President's Letter

Matt Jennings
January 18th, 2010

The clock has rolled over into a New Year and closed the curtain on another great year for Gary Borger TU. There is something good going on due to the folks in this organization. You can see it at every function and meeting as people enthusiastically join in and volunteer their talents. With so much good work going on there is a sweet alchemy within the group with people doing the jobs they do best and sharing willingly with others. This positive vibe has been growing and in turn has been generating other opportunities for great new projects and wonderful partnerships. As President, I like to step back from time to time and marvel at all the wonderful things people can accomplish when they are having fun and know they are making a difference.

I want to make sure each of you understands how much your work is appreciated by giving you a big "Thank You" for helping out whenever this chapter has a need. You all stepped forward even when that meant:

• taking over a difficult role such as Youth Conservation Camp
• completing the seemingly endless and sometimes invisible tasks of making our fundraiser successful
• executing a critical grant submission to secure funding to expand our principal stream conservation activity
• babysitting alevins for our trout in the classroom program when the students were gone for the holidays
• Or volunteering for water quality testing and training in the Ravines of Highland Park.

These examples are only a smattering of the ways that the organization is advancing through the bold actions of heroic people who are willing to take a chance and expand their expertise in order to help the cause of coldwater conservation.

Many of these roles will be shifting after this year and I am asking each of you to think ahead and determine a role for yourself in the organization. This is a great opportunity for you to share in the reward that comes from giving to others and help GBTU achieve its lofty ambitions. I encourage each of you to step up and see where it takes you.

Take care,
Matt Jennings
President Gary Borger TU