annual report draft 2015 march 16

If kids don’t understand nature...

At a time when the nation needsto inspire our next generation ofenvironmental stewards morethan ever, we are proud to reportour 2015 accomplishments.Thanks to the support of ourvolunteers and donors, TheNature Generation is helping toprotect nature by inspiring ourfuture generations throughengaging interactive education.

We donated over 1,500 environmental books to kids this year, sothey can read for themselves about the beauty and awe of nature.Schools and hospitals that received the books, including those thatserve military families and families in need, were able to reinforce themessage of stewardship through these beautifully illustrated andwritten stories. In addition, more than 3,000 students read eco-books for our Growing Green Reader Challenge contest where thewinners won Kindles! After reading about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in our Green Earth Book Award winning book “Plastics Ahoy,” this 5th grader from a school in Washington, D.C. writes how he plans to help the environment.

When authors accept our awards, they also visit local classrooms to read and donate their books. They leave lasting impressions on the students as they tell their stories aboutcaring for the earth. Pictured here is 2015 Picture Bookwinner Nicola Davies, who tells the kids what happens when her protagonistdiscovers she held a bag of acorns: “I held a forest in my arms, and myheart was changed.” During our Green Earth Book Award ceremony , keynote speaker Bob Deans, Director of Strategic Devel- opment with the Natural Resources Defense Council, celebrated The Nature Generation as the modern storytellers of the earth. It is here where we honor and encourage the authors who are writing the books that inspire our youth to take action. In our 11 years of bestowing award, we’ve recognized and supported 42 winning books and 76 honor books that teach kids the message of environmental stewardship.

Hundreds of students and residents use ourChapman DeMary Nature Trail as an outdoorclassroom to connect with nature; here’s whowe’ve seen on the trail this year:Over 100 5th graders - met with high schoolstudent guides for some hands-on learningabout trees - the lungs of our planet!High school students - initiate clean up plan toreduce storm water runoff that harms the creekon the trailScout troops - trail projects pique interest innature, earning badges for scoutsHands-on stewards - volunteer Weed Warriorsmeet monthly to remove invasives and litter;others clean up the stream on water quality dayNancy Reaves - 2015 McGranaghan StewardshipAward winner, teaching kids how to be goodstewardsStudents from Indonesia - learned aboutbiodiversity through a George Mason Universityyouth leadership initiativeLoudoun Tree Stewards - researching the treesin this last stand of old growth forest inPurcellville, Va.

We introduced online EnviroPlay games toencourage critical thinking and inspire action. The games areavailable for free to K-12 grade teachers, students, and youth and community groups. www.NatGen.org/classroomgames

We continue to get the word out aboutenvironmental stewardship to teachers, studentsand communities across the nation.Our new monthly blog features board membersand winning authors writing as opinion leadersin environmental education.President Amy Marasco Newton‘s feature “ViewFrom My Window,” a call to slow down andlisten to nature, runs monthly in The PurcellvilleGazette (circulation .over 19,000). We also runeco tips each month in The Blue Ridge Leader.In addition to our online EnviroPlay games andGreen Earth Award winning books, we providelearning resources: “No Planet B” posters and bookmarks to inspire stewardship and action; Tree Trek, Nature Bingo, and other outside games that encourage observation; Guides on how to improve water quality, how to plant community pollinator gardens, and how to host an eco-reading challenge.

We signed a partnership agreement with the General Federation ofWomen’s Clubs (GFWC), a national network of clubs nearly 100,000members strong, to expand our national reach. GFWC was founded in1890 to promote civic improvements through volunteer service. Clubsacross the nation now work to support The Nation Generation by plantingcommunity butterfly gardens, donating Green Earth Award-winning booksto their local libraries and schools, and by raising funds for ourenvironmental education programs.We’ve collaborated with organizations to help us get the word out aboutour mission and resources, including:North American Association for Environmental Education, NationalEnvironmental Education Foundation, Earth Day Network, Boy Scouts, GirlScouts, Washington Guild Of Children's Book Writers, Network for Good,The Piedmont Environmental Council, The Town of Purcellville, LoudounCounty Public Schools, Loudoun Valley HS, Guilford Elementary, PattersonElementary, Culbert Elementary, Hayfield Secondary, Little Run Elementary,Duke Ellington School of Arts., Va State Reading Association,

Thank you language...

These company’s substantial, multi-year gifts have provided a tremendous opportunity for the growth of The Nature Generation’s mission.

President’s Circle Ian and Lydia Kline Max and Cathy Hall Arthur Gowran($10,000 and above) Mark Johnson and Kathryn Tillisch Ralph and Sherry Jones Pamela Spencer HolleyAmy Marasco Newton (in honor of Marcia Tillisch) Marriott International Tony Hudimac LMI Howard Perlmutter and Allyn Richard and Karen JimmersonEco-Leader’s Circle Laura Marasco Finegold The K Foundation($2,500–$9,999) Mark and Debi McGhee Purcellville Copy Sarah MathesonAtSite, Inc. Edward Miller Carol Quin Ron and Mary NewtonBill and Pam Balcke SC&A, Inc. John and Taryn Roman Linda Perry and FamilyCGI Federal Sengpiehl Insurance Group Amy Norgren Salfi Purcellville Lion's ClubJudi Dotson Randy and Sarah Shangraw Edward Saltzberg and Sharon Will and Jenny SchmidtExcalibur Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies Schoeller Jocelyn TurkelGuest Services, Inc. The Stuart Group at Morgan Stan- Security & Sustainability Forum Zicht & Associates, PLCInnovate, Inc. ley John and Cindy ShephardPier Six Capital Peter Trick Emily Walton Guardian CircleThe Purcellville Gazette Vistronix Wholesale Screening Solutions ($100-$249)Phil Rizzi The Wheelhouse Group Art Achilles (in memory of PattiSolutions By Design II Educators Circle Shafer) Conservation Circle ($250-$499) Diane AllenStewards Circle ($500-$999) Bank of Clarke County Mary Apostolico($1000-$2,499) AOC Key Solutions Browning Equipment Jason and Darby BadeBaker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Anonymous Captain Planet Foundation Steve BassfordBlue Canopy Group Sherry Booth Tim and Sherrie Cook CIDVER CorporationMaid Brigade Cabinet Showplace Charles and Niamh Crotty Cohn ReznikCSC Crosby Marketing Communications Designing Flowers, LLC Tony DiecidueChesapeake Bay Trust Ron and Olivia Davison Gene and Ruth Fax Matthew and Caitlin DudekCouncil Oak Amanda Dosch Paul Fleischman Excel TechnologiesFlower Power Fieldstone Farm Mary Foley Maureen FindorffGross, Mendelsohn & Associates Ivan Follender Edward Frankle & Myrna Friedman Bob and Kim FletcherHost Hotels Bradley and Sara Green Kenneth Gordon Friends of Amy Norgren SalfiFrank Jacobs

Bill Gehron Tim Newton Naturalist’s Circle Chris HermanWilliam and Patricia Gehron Linda Palmer (up to $99) Karl M. KruszewskiWayne and Teena Gorrow John and Ellen Preziotti Lisa Adams Lawrenceville Woman's ClubGina Green Peter Renz Mark and Kate Aengenheyster Jennifer LeeGreeneville Women's Club John and Laura Robic Baldwin Woman's Club Kristen MartinMary G. Hager John Ryabik Jody Ruhle Barnard Katherine ParkinsonSkid and Geraldine Hall SL Bassford and Associates Kirsten Berg (in memory of Dave Piedmont Community FoundationMildred Headdy Jack and Ann Schulze (in honor Newton) Chris and Patty PileHope Herron of Bill Gehron) Robert and Roseann Brent Melissa RoseBonnie Hopke Shelly Shafer (in memory of Neill and Nancy Carey Jan Joseph RossRobert and Vycke Horback Patti Shafer) Keith and Colleen Chernikoff Ken and Della Royston (in honor ofJK Agility Kathleen Davis Sieferman Vern Conaway Ron and Mary Newton)Rhonda Jackson Don and Caroline Sielschott Nathaniel Conroy Martha SemmesRichard and Karen Jimmerson Mark and Cindy Slattery Ann Wheeler Dickey Andy and Romany SiefermanAlta Jones SmartPower GFWC Dearborn Mark and Kristin SlacinJustin and Jessica Kent Mark Smith GFWC Junior Woman's Club Stone Mountain Woman's ClubKforce Technology Staffing Nathan and Nina Smith GFWC Lutz-Land O'Lakes Lee StoneBenedict and Carol Lenhart Chris and Kate Snipes Woman's Club Nancy ThomsonLerner Foundation Wanda Street GFWC North Pinellas Woman's Amy Turner Helen Teter Club Fnd, Inc Frank and Nancy Van BalenNancy Marasco The Institute for Public-Private GFWC Womans Club of Panama Craig and Laura Van NostrandPhil Marasco (in Honor of Uncle Harry Partnerships City FL Inc Jaime Wascalusand Aunt Ann Marasco) TriEco Walt and Hollie Galloway Joanne Wyman Mike Wanta Linda GarczynskiDavid and Dawn Matta Mike and Elizabeth Wayt Claire GesalmanJack McGraw Whitlow's on Wilson Jim HanlonEd Milch and Nancy Silva Milch Steve and Sofia Wiley Sandra Johnson (in Honor of ChrisAnne Miller Carl and Brenda Willis-Ford Kraft)Carl MyersRoland and Jo Newton