The draft minutes from the Annual General Meeting are posted on the website. The board of directors has reviewed the minutes and the membership will be asked to approve them at the next AGM in May 2022.
However, after learning about the credentials required for the Auditor position as defined by the MVFN Constitution Philippa Winters withdrew her name. The position of auditor is now vacant.
2021-2022 MVFN board of directors
President: Linda McCormick 1st Vice-President: Val Wilkinson 2nd Vice-President: George Yarmechuk Treasurer: John Blais Chair of Program: Denis Gallant Chair of Finance: Vacant Chair of Environmental Education: Bob Smith Chair of Conservation & Habitat: Paul Frigon Chair of Membership: Sylvia Miller Chair of Nature Protection: Tineke Kuiper Director at Large: Cliff Bennett Director at Large: Stan Holloway
We are pleased to announce our upcoming member presentations, followed by the MVFN Annual General Meeting on Thursday, May 20. It’s that time of year when we have the opportunity to learn from two of our talented members, as well as hear the latest announcements from our Bursary Committee. And we will start off with the ever-popular Nature Sightings with Ken Allison.
Gord Harrison is co-founder and co-coordinator of Climate Network Lanark (CNL), a dedicated group of about 50 volunteers driving deep action on climate change. Gord will provide a brief history of CNL and explain its three-pronged nature-based climate solutions work.
Trish Larkin will be announcing the recipients of the Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary Awards. There will be an opportunity to meet some of them and hear an interview with a previous bursary recipient.
Bruce Smith and Kit Muma will discuss their experience sharing and learning through iNaturalist. Kit and Bruce repatriated to Canada, moving to Perth in 2019, after retiring from faculty positions at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY.
MVFN Members’ Night
6:45 Social Time
6:50 Nature Sightings Ken Allison
7:05 Official Welcome Ron Williamson
7:10 Nature Solutions Gord Harrison
7:30 Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary Trish Larkin
7:45 iNaturalist Focus Kit Muma and Bruce Smith
8:00 MVFN Annual General Meeting
The AGM is a very important function in the life of any organization, so we hope you can stay and take part in learning about the affairs of MVFN during this past year. You will have an opportunity to vote on the selection of the new Board of Directors for 2021/22 and an amendment to our constitution (article 10 g).
Our year of living virtually is almost over and the MVFN Board of Directors request your presence to help us celebrate the year that was and look forward to the year to come.
Please review the following documents as you will be asked to vote to accept each one during the meeting. You will also be asked to elect a board of directors. All current directors and officers have agreed to stand for election. Their names and positions are outlined in the agenda.
The 2019 Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists’ Members’ Night and Annual General Meeting will be held on May 16 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The meeting will start promptly at 7:00 p.m., instead of our usual 7:30, to allow some of our Young Naturalists to participate in Members’ Night prior to the AGM.
MVFN Members’ Night
7:00 Opening, Show and Tell Ken Allison
7:10 Presentation of CB Nature Bursary recipients Michael McPherson
7:20 Presentation of Youth Summit Sponsorship Tineke Kuiper
7:30 Young Naturalists Patty McLaughlin
7:45 Previous CB Bursary Recipient Laura Symon
7:55 Previous ON Youth Summit & CB Bursary Recipient Brenda Boyd
8:00 – 8:10 Leg stretch
8:15 MVFN Annual General Meeting
1. Call to order Ron Williamson
2. President’s remarks and committee reports Linda McCormick
3. Financials Jim Atack
4. Nominating Committee Report Jim Atack
5. Remarks of new president and introduction Pat Enright
of 2019/20 Board members
6. Other business
7. Adjournment
The AGM is a very important function in the life of any organization, so we hope you can stay and take part in learning about the affairs of MVFN during this past year. You will have an opportunity to vote on the selection of the new Board of Directors for 2019/20, the 2019/20 budget, and other policies and reports.
Date: Thursday, May 16th, 2019
Time: Doors open at 6:30, presentations start at 7:00, and the Annual General Meeting starts at 8:15.
Place: Almonte United Church Social Hall, 106 Elgin Street, Almonte
On Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 pm., the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists (MVFN) will host their annual Members Night, to be held in the Social Hall of Almonte United Church, 106 Elgin St., Almonte Ontario. We will welcome from our membership four ambassadors for nature, Bob and Sherryl Smith, and Karen and Bruce Thompson. During the first presentation we will be inspired by a dedicated project in our region involving local youth, gardening experts and enthusiasts, and environmental educators from MVFN, all partnering to create garden habitats for our area’s pollinators, and in particular Monarch Butterflies. The second presentation will feature stunningly beautiful photographic images inspired by nature and created by two accomplished photographers from Almonte.
Sherryl and Bob Smith, who reside in Pakenham have authored the first interesting presentation entitled “Partnerships, Pollinators, and Plants”. Sherryl is an active member and past-president of Pakenham Horticultural Society (PHS) and also volunteers with the Pakenham Public School (PPS) Garden Club. Bob is the chair of the MVFN Environmental Education Committee (EEP). EEP enhances opportunities for youth education relating to the wonders of the natural world in the Mississippi Valley Watershed, one of the key goals of MVFN. The presentation highlights the partnerships which have been created between PHS, PPS, and MVFN. EEP’s latest project, The Pollinator Garden Project, began in the spring of 2015 with 5 schools and continued through to the fall of 2016 involving 15 schools and utilizing the knowledge, skills, and dedication of volunteers from PHS and EEP in creating gardens that nurture and provide habitat for diminished numbers of Monarch Butterflies. The project was initiated and funded by MVFN and EEP in an effort to alert young people to the issue of the threatened Monarch. Over 100 Monarch butterflies were nurtured, hatched and released by the students and teachers of these schools. Bob and Sherryl will describe plant selections that attract Monarch butterflies and other pollinators. They will also outline the life cycle of the Monarch and will provide some observations about garden conditions necessary for pollinator habitats in our region.
Karen and Bruce Thompson have entitled their presentation “Takin’ A Hike”. They are gifted photographers and have traveled extensively coast-to-coast and abroad, all the while nurturing their ‘first love’ of nature photography. They are founding members of “Photography Matters”, a group of local photographers. The members of this talented group include professionals, amateurs, film aficionados, and digital enthusiasts. There is an organized monthly and sometimes a longer-term photo challenge theme, a photo critique, as well as guest speakers or presentations, all of which helps this talented group of photography artists to further develop their artistic passion and skill. Karen and Bruce will guide us as we step into the natural world around Prince Edward County and beyond. Our eyes will feast on the beautiful photographic images of birds, flowers, animals, and native scenery. Soft music will further enhance the experience.
Please join us for this relaxing and informative evening. The doors will open at 7 pm. for those wishing to socialize until the start of the presentation. Refreshments will be available throughout the evening. The MVFN Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at 7:30 pm. followed by the presentations at 8 pm. There is a visitors fee of $5; there will be no charge for youth 18 and under. For further information, please contact MVFN’s Program Chair, Gretta Bradley at .
