Dear Supporters and Friends,
None of us knows the timeline or the effect that self-isolation, social distancing, economic stress, government regulations or business closures will have on our lives or on the work of the Massawippi Foundation and Massawippi Conservation Trust.
Our Board of Directors recently set up a Plan B for our activities over the coming months that we would like to share with you.
• Our AGM is planned to take place as usual at Vachon Hall on June 27th, 2020 but if that is not possible, it will be held remotely using Zoom. The Notice and Agenda for the meeting will go out to you electronically and you will be given instructions at that time on how to attend the meeting remotely.
• The June 29th Press Conference to announce the completion of the Eberts acquisition has been postponed until a later date.
• The Trust has two conservation projects in the works that will be completed as planned. One project consists of 7 acres with lakefront in the heart of the mountain that connects two previously conserved properties on the west side of the lake. The second 4 acre property is located above and contiguous to our conserved property on Checkerberry. Committed funds are in place and the two properties should be under conservation before the end of the calendar year.
• We had hoped to introduce an educational programme on our conserved lands this summer but this has been deferred until 2021.
• The opening of Ethan’s Beach is scheduled for August 1st, 2020. The Board will decide a month in advance whether to hold this celebration then or to postpone for another time. We will advise you once a decision has been made.
• We are very sensitive to the fact that the economic impact of Covid 19 may reduce your capacity to make a donation this year, and we are controlling our expenditures accordingly. We need your support though, both financial and moral, and hope we can count on you for both.
• We will continue trail building this season on a reduced scale, with a shorter season and fewer employees, fulfilling what we think is an obligation to the outstanding trail builders who have worked for us for the last five years. Since trail building is a non-essential activity, work may not be permitted.
• At our February Board Meeting, the Board agreed to hire a part-time employee to serve as a Community Engagement Manager. We still plan to do so, with the job’s priority to inform and build our constituency electronically and use on-line approaches for fundraising. The job description is attached in case you know of someone who would be a good fit with our organization and whom you might encourage to apply.
In short, we want you to know that we are open for business and continuing our work in every way possible during these quite exceptional times. We hope that you all stay healthy and safe until we can meet again in person.
Yours truly,
Patterson Webster, Chair
Margot Heyerhoff, President
