LOON LAKE LAND CONSERVANCY

WE ARE AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION WITH NO PAID STAFF. AT LEAST 88 VOLUNTEERS WERE ACTIVE ON CONSERVANCY PROJECTS DURING 2023, THOUGH WE HAVE OVER 125 REGULAR VOLUNTEERS. BOARD MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS DONATE HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF THEIR TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS ACCOMPLISHING OUR MISSION. VOLUNTEERS SAVE THE CONSERVANCY WELL OVER $100,000 PER YEAR THANKS TO THEIR CONTRIBUTED TIME! OUR TOTAL NUMBER OF DONORS, VOLUNTEERS AND BOARD MEMBERS CURRENTLY IS AT 225 RECORDS. MANY OF THESE ARE HUSBAND/WIFE/COUPLE RECORDS SO THAT OUR TOTAL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IS CLOSER TO 350. PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND OTHER VOLUNTEER PROJECTS IN 2023:-CENTENNIAL PARK SPRING CLEAN-UP-REMOVAL OF TREE PROTECTORS FROM MORGAN WOOD-TREE PLANTING - ASPENS IN SHAWL WETLAND-SIGNAGE AT PEARSON MEADOW & HAAG PROPERTY-KNAPWEED REMOVAL - MURPHY GRAVEL FILL & MORGAN WOOD-CENTENNIAL PARK SUMMER CLEAN-UP-CENTENNIAL PARK FALL CLEAN-UPCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION:-LOONSDAY INFORMATION/EDUCATION TABLE-LOON LAKE HISTORICAL SOCIETY FESTIVAL INFORMATION/EDUCATION DISPLAY-SUMMER'S EVE BENEFIT FOR THE LAKE-WATER QUALITY TESTING THREE TIMES EACH SUMMER FOR THE LAST SIXTEEN YEARS. WE TEST FOR PARAMETERS TO TRACK THOSE IDENTIFIED AS KEY WATER QUALITY INDICATORS BY WASHINGTON STATE TO DETERMINE IF WATER QUALITY IS DETERIORATING. SO FAR, OVER THIS PERIOD, WATER QUALITY HAS BEEN FAIRLY STABLE WITH SOME VARIATION FROM TIME TO TIME, DEPENDING ON SNOW MELT, RAIN, AND TEMPERATURE. ALTHOUGH THE LLPOA HAS TAKEN OVER ORGANIZING THESE TEST DAYS, OUR BOARD MEMBERS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CRITICAL EQUIPMENT AND STAFFING FOR THE PROCESS.FUNDRAISING:WE SEND OUT FUNDRAISING MAILERS TO OUR 200+ REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS & DONORS TWICE A YEAR, IN THE SPRING AND AT YEAR-END. WE HAVE COMMITTED TO OUR SUMMERS EVE AS AN ANNUAL FUNDRAISING & SUPPORTER RECRUITING EVENT AND WE DECIDED TO EXPAND THE EVENT AND CHARGE FOR TICKETS. AT $35/PERSON WE SOLD OUT OUR MAX OF 144 ATTENDEES. VOLUNTEERS AND DONORS JOINED THE BOARD ON AUGUST 5 AT THE PRIVATE LAKE HOME OF A DONOR FOR AN EVENING OF DINNER AND BEVERAGES AND TO RAISE FUNDS FOR OUR PROPERTY ACQUISITION FUND. WE EXPANDED OUR SPONSORS LEVEL DONATIONS TO COVER THE COST OF THE EVENT SO THAT WE INCREASED OUR GROSS AND NET REVENUE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. WE ALSO FUNDRAISE VIA EMAIL AND SNAILMAIL CAMPAIGNS. IN 2023 WE STARTED USING CONSTANT CONTACT AS A COMMUNICATIONS HUB FOR OUR EMAIL DATABASE AND USE THIS TO HELP PUSH VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION AND DONOR GIVING. WE ALSO FUNDRAISE ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS WHEN THERE ARE TARGET PROPERTIES WE CAN ACQUIRE. IN 2023 WE DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. HOWEVER OUR FUNDRAISING SURPASSED THE PRIOR YEAR WHICH IS A SIGN OF THE STRONG COMMUITY SUPPORT FOR PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT OF LOON LAKE. BOARD HEALTH:WE HAVE ONBOARDED 6 NEW BOARD MEMBERS SINCE 2022, INCLUDING ADDING JOE PALMQUIST, RANDALL HANSEN AND JENNY PARKER HANSEN IN 2023. THIS HAS CREATED A STRONG GROUP OF DIRECTORS TO BACKFILL OUR FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS LIKE DICK AND ERIC WHO HAD HELD THEIR ROLES FOR DECADES. MARY JO LOVELL REPLACED DICK DAVIES AS PRESIDENT IN THE FALL, TIM CRONIN REPLACED MARY JO AS VP, AND NANCY HILPERT CONTINUES AS SECRETARY AND HAS BEEN OBSERVING ERIC DAVIS TO LEARN THE TREASURERS ROLE SO HE CAN RETIRE FROM THE BOARD IN 2024. WE ALSO HAVE A LIST OF NEW POTENTIAL BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE LEADERS WE ARE CULTIVATING ACTIVELY. UNFORTUNATELY, RANDALL HANSEN WAS FORCED TO RESIGN FROM THE BOARD DUE TO PERSONAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.