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<br /> Annual Meeting a
<br /> work together to make the River come alive in the young minds that hold the hope Great Success
<br /> of its future .
<br /> In 1995 the Assembly began its Haw River Watch program with funding We had a glorious fall day for the
<br /> from the Z Smith Reynolds Foundation and the EPA. River Watch is a volunteer Annual HRA Membership Meeting up at
<br /> citizen program that regularly monitors the health of the Haw and many of its Cedarock Park. Some of us gathered early
<br /> tributaries . Currently, over 150 volunteers provide quarterly inspections at 43 for a round of Frisbee golf, and exploring the
<br /> sites . In addition to coordinating the effort and providing training for new volun- trails at the park. Jan Burger and Donovan
<br /> teers , Kim Colvin, the paid part time coordinator, also provides River Watch data Zimmerman held a workshop on puppet
<br /> to several state environmental agencies , making that drew a big crowd of kids and
<br /> Since 1991 the HRA has sponsored a clean-up of the River ' s banks , at adults who learned some fundamentals and
<br /> 12 sites from Burlington of Jordan Lake, a program involving more than 1500 then created two big puppet forms them-
<br /> volunteer hours annually: The most recent new initiative of the HRA, the purchase selves . Thanks Jan and Donovan ! Kevin
<br /> and perpetual protection of lands along the river' s borders , has borne fruit this and Kim lead a river watch monitoring down
<br /> autumn with the purchase of the springs that are the headwaters of the Haw, the hill at Rock Creek, and showed how our
<br /> HRA Hires Executive Director new sediment monitoring devices work. We
<br /> In 1996 , when the load of increasing activities began to get more and held elections for the 2000 Board of
<br /> more clearly beyond the capacities of an all volunteer administration, the HRA Directors and welcomed new members
<br /> Board of Directors hired a part time Executive Director, Elaine Chiosso , and Randy Dodd, Martha Garrett and Fred
<br /> established an office in the little Haw River mill town of Bynum. We also set up an Worrell. We give a BIG thanks to outgoing
<br /> office for River Watch , next to the Saxapahaw Post Office, thanks to the Jordan members Jane Sharp MacRae , Toby
<br /> family. This major step in the growth of the organization has proven a good one, Considine, Cecelia Carver, Seth Reice and
<br /> helping the HRA to become an even stronger voice for the river and for conser- Liz Seymour for all their help over the years .
<br /> vation in the watershed. Kristy Manning was honored for her
<br /> Having a staff director, whose main job is to keep the HRA focused and leadership as HRA president for the past two
<br /> active in pursuit of our goals , has greatly enhanced our ability to run our numerous years , Lynn Featherstone and Deborah
<br /> projects smoothly and effectively. We are increasing our outreach activities with Amaral for their amazing and successful
<br /> citizens of the watershed , coordinating efforts with state agencies involved in work on river land conservation and
<br /> watershed protection , and participating in coalition building with other river restoration and Kim and Kevin for their
<br /> protection groups across the state . As we have grown, we have become a much accomplishments with River Watch and
<br /> more significant voice for you . But this growth has also significantly increased our fighting pollution on the Haw. Elaine was
<br /> annual operating costs_ Aside from staff salaries (still too low) and rent (also presented a gift certificate for amuch-
<br /> extremely low, thanks to our landlords) there are costs for attending meetings , needed massage, for her tireless (well, maybe
<br /> producing and mailing newsletters , and maintaining Internet access and modem sometimes tiring) work as Executive
<br /> office equipment. Currently, much of the director' s time and energy goes to Director. We held our breaths as the Raffle
<br /> raising money for operations . Elaine is constantly involved in scrambling for funds Prizes were drawn (Mary Linker won the
<br /> through multiple small projects such as benefit concerts , raffles , auctions , and tent ! ) . Thanks again to Townsend and
<br /> selling t- shirts , rather than using her time to work directly on conservation Bertam Outfitters in Carrboro for donating
<br /> projects . Membership dues thus far in 1999 have provided approximately $ 6 , 000 the tent, Mark Hewitt for the gorgeous
<br /> in support, and other individual donations have added another $ 8 ,000 , of our total Pottery pitcher, Rock Rest Adventures for
<br /> budget of $ 55 , 000 , (A much more realistic budget of $71 , 500 has been proposed the canoe trip , and Dede Banks for the
<br /> for 2000 . ) Grants help , and in fact have occasionally in the past provided the massage . The afternoon ended with a tasty
<br /> majority of our funding , but there is no certainty from year to year of getting potluck dinner and more conversation and
<br /> grants , and they cannot provide long-term operational stability. music around the fireplace .
<br /> Membership throughout the Watershed
<br /> In order to establish ourselves as a stable voice for conservation in the ;?
<br /> coming century, we have begun to develop a more substantial base of membership %= ;�'
<br /> funding for our operations . We feel that every resident who lives in the Haw River :': � ;;`;: � !
<br /> to
<br /> Basin (and there are hundreds of thousands of us) benefits from our work, and is a -�^ oil __m _ ___
<br /> potential member ! We hope in the future to rely on grants and special events only111
<br /> to start up new , long-term projects and provide one-time funding for special needs .
<br /> We see a real need to establish an endowment to provide some income to carry us 1ur f�n"�y
<br /> I'tt';St� ,k i11��r M, 1l f�
<br /> through difficult years, a Capital Fund to provide money for large expenses such as � � � ,4WIV+ ,�"� i� i ' ; t;'
<br /> office equipment, and a Revolving Fund to cover up-front expenses of the Land h�
<br /> Conservation project . If you are experienced in organizational planning or
<br /> r ,
<br /> fundraising and would like to help us in this endeavor, please contact Kristy "
<br /> Manning , who has volunteered to be our new Fund-Raising Chair, at 545 -0286 . £^ 'tom ' `�'`' "
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