Washington D.C.— July 16th
Through the generosity of some of our great Board Members, this year, we established the O’ Brien Prize, an annual award for our Refuge Friends groups. We are pleased to announce the two national wildlife refuge Friends groups who will be receiving the O’Brien Prize; International Wildlife Refuge Alliance of Detroit, MI, and Friends of the Mariana Trench National Wildlife Refuge, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. The prize is named after Donal O’Brien III, a past Board Chair and longtime enthusiast of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Don is a generous supporter of the great work we do for national wildlife refuges and is very impressed by the dedication and effectiveness of Refuge Friends groups. With the award both The Friends of the Mariana Trench National Wildlife Refuge and International Wildlife Refuge Alliance plan on expanding their communications to encourage and educate more visitors at their local national wildlife refuge.
The Friends of the Mariana Trench National Wildlife Refuge are looking to hire a college intern with an indigenous background for a semester who would be responsible for contributing to the development of demographically appropriate messaging for their website, social media, and public service announcements in a native voice. These projects would serve to promote their mission and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System but expressed from an indigenous perspective.
In preparation for the opening of Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge’s (DRIWR) new Visitor Center, International Wildlife Refuge Alliance is in need of developing an updated brochure. With an expected 100,000 annual visitors, educating the public on what the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance is, and how the Friends organization supports their refuge remains a challenge. Literature available at the front desk will be the first introduction to the DRIWR for many visitors, so it is important that the brochures are updated with accurate information. Their brochure will demonstrate how Refuge Friends organizations are critical to our national wildlife refuges in providing much needed project funding and the continued role of advocacy as a voice for the Refuge System.
“The Friends of the Mariana Trench National Wildlife Refuge and International Wildlife Refuge Alliance are engaged in tremendous work in support of their local refuges. We are so grateful that Refuge Friends groups continue to implement effective projects for the National Wildlife Refuge System at the community level,” said Geoffrey Haskett, President of the National Wildlife Refuge Association.
Refuge Friends are independent, nonprofit organizations run by individuals that support the purposes and objectives of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Many groups are well established and provide extensive assistance to their national wildlife refuges; others have just gotten started. The first Refuge Friends organizations started in the 1980s. Today, roughly 200 organizations build links between communities and refuges.
We would like to thank all Friends Groups for everything they do for their local national wildlife refuge and for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
As the leading independent voice advocating on behalf of the National Wildlife Refuge System, the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge Association is to protect, promote and enhance America’s wildlife heritage through strategic programs that serve the System and wildlife beyond its boundaries. For more information, contact Caroline Brouwer, National Wildlife Refuge Association, 202-577-3200.