Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society thrives on the support of its dedicated members, donors, and volunteers. Join us for an evening celebrating you, the lifeblood of our chapter.
Details
Dinner Tickets: $25/member—please purchase below or by calling the SCVAS Office at (408) 252-3747
When: Saturday, July 13, 2019; 5:00—8:30PM
Where: The Garden House in Shoup Park, 400 University Avenue, Los Altos
Program
Bird Walks
Social hour & Silent Action
Annual Meeting & Volunteer Awards
Catered Dinner
Live music by the Jazzbirds
Guest Speaker, Nathan Pieplow
Meet Matthew Dodder, our new Executive Director
Matthew Dodder has been passionate about birds since he was 14 years old. Before joining SCVAS he worked as a senior designer at the premier graphic design and marketing agency in the Bay Area, helping Silicon Valley companies achieve their outreach goals through visually arresting designs and strategic campaigns. He has taught a popular birding class at the Palo Alto Adult School since 1999, sharing his love and curiosity about birds with scores of students. He is thrilled to bring his varied skill set and an unapologetic concern for the welfare of our avifauna to SCVAS as our Executive Director.
Tonight's Presentation: The Language of Birds
Guest Speaker: Nathan Pieplow
All around us, all the time, the birds are telling us who they are and what they are doing. In his talk, Nathan Pieplow will unlock the secrets of their language. You’ll listen in on the pillow talk of a pair
of Red-winged Blackbirds and learn the secret signals that Cliff Swallows use when they have found food. You’ll learn how one bird sound can have many meanings, how one meaning can have many sounds, and how, sometimes, the meaning isn’t in the sounds at all.
Nathan Pieplow is the author of the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds, published in two volumes, Eastern (2017) and Western (2019). An avid bird sound recordist and videographer, Nathan also teaches writing and rhetoric at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He will be signing books after his presentation.
Volunteer Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award - Chuck Wade
Chuck Wade is one of those volunteers who could run his program blindfolded and with both hands tied behind his back. Though we wouldn’t want it that way because blindfolds and drills aren’t necessarily the safest combination.
Chuck has been a supporter of SCVAS for many years. He has helped hundreds of children build habitat in the form of nest boxes so that they can discover the wonder of birds in their own backyards. What may seem a heart warming arts and crafts activity is actually an empowering experience for budding young naturalists. Children are not often not given the chance to make such a direct impact on the environment. This rare opportunity, accompanied by the experience of watching birds inhabit the newly constructed nest box, is unforgettable for many students. At local outreach festivals I have had many families tell me about the feathered families that inhabit their nest boxes. These memories are impactful, and are likely some of the memories that inspired many of you to be here today. We have Chuck to thank for many of the future environmentalists of Santa Clara county. His dedication to inspiring environmental stewardship in the next generation is nothing short of inspiring.
But Chuck doesn’t just help children build nest boxes. Each year he applies for the IBM Community Grant to acquire funds for the nest box materials. He then recruits his own army of volunteers to help construct the nest box kits and carry out the educational programs. Chuck runs the show at Wildlife & Harvest Day and we could not pull it off without him. I learned so much from him during my time with SCVAS and appreciated his patience in answering all of my questions. He is a pleasure to work with and I am honored to nominate him for the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Lifetime Achievement Award. Thank you, Chuck!
Education Volunteer - Barbara Millin
Barbara joined SCVAS’s Wetlands Discovery Program last year, and we’ve been incredibly grateful for her company ever since. Barbara meets every field trip with enthusiasm and good spirits, and she has become an incredibly reliable volunteer integral to the smooth running of our longest running education program. Barbara is a relatively recent newcomer to birding, but she says that birding has made her, “much more curious about everything in the world around me.” A sentiment that all of us in the education branch of SCVAS can support and appreciate!
When she isn’t volunteering with Audubon, Barbara can be found donating her time to the Red Cross, and leading nature and bird walks with the local Veterans Affairs hospital. From joining Egret Office Hours to our other educational programs, to organizing and running the VA walks for disabled veterans, Barbara’s support is always welcome and greatly appreciated, and we want to thank her for choosing SCVAS as an organization she supports. We’re a better place because of her, and every other volunteer that decides to devote their time to our work.
Advocacy Volunteer - Dashiel Leeds
We first met Dashiell two years ago, a public meeting of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors where he joined SCVAS staff and Environmental Action Committee volunteers to speak publicly against a destructive bike park development set to take place close to where he lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Dash’s passion for protecting ecosystems was a natural fit with our conservation mission, and he soon after began to regularly volunteer his time. As an advocate, researcher, and writer for Audubon, Dash has fought to protect habitats across the region, from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Guadalupe River. Some of his many efforts include advocating for Bird-Safe Design and Dark Sky Policies (to reduce light pollution) in Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Mountain View, and San Jose. You can find his writing in the Avocet, where he has written articles on Coyote Valley and light pollution.
We are always glad when young advocates join us in advocating for bird and nature in our county and beyond, and are happy to award Dash the Environmental Advocacy Volunteer award.
Nature Shop Volunteer - Mary Ann Robertson
Over the past year, Mary Ann has been an invaluable volunteer in our Nature Shopon Thursdays. She is reliable, organized, and willing to take on mundane tasks witha cheerful attitude. Before she retired, Mary Ann spent 13 years doing research atSRI (Stanford Research Institute) International and over 16 years at Silicon Valleycompanies and consulting firms. In retirement, she pursued her photography hobbyand then discovered birding and the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. You’ll alsofind Mary Ann leading nature walks at McClellan Ranch and helping out with specialevents like Wildlife & Harvest Day and the annual rummage sale. Mary Ann isenthusiastic, multi-talented, and we’re so grateful she’s with us!
Outreach Volunteer - Eve Meier
Eve Meier is one of the most ambitious and dedicated people I have ever met. Not long after becoming a volunteer, she quickly took on multiple roles within the organization, starting with becoming a field trip leader. As a leader she was always easy to work with and eager to lead more trips to introduce diverse audiences to the joy of birding. She soon joined the Outreach Committee and brought incredible energy and a collaborative mindset to the group.
When we found ourselves without a field trip coordinator, Eve happily stepped up to the plate so that our field trips would continue without missing a beat. She even helped found the Field Trip Committee to make SCVAS field trip protocols more fun and effective for both trip leaders and participants.
Eve always brings a positive attitude and open mind to every project. She is fun to be around, and turns everyone she meets into a birder. We are thankful to have her on our team. Thank you for your support, Eve!