T HE G ROTTO A Publication for Members of Westcave Preserve
WESTCAVE PRESERVE Fall 2011/Winter 2012
2011 Celebration of Children In Nature Awards Event On September 19th, Westcave Preserve hosted the fourth annual Celebration of Children in Nature Awards Dinner in recognition of the best examples of individuals and organizations in Central Texas who are connecting children to nature. Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas provided the keynote address and Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune served as master of ceremonies. Dr. Sanchez talked about the current disconnect between children and nature and the urgency in finding regular opportunities for kids to actively explore the Keynote Speaker Dr. Eduardo natural world. Sanchez with Westcave Board
E. Lee Walker Award for Community Collaboration - El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission John Covert Watson Award for Vision - Dr. Kimberly Avila Edwards M.D., F.A.A.P. - Medical Director of Happy Living Healthy Living Program at Dell Children’s Medical Center John F. Ahrns Award for Environmental Education - William Early, 5th Grade Teacher, Laurel Mountain Elementary, Round Rock ISD Westcave Preserve Award for Enduring Dedication - Art Pasley, C.A.S.T National Program Director
Vice-Chair Lee Walker
2011 Award Winners The annual Children in Nature awards highlight individuals or organizations doing exceptional things that support the Children in Nature Collaborative mission and vision. This year’s award winners were announced in four categories recognizing excellence in connecting children to nature:
Table guests representing El Buen Samaritano, winner of the 2011 Westcave Award for Enduring Dedication
Banff Mountain Movie Festival and North Face Speaker Series Benefit Westcave Westcave was thrilled to be selected as the beneficiary for two exciting nature education events in Austin this year. In April, Whole Earth Provision brought the 2011 Banff Mountain Film Festival to the Paramount Theater with two nights of high-adrenaline adventure film line-ups. Westcave was given a wonderful opportunity for outreach at the festival and received all proceeds from the two evenings. Then in September, Whole Earth Provision and Backwoods joined together with North Face to bring alpinist and photographer, Cory Richards, to Zachary Scott Theater for a truly inspirational talk about his winter summit of Gasherbrum II in the Himalayas. The speech was part of the national North Face Speaker Series and Westcave was delighted to receive the of benefits from the VIP reception proceeding the program.
Molly Stevens, Executive Director of Westcave Preserve, receiving a check for the proceeds of the Banff Mountain Film Festival from Walter Wakefield, co-owner of Whole Earth Provision Co.
When asked for a review of the inaugural walk, Susan Dell commented that the “event was a wonderful start to what I believe will become a very fun annual event that people will look forward to year after year.” Westcave supporters signing in for the Dell Be Well Walk.
Junior League of Austin Partnership For the third consecutive year Westcave Preserve has been selected as a recipient of a Junior League of Austin (JLA) grant, JLA grants provide Westcave with significant financial support for our education and outreach programs as well as a team of Junior League volunteers to help implement the programs. In addition as a JLA grant recipient, Westcave is eligible to apply for emergency funds for unexpected circumstances. Westcave had two such circumstances in the last 12 months: an equipment burglery and a broken water pipeline. In both cases, JLA was able to provide assistance to Westcave through their emergency funds program. As important as JLA’s financial support is the team of passionate and dedicated volunteers who bring a tremendous range of skills and experience to the Preserve. This year’s stellar group of volunteers is led by returning volunteer, Ashley Amini, who is serving as Project Chair. Our new volunteer team members include: DeLea Becker, Ashlee Bennett, Allison Gristy, Susan Kinard, Keri Moss, and Anne Oitzinger. Thank you, JLA team!
Dell Be Well Walk The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’s inaugural Be Well Walk on October 2, 2011, at Longhorn Shores on Lady Bird Lake was a huge success! Westcave was one of 15 partner organizations chosen to participate in the walk. Over 2000 people completed the walk, and helped generate $185,000 benefitting the local partner organizations that are working to help combat childhood obesity in Austin. Over 100 members of the Westcave community warmed up their sneakers and hit the trail…thanks to all of you for supporting Westcave and a healthier Austin! We’re sending a special shout-out to Dr. Mike Moffitt and the Dripping Springs High School students who formed the largest walk team!!
JLA team members Ashley Amini and Keri Moss volunteering at the Children in Nature Awards Event.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Max Scoular, Chair Lee Walker, Vice Chair Buddy Steele, Secretary Bill Keenan, Treasurer Hayden Brooks Amon Burton Victor Emanuel Chris Harte Mike Luigs Pam Reese Laura Scanlan Cho Jennifer Vickers Peggy Winkler John Covert Watson, Member Emeritus
MAJOR DONORS Foundation Support Austin Community Foundation The Brown Foundation Dell’s Children’s Medication Center Foundation The Education Foundation of America The Ettinger Foundation The Junior League of Austin Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Powell Foundation Reese Foundation Shield Ayres Foundation
St. David’s Foundation Stark Martin Charitable Trust Still Water Foundation The Tapestry Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation Whitney Trust & Investments William & Salomé Scanlan Foundation Winkler Family Foundation
Corporate Support AMD Bamberger Ranch Preserve Braun & Gresham PLLC El Buen Samaritano El Ranchito FGI Services HEB Henna Chevrolet and the Central Texas Chevy Dealers LCRA Locke Lord Bissell and Liddell LLP National Instruments The Nature Conservancy Patagonia REI Seton Texas Parks and Wildlife Thundercloud Subs Wells Fargo Bank Whole Earth Provision
We are pleased to recognize our Grotto Guild Members for 2009. Grotto Guild members provide annual support of $1,000 or more and receive special benefits, including tours and events. Please consider joining at this generous membership level. You may contact
[email protected] for additional information.
Grotto Guild Margy & Bob Ayres Inelle Bagwell Shelly & David Bain Holly & Jim Bohart David Braun Anne Brockenbrough Lynn & Hayden Brooks Earl Broussard Carol & Amon Burton Nourah & Bobby Caskey Laura Scanlan Cho & Ken Cho Mary & Bob Cocke Malcolm Cooper Victor Emanuel Royce Faulkner JoLynn Free Mike Haggerty Kathie Hanson Linda & Jim Hargrove Katherine Pope & Chris Harte Dee & Robert Jackson Rita & Bill Keenan Gail & Jeff Kodosky Mike Luigs Liz & David Manning
JoAnn McKenzie Catherine & George Norsworthy Bettye & Bill Nowlin Randy Rehman Pam & Mike Reese Patricia Henna Rowe & Mark Rowe Nancy Scanlan Marika and Jonathan Schoolar Max Scoular Maggie & Buddy Steele Margot & Grant Thomas Tara & David Tetreault Kate Watson-Toth Linda & Nick van Bavel Jennifer Vickers & Lee Walker Peggy & Matt Winkler Jan & Neile Wolfe Lucia & Paul Woodruff Ira Yates
Earth Share of Texas represents Westcave Preserve in workplace payroll contribution plans throughout Texas. For more information about how you can support Westcave Preserve and other leading environmental groups at your workplace, call 1-800GREENTX, or visit www.earthsharetexas.org. Visit www.NatureRocksAustin.org to connect Austin area kids with Austin area nature.
El Ranchito 2011 Fall Reconnect Seventy-six kids came together for the annual El Ranchito Fall Reconnect this October. The action-packed day was filled with seeing summertime friends, hiking the trails at the Shield Ranch, playing games and enjoying a barbeque dinner. El Ranchito is a project of the Shield Ranch Foundation in collaboration with Westcave Preserve and El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission.
Volunteer Spotlight Sue Barnett, Tara Tetreault and Peggy Murphy The Westcave Roundtable is a group of local residents and other stakeholders exploring conservation and land management issues. In 2011, programs included: What do Warblers Eat?, with guest speaker Mike Quinn; Best Practices in Land Management, with guest speaker Gary Freeborg; and, Feral Hogs, with guest speaker Jared Timmons. These programs were organized and hosted by a team of three dynamic Westcave neighbors: Sue Barnett, Tara Tetreault, and Peggy Murphy. As Managing Principal of her consulting firm, Sue Barnett significantly influences the global course of sustainable design and building performance. Sue lives near Westcave Preserve in a passive solar, rammed earth house with solar hot water, aerobic system and salvaged and recycled materials located within a dedicated nature preserve. Most days, she and her dog enjoy walking the river. Tara Tetreault is founder and owner of Earthwise Herbals, a therapeutic herbal company located in Round Mountain. Tara’s passion for herbs came after many years in corporate America. Her search for a more fulfilling life lead her to the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, Arizona, where she completed a 2-year program in Western Herbalism. Peggy Murphy develops and presents environmental education programs as a Texas Master Naturalist. Preschoolers are her favorite age group; she has observed that adults are generally a much scarier audience. Peggy works as an Adjunct Librarian at ACC, performing database maintenance and cataloging materials for their online public library catalog.
Sue Barnett
Tara Tetreault
Peggy Murphy
Westcave Preserve 24814 Hamilton Pool Road Round Mountain, TX 78663 Phone: 830-825-3442 Fax: 830-825-3509 www.westcave.org
e-mail:
[email protected]
