present in order to win the raffle, so go ahead and purchase those tickets regardless of your plans for April 25th. Please also take note of the generous wineries and other businesses that have donated to the event, support them with your business, and let them know you appreciate their support of the EV! See you on April 25 for an evening of fun in support of the EV! |
Special ENR Training Update
by Brittany Sabol, Education & Training Director
In response to many of your inquiries about additional ENR training sessions, I am pleased to report we are scheduling one more training session this spring. This will be the last chance you have to get training before the fall. Date: Monday April 6th Time: 9:30 to 12:00 Place: PCC (EV Peninsula Office) Please RSVP so I can plan accordingly! |
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Camp News
by Vandy Shrader, Summer Programs Coordinator
Hello EVs, If you're one of those EVs who dreads the end of the school year because there won't be any more services until September, have I got some great news for you! I have plenty of opportunities for you to get your environmental docent fix with us at S.N.A.K.E. Camp and Explore! And, have a great time doing it. Thank you all for your help with making The E.V. summer programs so great! Vandy |
Here are your choices for S.N.A.K.E. Camp: Monday, June 15: ECI Tuesday, June 23: Bay Hike 2 EVs needed 4 EVs needed Kits: Acorn Grinding, Tools Hike: 10-11:45 @ the Baylands Times: 1-2 or 2:15-3:15 (choose either kit, choose either time) Tuesday, June 23: Marine Kits 4 EVs needed Monday, June 22: Bay Kits Kits: choose your favorite 3 EVs needed Times: 1-2 or 2:15-3:15 Kits: choose your favorite Times: 11-12 or 1-2 Wednesday, July 1: Huddart Hike 4 EVs needed Hike: 10:15-12 @ Huddart |
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Here are your choices for Explore!: Monday, July 20: Bay Hike Wednesday, July 22: Stevens Creek Hike 3 EVs needed 4 EVs needed Hike: 10:30-12:30 @ the Baylands Hike: 10:15-12:15 @ Stevens Creek Park If you'd like to help, please send me an email with your kit/hike choice and time choice. |
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School Services Update
by Anita Rodriguez, Program Services Coordinator
Wonderful EVs! |
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The months of March, April and May are the hardest ones since we have so many services and you start to feel tired. But, we will soon be finished (sounds like my pregnancy ;) )! Most of the services we are committed for this year are already scheduled and soon we will have a new group of EVs eager to help with services. That will hep us a lot! We have started to sign up Educate for Depth teachers for next year and I already have 130 teachers in the list! On April 28th at 4:00 PM, all other teachers will be able to apply online. If you know of any school or teacher that would like our programs please pass this info to them. Finally, on a personal note, as many of you know I will be going on maternity leave starting in May or sooner, I do not know for sure. So if this is my last chance to write in the newsletter I would like to say thank you for everything you have done this year to make my job easier, and please support Nina and Carole in my absence. They will be holding down the fort. I will be back for sure and I hope to keep in touch via my blog where I hope to post comments and photos of the arrival of my baby. Take a look if you get the chance. |
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Katie's Kit Notes
by Katie Donovan, Education Assistant
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Greetings EVs! I am back from maternity leave and working hard to get everything running smoothly. A few things I've been working on: I have put a clipboard on the wall next to the card checkout. If something comes up that you should know about (kit changes, etc.) I will post a notice there. I will try to make each one a different color so you can tell if there is a new version and I will put a date at the bottom. |
This is not kit related, but my desk has moved! You can now find me in the back office in the Peninsula Materials Room. In addition to being closer to the kits and materials, this move allows me to have a crib set up for Jacob and keeps him from disturbing the rest of the office. I’m still only in part-time, so I won’t always be back there but if you hear a baby when you stop in, it’s not your imagination! As always I can also be reached at katie@evols.org. Kit Renovation on the Baylands subject area has begun! We learned a lot while doing the Forest and Foothill renovation (which we are still finishing up), so the process should be much smoother (and faster!) this time. This will mean changes to some of our kits and there will be trainings when each subject is finished to cover these changes. We are also prototyping a new decomposers kit. In the Peninisula materials room we have a worm compost bin, and if we get everything working smoothly we will duplicate that for the South Bay. Thanks to Caroline Chan for her work on this project! We are still looking for shells so please let me know if you have any contacts. Thank you for all that you do! |
Who's News: Leni Silberman
by Jan Whitmer
Leni Silberman, a new volunteer, brings a wealth of experience to the Environmental Volunteers. Her diverse work background has always revolved around science, computers, and teaching, which certainly fits with The E.V.! With a degree from New York City’s Queens College in biology-education and a Master’s degree in education (geology minor) from the University of Rochester, Leni taught middle school science in upstate New York for 4 years, then substituted in the Palo Alto schools for 15 years, after the family moved to the Bay Area. She has also taught introductory chemistry labs and taught an intro computer class at Foothill College. |
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Other education-related jobs Leni has held include her most recent position as manager of Technology Training Services at Stanford University and a job with The Learning Company managing content and documentation development for children’s educational software. She became interested in computers while working in a computer program at Jordan Middle School in Palo Alto. This enrichment program taught computer basics and strived particularly to interest girls in computers. Leni then went on to work at the American Institute for Research, on a project to get women and girls involved with computers in the 80s. Leni is devoted to her 4 grandchildren and travels quite a bit to visit them. Her daughter Daryl lives in Oregon, and her son Kevin is in Minnesota. It is not surprising, given Leni’s interests, that Daryl and Kevin are both teachers, one of music, the other of geography. Despite her busy work schedule, Leni has always found time for her passionate avocations--birding and music. She plays baroque flute, recorder, and harpsichord weekly with various groups, and modern flute in a wind quintet. As for birding, Leni always travels with binoculars and a bird guide. Leni has always thought of herself as an educator rather than a content expert. She prefers to emphasize observation skills and research rather than fact memorization. We will surely benefit from this philosophy, as well as Leni’s experience and commitment. |
Calamari Anyone?
by John Armstrong, Outreach and Communications Coordinator
Even though EV training is wrapping up for the year, we do offer other interesting educational opportunities like our recent squid dissection event. Marilyn Hornor was able to get her hands on a couple of giant, Humboldt Bay Squids. After dissecting one at a local school (at which the kids were pretty grossed out, but fascinated), she brought the other one to the peninsula EV office where her husband, Neil, performed the dissection for about 20 of us. Click here to see a few pictures – beware; they’re kind of gross!! |
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Clap For The California Clapper Rail
By Caroline Chan
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A Local Bird Trying To Make A Comeback Even if you have never had the opportunity to see a California Clapper Rail in the wild, perhaps you have heard one. Its unmistakable, clattering call (for which it is named) often gives it away. Once abundant in the salt and brackish marshes along the northern and central California coast, this now endangered, hen-like bird is trying to make a comeback in the fragmented tidal marshes of the San Francisco Bay Area. |
When visiting the Bay, look for a 13-19 inch olive-brown bird with a short tail, chestnut colored breast, and a long, slightly down-curved bill. Perhaps you’ll see it at high tide when it moves upland from its preferred habitat of dense cordgrass and pickleweed. Or maybe you’ll see it feeding on small fish or invertebrates in the tidal channels and mudflats exposed during low tide. Although the California Clapper Rail can fly short distances, it prefers to stand still or run when frightened. This tendency to stay near the ground allows for predators such as red foxes, raccoons, skunks, rats and feral cats to find it easy prey. This is especially so during the breeding and nesting season which spans from mid-February to late-August. Predation coupled with loss of habitat and unsustainable hunting practices during the Gold Rush days have all contributed to the decline of the California Clapper Rail. Today, the number of rails is slowly rising as conservationists work hard to protect and enhance the habitat of a bird that has been on the Endangered Species list since 1970. Perhaps one day you’ll be lucky enough to get a glimpse of the elusive California Clapper Rail. If not, just keep your ears open for the unmistakable “cac, cac, cac, cac, ca, caha, caha” call of a species which is trying so hard to make a comeback from the brink of extinction. If you hear it, go ahead and clap…but do so quietly so as not to frighten it!
References: 1. Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Photo Credits For EV and student photos: Leonard Brzezinski, Judy Kramer For Clapper Rail: Bird-Friends.com For "Spread the Word": Thwack.com Other pictures provided by subjects |