Dear Friend,

You are making a difference! When we connect birds and people, they discover the value and importance of nature. We’ve seen this happen time and time again through our many programs. Birds inspire people to build a respect and responsibility to care for them through environmental stewardship and bird-friendly practices. One of the most inspiring things I’ve witnessed at Michigan Audubon is seeing children learn about and take ownership of the future of our flying friends through programs such as Michigan Young Birders Camp, Bird by Bird, and Michigan Young Birders Network.

Campers experience bird banding up close while attending the Michigan Young Birders Camp.

Recently, I attended Bird Olympics, the finale of the Bird by Bird program for a 5th-grade classroom. Students competed in events emulating bird behaviors (such as seeing how long they could stand on one leg with their eyes closed to mimic the sleeping habits of the Great Blue Heron) and answered bird-related trivia. I teared up seeing them so eager to be called on. ALL of their responses were correct! Once you have knowledge like this about birds, you can then connect the dots to your responsibility to care for their environment. And these 5th-graders were clearly connecting the dots!

This June, the sixth annual Michigan Young Birders Camp took place, and we had a full house — 16 campers! From birding hotspots to museums, the campers, ages 13–18, spent a week traveling to more than a dozen locations, learning and birding! They met with experts about the intricacies of hawk identification, Kirtland’s Warbler conservation, bird research at the University of Michigan, and more. Throughout the week, 113 bird species were seen or heard. Each camper had a lifer, and one camper who generally only birded in their backyard had over 80! Can you imagine how magical this camp was for these kids? Forming friendships with their peers who also enjoy birds while exponentially growing their birding knowledge and experiences is a life-changing opportunity.

I started this letter with, “You are making a difference!” And you are! Your support allows us to provide these bird-oriented educational experiences for our future birders and engage in pipeline development for our instrumental work. The children we engage with will be our next generation of birders who support conservation, engage in community efforts, lead local Michigan Audubon chapters, and preserve our bird sanctuaries.

“I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.” These lyrics were made famous by Whitney Houston in the song “Greatest Love of All.” And that’s true, isn’t it? Endeavoring to teach children is a great passion with tremendous rewards.

I seek your help in continuing and expanding our integral education efforts. Currently, Michigan Audubon has only one full-time staff member producing our education and events programs. Yet our goal is to grow our outreach to engage with more youth, host more than one Bird by Bird classroom program, and enhance current offerings. Today, we aim to raise $50,000 to invest in growing our team. By adding a staff person, we can increase our efforts and elevate our outcomes.

Your support of Michigan Audubon’s programs says so much about your legacy and commitment to improving the world on so many levels. With your tax-deductible gift, you are developing the pipeline of future leaders who cherish birds and will continue forward and enhance the mission of connecting birds and people for the betterment of both.

With Sincere Regards,

Kathleen Mennillo, MBA
CEO