By Poppy Benson, Vice President for Outreach
In July when Board terms were up, we lost invaluable Board Members Jason Sodergren and Jerry Hupp. Jason was a Friends founder and driving force in his 18 years on the Board. He was treasurer, chief of tech, all things Shorebird Festival and more. Our “go to guy”. Jerry was Volunteer Coordinator and Liaison Coordinator and added science credentials to our Board. A sad day when those two resigned. We are so grateful for all they did for refuges and wildlife.
Recently retired Homer businessman Kim Zook hit the ground running joining the Board in July only a year after discovering Friends. Kim joined at a Walk for the Wild last fall and decided we were a “cool group” after reading our newsletter and attending member meetings. Kim has considerable experience on Rotary Club Boards including as President of several Rotary Clubs and enjoyed the experience because boards are where “the interesting stuff happens, and I like that.” Kim has a life long interest in hiking, fishing and watching animals after growing up in eastern Washington. He said, “I was always interested in wildlife preservation.” Kim is on the Friends’ finance committee and is a natural at outreach volunteering many hours at Friends’ outreach tables at the Shorebird Festival and the Kenai Sports and Recreation show this past year. When not volunteering, Kim, who wanted to be a fisheries biologist as a youth, can be found fishing in Kachemak Bay on his boat, the Tufted Puffin. Welcome Kim!
Want to be “where the interesting stuff happens”? Talk to us about a two- year term on the Board. We could use three more members. We need a Volunteer Coordinator (very fun job you get to talk to all the refuges about their needs) a liaison coordinator, more members for our Advocacy Committee and additional Fairbanks, Anchorage and outstate members for the Outreach Committee, someone interested in the newsletter and a refuge liaison for Alaska Peninsula-Becharof. Contact us and let’s talk. It is a good feeling to feel useful and needed.