Welcome to the December 16, 2008 issue of E-News.

In this Issue

	Please Welcome our New Director of Development, Breck Knauft
	Support Your Favorite Organization
	Volunteer Day 2009
	Making Moves in Woodstock
	Work Projects Wanted!
	A Holiday Gift Idea

Faces Behind Our Success

Susan Witt Stephens, a graphic design professional from Williston, was the volunteer behind the scenes the past few months organizing and managing the Holiday Auction. The on-line Auction raised just under $10,000 for VYCC and its partnering agencies.  This project took organizational skill, imagination, management of volunteers, and more. Susan did an incredible job and everyone from the Richmond Land Trust, Vermont Mountain Bike Association, and of course VYCC is grateful and appreciative. Thanks Susan!

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Please Welcome our New Director of Development, Breck Knauft

In other development news, the VYCC is excited to announce that we have a new development director, Breck Knauft. Breck brings a true passion for youth-oriented outdoor programs. Prior to the VYCC, he worked as the development director at Woodbury College. Breck lives in Huntington with his wife and two young daughters. Welcome Breck!

Support Your Favorite Organization

By the time this newsletter lands in your email inbox, you have probably received our winter appeal in your old-fashioned inbox we like to call a mailbox. We hope you will take a few moments to read this appeal, as it conveys stories, hopes, accomplishments, and the vision for the VYCC. We also hope you will choose to support our programs. Please know that you can also make a secure and confidential gift online by going to http://www.vycc.org/support.html. Of course, if you have any questions about our programs or giving strategies in these challenging economic times, please call Breck Knauft at 802.434.3969 x110.

Volunteer Day 2009

The VYCC is hosting a volunteer day on January 24th to continue work on the East Monitor Barn site in preparation for the barn revitalization. Projects will include work inside the East Monitor Barn, site clean-up, and tree removal and chipping. The volunteer day is a cooperative effort between the Richmond Land Trust and the VYCC and is open to anyone who wants to help out in the preservation of this historic building. Please RSVP if you are planning to attend at Keegan@vycc.org or 802.434.3969 x141.

Making Moves in Woodstock

The Woodstock School Crew is building upon a strong foundation of partnership with Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historic Park by adding the Vermont Land Trust’s King Farm and Woodstock Union High School to the mix. This crew of five males, freshmen thru senior, is solo-led by Kevin Chap, Community Crew Leader, ’08. The crew focused their first quarter of work on building their community through construction of a 30’ x 6’ stone turnpike, designed to elevate trail tread above a perpetually wet drainage on the One Less Traveled Trail within the park. They are now setting their sights on designing a work-plan for the park’s new Stewardship Trail. The Corps Members are all resident experts on animal tracking, anything related to hunting, and many features of trail design and drainage. They will be hosting a Solstice celebration in collaboration with WUHS’ Agriculture and Earth Beat clubs as well as the Farm to School Committee. The crew hopes to team with Farm to School to establish a garden in the spring that will feed students in the cafeteria next year.

Work Projects Wanted!

The VYCC is actively pursuing applications for work projects for the 2009 season and beyond. Now is a critical planning period for the VYCC Operations staff as we work together with prospective sponsors to develop projects for our crews to complete starting as early as next spring. Whether your project is ready to go as soon as the snow melts or it’s just in the idea stage, contact us. We can help develop your project - from layout or design to collaborative fundraising. The VYCC again anticipates receiving funding from the Vermont Agency of Transportation for the completion of transportation enhancement projects and we have extended our application deadline for these types of projects to January 15th, 2009. For more information, visit the project page on our website or contact Justin Kenney, Operations Coordinator, at 802-434-3969 x 140 or jkenney@vycc.org.
 

A Holiday Gift Idea

The VYCC and Peregrine Productions have teamed up to offer a newly released local amphibian and reptile DVD. Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers is a great gift for naturalists of all ages. The 3 hours of content was designed for anyone interested in the biology, natural history, and any of the 52 fascinating amphibians & reptiles in our back yards of New England. A percentage of the proceeds go to the VYCC if you use this link to the Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers web site to place an order. The site also has video excerpts, reviews and more information.
Local wildlife videographer, Vince Franke, worked with Jim Andrews, of the VT Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, to create individual segments on all the species that breed in New England as well as reptile and amphibian field adventures hosted by a variety of New England experts. Viewers can watch an entire field adventure series on reptiles or amphibians or choose any of the stand-alone adventures from within each series.