Member Corner:
News from the membership desk
by Anna Christensen
BequestsFrom Executive Director of Policy Frances Spivy-Weber:
My husband Michael and I have had loads of first-hand experience with the Mono Lake Committee staff, Board, and programs since I joined the Committee staff in 1997. When we updated our wills recently it took no thought at all to name the Committee as a beneficiary. We could think of few other organizations that were as cost-effective an investment.
Michael and I know that the Committee is doing great work, and we know that that work will need doing forever. We also know that bequests allow the Mono Lake Committee to do special things—beyond its budget. One year, the Committee used a bequest to fund research on alkali flies at Mono Lake. Another year, we were able to substantially increase the down payment we made to purchase Sally Gaines’ property in Lee Vining. This year, again, we may use a bequest to support research on feeding studies of California Gulls on alkali flies, which will fill in important gaps in our understanding of Mono Lake’s ecosystem. Looking ahead, there are capital improvements needed at the office and the intern house that we will tackle more quickly if we receive bequest funds.
When you write or update your will, I hope you decide to make a gift to the Mono Lake Committee. If you have questions or want more information, please contact Membership Coordinator Brett Pyle.
Sincerely,
Frances Spivy-Weber
In Memory
To honor the memory of William Wells Palmer of Los Gatos, friends and family established a fund through the Mono Lake Committee. These generous donations will be used to place a bench at Mono Lake in memory of Mr. Palmer.
Robert and Clara Calhoun of Lee Vining donated in memory of Robert Potts of Coarsegold.
Gordon Wood Anderson of Washington D.C. made a gift in honor of Jacob Ryan Nagel-Boyd.
Dorothy Brownold, a lover of Mono Lake, was remembered by Charles Brownold of Davis.
Alan Taylor of Mono City donated in memory of Marilyn Lloyd who was inspired by the beauty of Mono Lake to paint and sculpt. The Lee Vining Ranger Station Employees Fund also donated in her name.
The Mono Lake Committee would like to extend condolences to Virginia Adams’ family, who have been Mono Lake Committee and Mono Basin friends for many years.
Matched gifts
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. matched a donation from Edwin Duerr of Fremont. Merrill Lynch and Company Foundation, Inc. matched a generous gift from Richard MacDonald of San Rafael. Mal Warwick and Associates, Inc. and Response Management Technologies, Inc. matched the donations of Steve Hitchcock of Albany and Alan Magree of Long Beach. The Charles Schwab Corporation Foundation matched a gift from Susan Mills of Bakersfield. Microsoft Corporation matched a donation by John Platt of Fremont. Finally, Bank of America Foundation matched gifts by Traude Buckland of Berkeley and Joyce Robinson.
Thanks
Special thanks to photographer Warren Marr of Tujugna for donating his time and expertise in repainting our slideshow room. Come check it out when you visit!
Thank you to photographer Don Jackson of Forestville for mentioning Mono Lake and the Mono Lake Committee in his feature in the LowePro product catalog.
Did you know?
1999 was a tremendous year for the Mono Lake Committee’s membership! We had more than 2,000 new members join in 1999 to help strengthen our education programs, research and monitoring, and restoration work. With these new friends, our membership is growing at the fastest rate in years! Thank you to members new and old for such a successful year.
With the changing of the membership guard we bid farewell to Anna Christensen and welcome our new Membership Coordinator Brett Pyle! If you have any membership questions contact Brett by phone at (760) 647-6595, written mail at P.O. Box 29, Lee Vining, CA 93541.
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